As we waited our turn at the bar, I stood and listened to Matt and Reeves talk as I did more people watching. I knew there were plenty more celebrities under the masks and paint, but unless I was introduced, I’d never figure out who they were because some of the makeup jobs I swore they must have had a makeup artist do their makeup they were so astounding. It made our doctor and nurse costumes seem weak and lame in comparison. I knew that if there was a contest we’d definitely lose unless it was for most unimaginable. Not that I would say any of that to Matt. I’d already expressed my dislike for what he’d picked out for me. At least the crazy killer shoes weren’t as bad as I thought, and they did make my legs look hot. If I did say so myself. It would have been a tragedy if I couldn’t have worn the Louboutin’s the only chance I had.
“Matt,” A girl shrieked from behind us, her heels clacking on the floor in rapid succession.
Turning around I was shocked to see Becca Matthews headed our way with her arms outstretched. She wasted little time as she engulfed first Matt and then Reeves in a big hug. Becca was gorgeous even dressed as a zombie bride with eye defying makeup that made it look like she had a few chunks of skin missing.
“Who’s your date?” she asked, batting her eyelashes.
“Becca this is Alex. Alex, this is my friend and the host of the party, Becca Matthews.”
Instead of saying hi or shaking my head, Becca gave me the same hug she’d given both Matt and Reeves.
“Let’s let these boys talk and I’ll show you around. I’m in need of some girl talk,” she said after placing a drink in each of our hands. Hooking her arm through mine, Becca pulled me away as she whispered who the couple in the corner were. They were as close to having sex without having sex in public as they could be. They were putting on quite a show, so much so I didn’t stop looking until Becca dragged me into the next room giggling and pointing out more celebrities.
An hour later, I’d met more actors, directors, producers, models, and pop stars than I thought possible in one room. Becca seemed to know everyone, and she’d invited them all to her party. I still wasn’t happy with my costume, but no one had looked at me or treated me badly so that was a plus. Instead they were all (okay not all, but almost all of them) very nice and didn’t act like the divas I thought they would. The media portrayed them out to be a lot different from the kind, sweet, and funny people that I’d met. I think a lot of it had to do with the people that Becca had invited. She was very down to earth to the point that you’d label her a hippie or bohemian and I loved her instantly.
Becca’s house was clean and crisp while at the same time very homey once we got out of the parts that had been heavily decorated for the party. Most of her furniture were either white or a very light grey, which I thought was trouble having two kids and huge parties like the one she was throwing. I wasn’t sure how she kept it so clean. On second thought, I was sure she had someone or multiple someone’s clean her house. It was easy to forget that she was a big Hollywood actress with how easy it was to talk to her and how open she was. It felt as if I’d known her for years and not an hour. Her and her family weren’t Hollywood royalty, but they were pretty darn close. Even with her down-to-earth vibe there was something wild simmering underneath creating an even more enticing allure.
“I don’t think they’ve left their spot the whole time we’ve been gone,” Becca murmured loudly in my ear. Unless you were shouting, you couldn’t hear the person next to you the party had gotten so loud with the music and the amount of people.
“Doesn’t look like it. If I don’t get a chance to tell you later, you throw a great party. I have to admit I was nervous when Matt mentioned it, but you’ve made me feel more than welcome. Thank you.”
“Oh, you.” Becca swatted her hands in my direction. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m just happy to see Matt out and about and looking happy. Ever since his divorce he’s seemed-” she paused and looked back at Matt for a moment before she continued. “Lost. I guess is the word to best describe him. He’s partied too hard and kind of became a man whore, but after he met you, Matt called me and told me that he’d met a sweet girl that he could see himself with while he was in Missouri. I think he’s enamored with you and it’s so sweet,” she beamed at me. “He needs a good woman to keep his head on his shoulders.”
“I’m not sure if that’s me.” I told her truthfully. “We live so far away from each other and it’s all so new. With my history with my ex-husband, I have no clue what I’m doing.”
“Well, whatever you’re doing it seems to be working. He’s the old Matt that I used to know, and I desperately want him to stay that way or I don’t see good things in his future. Many people think that if you’re a celebrity, you can do anything and still get hired in the business, but that’s not true. I know he’s been turned down on quite a few jobs that he wanted, and he wouldn’t listen to me that he needed to clean up his act. No studio wants a liability on their hands and I’m sad to say that Matt has turned into a one.” Her mouth set in a hard line as she eyed him from our spot.
The music had stopped, and we were in a corner where we could see Matt, but no one could hear us talking. I was shocked Becca was being as open with me as she was. She really must’ve been worried and thought I’d done something to warrant her trust. Becca hadn’t told me everything, but what she had told me kind of scared me. It sounded like Matt had been out of control. It might not have been in the media, but executives and producers seemed to know what he had been up to.
“I really should get you back to him. I’ve taken you away for long enough and I should probably make sure no one is trying to burn down my house or anything like that.” Becca laughed as if it were a real possibility or that it’d happened once or twice. Once again, she hooked her arm through mine as we made our way.
The moment Matt spotted us, his face lit up with a beaming smile. It’d been a long time since anyone but Mason looked happy when they saw me. I couldn’t remember when or if Decker had ever lit up like Matt, had just done. Warmth flowed through me and I could feel my lips tip up as I smiled back at him.
Leaning down to greet me with a soft kiss, Matt smiled as his eyes trailed over my face before he spoke against my ear. “Hey.”
“Hey,” I replied back softly against his cheek.
“Did you have fun with Becca?”
“I did. Her house is gorgeous. My head’s spinning, she introduced me to so many people. She’s really sweet.”
Interrupting with shaky words, Reeves asked, “Did you by any chance see Poppy?”
Giving Matt a strange look, Becca’s demeanor instantly changed as she looked back to Reeves with sadness in her eyes. “No, I’m sorry. Didn’t you say she was headed to the bathroom earlier?”
“Yeah, I don’t know what could’ve happened to her. In case she came back through here looking for me, I haven’t moved from this spot in-” Reeves stopped to look at his phone. The smile he had been wearing the whole night vanished. “Two hours. It’s been two hours and nothing. Not even a single text message. What the fuck,” he yelled, frustrated.
There was a slight pause in the surrounding chatter, but with one stern look from Becca, the crowd quickly went back to what they were doing.
Resting her hand on his arm, she replied. “I’m sorry, honey. If I see her, I’ll let her know that you’re looking for her. I’m sure she’s catching up with someone she hasn’t seen in forever and didn’t realize how much time has gone by. I hate to leave you like this, but I need to go mingle and check with my guests. If I don’t see you again before you leave it was great meeting you, Alex. I’ll get your number from Matt when I have my phone with me.” Becca gave me another hug.
“Sounds great. They don’t seem to make costumes with pockets for phones. Although, I don’t know where you would put one on mine,” I replied looking down at my barely there nurses costume.
“Next time don’t let Matt pick out your costume. Call me and we’ll figure out a good one for
you two to wear.” As she stepped back into the crowd, Becca blew us kisses before turning on her heel and disappearing into the mix of people.
Turning back to Matt and Reeves, my heart broke a little for Reeves and his sad expression. “Have you tried calling or messaging her? Maybe Becca was right, and she got lost in conversation with someone. I know it’s happened to me before especially when I’m with a good friend. Trust me, we ladies like to talk. A lot.”
Reeves body slumped forward as his eyes skimmed through the crowd. He didn’t believe a word I had said. I wasn’t lying though. When Taylor and I got together, we could talk for hours and it would only seem like minutes. When I looked around and fully took in the scene, I wasn’t sure there was a place in the house where it would be easy to talk with all the people around or the loud music. Still, I wanted him to feel better, and I hoped that was what had really happened instead of something else, but if the look Matt and Becca gave each other were anything to go by, it would seem that Poppy was off doing something that she shouldn’t be doing.
After standing around for another half an hour with no Poppy in sight, Matt hooked his arm around Reeves shoulder and gave him what looked to be a forced smile. “Why don’t you come back to my place and we can hang out?”
If I had to guess this wasn’t the first time that Matt had tried to take Reeves mind off his wife. With another unanswered text, we all got into the back of the limo Matt had hired to drive us. I wasn’t sure how Reeves and his wife had gotten to the party, but I wasn’t going to ask. The word Poppy wouldn’t come out of my mouth for the rest of the night.
7
Never Again
“Are you fucking shitting me,” Matt yelled as he passed a string of cars in the left lane going at least twenty miles faster than everyone else that was on the road.
My hand clutched the handle above my window. I was starting to get scared. Matt had been shouting at me for the last thirty minutes and with each minute that passed by, he got more angry and erratic. At first, I stayed quiet. I was used to being yelled at. Decker had gone off on me more times than I could count because something or someone would set him off and he always took it out on me. Instead of fighting back and making the situation worse, I had learned to say as little as possible so that I didn’t escalate the matter at hand.
Nothing seemed to be working with Matt though. If I was quiet, he raged, and I was made out to be guilty. When I tried to explain myself, Matt accused me of cheating. The only thing I wanted in that moment was to be on a plane back to Missouri and to never lay eyes on Matt Ryan again.
“When did this start?” Matt growled as he once again zipped from the left lane to the right and back again. Where were the police when I needed them? Being pulled over and a police escort to the airport sounded very good in that moment.
Gripping the handle above the window even tighter, I answered. “I told you before that Jenner and I started talking after the Halloween party. You were sitting right there on the couch when he asked for my phone number. I’ve been trying to help him figure out what’s going on with Poppy.”
It had been two weeks since the Halloween party and when Matt asked if I would come back out to LA for the weekend, I had no problem saying yes. We hadn't talked or even texted much in those two weeks while I was home, and I thought Matt had moved on. I was a little shocked he wanted me to come back, but I’d agreed to visit him. In that time, Jenner and I’d talked on the phone almost every night about his wife and tried to speculate what she was doing when she wasn't at home which seemed to be near constant. Whatever she was doing wasn't good. She was rarely home at night once Jenner got home from a day on set and she never left a message where she was, what she was doing, or when she’d be home. The writing was on the wall, but it didn't seem as if Jenner was ready to read it quite yet.
Grounding his teeth together, Matt gripped the steering wheel even tighter making his knuckles turn white. “An unlikely story,” he said, jaw clenched.
“How is that unlikely? You probably know more than either one of us what’s going on by the look you shared with Becca at the party. Why are you freaking out about me talking to him anyway?”
“He shouldn’t be calling you,” he roared, his face turning bright red.
“He only wanted to see me while I was here. What’s the big deal? You were with me every second I’ve been here.”
“You. Are. Mine,” he snarled. “I will not have you disrespecting me like this.”
My hands up in surrender, I narrowed my eyes. “Hold up there, buddy. In no way am I disrespecting you nor am I yours. I’m simply being a friend and trying to help. I thought you’d like it that Jenner and I were becoming friends.”
“Stop calling him Jenner.” His jaw ticked. “Only his friends call him Jenner. You call him Reeves.”
Inwardly I rolled my eyes. He was being ridiculous, and I wanted no part in his tirade.
Sputtering angry curses, Matt grew silent for a moment while his face turned a dark shade of red. It was like watching him turn into the devil himself. If I hadn’t been so angry I might have been concerned. Instead I felt my blood pressure rise. I wouldn’t go down this road again. I didn’t need another Decker in my life.
“What makes you think you can cheat on me with my best friend?” Matt thundered as he tried to overtake a car in the right lane.
I watched as if the whole thing was in slow motion instead of the hundred mile an hour that we were actually going. The SUV we were traveling in didn’t clear the car, Matt had tried to pass. The rear bumper nicked the other car and if we had been traveling at a much slower speed, it might have made a difference, but we were going way too fast for Matt to react in time. The SUV spun around in a three hundred degree turn before veering toward the concrete median on the highway. As the front passenger side hit the median, a large red truck came barreling down the lane and smacked right into the back-driver’s side. My seatbelt dug into my stomach and shoulder bruising me as the air bag burned my arms, face, and chest.
Looking at Matt over the airbag, I wanted to yell at his stupidity for driving so recklessly instead I saw a semi coming straight at us. The trailer was traveling sideways taking up multiple lanes, skidding with its tires locked up. We’d been lucky the surrounding cars had miraculously bypassed crashing into us, but our luck had run out and was now barreling down the road straight at us. I tried to undo my seatbelt, but my right arm wasn’t working the way I wanted it to. When I looked down to see why I couldn't pull it around and in front of me, I saw a bone sticking out in two places. One at my wrist and the other just below my elbow where blood was oozing from the break in my skin. Not having time to dwell on my arm, I tried to grasp the seatbelt with my left hand when the semi hit the SUV with enough force to whip my head into the passenger side window.
Pain and darkness were all I knew as I heard glass breaking and metal crunching. Everything hurt. There wasn’t a single place on my body that didn’t hurt, but my head was the worst. If it got any worse, I was sure my head would explode. I could feel the beat of my heart with the pounding pain that was tightening against my skull.
I wanted to cry and scream.
I wanted to be home with Mason.
I wanted this to all be a dream.
Just when I thought I couldn't take one more beat of pain, it started to melt away. The sounds from all around me faded into nothing.
Until I was nothing.
* * *
The beeping of machines was the first thing I heard when I came back to consciousness. My pain had lessened, but it was still there. Everything was in a fog or was that just my head. My eyes tried to blink open, but they weren’t cooperating.
Whatever the hell they’d given me I was thankful. I would take my world in a fog instead of the agony I’d been in after the crash.
How long had I been out?
Had I missed my flight?
What about Mason?
My eyes popped open, and I tried to take in the sterile
hospital room. My neck was in a brace making it difficult to turn my head. The room smelled of urine and bleach with its white on white on white decor. It didn't take me long to spot Matt sleeping in a chair by the window. He had a big bruise on his forehead, but otherwise seemed fine.
Someone squeezed my left hand pulling my attention away from the cause of our wreck. Slowly turning my body, I peered to my left to find Reeves with a small smile tipping his lips. His forehead was creased with worry as were his eyes.
“How long have I been out?” I croaked. Trying to sit up while clearing my throat proved too much as my neck spasmed even while being in the brace and my arm ached painfully. Looking down, I noticed I had a pink cast that started at my fingers and ended just after my elbow. My first broken bone.
Pulling out his phone, Jenner quickly looked at it then put it back in his pocket before he replied. “A little over six hours.”
“I guess I missed my flight.” A tear slipped out. I could feel my eyes drooping heavily. Sleep was calling me and even with the drugs I still felt enough pain to happily give in.
Jenner squeezed my hand, chuckling. “You could say that.”
Poor Mason. He was going to be so worried.
Even in my drug induced haze my mind was riddled with questions as I was slowly drifting back into the darkness.
Where was Mason?
Was he still at his dad’s?
How could I have been so stupid to come to LA and visit a man I barely knew?
How would I get home now?
“Don’t worry about it, little mama. Your phone was recovered, and I called Ryan to let him know what happened. He’s going to pick up Mason and take him back to his place.”
With Love, Alex: Fairlane Series #0.5 Page 7