by Elle Spencer
“Just be a good friend and drive her home in your fancy new car, okay?” He made little finger quotes around the word, friend.
“Friend. Snazzy dresser. Got it.” She headed toward her fancy new car and waved behind her. “Bye, Jack.”
***
Lacey pulled into the driveway of her new home, the gate closing behind her, blocking out the whole world. She sat there for a moment, wondering how the hell she got here. She should be out there, getting in front of every casting director in town. Getting a name for herself in L.A. – not wasting precious time behind the walls of this mansion. Quinn could wake up and decide exactly what she should decide – that this was a stupid plan concocted by her publicist and she should abandon it and fire him.
Lacey had it in writing, she reminded herself. An early termination bonus, plus the car. But Quinn would have to be the one to terminate the contract, not her. That meant she’d be sticking around for at least a few more days, so she might as well enjoy it. “Swimming pool, here I come,” she mumbled as she got out of the car.
After putting her laundry in the fanciest washing machine she’d ever seen, Lacey turned a lounge chair toward the sun and sunk into it, sighing deeply as her head hit the soft cushion, determined to enjoy the sun before it got too low in the sky.
On the drive back up the hill, Lacey had taken note of the neighbors’ homes. She couldn’t really see the actual homes, just the tall walls and secured gates. From her viewpoint in the backyard, she couldn’t see any houses or rooflines peeking through the trees. It was completely private. “Well, in that case…” she untied her bikini top and took it off, grinning at herself for being so brave.
She lay there for a few minutes, taking in the heat of the sun and enjoying the peace and quiet. After her morning of heavy traffic and the long wait at the hospital, it felt heavenly. Her phone rang, pulling her out of her reverie. “Shit,” she said, looking at the caller ID. She quickly grabbed her top and tried to cover herself, as if the person calling could see her lying there, topless. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi honey. Just checking in. Any luck today?”
“Um…maybe.” She got up and made her way into the guesthouse, throwing on a bathrobe.
“It’s always maybe with those people. Always, we’ll get back to you.”
“I know, but this might be different. I mean, it is different, but there’s been a slight glitch, so I can’t really confirm yet.”
“I don’t understand,” her dad said, his voice tightening.
“I can’t really say anything more yet. I signed a non-disclosure.”
“Oh. Well, that sounds promising. I guess if you’re sworn to secrecy, I’d better find something else to talk about.” He paused. “How’s the weather out there?”
Lacey laughed. “It’s nice. Really nice.” She figured it wouldn’t hurt to start working on the cover story. “And I made a friend. Do you watch Jordan’s Appeal? It’s that law show on Thursday nights.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen it once or twice.”
Lacey smiled. Her professor father hardly ever admitted to watching television. He wouldn’t even admit to watching her soap opera, but somehow, he magically knew exactly what was happening on the show at any given moment. “Well, it’s Quinn Kincaid, the woman who plays Jordan Ellis. She’s super nice. In fact, I’m staying at her place for a few days.”
“You’re kidding.”
Lacey laughed. “Nope.”
“She’s almost as good an actress as my daughter.”
“Aww, thank you, Daddy. I love you, too.”
“Quinn Kincaid. Wow. Someday you’ll have to introduce me.”
Lacey missed her dad. She wanted to invite him right then and there to come out to L.A. but she wasn’t sure what would happen in the next few days. “Maybe I’ll bring her to New York sometime. I’m sure she’d love to meet my very smart, very handsome father.”
Her father chuckled. “Okay, kiddo. I’m glad to hear you’re staying with her. I worry about you staying in that hotel. It’s not in the best neighborhood.”
“Dad, we’ve been over this. First, you don’t even know the neighborhoods in L.A. Second, I can take care of myself, so don’t worry, okay?”
“It’s my job as your father to worry, no matter how old you are. Get used to it. There’s no woman good enough for my little girl, and there’s no neighborhood safe enough.” He chuckled at himself for a moment. “Oh! I’ve got to go. Class is starting soon. Take care, honey. Love you.”
“Love you too, Dad. Bye.”
Lacey went back outside and took off the bathrobe. She dipped her foot in the pool and then dove in, still topless. She came up out of the water for a breath and looked around again. There really wasn’t anyplace in all of L.A. that would feel safer than Quinn Kincaid’s fortress. Her dad could rest easy. And so could she.
***
Lacey checked her watch. It was late. She walked up to the nurse’s station. “I’m here to see Quinn Kincaid.”
“Your name?”
“Lacey Matthews.”
The nurse looked at her clipboard. “Yes, you’re on the list. I’ll need to see your ID.”
Thank god Jack had put her on the list. After lounging by the pool and making herself a fabulous dinner of salmon, roasted potatoes and white wine, the guilt had set in. So here Lacey was, back at the hospital. She signed in and slowly made her way to Quinn’s room, not even sure she was doing the right thing. Would Quinn even want her there?
The room was dark, except for a dim light coming from the bathroom. Quinn was whimpering in her sleep. Lacey leaned over the bed, trying to get a closer look. “Are you in pain?” she whispered.
Quinn stilled and opened her eyes. Well, only one eye actually opened. “No,” she whispered back. “Bad dream, I think.”
Lacey went to the sink and wet down a washcloth with cold water. She dabbed Quinn’s sweaty forehead and red cheeks.
“Thank you,” Quinn whispered. “That feels good.” She reached up and tried to touch her blackened eye. “Why won’t my eye open?”
Lacey took her hand and held onto it. “You have a shiner. Don’t touch it, okay?”
“A shiner? You sound like you’re in West Side Story.” Quinn laughed, but it quickly turned into tears. “Oh, god. Really?”
“Hey, it’s cool,” Lacey said, giving Quinn’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You look like Rocky.”
Quinn opened her good eye wide, taking a long look at Lacey. “You’re that woman.”
“I beg your pardon?” Quinn was heavily medicated, but did she really not recognize her?
“Yo, Lacey,” Quinn said, imitating Rocky. She smiled and closed her good eye. Within seconds, she was asleep again.
Lacey laughed under her breath as she sat on the edge of the bed, her hand still firmly wrapped around Quinn’s. She could let go, but Quinn’s hand felt cold, so she covered it with both of hers. Startled, she jumped when the nurse walked in. “Hi. I was just…um…” She gently set Quinn’s hand on her stomach and backed away from the bed. She didn’t belong here. Not really. Someone else should be holding Quinn’s hand, not her. “She likes a cold washcloth,” she blurted out in a loud whisper. “On her forehead. It…you know…soothes her.”
The nurse nodded. “Okay. Maybe when she wakes up.”
Lacey took a final look at Quinn. She was resting peacefully. That was good. She could go back to the mansion now, and maybe get some guilt-free rest. “Take care,” she whispered.
CHAPTER SIX
Quinn read the last card and put it back in the envelope. Her hospital room was full of bouquets and balloons from the cast and crew, friends and acquaintances, and even a few fans. Her assistant, Amy, had stopped by several times, relaying everyone’s messages of love and concern. She appreciated all of it, but she didn’t want visitors and she’d told Amy so. Just keep everyone away, she’d told her. Maybe it was rude, but she just wanted to go home and regain some of her privacy. She felt vulnerable in this hospit
al room. Even though it was a private floor, anyone could get in if they really wanted to.
“Wow,” Lacey exclaimed as she walked into the room. “It looks like someone bought out the florist downstairs.”
Quinn grinned from ear to ear. “You’re certainly a sight for sore eyes.” She motioned with her hand up and down Lacey’s body. “Is all that for me?” It was obvious Lacey had taken some time in the mirror. Her hair was blown straight, she had soft "daytime" makeup on, and her white skinny jeans fit her like a glove, hugging her in all the right places.
“You know why I’m dressed up.”
Quinn tried to sit up a little bit, but she had no strength. “Actually, I don’t even know why you’re here. But you look fantastic.”
Lacey furrowed her brow. “I’m taking you home. Jack asked me…oh my god, do you two even talk?”
“I’ve been a little under the weather the last few days. And high on cocaine, or whatever it is they’ve been shooting into my arm.”
Lacey pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed. Her eyes scanned Quinn’s face. “You’re looking a little better. Both eyes are working…sort of. And your color is back. How are you feeling?”
Quinn didn’t want to think about how torn up her face was. She hadn’t looked in a mirror yet, but she knew it was bad just by the way Jack and Amy had looked at her. She knew one eye was black because Jack had referred to it as a shiner. She was pretty sure she’d had a dream about Lacey saying the same thing.
She could feel the small lacerations on her cheeks and forehead, probably from the prickly bushes she’d landed in. She figured she could look in the mirror and cry about it once she was back home. In the meantime, she wanted to turn her attention back to her fake girlfriend. “You look tan. Have you been sipping drinks poolside?”
Lacey glanced at her bare arms. “Maybe. And clothes shopping,” she said with a shrug. “I’m a Kardashian now. It’s what we do. That, and sunbathe naked in Quinn Kincaid’s backyard.”
Quinn’s good eye widened in surprise. “No.” Her mouth hung open for a second. “What about drones?” She hardly ever used her backyard, but being naked back there would absolutely never ever happen. With her luck, a drone would fly overhead and her tits would be plastered all over the internet within hours.
“Drones?” Lacey got a quizzical look on her face. “You think people fly drones over your house? Isn’t that illegal?”
“You never know. Better safe than sorry.”
“Well,” Lacey wagged her eyebrows. “They’ve had a great show the last few days.”
Quinn smiled. Lacey seemed more relaxed. Maybe even…happy. “Did you say you’re taking me home?”
“Yes. I got a text from Jack.”
Quinn let her eyes wander down Lacey’s body. The first two buttons on the black, sleeveless silk blouse were undone, allowing a little bit of cleavage to show. “Will you be my nurse, too?”
Lacey rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh, god. You must be feeling better.”
“Well, I’m not hallucinating anymore. I mean, seriously, what is the appeal with heavy drugs? I felt like I was losing my mind. And they make my face itch.”
“I really couldn’t tell you. I was a good girl.”
“Oh yeah?” Quinn asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’re destroying my image of child stars. I thought you were all doing acid by the age of ten.”
Lacey shook her head. “Nope. For me, it was work, not play. I have a very strict father.”
“What about your mother?”
“What about getting you out of here?” Lacey asked, trying to change the subject. “That’s what I’m here for, although I never imagined my career track would lead to being a chauffeur.”
“They should be here any minute to discharge me.” Quinn casually wiped the sweat from her brow. Just trying to find a comfortable position for her broken arm completely wore her out, but she was trying her best to hide it. She was still on heavy pain meds, but not so heavy that they knocked her completely out.
“And what about at home?” Lacey asked. “Do you have a nurse lined up? Your mom? A sister, maybe?”
Quinn bit her lip and smiled. “I was hoping…”
Lacey’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. No, no, no, Quinn. I’m not a fu…I’m not a nurse.”
Quinn shook her finger at Lacey. “You were going to use that word again.”
“I know. I’m working on trying not to sound so harsh. This is California, not New York.”
Quinn laughed, which made her grimace in pain. “Good luck with that.”
Lacey leaned forward in her chair, grabbing the safety bar on the bed. “Seriously, Quinn. You need to hire a nurse. Or, what about family? Let’s just put everything on hold and you can have your mother come and stay with you.”
Quinn huffed. “My mother and her politics would drive me crazy. Come on, Lacey. I need you. I’ll pay extra.”
“I’m not a nurse!” Lacey said, throwing her hands in the air. “You need someone who knows what they’re doing! Someone who cares about you!”
Quinn turned away.
“Oh, god.” Lacey rested her hand on Quinn’s shoulder. “That came out wrong. Look, I’m an actor. I’m not a nurse.”
“But you played one on TV. Maybe you could act like you have some capacity for empathy.”
“See, this is exactly why I shouldn’t be your nursemaid. The level of care would be…not up to par.”
“I disagree,” Quinn said. “I think given the right incentive, I’d be very well taken care of.”
Lacey shook her head. “Quinn…”
“You’re smart, Lacey. Sassy as hell, with a chip on your shoulder the size of Texas, but smart. So, why don’t you come up with a way that makes this a win-win, because I really don’t want to hold up progress on our plan just because I broke my arm. And I sure as hell don’t want more houseguests.”
“I’m sorry, but how are you even going to start shooting the next season? You’ve got what…a week and a half?”
Quinn was worried about that, too. She needed to heal up. And fast. “They’ll write it into the script. I’m always beating the crap out of that pissy little DA. Maybe he returns the favor. Literally. Anyway, I can’t delay it.”
Lacey bit her thumbnail as she thought about it. “But will you be ready?” She glanced over at the X-rays that were still hanging on the wall, the new one displaying several screws and two metal rods holding Quinn’s bone together. “It’s a pretty bad break.”
“See Lacey, you’re practically a radiologist already,” Quinn quipped. “Just give it a shot. You know how I feel about strangers in my home.”
Lacey stood up and started pacing. “You’re so paranoid.”
“I have my reasons. And if someone like my mom is in the house, you’ll have to move out for the plan to work. And it looks to me like you’ve become accustomed to a certain lifestyle these past few days.”
Lacey paced for another minute, glancing at Quinn every so often. Eventually, she walked over to the bed and leaned down so they were face to face. “I’ll do it on one condition. And it’s a pretty big goddamned condition.”
Quinn smiled up at her. “That didn’t take long. And you smell good, by the way.”
“Shut up and listen, because the only thing that would make it worth me babysitting your sorry ass is you getting your producers to give me a part on your show.”
“Wow, you’re even smarter than I thought you were. Done.”
“I’m not finished. I have a story idea, but let me flesh it out before I pitch it to you.”
“Just get me out of here first.” Quinn put out her hand so Lacey could help her get out of bed. “You can flesh all you want poolside.”
Lacey didn’t take Quinn’s outstretched hand. She wanted more assurances. “Tell me you have enough pull to make this happen.”
“Look, I can’t make any promises. You know that’s not how it works. Actors don’t write storylines.” Quinn dropped her hand. She did
n’t have the strength to keep it up in the air. “That having been said, it’s my show, Lace. Does anyone call you Lace? I don’t have enough strength to add the Y on.”
“You can call me whatever the hell you want if you can make this happen, but my producers never let me pitch anything…”
“Thank god,” Quinn said, interrupting her. “I’d hate to think you had anything to do with that storyline.”
Lacey wagged her finger at Quinn. “So, you have seen it! Should I be flattered?”
“I watched a few episodes on YouTube last night. Fascinating stuff.”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, everyone’s a damn critic.”
“I was looking at the acting, not the storyline.”
Lacey hesitated to ask. “And?”
“Sarah Fucking Covington is one messed up bitch, but you, Lacey…are…”
Quinn was interrupted by the nurse rolling in a wheelchair. “Who’s ready to leave this joint?”
Quinn looked at Lacey and smiled as she finished her sentence. “…a brilliant actor.”
Lacey sprang into action, pulling the blankets back and helping Quinn sit up. “Sarah Fucking Covington is actually a doctor, thank you very much, but she did start out as a nurse. You’ll be delighted to know I even have a uniform.”
Quinn grimaced as she tried to work her way to the edge of the bed. “Will you wear it for me?”
Lacey helped Quinn to her feet. “Hell, no. I was just making conversation.”
Quinn pointed to the bathroom and started shuffling in that direction. “You’re a bitch sometimes, you know that?”
The nurse laughed at their conversation. “You two are a hoot!”
Lacey turned around and smiled as she helped Quinn into the bathroom. “This is us on a good day!”
The nurse tilted her head and pointed at Lacey. “Aren’t you…?”
“Sarah Fucking Covington,” Quinn said. “Nurse, doctor, brain surgeon, identical twin…”
“I knew it! The nurse exclaimed.
Lacey pulled Quinn’s gown up to help her onto the toilet. Quinn swatted her hand away. “I broke my arm, Nurse Covington, but I’m pretty sure I can pee on my own.” She tried to sit down on her own and quickly grabbed Lacey’s hand. “Okay, so maybe I do need help.”