Heartthrob (Hollywood Hearts, #1)

by Belinda Williams

  “Look behind Hugh’s head,” she told us.

  I peered at the screen, frowning as I did so. “What?”

  Faith huffed and reached over and enlarged the photo. I swore loudly at the blurry image of a woman standing behind Lena. She appeared to be bending over and adjusting Lena’s dress. I grabbed the phone from Faith and brandished it in Lena’s direction.

  “I forgot,” she said, sounding numb. “That young girl helped me to straighten my dress.”

  “What young girl?” I asked sharply.

  “I don’t know!” Lena cried, her usual calm composure shattering. “I really don’t know. I was upset. Marc had been bothering me and I’d been rude to him. The stupid idiot was hovering and I can’t stand it when he does that.”

  “And then what?” I coaxed.

  Lena hesitated, like she was trying to remember. “He stormed off and this young girl just appeared by my side and offered to straighten my skirt.”

  “And you let her?” I demanded.

  “Ally,” Faith said reproachfully.

  I pointed at her. “No one except me touches the dresses, OK?”

  Faith put her palms up. “OK.”

  “I’m really sorry, Ally,” Lena said.

  I sighed and resisted the urge to push a hand through my hair, which would ruin all the beautiful tumbling loose waves it had taken hours to do. “It’s alright. It’s not your fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. I’m sure if we show the photo to Marc he’ll be able to figure it out.”

  “Relax,” Faith said. “I know who it is.”

  “You do?” Chloe, Lena and I said.

  Faith nodded toward the door and we saw Suzie freeze in front of it. I’d forgotten she was still in here. I’d heard the toilet flush awhile back and just assumed she’d left.

  Now the look of guilt on her face said it all.

  “Yeah,” Faith drawled. “That young girl works for Suzie.”

  Chapter 42

  Everything happened quickly after that.

  Suzie dove for the door and I screamed her name at the top of my lungs and bolted after her.

  I thought I may have heard Faith telling me to relax and that she’d already told Marc, but I couldn’t be sure. The rage burning in my chest and pounding in my head made it hard to hear.

  I threw myself against the slamming door and stumbled into the foyer, Faith and the others close behind.

  “Where the fuck is Marc?” Faith screamed.

  I didn’t wait to find out. Suzie was already three quarters of the way through the foyer and before long she’d be outside. I didn’t need any proof of guilt; her actions said it all.

  Without pausing, I kicked off my heels. One narrowly missed Nicole Kidman’s head—at least I think it was her—and the other bounced off the wall. I gathered up my dress and ran, my feet slapping hard against the carpet.

  All I could think as I raced toward Suzie was bitch, traitorous bitch.

  Suzie must have sensed me gaining on her because she glanced back and her eyes widened in horror. It was the most expressive I’d ever seen her. And it was all the hesitation I needed.

  I closed the distance between us, my calves screaming and my chest burning.

  Suzie took off again, but I was only a few feet away now and with a strangled roar I lunged for her and tackled her roughly to the ground.

  It knocked the wind out of both of us. I felt my shoulder crack painfully as I came down onto the red carpet—which turned out to be nowhere near as soft and plush as it appeared.

  Suzie let out a cry of rage. “Get off me! Get. Off. Me!”

  She was as light as a feather and for once my buxom figure worked in my favor. I rolled on top of her with a groan and pinned her to the floor with my legs, ripping my dress in the process.

  “Bitch!” she cried, waving her hands and trying to hit me.

  I slapped them away in annoyance. “Don’t make me hit you, you piece of shit. I’d just love to give you a black eye.” For tearing my dress, not to mention everything else.

  She dropped her hands and tried to push off the ground with her hips, but she had no hope. I was much stronger than her. Or heavier.

  She let out something between a shriek of frustration and a howl. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t moving, even with the crowd that was beginning to form. The night lit up with the flash of lights as cameras went off all around us.

  Oh, well. So much for avoiding a scene. I glanced down at my dress, which was now sporting an extra sexy thigh-high leg slit. Fortunately it had only ripped up the seam and wasn’t completely ruined. The decision to go with a halter neck had been a wise choice and my dignity was mostly in tact.

  I decided to just go with it and waved to some of the cameras. I mouthed, “Hi Mom.” It probably wouldn’t lessen the humiliation but at least it would make Mama happy.

  And then, to my complete and utter relief, Marc, Jake, Faith and Chloe were at my side.

  “You can get off her,” Marc said to me. “I’ll take it from here.”

  I nodded and regarded Suzie dispassionately, still pinned underneath me. “Why?” I demanded.

  She didn’t answer, except to struggle some more.

  “Why?” I screamed, not caring if the whole world heard me.

  She jolted in shock at my raised voice. “Because I love him! I love him, alright?”

  “Who? Jake?” I replied stupidly.

  “Yes! We were meant to be together and we would have been if it wasn’t for you, you fat bitch.”

  I scrambled off her, like I’d been slapped. To my frustration, tears stung the corners of my eyes.

  Marc reached over and hauled Suzie to her feet, while Jake pulled me to him and tucked me neatly into his side.

  “Suzie?” Jake said it like they were just having a casual conversation.

  Suzie froze and stared at him. As far as Bambi impressions went, it was a pretty good one.

  “You’re fired,” he said calmly. “And you’ll never work in this town again. Oh, and you might want to reassess your view of my girlfriend.” He said it so the word ‘girlfriend’ dripped with meaning. “Seems to me she can outrun you, she’s fitter than you, and she’s classier than you. Must be why I love her.”

  Suzie blinked a few times and swiped at her face to hide the fact she was crying. Marc began dragging her away. I had no idea where he was taking her and I didn’t care. Just so long as I didn’t have to see her again.

  She twisted in his grip as they walked and shot me a filthy look. “This isn’t over. You’ll see.”

  “It’s not a movie, Suzie,” I called out and heard a few of the photographers laugh.

  “Come on,” Jake said. “Let’s go inside. That is if you’re still up to it?”

  I glanced down at my dress. “I think so. Is this too indecent?”

  “Hell no. You look great. Did I tell you that, by the way? How great you look tonight?”

  I smiled shyly. I knew what he was trying to do—he was trying to erase Suzie’s vicious words from my memory, but it didn’t matter. I knew Jake thought I was gorgeous, and damn it, I was gorgeous in my own way, curves and big boobs and all. It may not have been Hollywood gorgeous, but that was perfectly OK with me. “Yes, you did. But you can tell me how great I look anytime you like.”

  He smiled and pressed his lips to the side of my forehead. “Trust me. I plan to. Oh, and Ally?”

  “Yes, Jake?”

  “Great shoulder action when you took her down. It was spot-on. A perfect tackle.”

  I threw my head back and laughed, and we made our way into the theater together.

  *

  The exhaustion I felt when we drove home to Jake’s house in Malibu was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I was physically spent. Standing in high heels, sucking my stomach in and smiling non-stop was draining enough. My legs also felt tight from the impromptu run and my shoulder was aching. And mentally? My mind was like a car crash. It kept replaying visions of movie stars and the red ca
rpet, as well as Lena’s slashed dress and Suzie’s bitter face.

  “I think it’s going to bruise tomorrow,” I told Jake as we neared his house.

  Thankfully he’d chosen not to drive tonight. We were sitting nestled together in the back seat of a Hummer with Chris at the wheel.

  “I can call my physiotherapist to come have a look at it if you like,” he offered.

  “It’s Sunday night. Wait, Monday morning,” I pointed out.

  “So?”

  So the therapist probably had a life or a family, but in this strange alternate reality, people were on call when you needed them.

  “It’s OK. I’ll take some painkillers and sleep on it, then see how it is in the morning.” I sighed as my phone vibrated in my lap again.

  “Are you going to get that?” Jake asked.

  “Maybe tomorrow. It’s only Bella and she should be in bed. It’s the middle of the night back home.”

  “Maybe it’s important?”

  “Bella important and regular important are two different things. Don’t worry about it.”

  Jake eyed my phone dubiously. “If you say so.” Then he released a long breath. He looked tired, too. Gorgeous wearing his suit, but tired. “Now I have to find a new publicist. It ain’t going to be fun.”

  “Just make sure you find one who isn’t in love with you, as hard as that may be.”

  “Very funny, Ally. Another reason I love you.”

  I stiffened beside him then tried to relax.

  “Whoa. What did I say?” he asked.

  “Nothing,” I replied quickly, silently cursing my stupid reaction. I settled back against him. I still hadn’t said it. It made no sense. It rolled off his tongue so easily, but mine? My tongue was twisted in knots and my heart even more so. Or was that my brain? Logically I knew I was falling in love with him. I had been for a long time. But loving him? Something about that concept scared me senseless and I didn’t know why.

  “Oh, right,” he said. “That.”

  “That?”

  “The bit where I love you. It freaks you out.”

  “No, it doesn’t! It’s just . . . I . . . well . . . shit.”

  Jake tried very hard not to smile. “Shit?”

  “I’m still processing,” I said carefully, trying not to wince.

  “Cool.”

  “Cool?”

  “Yep. You’ll get there.”

  “I’ll get there?” I repeated incredulously.

  He shrugged. “I’m Jacob Swan. Everybody loves me. You do too, you just don’t know it yet.”

  I gaped at him then nudged him with my shoulder, forgetting it was injured. “Ow.”

  “I know loving me is painful for you, but try not to hurt yourself.”

  “You oaf!” I pinched him gently instead.

  “See? You love me. You’d never hurt me.”

  “Of course I’d never hurt you,” I promised.

  It seemed like a strange thing for him to say. It was strange to think of Jacob Swan as insecure, but I couldn’t forget the way he’d been betrayed by his family.

  “Jake?” Chris’ deep voice called out from front. “Sorry to interrupt, but there appears to be a woman standing at your front gate.”

  “Oh my God. Is it Suzie?” Then I shook myself. Of course it wasn’t Suzie. She was with Marc, and hopefully with the police by now. I peered out the window but it was dark. I thought I could make out the outline of a small woman, but I couldn’t be sure.

  A muscle in Jake’s jaw hardened. “No. It’s not Suzie. It’s Sally.”

  Chapter 43

  I stayed in the Hummer while Jake got out to talk to Sally. It seemed like the best thing to do.

  I’d had enough confrontations for one night.

  Chris put some music on low and I tried to ease back in my seat, but the leather suddenly felt hard and uncomfortable. When my phone vibrated on my lap again I picked it up with a huff.

  “Arabella Valenti, you should be asleep,” I said by way of a greeting.

  “Tell me something I don’t know, Ally, but you haven’t been picking up!”

  “I’ve been kind of busy,” I said, not bothering to disguise the exhaustion in my voice. “You can lecture me later on ruining my personal brand. Or my dignity.”

  “Forget the Oscars, this is serious!”

  I sat up in my seat. Oh, shit. I was becoming too self-involved. It hadn’t even occurred to me that maybe something had happened back home. “Is everything alright? Is Mama OK? What about your mom?” I shot the questions at her, rapid-fire. “Crap. Did Great Aunt Gloria watch me tackle Suzie and have a heart attack?”

  “They’re fine, but while you were creating an uproar, you missed the breaking news.”

  “I am the breaking news, you idiot! Or did you miss it? I must be all over the internet by now.”

  “And the television news,” Bella replied calmly. “But forget about that. This is to do with Jacob’s family.”

  I sighed. “Let me guess? More post-funeral media coverage? I wish they’d give it a rest.”

  “Sort of.”

  “Sort of?” Bella’s cryptic answer made me feel uneasy. “Spit it out, please.”

  “Alright, it’s just that you’ve kind of had a big night. Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow,” she suggested.

  “Oh, for God’s sake, tell me! You’ve only called me about six times so you must have really wanted to say it.”

  “It’s the ex-girlfriend,” Bella said, after a beat of silence.

  “Sally? Yeah, she’s here.”

  “She’s what?”

  I was too tired to lift the phone away and Bella’s response left my ear ringing. “She’s here. I’m in the car. Jake's outside talking to her now. Hopefully she’ll go away soon.”

  “No!” Bella screamed like she was auditioning for a horror movie.

  “Jesus, Bella, get a grip would you? It’s under control.”

  “No, it’s not under control. It’s not even halfway under control, believe me. You have to go and get him. Now.”

  “Why? He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can handle it.”

  “But Sally still loves him!”

  I fell silent while I pondered her statement.

  “It’s all over the news,” Bella told me more quietly. “All the headlines read ‘I’ve always loved him’ or something equally as pathetic. Aren’t you going to say something?”

  “Not really,” I said eventually. “It’s hardly a surprise. Everyone is in love with Jacob Swan.”

  First Suzie, now Sally. But not me, a voice in my head said. I pushed the thought away.

  “That’s all you’ve got to say?” Arabella asked.

  “Pretty much.”

  “Wow. You’re taking this really well.”

  “I think I’m getting used to all this Hollywood bullshit,” I said through a wide yawn. “Now how about you go to bed?”

  “I’m getting there. There is one other thing.”

  “What’s that?” I was only half-listening. It couldn’t be anything worse than what she’d already told me or what had happened earlier that night.

  I heard Bella take a deep breath. “Sally is saying you told his family the tackle that put him in a coma wasn’t an accident.”

  “She what?” I shrieked then clamped a hand over my mouth. I needn’t have worried. The Hummer had thickened glass.

  “It’s not true, obviously,” Bella hurried on. “She’s probably just saying that to get attention so she can tell Jake how much she loves him—”

  “It is true,” I said in a small voice. “Oh no. Poor Jake.”

  “OK, wait, back up. Which is true? Jacob’s tackle wasn’t an accident or you told his family it wasn’t?”

  “I didn’t tell his family anything!” I objected then managed to calm down a bit. “The tackle wasn’t an accident, but you have to promise not to say that to anyone else.”

  “It’s all over the news, Ally,” Bella said softly. “The whole world
knows.”

  I put a hand to my head because it suddenly felt very heavy. “Bella, I’ve got to go,” I managed. With my hand shaking, I hung up.

  I heard Bella protest as I dropped the phone back on to my lap.

  I closed my eyes, but that didn’t bring me any reprieve. Now as well as Suzie’s manic face, I saw Sally’s and Jake’s stupid brother’s, which I’d been doing a pretty good job of putting out of my mind since the funeral. What sort of crazy lies were they spreading?

  I wished Jake would hurry up. He was used to this insanity more than me. He’d be able to put it into perspective.

  I opened my eyes again and searched out the window for him, then immediately wished I hadn’t. Sally was in Jake’s arms and it was pretty obvious she was crying.

  Oh shit, maybe Bella was right.

  Feeling slightly sick, I rolled down the window. “Uh, Jake?” I called out.

  He shot me a fierce look and I sucked in my breath. Well, that had been unexpected, but entirely forgivable. He was dealing with a lot.

  “Jake?” I tried again. “I need to talk to you.”

  I saw him say something to Sally then he extracted himself from her arms—thank goodness—and stalked toward me.

  He didn’t say anything when he came to the car window, just waited for me to speak, which was fine with me.

  “I just had a call from my cousin and it turns out your high school sweetheart has been spreading rumors,” I began.

  “Actually, I believe that was you.”

  I gripped the edge of the door tightly. “What do you mean?”

  “You told them about the tackle.”

  “I did not!” I caught myself and lowered my voice. “Yes, I know that’s what everyone is saying, but I did no such thing, Jake. When would I have managed to do that anyway?”

  “When I was with Sally after Joel hit her. You went after him and told him.”

  “You think I ran after your crazy big brother? After he hit someone? I might be tough, but I’m not stupid. I was with Faith, Jake. You can ask her.”

  “Then how did he find out?” He pressed his lips together in a thin line, waiting.

  The words hung between us. “I don’t know,” I said eventually.

  “You’re the only person I’ve told.”