by Marie Kelly
Warmth filled her seeing the guilty look on his face, his eyes full of concern for her, a chuckle bubbling up from her very toes, “No! He does want to see me again”, her look becoming more doleful. “In fact, he wants to spend next weekend with me… Alone.”
She could see the shock in Ross’s eyes before they became more wary. “Tara. Logan Callen is not the kind of man who gets involved with anybody. He is the poster boy for love ’em and leave ’em. He seems a decent enough guy. But when it comes to women…”
Laughing, she nodded, “I know.” Her tone became more serious. “But we just seem to have a ‘connection’ and… Well I think he needs to know. He needs to know that I am not Susan.”
Beside her Ross sucked in a long sigh. “Tara, that is dangerous. If he finds out he might fire Susan.” Nodding she knew that it was a risk.
“Please Ross. Logan is not vindictive. He will understand. Plus it is too late for him to find a replacement. Shooting starts in just over two months and Sunny is now a big hit with the media.”
Breathing out another long sigh he nodded, “Yeah… Thanks to you”, his face full of uncertainty, before he moved over to sit on a chair. “Tara, if you had not stepped in when you did, then Susan’s career would be gone. If you really feel you have to do this… Then we will both support you.”
She felt the tears rise to her eyes, a tremulous smile on her lips as she moved to sit beside him, taking his hand. “Thank you Ross. You will see… I am right about Logan.”
The next week plodded by for Tara. While she was busy every day, Rita and Ross ensuring that her calendar was always full, she was never more happy than when talking or texting with Logan. Each night the two would talk for over an hour, neither running out of things to say, both looking forward to the weekend.
When finally Friday rolled around she had become excited knowing that he would be landing the next morning and picking her up to drive back down to his villa. She packed, singing happily as she did so, unable to wipe the smile from her face. While she still felt nervous about her news, somehow she knew that he would understand. The ringing doorbell and Ross’s call that he would get it hardly registered as she danced around the room deciding what to take with her, grinning as the bikini Ross bought her made it into the bag, her one-piece relegated to the drawer.
Looking up as her door opened, she froze, her trembling fingers dropping the blouse she held. “Susan!”, her sister’s name dropped from suddenly white lips, her eyes moving to catch Ross’s.
He too looked stunned, a small shrug of ‘I never knew’ leaving him, before she rushed forward, grabbing her sister for a hug. “Susie…what happened? Did you sign yourself out? Why are you here?”
In her embrace her sister laughed, shaking her head. “No. I was told that I could leave. I have some follow-up sessions, but apparently I am well on the road to recovery.”
Ross’s voice filtered between them. “Why didn’t you phone? How did you get here?”
Susan moved from Tara’s arms as she turned to face Ross. “One of the other patients offered me a lift. I wanted to surprise you”, her large smile shining from her, “Surprise!”
Ross and Tara both stared at each other before he rushed forward, grabbing her and lifting her into his arms.
“God Susan, it is so good to see you”, she grinning into his face. Standing back Tara felt a teary smile rise within seeing the devoted look in his eyes, along with a similar one in her sister’s. Things were looking good for the two of them, she glad to see that Susan truly did appreciate the man who held her so tightly.
For the next hour the three sat talking. Susan stared at Tara with disbelieving eyes on hearing the story of how she had stood up to Logan and how the two now planned to spend the weekend together. With a kittenish smile she tutted softly, her eyes flashing with mirth. “Why Tara James… This is a new side to your normally ‘oh so prim’ persona.” Tara giggled as she threw a pillow, the two closer now than they had been since they were children.
Standing, she wiggled her eyebrows. “OK… Well if someone makes tea, I can finish packing, and then maybe we can call for pizza to celebrate.”
Susan’s features dropped. “I thought we could go out.” Ross shook his head emphatically. “No. Tara has to talk to Logan, and until then we don’t reveal that there are two Sunny Jameses”
Sighing softly, Susan nodded, her mouth quirking into a grin. “Sorry. Forgot”, her eyes moving to Ross. “It might be nice just to spend a quiet weekend alone.”
Ross nodded, his eyes falling from her, the pleasure within clear, his voice husky, “I’ll make the tea. Susie, you relax.”
Tara moved back to her room, her insides filling with warmth. Yep, looked like things were going well.
The ringing of the doorbell once more filled the apartment. “I’ll get it”, Susan cried before moving to answer the door. Swinging it open, she gasped at the handsome man who stood before her, his face familiar to her from pictures she had seen in the press.
As she searched for words, he surged forward, winding his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him, his eyes full of sensual humour before dropping his mouth to hers. “God you have no idea how much I have missed you”, he chuckled, his kiss deepening.
Logan had wanted – no needed, he corrected himself – to see Sunny all day, his normally so controlled and focused mind often returning to the blonde. Each time he would endure the way the very blood in his veins boiled for her. As his final meeting of the day ended, the negotiations finished sooner than expected, he had lost no time in jumping on the next available flight back to Hollywood before hailing a cab to take him to her apartment. The fact he was not expected did not bother him as he looked forward to seeing the surprise on her beautiful face.
Now as he held her in his arms, his mouth on hers she had given a small surprised squeal. Something felt wrong. Her kiss was different. The feel of her in his arms different, and pulling back he looked down into her face, his frowning softly. Sunny stared back at him with shock, her eyes not holding the same warmth in them as she pushed him gently from her. “I... Wow... You!”, were the only words she could manage, as his frown deepened, not sure what was wrong but sensing something was.
“Who was at the?...” Tara moved into the hallway, gasping in total shock at seeing Logan with his hands still loosely holding her sister. Flicking a nervous look at Susan she let out a soft moan of pain, her eyes beseeching, “Logan... I was going to tell you. Susan... ”
His whiplash voice cut over her. “Susan!” His look briefly flicked to the woman still in his arms before stepping away from her. “YOU are Susan?”, his eyes once more returning to her. “What the hell is going on here? TWINS?”, his accusing questions directed at Tara who wrung her hands nervously, so unsure what to say.
With a withering look, he turned and strode from the apartment, Tara staring wildly at his retreating back, tears rising to her eyes. “Go after him”, Susan hissed at her, her feet finally moving as she chased him, catching up to him as he moved into the elevator, Tara jumping in just as the doors closed.
Rounding on her, he glared down. “Who are you? Was this some kind of joke? Some game you cooked up?... Let’s play with the boss?”
“No”, she cried, her eyes imploring him as tears slid down her cheeks. “Logan please. Susan was going off the deep end. You know that. You nearly fired me – her – because of it.”
He grew silent, his face still black with fury as she talked. “Ross came to me. He told me that he had managed to get her to go into rehab. She was addicted to pills Logan, but she was ready to walk out if it meant losing the role in the movie. So I agreed to pretend to be her. I had to protect her from herself.”
With a huffing sound he glared back. “So you led me on. Slept with me, and never thought to tell me the truth?”
A sob was ripped from her as she shook her head, “I tried so hard to keep you at a distance. I didn’t want us to get so close. Don’t you think that this
has been tearing me apart? If I told you the truth, you would have fired Susan and... ” Her voice trailed off, Tara not able to finish what she was saying.
Fixing her with a withering look he bit out, “I very much doubt that you have the capacity to be ‘torn apart’ and you never gave me the chance. This has all been a complete lie to you.” Running his fingers through his hair he felt something so deep within him tear, not fully understanding the pain that filled him. “I don’t even know you. Who you are. What your name is.”
Swallowing, as the tears flowed even faster she dropped her eyes from him. “My name is Tara James and I am a nurse from the UK. And I only ever wanted to help my sister. I never expected for us... ” Again she faltered as the emotions swamped her, her lips quivering. “Please Logan”, she pleaded, her voice hardly a whisper as her hand reached out to him.
He however, stood back, pushing her hand from him as the elevator finally reached the foyer. Moving from it he turned, stopping her from exiting, his voice colder than she would ever have thought possible. “I’m not going to fire your sister, but I want you out of here. I never want to see or hear from you again. Do you understand?”
Tara felt her heart breaking into a thousand pieces, her eyes full of the pain she was experiencing as she whispered imploringly at him, “Logan...”
His features and voice hardened. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”
Tara nodded miserably, hating herself for what she had done. With that he turned and with long purposeful steps strode from the building… Left her. Pressing the button to return, she slid to the ground, the sobs racking her as she wanted him back.
Chapter Eight
Two months later Tara stood beside Susan, her sister radiant as she peeked through the door of the church. “He’s here”, she giggled, Tara laughing back. “Did you have any doubts? That man loves you to bits. He would do ANYTHING for you.”
Nodding her head, the love for Ross shone from Susan as she hugged Tara. “I know, and I love him too.”
Her sister smiled and nodded happily back, “You better Susan, because if you hurt that man I swear that I will come back and kick your butt”, Susan making an ’ouch’ face before jumping as the music began to play.
As the two women took their places, the doors opened and they began the slow walk down the carpet, Ross turning to look at them, his eyes landing on Susan. Once more Tara felt warmth flood her seeing the devotion in her soon to be brother-in-law’s eyes.
Taking each other’s hand they faced the other, the minister starting the ceremony, Tara giving a small sad sigh as her memory flew back to the last time she had been in Hollywood.
After Logan had stormed from the building, Tara had returned to the apartment where both Susan and Ross had looked after her as she broke down, telling them both of her feelings for Logan and what had just happened. Ross had been prepared to speak to him, Tara stopping him knowing that he was too angry and that he would fire Susan, instinctively knowing that part of his keeping her in the movie was based on her leaving him alone. For two days she found herself continually bursting into tears, his face haunting her, tearing so painfully at her, until she was finally able to get a flight back home.
There she had found being in her normal routine a blessing, taking extra shifts when she could so that she was too tired to feel the pain of her separation from Logan, exhaustion numbing her both in body and spirit. While she tried to pass what had happened as a doomed holiday romance, she could not keep lying to herself, the realisation hitting her that she had fallen in love with the executive. After such a short time together, she had made the worst mistake imaginable, mocking her own stupidity.
From afar she watched as Susan settled into her life as one of the Hollywood elite. She was happy and relieved to see that she did not slip back into her wild ways, no doubt much as a result of Ross’s influence, Tara happy that she had him in her life. When she learnt that the two were now dating, she had been even happier.
There had been no further word from Logan, not that she expected any. He had made his feelings towards her abundantly clear, and while she tried not to, she followed many of the stories of his love life which seemed to have become even more promiscuous than before they met, he photographed with model after model. Tara told herself that she had dodged a bullet, knowing that he no doubt had completely forgotten about her, the incident one that had merely left a bad taste in his otherwise perfect life, she however, struggling to deal with the breakup. Often his face would invade her dreams and the pain would tear deeply into her, each time making a mockery of her assertions that she was fine.
When Susan phoned to tell her that she and Ross were getting married, Tara had been so excited and happy. The closeness of the wedding was determined by the couple wanting to tie the knot prior to shooting starting, to give them the opportunity for a honeymoon. When Susan asked her to be her bridesmaid Tara had initially been reluctant, her sister’s pleading that she needed her there finally prompting her to once more return to Hollywood. The chances of seeing Logan Callen were zero, the two moving in very different circles. She would be there for the wedding and then leave the following week. There was no way that she would meet the man who had almost destroyed her.
Watching the way the two finally kissed, a collective “awww” rippled through the many guests in the church, Tara glad that she had been there, knowing that in spite of all that happened, she and her sister were now closer than they ever had been in their whole lives. Winking at Ross, she was glad that Susan married the one man who would always love her, she aware of all he had done and sacrificed to take care of her.
Outside the photographs had been taken and then it was on to the wedding reception, Tara gasping in wonder at the huge venue, decked out in magnificent splendor. “How many people have you invited?”, she mouthed in surprise Susan giggling beside her.
“I have no idea. About a thousand I think. Our PR agent organised everything”, her eyes sparkling brightly, “Thank God. Because organising this might have put me right back into the hospital.” Tara nodded and laughed with her, happy to have her family back.
The first course of the meal had already been set before them, Tara admiring the small salad which tasted every bit as good as it looked. Beside her the minister talked jovially about living in Hollywood, Tara trying to appear interested as she politely nodded, her eyes idly scanning the different tables. She spotted many celebrities, some of whom she had met herself as Sunny, smiling at seeing so many turn out to celebrate her sister’s wedding.
Moving her gaze to another table, the smile fell from her lips, her fingers only just holding on to the small fork as she came eye-to-eye with the one person she never thought to see again, the minister looking at her with concern, as she had grown so pale.
“Are you OK Tara?”, he questioned as she pulled her eyes from Logan’s, his unwavering look solely focused on her, Tara suddenly finding the room hot, her head starting to spin. Clutching the table she reached for the water, taking a long gulp to calm herself before turning to the concerned elderly man.
“I’m fine, really”, she answered in as bright a voice as possible, “It is just so hot in here.”
Placated, the minister nodded before once more telling a tale from many years ago, Tara not able to listen as she flicked a quick look to where Logan sat. Her stomach flipped seeing as he was sat with a stunning brunette, her face familiar from magazines, the woman dangling sensually on his every word. The jealousy that tore through her had been instant as she looked away, digging her perfectly manicured nails into the flesh of her palms to stop the tears which stung the back of her eyes from falling.
The rest of the meal had been torturous for Tara, Susan leaning in at one point to ask if she was OK. Briefly she considered telling her the problem, before biting back the words, not wanting to ruin her sister’s day. Pulling a smile to her mouth she assured her everything was fine.
Finally the meal was over and it was time for the speeches. Ross’s fathe
r had spoken, followed by Tara, who in a break from tradition had been asked to give the best man’s speech. She had looked at the couple so lovingly telling them how well-suited they were. She welcomed Ross into her family, telling him that to her he was the brother she never had. As she turned her attention on Susan, there had been tears in both women’s eyes as she told her how proud she was. Not only for what she had achieved, but for all she had overcome to get there, Susan standing and hugging her sister as she finished.
Sitting down, she flicked another look at Logan, so uncomfortable that he would have heard her heartfelt words. However, she need not have been concerned, pain spearing into her seeing as he looked down at his lap, a frown on his handsome features, no doubt having found the speeches boring, choosing instead to check his email. Tara quickly dropped her look as his eyes unexpectedly rose to meet hers, the electricity which passed between the two shocking.
As the guests moved to the ballroom for the dancing, Susan, Ross and the rest of the wedding party including Tara had lined up to greet their guests, keeping with the customs from home. As guest after guest passed by, she waited for just one person, her heart beating frantically with dread within her chest. Finally the brunette she knew to be his date was in front of her, shaking Tara’s hand softly, her eyes not even making contact, bored with the process. However, the man behind her took her hand in his, Tara looking up at him as he returned her look, she once more experiencing her fragile partially mended heart shattering into even smaller fragments as her eyes grew brighter with tears which perched precariously on her eyelids. “Hello Logan”, she managed, her voice almost inaudible.
Logan took in the hurt on her features, his own pain tugging so deep within him, once more drawing on his anger to keep his tone even. This woman had used him, humiliated him in the worst way possible, but seeing her again he once more felt the way every fibre in his body wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her, scowling as he fought to understand this. He had vowed to be cool, contemptuous of her, but with just one look she was affecting him yet again, Logan once more cursing the day he had ever set eyes on her.