by C. M. Owens
I laugh softly while shaking my head. He's crude with women, but he's right about being honest.
"If you can get any girl you want, why let Rain get them for you?"
"Because it's Rain, and that's what she does. Besides, I don't have to do anything but sit back when she hunts for me. Rain's the sister I never had, and she enjoys taking care of us. Tria can't take her place—no one can—so that means you can't hog her all the time after you get married."
I smile while staring at my front door. Maverick's right. Rain's going to be mine in a way no one else can ever have her, but I can't completely take her away from her four brothers. And that's just fine by me.
"Works out perfect, if you ask me," I say with a grin.
"Damn you and your cheese," Maverick grumbles, and I laugh again. "But yeah. If Rain is going to marry anyone, I'm glad it's you. You're the only asshole good enough for her, and you're the only guy in the world who would understand our group dynamic without jealousy. I really am happy for you, man."
"Thanks," I murmur while clapping him on his back and leaving him with a grin he'll curse me for later.
I walk toward the door, taking each step happier. The ring in my pocket is burning against me, begging to be given to the girl I love.
I open the door, close to calling for her, when Tria walks around the corner holding three of Rain's bags. Her eyes widen when she sees me, and I tilt my head in confusion.
"You going somewhere?" I ask, curious as to why she had to borrow Rain's luggage.
Tria doesn't speak. She looks like a scared kitten in a corner. Rain walks around with two bigger bags that she's pulling behind her.
"No, I am. I've got to be in New York for a signing tomorrow."
My eyes are glued to the luggage in her hands instead of her face.
"And you need five bags for that?"
My jaw tenses as Tria scurries around me, hurriedly getting out of dodge as she makes her way to her car.
Rain takes a deep breath that says something I don't want to hear. What just happened?
"No. I'm going to be staying there for a while. I've got some business to do."
I look up and walk toward her, refusing to just let her leave. "What are you doing, Rain?"
She forces a smile and shrugs. "I just told you."
"No, you just told me some bullshit. I'm not letting you go. I've spent eleven years wanting to be with you, and now you're... What's going on really?"
She blows out a harsh breath, and she turns around as she messes with her luggage, giving me only a view of her back.
"I don't see this working. Maybe too much time has passed, but it's just... It doesn't feel right."
My heart explodes into a thousand little pieces. It's as though all the oxygen in my lungs is painfully ripped out, and my world breaks apart right in front of me. I'm forced to sit down on the uncomfortable chair by the door while Rain avoids looking at me.
"Look at me and tell me you don't love me."
"I didn't say I don't love you, Dane. I said this isn't working."
"Fuck that. Look at me and tell me to my face, now, Rain!"
She tenses in front of me, and I wait to see her eye twitch with a lie. Then I can figure out what the hell is really going on. Slowly, she turns to face me with too many unshed tears in her eyes for me to see her blues clearly.
"This thing between us won't work. I know that. I'm sorry. I really am, Dane, but I have to go. This is me doing the right thing instead of drawing it out, because it's not meant to be."
Not once. Not once did her eye twitch. No. Fuck no. Please, God, no.
"Rain," I murmur in a rasp whisper, and her eyes start dropping the tears she can no longer hold on to.
"I have to go, Dane. I'm sorry," she says through a strangled, hoarse tone.
She drags her suitcases by me, and the door shuts behind her as she leaves me. My body has shutdown. Nothing makes a damn bit of sense. Yesterday she loved me, today she's leaving me.
By the time I get to my feet, Rain is already gone. The girl I've loved for eleven years left me because I wasn't the one she wanted... again. I barely had her long enough to lose her.
Chapter 16
RAIN
"You still don't like Dean Easton?" the impatient and exasperated producer asks.
After a month of filming, he shouldn't even bother to ask that question. Where do they find these stick-up-the-ass actors?
"This guy doesn't act... I don't know. I can tell he's acting. He's not as genuine as Dane... I mean, Dean. Everyone has to see his love for her without it being spoken. Right now, I'd almost think the guy could spell it out and not sell it. And his walk is terrible. Dane—Dean, would never walk like that. His walk is effortlessly graceful and sexy. He doesn't try; it's just natural."
He groans as he takes several notes. I'm sure they're regretting giving me so much input on this, but the books for the Easton Boys have sold like crazy. There are only four in the series, but every one of them has flown off the shelves. The movie has to be as close to perfect as possible to escape the terrible reviews that would ensue otherwise.
"Maybe you could bring the illusive Dane Sterling up here to explain to our Dean what he's doing wrong."
"No!" I bark, writing down several marginal notes in the script. "If he can't act, find someone who can."
I can't believe Viv told them it was about Dane. She thought it was okay once Dane and I got together. It's not okay. No one should know. This is a personal thing they shouldn't get to tear apart.
I turn to walk away, and the producer puffs out an irritated gust of air.
"This is the fourth Dean we've hired. Stop looking for faults."
I ignore him and head back to the trailer. We haven't even started filming the scenes with Dane—dammit, Dean! Because none of them are good enough.
"You going to add a book about what happened six years later when Reva and Dean got back together?" Viv asks nosily, slipping in behind me and following me outside.
"No, because in the Easton Boys, Reva and Dean get together and live happily ever after. Fucking sweet, huh?" I growl. "No need to shatter the illusion."
"Rain, what happened? You sounded so happy when I talked to you."
The tears in my eyes haven't stopped falling. I've mourned the loss of Dane more than anything except my mother. I almost curse Viv for making them start back up.
"Life isn't a fucking fairytale like it is in my books!" I shout, catching her off guard. "Sometimes the girl and the guy aren't meant to be no matter how fucking in love they are. Because the chapter doesn't end with the promise that all will turn out perfect. Real life happens. People change over the years. And in real life, the girl can't keep the dream guy."
Her lips move to speak, but she wisely reins in whatever she was going to say and nods instead. I turn to walk away, leaving her behind as I make my way into the small trailer set up for the pain-in-the-ass writer who can't be satisfied with their poor man's Dane.
It's times like these I wish I could call just one of my boys, but I can't. If I do, they'll want to know what happened, and I'm not ready to talk about it. I don't know if I'll ever be ready.
***
DANE
"It's been a month, Dane. You can't keep sitting around your house and moping," Maverick says through the phone.
"Take out the tables in sections A and C tonight. People will be doing more standing than sitting for the show," I tell Ember, motioning toward the tables.
She nods in agreement and Maverick huffs on the phone.
"I'm not moping at home. I'm at the club, preparing for a big band that's coming tonight. It's going to be a full house, so if you don't mind, I've got a lot of shit to do."
"Good thing you have people you pay to do that. You know what I mean by moping at home. You never go out with us, you always get drunk alone, and you rarely even talk to us anymore. Tomorrow we're hanging out and watching the game at Kode's house. You should come. Britt's going to b
e there."
The last thing I want to do is see my brother right now. I'm afraid that Rain will go to him now that I'm not holding her back.
"I've got stuff to do," I lie.
"We've lost both of you. Rain's even gone so far as to change her number. We can't get a hold of her at all, and you barely answer our calls anymore."
I have no idea why she's ignoring the guys. This is all so fucked up.
"S'not my fault Rain's being this way. All I fucking did was try to be good to her. Still haven't been able to figure out what the hell I did wrong. Or maybe I was too good to her. Fuck, I don't know."
Maverick sighs hard. "I don't want to talk bad about Rain, but for what it's worth, she's being stupid right now. I just wish she'd talk to one of us. Kode tried finding her when he was in New York, but he didn't have any luck. Her agent hasn't seen her, and the last she heard, she was still living in Sterling Shore."
"I'll just bet Kode went looking for her the second we broke up," I growl.
"Not like that, Dane. We're all worried. She's cut us all out of her life. She's never done this before. It has me worried that something else is going on."
I start to speak, but a new voice interrupts.
"Dane Sterling?" a guy asks.
I look up to see a familiar face, but I can't really place him.
"Yeah."
"James Holbrook. I came here—"
"James Holbrook the actor?" I interrupt, confused.
"Yes," he says, grinning.
"Dude, you have James Holbrook in your club?" Maverick asks, sounding as stunned as I am.
"Yeah. I'll call you later."
I hang up before he can argue, and I give my attention to the visitor that hasn't explained himself.
"Are you here to see the band? Because they won't be on for at least another three hours."
He laughs while taking a seat in front of the bar, and I stand on the other side, keeping a wary eye on him.
"No. I came to meet you before I'm cut out of the movie. Apparently I'm nothing like you, and I really need this role. It's going to be a huge part, and my career could use the boost."
Dude has seriously lost his mind.
"Sorry... I have no idea what you're talking about."
He gives me an incredulous look, as though I'm the one confusing him, and then he leans forward.
"You're Dean Easton."
Yep. He's crazy. I've heard a lot of actors are mixed in with drugs. I guess he fits the cliché.
"No. I'm Dane Sterling. You just asked me that like five minutes ago."
He laughs low and throaty while shaking his head. "No, I mean you're Dean Easton from the Easton Boys. Rain Noles's biggest new hit. They're filming, and I'm supposed to be Dean—you. Problem is, Rain has already had numerous other Deans cut, and it's looking like I'm next. So I'm here to find out how I'm supposed to be."
After opening and closing my mouth several times, I finally give up on speaking. Rain wrote a book I didn't know about?
"I've read all of Rain's books, but I've never heard of a Dean Easton. I think you're mistaken."
He laughs while grabbing the whiskey from just behind the bar and pouring himself a glass. I'd kick someone's ass for that normally, but I'm more curious than angered right now.
"That's the kind of stuff I'm talking about. Tell me more. You've read all of her books, except these, obviously. That means you're one of those guys that holds back, right? It's obvious you care about her, yet you're too scared to tell her or something? This is the depth part I need to keep Rain from kicking my ass off the set. And this will be a four-movie deal, so I really want to keep it."
"I'm... I don't... I didn't hold back from Rain. She left me. I told her I loved her, and even asked her to move in. What'd you say the name of those books were?"
He looks amused as he pulls out his phone and makes a note of what I've said.
"So she left you. Did you cheat on her or something? The books depicted you as having a constant fling with one girl or another. Is that what happened?"
Motherfucker. I'm going to strangle this douche.
"No. What'd you say the books were called?"
"It's the Easton Boys series. It's under a different pen name. So these—hey! Where are you going?" he yells as I rush away from him, weaving through the mess of people who are clearing out tables.
I'm in my car and on the road in less than a few seconds, and I head straight for the biggest bookstore in Sterling Shore. It doesn't take me long to get there, and people watch with intrigue as I dart across the parking lot.
"Dane," Cindy says as I walk in. "Do you have an order?"
I have a standing order for any book written by Rain Noles, but apparently she didn't even write it under her name this time.
"No, but I'm looking for something called the Easton Boys."
She grins huge as hearts form in her eyes. "Why can't all men read romances? You sure you can't date me?"
I force a smile. Normally I laugh, but not today. She pouts while pointing to a large center display.
"Finally branching out and reading more than just Rain Noles?" she asks as I make my way toward the sparse looking display.
"Something like that,” I mumble absently.
I start grabbing them, trying to make sure I have them all. James said four movies, so I assume there are four books.
It's then I see the title of the first book. Meeting My Easton Boys. Right under it, I see the name that makes my heart speed up. R.S. Sterling. Rain Sky Sterling.
Seeing my name on her... I only thought my heart couldn't hurt worse. Then I open the cover to read the dedication page while Cindy rattles on about things that don't interest me.
To the real Dean Easton, I've been in love with you since I was thirteen, and I always will be. Thank you for giving me all that you did. Even if we didn't get our own story.
And to my real Easton boys, you guys gave me family when I needed it the most. I love you all.
I take it back. This hurts the worst.
I start grabbing the other titles, all of them. Maybe there's an answer somewhere in these. Always Better with the Eastons. Prom Night With the Eastons. In Love with an Easton.
"Here," I mutter, shoving all four books at Cindy. "Ring these up."
"Sure. You know, if you like R.S. Sterling, then you should try—"
"Ring these up now. I need to go," I snap, cringing at what a dick I sound like.
"Yes, sir. Sorry."
Good thing I read fast. I need answers now.
My heart has swelled and broken at least thirty times while reading these. If Rain is describing how she felt for me all those years ago, she loved the hell out of me. It makes me hate myself for not telling her how I felt. But why'd she run away from me the first time if she loved me so much? And why the fuck did she leave me this time?
Everything in these books actually happened, and every detail is precise. Even down to our dialogue. It's astonishing, really. I always knew how much Rain meant to all of us, but I never realized how much we meant to her. I sure as hell never understood how much I meant to her.
I'm almost to the end of the fourth book, and while I appreciate having a recap of our night together in Cancun—especially since Rain loved every second of it, apparently—I don't have any answers. I've spent a full night and most of today locked up in my room. Damn long books. I even missed the big band that came to my club because I was busy reading. I barely slept—three hours at most. But I need answers more than anything else in the world right now.
My heart stills when I reach the time in our past that doesn't make sense. Something that never happened, when the rest of the book was exact.
I held my breath as I put the letter in Dean's car, locking the door the second I was done. He loved me for one night, but could he love me forever? I wanted to think so, but I was always better at speaking on paper than in person. And if he said no, I didn't want him seeing my heart break in front of his eyes.
/> But he had to say yes. A life without Dean Easton seemed unimaginable, and even though I didn't want to admit it, if he said no, I'd lose him forever. I was risking everything we had because I wanted more.
I emerged from the book because I had the first answer of the puzzle. A fucking letter? She gave me a letter? I would have known if... No. Fuck. No!
My bed gets its first reprieve in hours as I leap off of it and grab my keys. I don't even bother changing out of my wrinkled suit as I head out the door, ready to rip someone in two.
I break every speed limit on the road and take curves without tapping my brakes. My tires squeal when I screech to a halt in the driveway of the massive house on the beach. I don't bother knocking as I barge in, nearly knocking the door off its hinges.
"Whoa, Dane! What the hell?" Dale asks, seeing the murderous glint in my eyes as I close in on the son of a bitch behind him.
"I'll fucking kill you. How could you, you bastard!" I snap, lunging at Kode and taking the first swing.
My fist connects with his face, and something crunches. Kode falls backwards as blood spews.
"You stupid motherfucker!" he roars. "What the hell?"
I lunge again, but Maverick and Corbin come in from both sides to wrangle me backwards.
"The letter, you fucking prick! What did you do with it? What did it say? I know you fucking took it. You went to grab your sunglasses from my car. Why, Kode? Fucking why?"
The anger in me breaks as my world suffocates me, but the fury boils over in him as he yells, "Because I loved her, you stupid ass! You were too busy fucking anything that walked to notice her. But I loved her. I wasn't going to let you break her. I didn't have to read the letter to know what it said. I ripped it to shreds and buried the confetti in the sand."
My anger returns, and Maverick and Corbin aren't strong enough to hold me back. I sling them off, and Dale ducks as I charge Kode. I tackle him at the waist, and shit breaks all around us as we fall to the floor.