Dream Guy

by Dream Guy (lit)

  Bring it on, Matt thought with confidence.

  He could handle it.

  Annie’s first five minutes after the interview with Claire on Tuesday morning were spent outside on the sidewalk in front of the store. She wanted to make sure the marketing department had everything under control while Rico spent another morning with his excited and adoring fans.

  Just like clockwork, everything seemed to be moving along right on schedule. The autographing table had already been set up. An ample supply of marketing’s clever pink satin sleep masks was stacked, ready and waiting. Though Rico had tried to get her alone the second she arrived, she’d managed to sidestep that situation with ease. Now she finally had Rico sitting at the place of honor, pen in hand, a sexy smile on his face, wowing his adoring fans.

  It didn’t seem possible, but the crowd was larger than it had been on Monday. She smiled. J.B. Duncan had to be pleased with the way things were going. The only thing that worried Annie was Rico. He’d seemed disturbed before the autograph signing began.

  But when she thought about it, who could really blame him for being a little overwhelmed? The endless line of doting admirers was already snaking down the sidewalk and disappearing around the side of the building.

  Annie leaned down and whispered into Rico’s ear, “I’ll be back in a minute,” before she left her post behind his chair and walked into Groveman’s, hopefully in search of some hot black coffee.

  “Annie!” Collin called out, hurrying in her direction.

  Since it was Collin, his worried look didn’t concern Annie one bit. Something as simple as a piece of lint on his pants could make him hyperventilate. But when he grabbed her arm and pushed her behind one of the towering elephant-ear ferns in Groveman’s lobby, Annie realized something was wrong.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Miss Spandex was Rico’s fiancée?” Collin demanded.

  “Why do you think I didn’t tell you, Mr. Blabbermouth?” Annie said right back. “But your information is wrong. Helena is Rico’s ex-fiancée.”

  “Ex or not, she’s here.”

  Annie blanched. Here? “Where?”

  Collin pushed down a fern leaf. He peered around the lobby before he said, “I hid her upstairs in the Roman bedroom showroom. No one will find her there.”

  “This is so not what I need this morning,” Annie said. “How did she get in here?”

  Collin threw his hands up in the air. “I don’t know how she got past the security guards. But she really caused a scene. She’s demanding to see you, Annie.”

  Annie tried to push Collin out of her way, but he grabbed her arm. “It gets worse. Claire Winslow walked into the lobby during Helena’s tirade about you avoiding her. I managed to push Helena into the elevator. I don’t think Claire had time to put two and two together, but that bleached-blonde bitch is still circling around here somewhere. You need to get her out of here, Annie. Fast.”

  The second Collin let go of her arm, they both sprinted for Groveman’s first-floor elevator.

  “Can you imagine what Claire would do with the information if she found out Rico dumped his poor fiancée so he could play the role of every woman’s dream guy? Claire would crucify him.”

  Annie kept pounding on the elevator button with her fist. She gave up and ran around the side of the elevator, heading for the stairway. Collin burst through the stairway door right behind her. He stayed on her heels as Annie took the steps two at a time.

  “I’m telling you, Annie, everything we’ve worked for could go right down the drain.”

  Annie ignored him. They were almost to Groveman’s second floor.

  “We can kiss our promotions good-bye. And Rico will go from being every woman’s dream guy to the biggest jerk of the century. We won’t even be able to sell any of his sexy pictures. Unless women use them for a dartboard.”

  It was pointless to argue. Collin had only been saying out loud everything she’d already been thinking herself. She opened the second-floor stairwell door and hurried through it, Collin still right behind her.

  They finally reached the showroom.

  There was Helena, lying leisurely on the king-size Roman-column canopy bed, her head propped in one hand, striking a most befitting Cleopatra pose.

  “What are you doing?” Collin shrieked. “You’re going to soil that thousand-dollar comforter, missy. You get up from there. Right now!”

  Helena’s answer was to send Collin a bored screw-you look. She remained exactly where she was.

  Annie pushed Collin behind her and started walking toward the bed. “Helena. I was going to call you.”

  Helena sat up in the middle of the bed. Annie didn’t miss the displeasure radiating on her pretty face. “But you did not call. Did you, Annie?”

  “I’m sorry,” Annie began.

  Helena shook a finger in her direction. “I am tired of your excuses.” Her black eyes flashed. “You said you would help me get my Rico back.”

  “Get Rico back?” Collin echoed.

  “We’ll discuss it later,” Annie said, sending Collin a don’t-ask look.

  Helena unbuckled the fanny pack from around her waist and unzipped it. “These I brought for you,” she said, and tossed two packs of cigarettes onto the bed.

  Collin gasped and looked at Annie in horror. “When did you start smoking?”

  Annie sent him another pointed look. “I said we’d discuss it later.”

  “And these,” Helena said, digging a handful of scratch-off lottery tickets out of her fanny pack. She tossed them onto the bed as well.

  “Oooh, scratch-offs.” Collin grinned, apparently less offended by Helena’s second gift.

  He reached out, but Helena smacked Collin’s hand. “Those are for Annie,” she warned. “My Rico hates the smoking. My Rico hates the gambling. When Annie does both of these things, Rico will stop wanting to be with Annie and come back to me.”

  Collin looked at Helena. Then back at Annie. “Is she for real?”

  Annie punched Collin with her elbow. “Think Kate Hudson. Matthew McConaughey. Big box-office hit.”

  “Hell-o. That was a movie,” Collin said in a singsong voice.

  Helena’s eyes narrowed. “What do you know about any of it?”

  Collin put his hands on his hips, striking his best diva pose. “The first thing you do when you get dumped, girlfriend, is develop an attitude real quick. You tell Rico you wait for no one. You tell him you’ll find yourself a new man who wants to marry someone as beautiful as you are.”

  Annie rolled her eyes. “And do you care to share with Helena how many times that approach has worked after you’ve been dumped, girlfriend?”

  Collin stuck his nose in the air. “We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about Helena.”

  Annie looked at Helena and said, “I was going to call you, Helena, because I have come up with a new plan. A plan that Collin is going to help us carry out.”

  Collin jerked his head in her direction. “I am?”

  Annie whacked him on the arm.

  Collin frowned and rubbed his arm. “I mean, yes. I am going to help you.” He nodded at Helena in agreement with Annie’s statement.

  Helena didn’t look convinced. “This new plan? What is it?”

  Annie walked over and sat down on the bed beside Helena. “You’re going to have to trust me, Helena.”

  “I can tell I am not going to like it,” Helena said. She crossed her arms stubbornly over her ample bosom.

  Annie said, “Regardless of what Rico thinks he wants, I can already tell he doesn’t like being bossed around. He was irritated most of the day yesterday when we kept telling him exactly what to do during filming.”

  Helena nodded. “You are right. All the time Rico’s brothers, they are bossing him around. That is why Rico wants his new career. He wants to be his own boss.”

  “And that’s what Rico doesn’t understand,” Annie said. “If his acting career did take off, every second of his time would be accounted for.
He’d have a publicist pushing him in front of the spotlight for promotional purposes. He’d have a director dictating his every move when he was in front of the camera. Even his private life wouldn’t be his own. Rico wouldn’t be in control of any aspect of his life if he became a big Hollywood star.”

  Helena said, “Rico would not like this.”

  “Exactly,” Annie said. “And that’s why I think my new plan will work. We’re going to let Rico find out for himself that being a big star comes with a big price tag. But to prove this to Rico, I’ll have to introduce him to another woman.”

  Helena frowned. “I knew I was not going to like this plan of yours.”

  Annie said, “I promise, Helena, this woman is so obnoxious and so controlling she’ll have Rico on his knees and begging you to take him back.”

  Collin grinned. “Have I heard you call this woman La Femme Shark a time or two?”

  Annie grinned back. “You have.”

  Helena shook her head. “No. No. No. I am not liking the sound of Rico and the other woman plan. I am liking the sound of the me with the new man plan better.”

  Collin sent Helena a sly smile. “Why not try both?”

  Annie glanced at Collin, then back at Helena. “That isn’t a bad idea, Helena. Do you think you can convince Rico you’ve found someone else? You told me yourself he got extremely jealous the night you mentioned you were going to take other lovers.”

  Helena shook her head. “Rico, he knows everyone in Little Five Points. No man will talk to me. Rico has made it certain if they do . . .” and she made the slicing motion Annie hated across her throat.

  “Some nerve,” Collin snorted. “No wonder Rico doesn’t see anything wrong with breaking your engagement. He still has you all to himself.” He paused for a moment. “You need to spend a few days hidden away. So Rico can’t be sure of what you’re doing.”

  “But I have nowhere to go,” Helena protested.

  Collin smiled. “You do now. You can stay at my place.” He got a sudden gleam in his eye. “And while you’re staying with me, we’re going to find you a new look. We’ll go on a shopping spree to end all shopping sprees. My treat. I insist.”

  Helena’s look was suspicious. “You would do this for me? Why?”

  Annie answered that question. “Because Collin has more money than he knows what to do with, Helena. And he considers himself a fashion expert.”

  “I am a fashion expert,” Collin insisted.

  Helena still didn’t look convinced. “My uncle. He would not agree with me going away.”

  “Tell him you need some time alone because you’re heartbroken about Rico breaking your engagement,” Collin said. “Tell him you’re staying with a new friend. You can pretend it’s Annie you’re staying with, and you can give him my number where he can reach you anytime he wants. But make your uncle promise not to give the number to Rico.”

  Helena threw her head back and laughed. “With Rico my uncle is furious. To Rico he would never give the number.”

  “Good,” Collin said. “You go home and pack a few things right now. Do you have a cell phone?”

  Helena took her cell phone from her fanny pack and held it up. Collin wiggled his fingers for her to hand it over. He programmed in his cell phone number and handed it back.

  “When you’re through packing, call me,” he said. “I’ll come get you and take you to my house. And do it now, Helena, while Rico is tied up here all day. We can’t risk him finding out where you are.”

  Helena scooted off the bed. The second she did, fussbudget Collin immediately picked up the cigarettes and scratch-off tickets and started rearranging and smoothing out the thousand-dollar comforter.

  “This plan is going to work, Helena,” Annie said, wishing she was sure of that statement.

  Helena looked at her for a moment. “Make sure of it.” Then she prissed out of the showroom, never looking back.

  Annie let out a long sigh. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Collin. You’re going to have your hands full with that one.”

  Collin walked up and held out Helena’s loot. “Here.”

  Annie frowned. “What am I supposed to do with those?” Collin walked over to a trash can and dumped the cigarettes. But he handed the scratch-off tickets back to Annie as they headed for the showroom door. “These you keep,” he said. “Today could be your lucky day.”

  “Not likely,” Annie said, but she stuffed the tickets into her purse anyway. “I’d say this being my lucky day is about as likely as you getting Helena out of her spandex.”

  “Oh, I’ll get her out of that spandex,” Collin said with confidence as they reached the elevator. “How am I supposed to help with your portion of the plan?”

  “By doing what you do best,” Annie said. “Start a little gossip on the set today that you’ve heard Hollywood has its eye on Rico. Elaborate if you feel like it.” Which Annie knew Collin wouldn’t be able to resist doing. “Just make sure Claire is within hearing distance when you tell your big yarn. Twenty bucks says Rico will become the new man in Claire’s life. There’s no way she’s going to pass up getting her fifteen minutes of fame.”

  Collin rubbed his hands together as they stepped into the elevator. “Oooh, this is going to be such fun. What big Hollywood director should I say is interested in Rico? Quentin Tarantino, maybe?”

  “That’s up to you,” Annie said as she reached over and pushed the button. “Just make it believable.”

  “Don’t insult me,” Collin said. “I’m an expert when it comes to making any type of gossip believable.”

  “And you say that like it’s a good thing,” Annie mumbled under her breath.

  This time, it was Collin who whacked Annie on the arm.

  Rico held back a sharp remark when Gretchen scolded him for not paying attention.

  “You have to focus, Rico,” Gretchen said. “Look at Annie. Your expression needs to be thoughtful and sympathetic. Try it again.”

  Focus?

  How was he supposed to focus when his mind was cluttered with questions about what had gone on between Helena and Annie earlier that morning? He had tried to stop Helena when she showed up unexpectedly, but she’d pushed him away and hurried inside the store in search of Annie. He had tried to warn Annie that Helena was there, but Annie had pushed him into his chair, saying he needed to pay attention to his fans.

  Fans.

  The women. They wore him out. All of them. Looking at him as if he were some piece of tasty meat ready to be carved up and served for supper. The old ones. The young ones. The pretty ones. The not-so-pretty ones. They looked him over the way they would a new toy. A possession. A thing to be devoured for their own greedy pleasure.

  Mierda.

  He had no interest in any of them, or in their fantasy about him being their dream guy. What true man could endure such scrutiny day after day, afraid that one move or one look would be the wrong one?

  The women of his culture would never do this. They appreciated strong men. Men who would take charge and be the boss. These American career women being his boss was not right.

  None of it.

  My lovely Helena.

  He was worried about her. She had left the store never once looking in his direction.

  He had to talk to Annie. But Annie had been avoiding his questions all day. Just the way Annie was always avoiding his questions.

  “I’ll tell you everything later at lunch,” she’d said.

  But it is already past the time for lunch, Rico thought disgustedly, which was another sore spot with him.

  What did these women think he was? Some robot? Some mechanical man who did not get hungry? He had never been able to think well on an empty stomach. He was tired of trying to look thoughtful and sympathetic when no one had any sympathy for him.

  Enough!

  I am through with these women pushing me around.

  “I am hungry,” he complained to Gretchen. “That is why my look is not sympathetic and thoughtfu
l. My look is that of a hungry man.” And he added with pride, “I will not continue this filming. Not until I get something to eat.”

  That Gretchen and Annie both frowned in his direction made Rico smile inside.

  Gretchen shook her head. “Okay, let’s break for lunch,” she said with a sigh, but only after she sent him another mean look. “One hour only, guys. The buffet is set up outside on the patio where it was yesterday.”

  Rico ignored Gretchen and marched over to Annie. “First, you and I will talk,” he told her instead of asking her. “Alone. Then we will eat.”

  He could tell she did not like his firm tone.

  “Is there a problem, Rico?”

  “That is my question to you,” Rico said. “About the problem with Helena.”

  “Follow me,” she said.

  “No. You come with me.” He would not be ordered around by this woman. He placed his hand firmly at Annie’s back and escorted her off the set and away from the others. She looked annoyed, but he did not care. “You tell me now. Why did Helena come to see you this morning?”

  She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. “I want you to brace yourself, Rico. I’m afraid you’re going to be upset about Helena’s news.”

  “News?” He had no idea what Annie was talking about.

  “Just remember you can’t think about Helena now, Rico. You have to focus on your new career. And I hate to say it, but personally, I think it’s better for you that Helena has found someone else to marry.”

  Someone else to marry?

  Was Annie crazy?

  “Helena told you this?” He couldn’t believe it.

  Annie nodded. “I can understand why you’d be upset. Even if you didn’t want to marry Helena, she was still your intended fiancée. It’s only natural you’d feel a little hurt that she’s found someone else so quickly.”

  Rico ran a shaky hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes. Helena had told him none of this. But he had not been able to see her the night before. Ernesto had kept him busy playing up to all the women who had swarmed into the bar until the place was overflowing.