Hollywood & Vine

by Olivia Evans

  When he stepped into the hall, he came face to face with the person he wanted to talk to. Madison lifted her brows when Anders didn’t move from the doorway.

  “I need a favor.”

  Madison clapped her hands together. “Oh, goodie.”

  Anders rolled his eyes at her sarcastic tone. “Can you just”―he thrust the scrap of paper he held into her hand―“can you take my number?”

  Madison waved the paper in the air. “And what am I supposed to do with this?”

  “You’re going to call me if anything happens to Josie.”

  Madison dropped her arms to her sides and shook her head. “Does that work for you? Talking to people that way? Because I can tell you right now, you just hit a big wall of ‘no fucking way’ with me.”

  Anders closed his eyes and dropped his head back. He reminded himself that he needed her help, even though it almost killed him to ask for it. “Look, I’m worried about her, okay? You of all people know she’s stubborn as hell. If something happens with the paps, she’s going to try to deal with things herself. I fucked up and left her on her own last time because I thought I was doing the right thing. I don’t want her thinking she has to do it alone ever again.”

  Madison gave him a half-smile and nodded. “That was kinda sweet. Just don’t underestimate her.”

  “I won’t. But I know the paps followed her more than she admitted. The pictures of her on days she said nothing are proof of that.”

  “I won’t go behind her back just to give you updates, but if something happens, and it’s bad enough that I’m worried too, I will call you. That’s as much as I can give you. She comes first.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Now go away. I wasn’t standing outside the bathroom to listen to you pee.” Madison waved him off with a flick of her wrist and pushed passed him into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

  “They’re all fucking crazy,” Anders mumbled.

  After awkward goodbyes, Anders and Josie walked out into the warm night, their arms wrapped around each other.

  “Are you staying?” Josie asked, a hopeful smile lifting her cheeks as she pushed open her front door.

  “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  Josie pretended to contemplate his question as she tapped her finger on her chin. Scrunching her face, she hummed. “Maybe not yet. There are a couple of things I want to show you.”

  “What sorts of things?” Anders smirked and pulled her against him, shutting her front door with his free hand.

  “Other things,” she whispered, her arms tightening around his waist.

  “Will I like these other things?”

  “You’ll love them.”

  Anders’ grip tightened and his heart stuttered at her mention of the word love. His anxiety was evident.

  Josie looked at his panic-stricken eyes. “Hey, are you okay?”

  Anders let out a low laugh. It was forced and thick with annoyance. “Yeah. I’m great.”

  “Okay,” Josie drawled, taking a step back. “I’m just going to stand back here so when lightning strikes you for telling a lie my hair doesn’t get singed.”

  Even though Josie’s words were lighthearted, Anders didn’t miss the slight edge of annoyance in her voice. “One step forward, two hundred back.” Anders sighed and tensed his jaw. “I want to tell you…I know I haven’t said―”

  Josie shook her head and stepped forward, cutting off Anders’ words when she pressed her finger to his lips. “Stop.”

  “But―”

  “No. Anders, stop. You don’t have to say anything to me, not until you’re ready.” Josie’s voice was soft, her expression open.

  Anders’ face twisted, frustration and anguish gripping his body. Wrapping his arms around Josie, he pulled her close. His lips were firm and insistent as they pressed against her forehead. With his eyes clenched, he spoke through gritted teeth. “You know how I feel about you, right?”

  “I know,” she whispered.

  “I just―”

  “Anders. You don’t have to say it. Not now.” She slid her fingers under the hem of his shirt and scratched her nails up his back. Lifting her eyes to his, she rose up on her toes and pressed their lips together. She pulled back a hairsbreadth, and when she spoke, her lips still brushed against his. “Show me.”

  Anders’ lips pressed together, and his heart thundered in his chest. He wanted to tell her. He knew he loved her, but the words lodged in his throat like tar, strangling him until all he could utter was a strained, “Okay.”

  Soft and gentle, he undressed her. He kissed every exposed part of her body and said to her with his body the words that refused to leave his lips. He worshiped her. He teased her. Then he did it again.

  The following weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Anders had hoped as time passed, people would become less interested in his relationship status. However, the longer he stayed out of nightclubs and away from the party scene, the more people talked. His absence, combined with the buzz about his upcoming movie, made him a target more than ever, which translated into difficulties for him and Josie and the amount of time they were able to spend together.

  Unsurprisingly, Anders continued to push the issue of going public. He tried to convince her if they got it over with, they’d be able to spend more time together before he left. Josie was steadfast, though. She didn’t want to go public knowing he would be leaving soon. She didn’t want to deal with the constant harassment alone. She wanted to wait until he was going to be in LA for longer than a few weeks. Her argument was valid, but that didn’t stop the trickle of doubt from seeping into his mind. When he left for Atlanta, it was with a soft kiss and an “I’ll see you soon” on her lips. Even though he had a million opportunities to tell her how he felt―that he loved her―he never did.

  He’d been in Atlanta for two weeks when he decided enough was enough. His time away from her caused an ache he could no longer stand. He wanted to touch her. Hold her. Tell her he loved her. He was done hiding. He just needed a helping hand. He needed Madison to pull through for him.

  She had fought against helping him at every turn, so neither of them expected to end up truly liking each other. They had actually become friends. Madison found herself rooting for Anders to get his head out of his ass, and Anders found himself wanting to strangle Madison a little less each day.

  Anders slumped in his chair and dropped the script to his lap. Rubbing his tired, swollen eyes, he tried to fight the fatigue plaguing his body. All he wanted was to go back to his hotel, fall into bed, and talk to Josie until he passed out.

  He was ready for filming to wrap. The women on set had been relentless in their quest to bed him. One in particular refused to take no for an answer. When she pressed about his refusal, it set him off. Until Josie agreed, he couldn’t say it was because of her. The agitation that resulted from that fact caused more than a few people to flee his presence. That girl was no exception.

  Sliding his hand into the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out his phone. His mind drifted to Josie and the conversation he hoped she was having with Madison. A conversation that would put an end to their hiding once and for all.

  With early afternoon sunlight warming her skin, Madison bounded up Josie’s front steps, determined to have the very conversation Anders was thinking about on the other side of the country.

  “Hello?” she called, shutting Josie’s front door behind her.

  “In here!” Josie laughed, causing Madison to roll her eyes.

  Huffing out a breath, she shook her head in amusement. “You’re watching it again aren’t you?”

  Josie looked up from her laptop and shrugged. “How many times did you watch it, Maddie?”

  “Fine, whatever. I just like watching Aubrey’s face when she realizes what Anders is about to do. It’s freaking awesome.”

  “Exactly.” Josie nodded and closed the laptop. “Besides, it’s a nice reminder that the bitch got what she deserved. Every time I se
e her name, I want to hit something.” Josie took a sip of her drink and dropped her eyes. “Plus I like hearing him defend me.”

  “Josie, he’d do just about anything for you. It’s pretty fucking obvious.”

  Josie picked at an invisible thread on her shirt. “I miss him.”

  “Then go see him. It’s been months. You two seem to be on the same page. Why are you still waiting?”

  “It’s not like we’ve had a chance to go public. Since we got back together, he’s been out of town more than he’s been here.”

  “It won’t always be like this. When he’s not filming, he’ll be here all the time. Chances are you’ll be wishing he was gone.”

  Josie lifted her brow, her expression serious. “You’ve seen him, right? Even when I want to choke him, I still want to kiss him more.” Sighing, Josie dropped her head to the back of the couch. “I miss fighting with him.”

  “There’s something wrong with both of you. I’ve never seen two people who enjoy arguing so much.”

  “Shut up.” Josie snatched the container of food out of Madison’s hand and diverted her eyes. She wanted to have some kind of witty comeback, but the truth was, she and Anders were different. She couldn’t explain it and didn’t care to try.

  Madison sat beside Josie and opened her own container. “You’re also kind of a bitch when he’s gone.”

  Josie’s head shot up, an apology on her lips, before she saw the mischievous grin splitting Maddie’s face. “You suck. That wasn’t nice.”

  “But you admit that you’re cranky when he’s away. I’m telling you, things would be a lot easier if you would just get it over with and stop hiding.”

  Josie stared at her lap for several moments before nodding. “You’re right. This is ridiculous. I want to go to the movies and have dinner at a restaurant. I want to hold his hand and kiss him in public just because I feel like it. When he comes back, I’m going to tell him. No more hiding.”

  Madison gave Josie a wide smile. “Good for you. It’s about time.”

  Eating her lunch in a rush, Madison made up an excuse to leave. As soon as she stepped out the door, she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Anders’ number.

  “What did she say?” he asked, not bothering with formalities.

  “You know,” she drawled. “I don’t know why I bothered helping you. You’re so rude.”

  “Yes, yes, I’m a dick, I’m an asshole, blah, blah, blah. We covered this the last time we spoke. Unless you have some new insult to add, I’d like to know what Josie said.”

  “God, you’re as bitchy as she is. I hope going public will mellow you two out.”

  “She said yes? Seriously?” The relief in Anders’ voice was clear. As much as Madison wanted to be annoyed, his desire to tell the world Josie was his girl made her rough edges melt.

  “She said yes. You can surprise her without worrying about her cutting off your balls.”

  Anders laughed. “I wasn’t worried about that. She’d be hurting herself there.”

  “Oh my God. Stop talking. Have a great day, Anders. Jesus.” Not waiting for his smart-ass reply, Madison ended the call.

  Anders grinned, not bothered that Madison had hung up on him. His exhaustion forgotten, he jumped from his chair and headed back to the set. They were ahead of schedule, so instead of flying out in four days, he’d be able to leave the following night. Sending a quick text to Nathan to rearrange his flight, Anders shut off his phone and got to work.

  That night when he spoke to Josie, he made no mention of his new flight plans. He could tell she was anxious and he couldn’t help but smile. He knew how she felt. The next morning, he wasted no time packing and checking out of the hotel. With his bags in tow, he headed to the set for his final day of filming in Atlanta.

  When they shut down the lights and called it a day, it was already dark. Anders ignored the shocked expressions of the other actors when he flat out refused their invitation to go celebrate. He had a plane to catch. Jared, the director, clapped him on the shoulder, amusement lighting up his face.

  “You’re the moodiest bastard I’ve ever worked with, but damn if you don’t make up for it with your work. I look forward to the rest of filming in LA.”

  Anders turned and shook his hand, his eyes landing on the girl from the day before who had pushed so hard to get his attention. Nodding his head in her direction, he smirked. “Just make sure that one isn’t on set in LA. My girlfriend has a bit of a temper, and there might be trouble.”

  The girl gasped and a look of understanding crossed Jared’s face before he chuckled. “Noted. Have a safe flight, Anders.”

  “Thanks.”

  After battling traffic, airport crowds, and flight delays, he arrived in LA a little after five in the morning. He was tempted to go straight to her house, but he had a plan. Once he was home, he threw a frozen pizza in the oven and jumped in the shower. After filling his stomach and unpacking his suitcase, it was just after eight in the morning. Anders knew Josie would already be out, so he grabbed his phone and keys and headed toward his car. He knew where to find her.

  Turning onto the street of the fabric shop, his heart rate spiked when he saw the number of people crowding the parking lots and sidewalks. For a week Josie had talked about her favorite fabric shops participating in a local street fair. She’d gone on and on about the new materials and special pricings until he had to whisper filthy things in her ear to shut her up.

  Parking down the block, he shut off his car. Phone in hand, he slid on his sunglasses and slammed his car door shut. The walk toward the fabric store was short. He scanned the crowd, not wanting to walk up on her by accident. People milled about around him, everyone smiling, laughing, and sipping overpriced coffee. Pulling out his phone, he dialed her number.

  “Hey, you. What are you up to? Aren’t you supposed to be filming?”

  Anders chuckled. “Yeah, I am. We had an early shoot this morning so we’re taking a break.”

  Josie hummed into the phone, distracted. “Well, that sucks.”

  Anders couldn’t hide the amusement in his voice. “Am I disturbing you?”

  “What? No. Well, yes, but it’s okay.”

  “What are you doing?” He stepped around the side of the neighboring building, his grip tightening around his phone when he saw her.

  “I told you about the street fair. The fabric store has a booth out front with samples from their latest shipment. Anders,” she sighed, picking up a swatch of fabric and rubbing the silky material against her cheek. “They have one that would be perfect for a dress idea I have.”

  Filling his lungs with a final calming breath, he spoke. “Is it for you? Because that shade of green would look beautiful on you.”

  Josie gasped, almost dropping her phone as she whipped her head around, her eyes wide. “What…how?” Her heart thundered in her chest and her pulse beat like a drum in her ears. “Anders,” she whispered, turning in a circle. “Where are you?”

  “Turn around, Josie.”

  Her eyes shimmered with tears as she dropped her phone from her ear. She didn’t need it. Not when she felt his breath fan over her skin as he whispered in her ear. Giving no thought to where they were or how many people were staring, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Shock froze his muscles for a split second before she was wrapped in his arms and crushed against him.

  “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be in Atlanta.”

  “I finished early. I got in a few hours ago.” He pushed back the hair that had fallen in her eyes but didn’t release his grip around her waist.

  “That’s very sneaky of you.”

  “You don’t sound surprised.”

  “That you’re sneaky? Of course I’m not. Have you met you?” She laughed, her body thrumming with excitement.

  He shrugged, a smirk twisting his lips. “Once or twice. I’m pretty fucking impressive.”

  Josie’s head fell back and her eyes pinched at the corners as
a laugh burst from her chest. She’d missed him so much and having him in front of her made her giddy. She wiped under her eyes and sniffed, her smile beaming.

  “How are we going to make this work? You’re impossible.”

  “It’ll work because we’ll make it work. You’ll call me out when I’m being an asshole, and I’ll point out when you’re being a smart-ass.”

  Josie giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck again, entwining her fingers and locking them in place. “If we do that, we won’t have time for anything else.”

  “Ivy, you’re being a smart-ass.”

  “I know. See? Impossible.”

  Anders’ eyes softened, his expression earnest. Brushing the pads of his fingers down her cheek, he cupped her jaw. “It’ll work because I love you. I refuse to live without you. Ever.”

  Tears spilled down Josie’s cheeks and her heart felt like it was going to explode. Nodding, she swallowed around the lump in her throat and lifted up on her toes. “I love you too.”

  Completely oblivious to the camera phones flashing and the dull roar of shocked, excited voices surrounding them, Anders and Josie lost themselves in the first of many public kisses.

  I would like to thank my husband Mark, my son Blaine, and my mother Cindy for always standing by my side. I couldn’t have done this without their patience, love, and support. They’re my heart and my soul. Always and forever.

  There are a plethora of beautiful, amazing women who helped bring this story to life. I would be remiss not to mention them and let them know how truly thankful I am for their roles in my life.

  Jill Bukosky for everything she’s done, and continues to do, to help me grow as a writer. She never lets up. She’s amazing like that.

  Sara Robey for guiding me with her vast knowledge, valuable input, and calling me out when she knew I could do better.

  Jess Ershede for reading this manuscript more than a dozen times. Her constant support and feedback helped more than she’ll ever know.