And the Winner Is

by Olivia Jaymes

  Sam appeared to agree. “I don’t know anyone who is good enough for Sierra. Or Billie, for that matter. We’re all watching you, by the way. Make that woman cry and we’ll beat your ass.”

  “Charming. With friends like you…”

  Sam just laughed. “Fuck you, right? I get it. Let’s face it. All of us overachieved in the love department. None of us are good enough for our wives. So what are we going to do about Sierra and Ward? Do you think he still has feelings for her?”

  “You are such a matchmaker,” Tyler taunted his friend. “How the hell would I know? Do you think he dreamily doodles Sierra’s name in a pink notebook with unicorn stickers?”

  “I hope not,” Sam snorted. “Seriously, maybe he thinks she wanted to end things, and she thinks he wanted to end things, but they’re both wrong. Now they’re alone and miserable. Jesus, I think I just described a romantic comedy.”

  “You did and it’s already been made about a zillion times.”

  The sound of footsteps behind Tyler captured his attention. He didn’t even have to turn around to know who it was. He and Ryan were about to have a talk. Man to man.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Phone to ear, Billie stepped out onto the patio and closed the French doors behind her just in case Sierra was anywhere in the vicinity. She didn’t want her sister listening in on this conversation.

  “You punched him? Why on earth did you do that? He didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “Sierra’s unhappy and he’s the reason.”

  Men and their testosterone. They had a great deal to answer for in this crazy world.

  “I wouldn’t say she’s unhappy. She’s a little melancholy. She fell for him. So what did he do after you punched him? Did he hit you back?”

  Her husband chuckled as if it was all so hilarious. “He wanted to. After he finished blocking the scene he came after me and demanded to know what I was talking about.”

  “Wait…talking about?”

  There was a small pause before Tyler answered. “I might have whispered in his ear that the punch was for Sierra.”

  Christ on a unicycle. These actors were so dramatic and over the top.

  “Tyler Gaylord, what were you thinking? Does Ryan Ward now think that Sierra wanted his lights punched out? Because she doesn’t.”

  “He knows that now,” Tyler admitted, chagrin in his tone. “I just told him that I didn’t appreciate how he dealt with Sierra. She’s really innocent and naive.”

  No, not really. In a way, she was far wiser than all of them put together after what she’d been through. Did she need to learn how to date like a normal person? Yes. Did that mean she was innocent? Sadly, no. That had been stripped away from her years ago.

  “If I tell her you did this, she’s going to kick you in your balls. What was his response?”

  “He said that he really liked her but that he knew he couldn’t give her the kind of relationship she deserved, what with his work all over the globe. He said that if he hurt her he didn’t mean to. He kind of, in a roundabout way, admitted that he missed her, too.”

  Which was all fine and dandy but Ryan Ward hadn’t done a thing to get Sierra back into his life. If he wanted her, he needed to make a move. Same with Sierra. Love and happily ever after didn’t just magically appear. If they wanted it, they had to earn it. They had to make it happen.

  “So have you two kissed and made up? You still have several weeks of shooting left.”

  “We’re fine. I told him he could take a free swing at me but he declined. We went out and had some beers. I picked up the check. It’s all good, babe.”

  Another thing Billie would never understand about men. They could be beating the shit about of each other one minute and buddies the next.

  “Try not to beat anyone else up, okay?”

  “I’ll try not to but Nate pulled another one of his famous practical jokes yesterday. Payback is imminent.”

  “I don’t even want to know what you’re going to do. Leave me out of it.”

  Tyler didn’t reply for so long that she almost thought the call had been dropped.

  “So we’re not going to do anything? Not a thing?”

  Billie sighed and sat down on one of the patio chairs. It was another sunny day in California. “Nothing. If they love each other, they’re going to have to figure it out themselves. I’m not going to insert myself into the middle of their relationship. They’re adults.”

  “If Ryan is anything like I was, he’s clueless when it comes to women and love.”

  “Yes, but you figured it out.”

  “He might not be as smart as I am.”

  Laughing, Billie propped her feet up on another chair. “We’re going to have to take that chance. I love my sister but I’ve learned that she doesn’t want us interfering in every aspect of her life. She likes to be independent; Tyler, and you know that. She needs to deal with this on her own.”

  “I know.” There was sadness in Tyler’s voice but also acceptance. “I just worry about her.”

  Billie couldn’t have picked a better husband.

  “And I love you for that. I know that you and all of your friends do but she’s getting stronger and more mentally healthy every single day. It’s time to give her wings. We’ve already given her roots.”

  “When did you get so wise?”

  “Pay attention. I’ve always been that way. Now get back to work.”

  More than anything Billie wanted Sierra to have the love and happiness that she had with Tyler, but she couldn’t hand it to her on a silver platter. If Sierra still wanted Ryan, she needed to go for it.

  On her own.

  * * *

  Ryan should have been sleeping, but instead he was sitting up in bed staring at a tabloid photo of Sierra and her sister Billie shopping. They were carrying several shopping bags and had big smiles on their faces, laughing at some joke that one of them had told.

  Sierra looked good.

  She was always beautiful but her entire face was lit up with happiness. She didn’t appear to be missing him in the least, which was good. Right? They’d parted for all of the right reasons and neither one of them needed an unrequited love.

  He had wonderful memories of their time together, but they didn’t have a future. It was sad but that’s just the way it was.

  * * *

  Sierra padded into the main house on bare feet, hair still damp from her shower. She’d worked out until she was ready to collapse and now all she wanted was some dinner and then bed. The delicious smells emanating from the kitchen made her stomach growl insistently.

  “Come in,” Billie called to Sierra, waving a big wooden spoon in the air. “I’m making spaghetti. It’s just what you need after a hard workout.”

  Probably not, although Sierra still had a hard time keeping the pounds on. Weight training had helped fill out her figure and make her look less waif-like but it had also fired up her metabolism. Now she needed to eat even more calories.

  The smell of tomatoes and garlic, the sight of pasta bubbling away took Sierra directly back to the ice storm and Ryan. It had been a simple meal but somehow it had tasted better than anything she’d had to eat in a long time.

  “You’re thinking about him again, aren’t you? Shit, I should have made tacos.”

  Automatically, her head shook in denial even though Billie wouldn’t buy it for a second.

  “I’m not.”

  “You are.”

  She sighed, leaning over the pot and breathing in the aroma. “Maybe I am. It’s no big deal.”

  “You could call him. Or email him. If you don’t have the number, we can get it from Tyler. Or you could come with me next week when I visit the set.”

  Billie was going to spend a few weeks with Tyler while the cast and crew were on location in Las Vegas. It sounded like a horrifying idea to go along.

  “You know I can’t.”

  “You can’t, or you won’t?”

  “It’s the same thing.”
>
  “It’s not the same at all and you know it.” Billie placed the spoon down on a saucer. “You know, he might be thrilled to see you.”

  “Or not.”

  “You’re not willing to take the chance?”

  There was a part of her that wanted to. But…

  “He watched me leave,” Sierra finally said, her voice soft. “He let me leave, Billie. Hell, he made it so that I left early. I’m just afraid that if I take the chance that I’ll end up really hurt this time.”

  “You want him to make the first move. I don’t blame you. You want a grand gesture.”

  Billie didn’t understand. This wasn’t a movie.

  “I don’t need a big gesture.” Sierra shook her head sadly. “I just want a sign. One little sign. Then I’ll make the next move.”

  * * *

  Location shooting was always a hassle unless they were out in the middle of nowhere, but even then there were challenges such as electricity. The streets of Las Vegas were proving to be a complete nightmare. The crowds and traffic were worse than he’d remembered from his last trip there – a bachelor party for a buddy. In complete frustration, Ryan had had the security guards push the barriers back another ten feet. People were taking flash photography with their phones and ruining his shot. He was about ready to throw out the next person that did it.

  The crew was changing the lighting so everyone had a ten-minute break. Ryan took a long drink from his water bottle but then almost choked on its contents. Coughing and sputtering, he did a double-take, blinking his eyes as if he was seeing a mirage in the surrounding desert.

  Was that…Sierra?

  She was standing next to Max and Nate, her back to Ryan. He’d been afraid to ask Tyler if she might accompany Billie out here and it looked like she just might have. His heart hammered against his ribs and his mouth went cotton dry. Sierra. It was as if his constant thinking about her had made her manifest here just for him. He hadn’t been able to shake her no matter what he did. She haunted his dreams at night – when he managed to sleep – and practically every waking moment. He’d been arguing with himself about the futility of calling her, maybe asking Tyler for her phone number, but he hadn’t yet worked up the courage.

  Just then Tyler joined the little group and Sierra whirled around and threw herself into his arms. Wait–

  It was Billie.

  From the back he’d mistaken her for Sierra but from the front there was no denying who it was. His heart fell to his feet and the breath seemed to leak from his body, leaving him slumped against his chair. Tired and worn out.

  I surrender. I can’t go on like this.

  So? What are you going to do about it?

  I don’t know, but I’m clearly losing my mind.

  If Sierra had been here, there was no doubt as to what he’d do.

  Make a complete and utter fool of himself.

  Surely by now Sierra had moved on even if he hadn’t. She’d looked truly happy in that tabloid photo. She wasn’t missing him and he needed to get his head on straight. No more mooning over a woman. And she was just a woman. He’d had many in the past and there would be more in the future. She was only one of them.

  Sierra was the past and it was time to put her there.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Sierra tapped her foot impatiently and peered out of the darkened windows of the limousine. They were waiting in a long car line to walk the red carpet at the first awards ceremony of the year and she could hear the roar of the crowds from inside the vehicle.

  “You aren’t nervous, are you?” Tyler asked, lounging back against the soft leather seats. “You’ve done this before.”

  She had and normally this wouldn’t be a big deal. Walk. Smile. Pose. Smile. Walk some more. Tonight, however, was different.

  Tonight he would be here.

  “I’m fine. Just tired.”

  This would be the first time Sierra had seen Ryan in months. She’d heard about him from Tyler but she hadn’t seen him. He was presenting an award so unless she hid in the bathroom at that exact moment she wasn’t going to be able to miss him.

  “Thanks for coming tonight. I hate going to these events alone.”

  Sierra smiled, the first of many tonight. She’d be doing it until her face hurt.

  “It’s no problem. I just hope Billie takes the doctor’s advice and stays off of that ankle.”

  Sierra’s sister was training for a new role and had hurt herself, spraining her ankle. The doctor had assured them it wasn’t serious but she needed to stay off of it for a few days. That meant she couldn’t attend the awards ceremony tonight.

  Enter Sierra. They were both about the same size so she was even able to wear the new dress that Billie had chosen for the event. Tyler had joked that the two resembled each other so much that no one might even know that he had a different sister on his arm. Sierra would be fine with that. She still wasn’t used to all of the attention and fuss. She didn’t mind it but she simply didn’t understand it. People asked for her autograph but she really hadn’t done anything that earth shattering. Not like Tyler and Billie. Or Ryan.

  Tyler flashed his Hollywood smile as the limo took its turn pulling up to the red carpet.

  “Are you ready to do this? Flash those pearlies.”

  The flash of cameras was almost blinding and she could hear her name, Billie’s name, and Tyler’s name all being screamed by the crowd of onlookers. It appeared that some knew who she was and others assumed that her sister was standing next to Tyler.

  Allowing Tyler to take control, he led her to the first backdrop where they’d have their picture taken by every photojournalist in Hollywood. Tyler stayed close but not too close, careful not to touch her as they posed. The gossips in this town were the worst and tabloids were already speculating just how long Billie and Tyler would last. Sierra being at his side was only going to make it worse. They didn’t need to fuel the fire with a public display of brother-sister affection.

  Sierra kept her gaze facing forward but it wasn’t easy. She wanted to look around and see if he was there. Was he standing off to the side? Had he seen her yet? If they ran into each other, what would she say?

  You’ve ruined me for other men, asshole.

  I hate your guts but I think I might also be in love with you.

  You make me crazy. I want to knee you in the jewels.

  “Relax,” Tyler said out of the corner of his mouth, still smiling as the flashbulbs popped. “You’re stretched tighter than a bow. And I swear if you say you’re fine one more time, my head is going to pop off and fly into the air. That will definitely make the news tonight.”

  “I am a little nervous,” she admitted, but not the reason why. Let him think it was the crowds.

  “I don’t see him anywhere. He may have already arrived. We ran kind of late.”

  Her head jerked and she looked up at him, open-mouthed. “I wasn’t–”

  Tyler laughed and nudged her so that she was facing the cameras again. “You were but it’s okay. I’ll punch him again if you want me to.”

  Again?

  “When did you punch him the first time?”

  Clearing his throat, Tyler moved them along the gauntlet and somehow managed to slip past the woman from the entertainment network interviewing anyone who was somebody. Tyler was absolutely a somebody.

  “Does it really matter? The important thing is you’re fine.”

  They ducked into the venue and Tyler’s publicist, who had been cooling his heels while they walked the carpet, was frantically waving to them. They needed to take their seats. “Tyler Gaylord, you better start talking.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Did you punch him?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then it’s exactly what I think.”

  * * *

  Ryan was presenting the award for Best Director and it had all been going great. He’d practiced pronouncing all of the nominees’ names over and over until they came out smoot
h as silk. Even the really difficult ones.

  It was a good night. The weather had cooperated, his tux fit well, and he hadn’t been asked any stupid questions by interviewers. All in all, it was a banner evening and only getting better. He’d present this award, spend a little time at the after party, and then head back to his home in Malibu. Due to the availability of his leading man, the start date for Ryan’s next picture had been pushed back for two months. For the first time in years he was at loose ends for longer than a week. He was contemplating taking some time and traveling, or he might sit at home and work on that script he’d been messing with for years.

  I could do both.

  So he’d been on a roll, announcing the nominees and having a grand old time when his gaze landed on her.

  She was sitting next to Tyler in the second row and looking up at Ryan.

  It was like being punched in the gut and then just when you get your breath back, having another land on your jaw. Right about where Tyler had punched him.

  Dammit, she wasn’t supposed to look this beautiful. He’d convinced himself that it was only his imagination that had made her so gorgeous. The reality was far different, he’d told himself. Sierra Oliver was actually rather ordinary.

  That theory had been blown out of the water.

  What is she doing here with Tyler? How did I not know she was attending?

  Sucking in a breath, he managed to not stutter as he announced the winner. Gratefully stepping back when the man reached the podium to give his acceptance speech, Ryan had a brief moment to study Sierra from a distance without any attention on him. Did she know he was going to be here? Was that why she came? Or did she attend in spite of it?

  Too many questions and no answers.

  One more question rolled around his befuddled brain. Would she be at the after party?

  Because if she was…he wanted – no, needed – to talk to her. This was insane. He was insane. But he couldn’t deny what he was feeling inside any longer. Not when he was looking at her and he wanted to see her face all the time.

  He had two months before his next movie started. That was enough to give a relationship a decent start. After that, they could play it by ear. He didn’t have to work all the time, and they might be able to work together, too. It could happen.