Hollywood & Vine

by Olivia Evans

  Her words delivered the blow she intended. He had no argument. They should have tipped off the paparazzi. They should have hung all over each other and played up every bit of attention they received. But they hadn’t, and his relationship with Josie was to blame. His throat tightened when her face came, unbidden, to his mind. Man up. That’s what he should have done. He should have told Aubrey and Clarence no. While he knew it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, he wouldn’t deny himself the opportunity to do it now. “I don’t want this kind of attention. I won’t put on a dog and pony show for another fucking second.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “What the fuck does it sound like I’m saying? I’m out. Done. I’ve already told you this once. Did you think I was joking?”

  “Honestly, I thought you were just being an asshole. What’s your problem? Can’t you see how beneficial this can be for your career?”

  Anders laughed. It was abrupt, loud, and caused his entire body to shake. As he regained his composure, he shook his head. With a demeaning expression and eyes full of insincere pity, he spat, “I don’t need this petty bullshit. I don’t need those gutter rat assholes chasing me around to make money. I’m Anders fucking Ellis. They need me. You need me. Not the other way around. Or did you forget I moved up from your pay grade a long time ago, baby. Ride somebody else’s coattails. I’m fucking done.”

  “What if I don’t agree? What are you going to do?” The stubborn set of her chin and the challenge in her voice did nothing to dissuade Anders.

  “You won’t fight me on this. You know why? Because if you do…” He leaned in closer and cupped her chin in his palm. Tilting her head until they were eye level, he smirked. “I’ll fuck my way through LA and make sure I’m papped every single time. I’ll make you the laughingstock of Hollywood and not give a single fuck.”

  Angry tears filled Aubrey’s eyes as Anders sauntered out of the room, his shoulders squared and his hands thrust inside his pockets. He was exactly like she remembered when she first saw him at the beginning of filming: full of swagger and confidence. It incensed her that he was able to regain his footing by trampling all over her. Aubrey was never one to admit defeat, though, not when she had so much riding on their sham of a relationship.

  She stormed out of his trailer and over to her own. Her cell phone beeped, the sound drawing her eyes to the screen. The display showed a text from her agent, Valerie. Licking her lips, she unlocked the screen and read the message.

  Nice job on making the papers again. We might save your career after all. Sending you two scripts this afternoon. Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.

  Backing away from the counter in a daze, she paced the length of the room. There had to be another angle, a way to stay in the spotlight without Anders casting her as a doormat. A smile broke across her face as she devised a plan. She had to expose Anders’ relationship with the stripper. She would be seen as the victim and, as a bonus, get the retribution she craved. She wasn’t the type of woman who accepted defeat. She wanted Anders, and he had pushed her aside like yesterday’s trash. She would come out on top one way or another. Picking up her phone, she called the one person who could help.

  “Well, hello, love. What wicked things are we up to today?” Levi asked.

  Aubrey giggled and straightened her hair in the mirror. “Oh, more of the same. Torturing your favorite celebrity.”

  “What did he do this time? Any word on who the girl is?”

  “He thinks he’s done, that he’s walking away from our arrangement, but I’m not ready for our game to end. I want you to print the story about Ivy, flush her out. I want the world to know the tramp Anders cheated on me with, and I want to be the supportive, brokenhearted girlfriend. Make me the story.”

  Levi hummed into the phone. “You sure you want to go there, Aubrey? Wouldn’t it be better to walk away? Why make everyone think he cheated on you? I know all publicity is good publicity, but this is going a little far, even for you.”

  Aubrey rolled her eyes. “I don’t pay you to think,” she spat. “I pay you to do as I say. Anders has made a mockery of me from the day I stepped on set. I’m done letting him think he has the upper hand, and I won’t play second fiddle to some two-bit whore. It’s not about getting rid of her anymore. It’s about showing him, showing them all, I will not be fucked with.”

  “You got it, sunshine. You’ll have all their hearts bleeding at your feet.”

  “Oh, and Levi? You’re going to make a handsome paycheck from the mags on this one. Consider what I owe for taking the pictures paid in full.”

  The next morning while Aubrey, full of sick satisfaction and anticipation, readied herself for the day, Josie sat across from Madison in her living room sipping coffee.

  “What are you going to do?” Madison asked, her voice gentle.

  Josie shook her head. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she fought back the hot tears burning her eyes. “There’s nothing to do. It’s over.”

  Madison shifted and looked at her hands. She hated seeing her best friend in pain and not be able to do anything about it. “You don’t believe him?”

  “I don’t,” she whispered, her voice full of regret. “How can I? My God, he slept with her and never even told me. The thing is I’m not even mad about that part. It happened before we met and I’m under no illusions when it comes to Anders. I’m angry because he never told me. I’m angry because I can’t bring myself to believe him. Obviously his no repeat rule is complete bullshit. I’m proof of that.”

  “I still can’t believe he slept with her and didn’t tell you. What if you had found out through Aubrey?”

  “Exactly. How can I put any faith in someone who’s never been willing to do the same for me?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “He doesn’t trust me.” Her tone was matter of fact and left no room for argument. “He never let me past the surface. He gave what he had to and nothing more. Maybe if he’d been a little more forthcoming, maybe―well, it doesn’t matter now. It’s for the best.”

  “So that’s it?”

  “That’s it.” Josie nodded. Even though it hurt to admit, she had to stick to her guns. Her relationship with Anders had run its course.

  “What if―”

  “I can’t do what ifs, Maddie. I have to get my shit together and move on. It sucks, and it hurts, but I’m not broken.” Just brokenhearted, she added silently.

  “Okay. No what ifs. Just don’t forget that I’m here for anything you need, and I’m still willing to be an alibi.” She tried to laugh, to lighten the mood, but the joke fell flat. Josie didn’t want to joke about alibis, lies, or anything to do with deceitfulness.

  Clearing her throat, Josie stood from her couch and straightened her shirt. “Holden is going to kill us if we don’t leave now.”

  Madison rolled her eyes but nodded in agreement. “I still can’t believe this is happening. I can’t believe he’s opening his own restaurant.”

  “It’s a big risk, but he’s done the research. He knows what he’s getting into. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s able to cut costs with free labor,” Josie deadpanned, a wry smile twisting her lips. The truth was she didn’t mind helping Holden paint the building he leased. If things went well, he’d buy the place in a year. It was an excellent distraction from anything to do with Anders.

  “Indeed.” Pulling Josie out the front door, Madison led them down the steps and to Josie’s car.

  For the next several hours, Josie painted walls and exchanged quips with Madison, Holden, and Philip, who would also be joining the staff once the restaurant opened. The distraction was nice, but it didn’t last. Every time silence settled over the group, her mind drifted back to Anders.

  She wondered what he was doing, if he was thinking about her, or, better yet, if she even wanted him to be. In the four days since storming out of his house, he hadn’t contacted her once. The incessant questions filled her with self-loathing. It was her decision to walk aw
ay from their relationship, and with good reason, but time had a way of softening anger, distancing the hurt. That was the worst thing that could happen because he wasn’t going to change and she didn’t trust him.

  She’d shut down as best she could, but no matter how much she fought to hold onto the anger, she just felt hollow. She missed him. She missed his smell, his touch, and way he breathed her name against her skin.

  Her arm felt heavy as she lifted the paintbrush and dragged it across the coarse drywall. When her vision blurred from the tears shimmering in her eyes, she knew she was done for the day. It made no sense to be so hurt by someone like Anders. Bitter and closed-off, he’d fought harder to keep her at arm’s length than he had to hold her close. Nothing about their relationship had been logical.

  Feelings she never experienced sucked her under and swept her away. It was as if she was truly living and experiencing life for the first time. It made her realize how empty her life had been before Anders.

  He made her feel anticipation, fear, longing... Love. It was maddeningly perfect and tragically flawed, but it was real, tangible. She could touch it, breathe it, and feel it in every part of her. Now it was gone, ripped away as quickly as it had come, and the hole its absence left behind was gaping and jagged. The place where he sank into her soul, unbidden and unwanted yet perfectly fulfilling, would never be the same.

  “You okay?” Philip asked.

  Josie dropped the brush and scrubbed her hands over her face, unnerved by the way they slid over her skin, slickened with tears she didn’t realize had fallen.

  “Yeah. I’m just tired. I’m going to head out. Do you mind letting Maddie and Holden know?” She moved her brush to the murky bucket of water and stood.

  “Yeah. Sure,” he stammered.

  After thanking him, Josie grabbed her things and walked to her car. Tossing her purse in the passenger seat, the contents spilled out the top. With a sigh, she pushed the items back inside, stiffening when she noticed a familiar key.

  “No,” she exhaled. With trembling fingers, she wrapped her hand around the key. Dropping her hand to her lap, she stared at the silver object lying over her palm. She didn’t realize she still had it. The memory of the last time she used it replayed in her mind. She lifted it between her fingers and pressed her thumb in the grooves, imprinting its mark in her skin the way he’d done on her heart. With a stuttering exhale she pulled her finger away and stared at the hollowed indentions. The sunken holes a perfect replica of how she imagined her heart must look.

  A feeling of restlessness washed over her. She didn’t want to have anything of his. As insignificant as the object was, what it stood for was anything but. It was a link, something that connected them and left the door open for communication. She could throw it out, but what if he called and asked her to return it? What if she kept it and he never called? She wasn’t sure which would be worse. With a determined exhale she changed her destination and headed in the direction of the studio. Leaving the key in his trailer would be for the best.

  While Josie cursed traffic, Anders threw his sweat-soaked towel into the laundry room and downed a third glass of water. After leaving Aubrey in his trailer, he headed straight to the gym. On the drive over, he called Nathan and recounted his confrontation with Aubrey before informing Nathan to handle the rest. Nathan tried to ask questions, find out how things were with Josie, but the very mention of her name caused Anders to lash out and put an abrupt end to their conversation.

  It felt good to tell Aubrey what he’d wanted to for weeks. A little of himself reemerged, the part that didn’t take shit from anybody, but as cool and collected as he appeared on the outside, on the inside he was a wreck. The thought of following through with his threat to Aubrey made his stomach turn which in turn pissed him off. There was no reason he shouldn’t or couldn’t do what he threatened. His relationship with Josie was over. He was free to do as he pleased.

  There was no going back. It was final just like when his relationship with Eva had ended. However, this time, he wasn’t the one hurt and betrayed; it was Josie. Even though he didn’t do what she had accused, it pained him to know she felt the same hurt he’d experienced when it had happened to him.

  Shaking his head, he set his glass in the sink, retreated to his living room, and fell on the couch. The situation with Josie wasn’t the same as with Eva. He’d known Eva almost his entire life. He’d loved her, and she’d screwed him over in every way imaginable. Which is the reason he couldn’t understand why the very thought of not being with Josie hurt so much more.

  Maybe if he told Josie about Eva, Nicholas, and his parents, she’d understand why he’d never cheat. Or maybe she’d tell him to fuck off, and he’d look like a pathetic fool all over again. After all, the last time he made himself vulnerable to a woman, she almost ruined him.

  The buzzer for the gate yanked him from his thoughts. He walked to the intercom, his heart beating a little faster when his first thought was that it could be Josie. When a masculine voice crackled over the speaker, Anders’ jaw clenched with annoyance. He didn’t need Josie to make him feel like a pathetic fool, he was doing fine on his own.

  He opened the front door and waited as a courier pulled up the driveway. Rolling his eyes at the gawking boy, he signed for the package and shut the door in his face. The large manila envelope was unmarked except for his name printed across the front. Unfastening the top, he reached inside and pulled out a magazine. The color drained from his face as he read the headline across the cover. Dropping it like it burned, he ripped open the envelope to see if anything else was inside. There was no note, no return address, nothing. He bolted for the front door and yanked it open, but the courier was already down the drive and pulling onto the street.

  “Fuck,” he exhaled. Running a hand through his hair, he retrieved the magazine from the floor. After sucking in a heavy breath, he flipped through the pages until he found the article. His heart hammered in his chest as he read the headline again.

  He’s In Love With A Stripper?

  No, not T-Pain. It seems Hollywood playboy Anders Ellis is back to his old tricks. A source has revealed exclusively to OK! magazine the details of Hollywood’s latest scandal: “Anders has been cheating on girlfriend and costar, Aubrey Nash, with a stripper who goes by the name Ivy.”

  Oh, no he didn’t!

  “They’ve been seeing each other secretly for quite some time,” the source divulged. “Aubrey’s beside herself.”

  The relationship was discovered after a series of text messages between the secret duo was uncovered. “The texts were of a very explicit and intimate nature. Jealousy is most likely the motivating factor for the release of these private exchanges. It’s obvious the mysterious Ivy was less than pleased with the budding romance between Anders and Aubrey.”

  So what will become of the new It Couple?

  “Aubrey is a very understanding woman. She also has very strong feelings for Anders. They’ll get through this.”

  So who is this mystery girl? Will she destroy Hollywood’s newest golden couple before they even begin?

  Stay tuned for the latest news!

  Anders tightened his hands around the edges of the magazine before ripping it in two and sending the pages fluttering to the ground. His nostrils flared and his chest heaved as anger and betrayal swelled inside his chest. Disgusted, he grabbed the page with the article and shoved it in his pocket. In a red haze, he stormed out the door and jumped into his car. As he peeled onto the road, he focused on one destination, one person.

  He couldn’t believe it was happening all over again. The first time he tried to open up to someone again and she turned out to be just like Eva. A sudden thought hit him, and when he looked in the rearview mirror, the air in his lungs froze. Whipping his car into the first parking lot he saw, he slammed on the brakes and gripped the steering wheel. The car behind him slowed to a crawl, the guy in the passenger seat turning his body toward Anders as his camera flash fired in rapid suc
cession. The anger simmering below the surface faded, and in its place was all-consuming rage.

  Yes, it was going to be exactly like last time.

  Josie was punishing him. This was her way of getting back at him for the wrong she believed he’d done. For a second he questioned if she could really be behind this. Shaking his head in disgust, he let his doubt go. He never thought his childhood best friend, his first everything, would bleed him dry and break his heart either.

  Ivy.

  The article said Ivy, not Josie. She kept her name out of it. She made it so the one thing he hated more than anything would happen: the paparazzi would follow him everywhere. They would be relentless. The past he worked so hard to bury would be resurrected. He looked around, realizing that the car following him had pulled into the lot across the street. They were waiting to see where he would go so they could follow.

  “Goddamn it,” he roared, slamming his hands against the steering wheel. He ripped his phone from his pocket, sneering as the name Ivy glowed back at him. Pressing call, he waited as her phone rang over and over before connecting to voice mail. The sound of her voice vibrated against his skin, burning below the surface as his chest ached with each syllable. He hung up, cutting off the sultry cadence of her voice. He wasn’t giving up.

  Where are you? We need to talk.

  Each second dragged like sandpaper across his skin. He called again, her voice mail picking up once more. His mouth ached from the tight set of his jaw as his teeth ground together. She didn’t get to ignore him. She didn’t get to ruin his life and walk off into the sunset.

  Answer the phone. Don’t make me come to your house.

  Josie stared at her phone like it was a bomb, each text and call, a tick of the clock counting down to detonation. Her eyes drifted to the plain white envelope in front of her and the silver key lying next to it. She assumed that was the reason for his call. He realized she had it. There was no other reason for him to be so persistent. Her jaw ticked with annoyance. He had no right to be angry or demanding. Before she could talk herself out of it, she texted him back.