Love in the Heartland

by Diana Currie

  “Yep. One of my costars actually thought I was bulimic because it happened every day for two weeks.”

  Katie nodded. “It’s a tough job; people don’t know the pressure actors put on themselves. I used to vomit before every audition.”

  To Nathan’s great relief, conversation soon flowed away from Garrett’s heinous drinking game and into safer territory about acting and the movie industry. Even vomit stories were better than that wretched game. Jackie asked Emma to elaborate on the story of how she got into her line of work. She and Maddie listened with rapt attention as Emma described her first client. He was a neurotic teenager costarring in a science fiction drama that had since been cancelled.

  “I swear he told his parents that he needed an assistant just so he could flirt with me. He thought he was such hot shit, but last I heard after his show got cannedhe had to move back to Iowa and finish high school.”

  Katie laughed and then shot Emma a serious look. “You never sit around with other people and tell stories about me, do you?”

  “What? How can you even ask that?”

  “I mean like your family or Rhett. Do you have funny stories about me that you tell them?”

  “Sweetie, I have lots of funny stories about you, but I never tell Rhett anything that would embarrass you.”

  “Who’s Rhett?” Jacqueline asked.

  Emma beamed proudly. “Rhett Hemlock, my boyfriend. He’s a celebrity assistant too, but he also does some modeling. Unlike me, he’s still hoping for his big break.”

  “So, can we hear one of your stories?” Maddie asked. “With Katie’s approval of course.”

  Emma smirked at Katie and said, “What about that time with Conner? How we got him back for cheating on you.”

  “Okay, fine, but let me tell it,” Katie said. “After Love Spelled Backwards I filmed a movie called Wildfire. My fame was escalating and I couldn’t leave my house without getting followed; it was a really hectic schedule for me and I didn’t have a lot of time for Conner. Anyway, I hired Emma to help run errands and do things like that. When I found out Conner had slept with some bimbo model I was a mess. I broke up with him immediately and Emma helped me get through it. I focused all my energy on the movie and told myself the breakup was for the best. Well, don’t you know just as soon as I started getting over him, that asshole calls me asking if we can get together to talk. Emma and Rhett had hung out with me a lot during that time and a few nights we’d spent time scheming ways to get back at Conner the Ass if he ever had the nerve to do something just like that.”

  “So, we were prepared!” Emma added.

  Katie snickered. “So anyway, Conner wanted to see me; he said he needed to explain himself and that he thought we should get back together. I wanted to send him a clear message that that was never going to happen. So, I told him when I’d be home and left the gate unlocked so he could come inside on his own. Emma had this great plan, and since Conner had never met Rhett, we convinced him to help us. We asked Rhett to lie in my bed like he was sleeping, wearing just his boxers, and to pull the covers up over his head. Emma and I hid in the panic room, watching Conner on the closed-circuit camera. He walked around the house looking for me and eventually made his way upstairs to the bedroom,” Katie said smiling wickedly.

  “Let me tell it! Let me tell it!” Emma said bouncing in her seat. “When Conner walked into the bedroom he saw who he thought was Katie underneath the sheet. He grazed poor Rhett’s butt with his hand and then went to pull the sheet down. Rhett pretended to be asleep and when Conner pulled the sheet off he screeched like he found a black widow spider in the bed!

  “No way!” Jackie giggled.

  “Yes! And the best part was Rhett thought it would be more effective if he went without the boxers! Rhett played his role perfectly. He rolled onto his back, completely nude, stretched his arms like he’d been asleep for hours, and said…”

  Katie and Emma finished the sentence together, “Oh, hey. Are you here for the orgy too?”

  Maddie just sat there stunned as the other women howled with laughter. “That’s messed up,” Garrett said.

  Katie shook her head. “No way, you cheat on me and all bets are off!”

  “What did Conner do then?” Nathan wondered. He’d never heard the story either.

  “He said ‘fuck this’ and stormed off. Emma and I stayed out of sight until he drove away. He didn’t even try to find me after meeting RhettHemcock!” Katie laughed.

  “Shit, baby, you are brutal,” Gerard said shaking his head. “Now let me tell you a story about a guy I knew a few years back…”

  For a while everyone traded stories about exes and breakups. They drank, laughed, and got to know each other. By two am Nathan could see that Maddie was ready to go home. She’d had a lot to drink and was slouching in her chair against his shoulder. He called his limo driver and the guy filling in for Stanley said he couldn’t get any closer than two blocks away. Apparently, Robert Downey Jr.and his people were taking up all the parking spots on the street.

  We’re going to have to walk to the corner of the block,” Nathan said. “The driver said he’ll pick us up there.”

  They said goodbye to Tyler, Katie, and Emma. Gerard asked if he could bum a ride and Nathan agreed since he hadn’t been as uncouth as Nathan remembered from months past. When they reached the front door of the building, Nathan stuck his head outside to assess the crowd on the street and immediately cameras started flashing.

  “Shit,” he cursed under his breath and pulled the door closed.

  “What’s wrong?” Maddie asked.

  “They’re everywhere,” he explained. Speaking to one of the bouncers Nathan asked, “Can we get an escort to the corner? My limo can’t get through.”

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Foster. We don’t have anyone that can bring you outside. If you want to wait I can put your driver in the receiving line,” the bouncer said as he pushed the door open a crack and pointed to a long line of cars and limousines that stretched at least four blocks.

  “I’m not hanging around here all night. I think we’ll take our chances. Thanks anyway.”

  Nathan turned around to face the others as he thought about how he wanted to do this. OnlyGerard had experience with paparazzi, and honestly Gerard didn’t have it to the same extent that he did.“Gerard, you walk in front. Garrett, I need you to walk on the left side behind him, I’ll be on the right, and we’ll shield the girls in the middle. Got it?”

  “Absolutely. I got your back.”

  “Okay. Nobody look at the cameramen, don’t answer any of their questions, and whatever you do don’t give them your names,” Nathan instructed firmly.

  Gerard walked out first and Maddie could see bright lights shining in front of him. Her heart started beating faster as she realized it was going to be difficult, if not impossible, to get out of this situation without being photographed.Nathan sensed her apprehension and whispered in her ear, “keep your head down. Just focus your eyes on the back of Gerard’s feet. They’ll be trying to get your attention, but just remember they aren’t allowed to touch you. You’ll be safe. I promise.”

  Maddie nodded and took a deep breath. As soon as Gerard started to walk, she did the best she could to keep up with him in the heels she was wearing. Nathan and Jackie walked closely beside her and she remembered what Nathan said about ignoring the shouting voices that seemed to be coming from every direction. The paparazzi called out to them all at once and the noise was deafening.

  “Nathan! Nathan! Over here!” one called.

  “Who are your friends, Nathan?” another asked.

  “Hey, blondie, over here!” they yelled at Jacqueline. “Are you dating Nathan Foster?”

  “Let’s see that gorgeous face, baby!”

  Maddie tried to suppress a frown. She didn’t appreciate the paparazzi assuming it was Jacqueline who was with Nathan. Who did they think she was… his assistant?

  “Just one picture, Nathan!”

  “Don’t
leave without saying hello!” another shouted and started following them. “Look here! Nathan!”

  Maddie had no idea how difficult it would be not to respond to their calls. All she could think about was yelling back. Leave us alone! Please move out of the way! I’m Nathan’s girlfriend! she shouted in her head as they walked.

  When they reached the corner, Gerard stopped and Maddie had such forward momentum that she bumped into his back. It caused her to gasp and look up. She saw the limo and heard the driver beeping the horn. Nathan stepped aside to open the back door and Gerard jumped inside first. Garrett held his hand up to block the cameras and Jackie went in next. Just as Maddie was about to duck her head inside the limousine, the driver in the car behind them beeped his horn loudly and it startled her. In that instant Maddie looked up at the car and a series of flashing lights blinded her one after the other. Click! Click! Click! Click! She felt Garrett push her gently into the limo and she was still seeing red and orange spots as she found the bench seat and sat down.

  “My God, that was intense!” Jackie exclaimed.

  “Just another day in Hollywood,” Gerard replied smirking.

  Nathan slammed the door shut and slid into the seat beside Maddie. “Is everybody okay?” He looked at everyone’s faces and saw that they were. “We’re ready to go,” he called to the driver.

  “Yes, Sir,” the driver responded and slowly accelerated the vehicle.

  Nathan reached for Maddie’s hand and she intertwined her fingers with his. “You okay too?”

  “A little shaken up,” she admitted. “I can’t believe you do this every time you go out.”

  Nathan grinned. “Just wait until you experience a red-carpet event.”

  “No thank you,” she said adamantly. “I just had enough cameras in my face for a lifetime! Do you think they got any pictures of me?”

  “Hopefully no good ones,” Nathan shrugged. “But even if they did, they still don’t know your name. And we were with other people so the press won’t know what to think.”

  Maddie frowned. “They don’t need the truth. They’ll be naming Jacqueline as your new girlfriend by tomorrow morning.”

  “We’ll just have to wait and see,” he replied and kissed her cheek. Nathan didn’t want to upset her but he knew that she was right. The internet rumors would be flying for sure, but the question that remained was what would the people say?

  Chapter Twenty Two

  On Wednesday morning Maddie was sleeping in the master bedroom, hugging one of the softest goose-down pillows she’d ever felt when suddenly her eyes popped open. Warm hands were rubbing her naked shoulder blades and making their way down her back. She smiled into the pillow; not needing to look over her shoulder to know it was Nathan rubbing her down. She’d become so aware of him the past five days that she could feel his presence, smell his fading cologne, and recognize the way his hands moved across her skin.

  “If you keep waking me up this way I might never leave,” she mumbled sleepily.

  “That would be fine with me,” Nathan replied leaning down to kiss the smooth, flawless skin on her back.

  His hands moved south and pulled the sheets away so he could see all of her. Five days and countless rounds of lovemaking hadn’t even begun to quench Nathan’s thirst for her body. Massaging her was the gentlest way he’d found to wake her each morning. While being highly effective in rousing her before noon, it always led to more touching and other time-consuming activities in bed. Not that he was complaining.

  As every other morning had started that week, Maddie rolled over and pushed Nathan down onto the mattress. “Stay here,” she whispered and ran off to the bathroom to pee and brush her teeth.

  Nathan lay back, amused by how she followed the same routine each morning. Maddie was more than willing to fool around in the mornings, but not until she made a visit to the bathroom. He could imagine providing a life for her that began every morning this way; waking up together and making love before starting their days. He could give her a big house, a carefree and luxurious life filled with everything money could buy. More and more often he found himself thinking about their future together and what it might look like.

  Every time his mind wandered down that path he had to remind himself that Maddie wouldn’t be satisfied living like a trophy wife. She had ambitious plans for her life and he admired her for that. Maddie was planting her roots in Texas while Nathan needed to be in California. He thought Los Angeles was making a good impression on her, but could it ever make her as happy as a life in Texas with her family? He knew it was too soon to think about serious commitments, but he still worried about finding some sort of happy medium that would allow their relationship to last.

  Nathan could feel how the long-distance relationship was starting to wear him down. Unfortunately, that was something that wouldn’t change no matter where Maddie lived. Part of his life as an actor would mean spans of time when they would be separated. Traveling was one of the many burdens of his job that he had already agreed to bear. He wondered if Maddie had given that fact as much consideration as he had.

  “What are you thinking about?” Maddie asked from the doorway to the bathroom.

  Nathan smiled and eyed her naked body. It was a very welcome distraction from the direction his thoughts were headed. “I honestly can’t remember. Now get that sweet ass over here.”

  “But I want shower sex,” she replied pouting innocently.

  There was no way Nathan could argue with her request. He hopped off the bed and tugged his t-shirt over his head in one fluid movement. Maddie bit her lip enticingly and retreated into the bathroom. She never stopped surprising him; Nathan thought to himself, as he stripped the last of his clothes off. By the time he reached the door frame and made sure the door was locked, Maddie had turned on the water in the glass shower stall. He smirked and followed her over to it without hesitation.

  Maddie opened the stall door and said, “You get in first.” Her gentle commands were a strong turn on and Nathan was more than happy to let her take the lead.

  “Well, Angel, you’ve got me here. Now what are you going to do with me?” he teased.

  “Back up against the wall and I’ll show you.”

  Nathan complied and stepped through the stream of hot water until his back was up against the cold tile. He watched in awe as Maddie came to him; her hair was wet from the water and her breasts were pressed against his chest.

  “Oh, baby. You are so sexy.”

  Maddie tilted her head up to kiss his lips as her fingertips traced the length of his arms. Nathan put his hands on her waist and pulled her into his erection. “Put your hands on the wall, Nathan.”

  “Why? What are you going to do?” he breathed.

  Maddie smirked as she took his hands off her hips and pressed his palms against the tiled wall. “Stay put, now.”

  She hadn’t planned to take charge that way, but something had just come over her and she made the split-second decision to run with it. She held her left hand over Nathan’s heart and could feel it beating rapidly. She licked her lips hungrily as she firmly gripped his erection with her other hand. Nathan’s eyes rolled back into his head when Maddie sank to her knees in the shower stall and put him in her mouth.

  Lupe was downstairs in the kitchen and could hear the water running for a very long time in the master bathroom above her head. She was making a big lunch for Nathan and his guests; setting everything out for them in the back yard. Eventually, Maddie came downstairs from a very long, satisfying shower to see someone had cleaned up the mess of dishes from the night before. Through the large kitchen windows, she could see Lupe outside setting the patio table for lunch so she took it upon herself to start emptying the dishwasher.

  She knew it wasn’t just dishes that Lupe found when she arrived that morning. Garrett left empty beer bottles in the living room and the kitchen was a disgrace. She didn’t want Lupe to think Nathan’s friends and brother were a bunch of slobs. They’d gone out to anoth
er club Tuesday night and returned home in the wee hours of the morning; still buzzing with alcohol and very hungry. Jackie had made pancakes at three am and Maddie remembered that everyone went to bed without cleaning anything up. In fact, no one had done any cleaning since Garrett and Jackie arrived two days earlier.

  Lupe came back into the kitchen and was very surprised to find a helper. “I’ll do that Miss Maddie. You go outside and enjoy yourself. Garrett and Jackie are already out there.”

  “We’ve left a lot of messes to clean up,” Maddie replied. “Tending to four people instead of just Nathan means a lot more work for you.”

  Lupe patted Maddie on the arm in a motherly way. It was unusual for someone to care about how much work was dumped on her. She appreciated Maddie’s concern and it was just one of the many things Lupe liked about her. “Nathano looks happy,” she said proudly. She knew it was Maddie that was making all the difference in his life.

  Maddie tried to respond but Lupe pushed her towards the patio door, insisting that she join her friends. “Go enjoy yourself. I can handle the kitchen.”

  “You’re too good to me, Lupe,” Maddie lamented. She looked over her shoulder to see Lupe waving her forward with a smile on her face.

  Out in the back yard, Maddie and Jackie swam in the pool while Nathan and Garrett talked sports. Then they sat in the lounge chairs and enjoyed some beers with the lunch Lupe made. Back yard was not an appropriate term for the land behind Nathan’s mansion. There were meticulously pruned bushes, tall palm trees, and smooth stone retaining walls around the large patio space. The pool was shaped like a giant kidney bean with a waterfall at one end and a beautiful marble hot tub at the other. When she asked him about it, Nathan told her the landscaping was designed before he moved in and a gardener maintained it all. Whoever he hired was doing an impressive job. There was greenery everywhere and beautiful plants and flowers that could never grow in northern Texas.