I’d met him when I was just starting out in the industry, and when it became too much, when I wanted to end it all, he helped me through it.
Damn him.
“I’ll think about it.” I found myself saying quietly, maybe more to myself than to him. “Just stop pressuring me about shit.”
“Jay!” Pris’ voice interrupted our tense stare down. “Stop picking on our house guest.”
I puffed out my chest. “Yes, stop picking on me.”
“Oh… crap.” Pris stumbled behind me then ran out of the room.
I took a swig of coffee. “She just now noticed I’m naked?”
“Yup.” Jay looked out toward the window. “Looks like it’s going to be a nice day today.”
“Really sunny.” I agreed.
Dani, Pris’ sister, marched into the room and tossed a pair of sweatpants at my face, nearly knocking over my coffee in the process. “PEOPLE WEAR PANTS!”
She turned, grabbed a cup of coffee from the pot, and then gave me a sweet smile.
I narrowed my eyes. “Remember the good old days when you were mute? God, I miss those.”
She stuck out her tongue while Jay’s eyes widened in horror.
“Oh, please.” I snickered. “She can take it. And just say no to pants, Dani.”
Her eyebrow arched as she turned around and went into the pantry. My palms started to sweat as she returned with both bags of jumbo marshmallows.
“Dani,” I warned.
She tore open the bags and held both over the garbage disposal. “What was that, Zane?”
“You’re pretty?”
“Hell yeah, she is,” Linc said as he sleepily wandered into the room.
“Bloody hell!” Jaymeson roared. “How do you keep getting in! I lock things!”
“Magic.” He winked. “Right Dani?”
Jay plugged his ears while Dani and I continued our stare down.
“Fine.” I sighed and pulled the pants on. “Happy?”
“I think I speak for all of us when I say yes.” She popped a mallow into her mouth.
“Hand over the goods.” I held out my hand, the one that wasn’t shaking, the one that wasn’t freaking the hell out.
With great care, she placed both of the bags in front of me and smiled sweetly. “I wouldn’t have done it.”
“Oh, please.”
“Swear.”
“Lies.”
“Murder is murder, Saint.”
“Saint! Saint! Saint!” I chanted then offered an apologetic shrug. “Sorry, just reliving the glory days.”
Linc slapped me on the back of the head. “You wouldn’t have to if you would finish your damn album.”
“What is this?” I threw my hands up into the air. “A man can’t be naked? The way God made him? I go from waking up perfectly happy, to being blackmailed into doing Jay’s next movie, and nearly witnessing the murder of my girlfriends!”
“Girlfriends?” Jay repeated in a confused tone.
“My precious.” I held up the marshmallows while he bit off a curse and walked away, giving the impression he was done dealing with my bullshit.
Linc stared me down like I was a science experiment he needed to figure out. “Zane, you need to get out.”
“I don’t need a mom.”
“You can’t even iron a shirt,” Dani pointed out. “Not that Linc can either but…”
“Hey!” he yelled, shooting her a hard stare.
“Spoiled Hollywood stars.” She heaved an exaggerated sigh. “At least Alec and Demetri know how to do laundry.”
Bringing up AD2, the dudes I had to record with in — I checked the kitchen clock — an hour, was not the way I wanted to start my day.
Because while they were super excited about the project, I was suffering from serious writer’s block.
And really just wanted to go back to bed.
Holy shit, maybe I was depressed.
I just felt… empty.
For no reason.
Well, I mean, there was a reason, but it was stupid.
Like everything else.
Linc elbowed me in the side. “It’s a small part. He needs you to play a really small part. It’ll get you out of the house.”
“I think I’d rather drink acid.”
“People take it, they don’t drink it.” Dani said, eavesdropping on our conversation.
“Seriously?” I thumbed in her direction. “She’s only eighteen, Linc! Stop teaching her shit she shouldn’t know.”
“Oh right, because out of all the Hollywood people she knows, I’m the bad influence?” His eyebrows rose while Dani coughed and pointed at me.
“PLEASE!” I yelled. “I’m the least offensive out of all of you! Alec and Demetri were drug addicts, they could have been tried for homicide!” A while ago they had come to Seaside Oregon to get away from the press. What was supposed to be a short vacation had ended up making Seaside the new Hollywood hot spot. They married local girls, became even more famous, Jaymeson followed out of pure curiosity and married the pastor’s daughter! See, another scandal! And Dani had nearly died in a car wreck leaving her a selective mute until Linc saved her or whatever. It was all bullshit.
I was the least dramatic out of all of them! I didn’t even drink!
“Thanks, man.” A deep voice sounded from the door. “Always fun when people talk about you behind your back.” Alec waltzed right past me, grabbed a coffee mug from the tree on the counter, and filled it from the pot.
“Technically, I’m in front of your back, second, is there a coffee shortage? Why is everyone here? And Linc, honest moment, how the hell do you get in the house every night?”
“It’s a mystery.” He grinned.
“Hey! You’re wearing clothes!” Demetri sauntered in a few minutes later and held up his hand for a high five. I hit it. I liked Demetri. He didn’t take life too seriously, and he was always laughing.
When he wasn’t mauling his wife.
Which was at least ninety percent of the time.
I let my head fall against the countertop. “Clothes are like bondage.”
“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Alec said quietly.
Demetri choked out a curse then started gagging. “Please don’t talk about my sister-in-law like that — I saw Fifty Shades. I know how it ends, Grey.”
“We don’t have time to reenact Fifty, guys,” Jay was dressed and ready to go for the day. “We have to be on set in ten, and you three—” he pointed at me, Alec, and Demetri “—go to the studio. Write gold. Make it award worthy.”
I had the sudden need to shrink into my seat.
“Only if he puts on a shirt.” Demetri pointed at me. “I find his nakedness offensive.”
I snorted. “More like you find my six-pack offensive. Most guys do.”
“Dude.” He lifted his shirt.
“Oh goodie, a pissing match.” Linc looked heavenward.
“There’s too much testosterone.” Dani yelled while Pris came into the room and rolled her eyes.
Pris and Dani linked arms.
“You know what we need?” Dani said to the room.
All talking ceased.
She grinned in my direction. “A girl to even the odds. You’re the last man standing, Zane…”
“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “No. Hell. NO.”
“Blind dates!” Demetri shouted. “We could film it and—”
“No!” I roared. “I’m not going on blind dates, are you guys insane? I’ve been knifed before! By a fan! With a real knife!”
“She wanted to make a blood sacrifice,” Jay whispered and shivered.
“Oh, look at the time.” I stood. “I’ll just grab that shirt.” I tried not to sulk as I went into the room that wasn’t really mine and grabbed the first shirt closest to me.
“Hey…” Dani’s soft voice floated into the room.
I hesitated, then put the shirt over my shoulders and turned, pulling it down. “Hey, yourself.”
/> “I’m sorry.”
I pressed my lips together and stared out the window, gathering my thoughts. “For?”
“Pressuring you.” I sensed her walking over to me and then felt her hand on my shoulder. “I just… I worry about you, that’s all.”
“You and everyone else in this dysfunctional group of crazy.” I hung my head. “But, Dani, I’m fine.”
“You’re lonely.”
I frowned. “No offense, but you’ve known me two months, Dani.”
“Doesn’t matter though, does it?” She bit down on her lip and then crossed her arms. “Because truth is truth.”
“Yeah.” My voice cracked. “Truth is truth.”
“Just… think about branching out… maybe actually going out to dinner once a week instead of holing up in the house with the lights off and windows locked.”
I smirked. “You make me sound crazy.”
“I found you with a half-eaten bag of marshmallows two nights ago, you were spooning one bag and moaning.”
“To each his own, Dani girl.” I winked.
“I’m terrified for the girl you end up with.”
“What? Why would you say that?”
“You’re a virgin, and you’re the most sexually charged dude I’ve ever met in my entire life.”
I froze. Because ever since that conversation a few months ago where I’d confessed one of my dirty little secrets, we hadn’t discussed it.
“Yeah, well…” Why was I embarrassed? No, wait… that feeling wasn’t embarrassment, it was… confusion. “I’ll be sure to take it easy on her.”
“You walk around naked twenty-four seven. That’s hardly taking it easy on us, and we’re your friends.”
“You’re welcome?” I offered, then pulled her in for a tight hug. “Okay serious Full House talk is over, the music stopped playing, we hugged, and I’ve learned my lesson. Time for work.”
“Wait!” Dani laughed. “Am I DJ?”
“Eh, you’re more annoying.” I shrugged and then patted her head. “Like Michelle.”
“Which makes you?”
“Aw, sweetheart… It should be obvious. I’m Uncle Jesse.”
She burst out laughing.
“Come on, give Uncle Jesse a hug.”
“Go to hell.”
“Love you too, Dani.”
Fallon
“Stop screaming!” I hushed Maggie with my hand. “You’re going to attract attention… people… Seagulls!”
She jerked away from me, her expression one of complete exasperation. “What is with you and birds?”
“Never mind!” I shivered and shoved my hands in my jean pockets. What had possessed me to tell her about meeting Zane? No idea. Maybe it was the fact that I was a horrible liar, and when she saw the scratch on my glasses she started asking questions. Had I run into a tree? Gotten hit by a car? Tripped over my own feet? Okay, fine so all of the above have at least happened to me once, in my life, but that wasn’t the point.
The point was, when I opened my mouth, I wasn’t fast enough with my lie, and Maggie had known me since we were in first grade, meaning she saw right through me.
“Was he hot?”
“He was shirtless.” I swallowed past the constant dryness in my throat, the dryness that had been there since yesterday when Zane stole my chapstick and asked me to make a house call.
“You’re blushing!” She pointed and laughed. Why were we best friends again? “I can’t believe it! The last time you blushed was in fifth grade when Jason asked if you wanted to partner with him on a book report.”
“Bastard did absolutely no work! You know I have no tolerance for group projects.” I kicked a rock with my shoe and crossed my arms as the wind from the beach picked up, tossing my wavy hair into my face, and of course, getting caught in my chapstick.
“Bitter much?”
“We got an A minus.”
“It was fifth grade. Besides, I think you got your revenge when you grew boobs and turned him down at Homecoming.”
I rolled my eyes.
“And prom.”
I kept walking.
“And homecoming again.”
“Okay.” I smiled. “I get your point. And yes, I’m blushing, and yes he was hot, he had no shirt.”
“You said that.”
“Because it’s true…”
“Good one, Fallon.” She patted my back then started rubbing as if I needed to calm down.
But I was fine. Perfectly fine, totally in control of my emotions. It was a weird run-in with a celebrity. Whatever. They’re just like us, except richer, prettier, more naked… A small cry from Maggie had me jerking my head in her direction. “What? What’s wrong?”
“I love you.” She sighed. “Just remember that.”
I didn’t have time to brace myself before she pushed me off the boardwalk and into the sand. It was a good four-foot fall.
My skinny jeans ripped across my knees the minute they hit the sand.
“Son of a monkey!” I yelled.
“Do sons have monkeys?” A deep, toe-curling voice asked, and then a head followed as it peered over the ledge, followed by two more. I was afraid to blink.
I’d hit my head.
Either that.
Or rockers AD2 and Zane Andrews were all staring at me from the boardwalk, an amused Maggie smirking behind them. Great. I’d be lucky to get a full sentence out.
“It’s been a while since I’ve met a purist.” Demetri nodded. “A girl who doesn’t swear. Quick, say something else.”
Zane glared at him while I tried standing and dusting off my sandy jeans. It was no use. Sand was in my hair, my ears, and my torn pants.
It was tempting. To run away toward the ocean, forget to hold my breath, but then, what would my parents do? Ugh, drowning never looked so awesome and appealing, and I had a very serious fear of sharks.
Instead, I pressed my hands on the cement ledge and heaved myself over it. My strength wasn’t all there, so basically I flailed over the ledge, and landed on my ass peering up at Zane, much like the day before.
“And so we meet again.” He swept his hand out in front of me. “Do this often?”
“She’s very accident prone,” Maggie said in a sweet voice behind him. “Some would say, she needs a good knight in shining armor.”
Dead. I was going to kill her.
“Is that so?” Zane’s eyes twinkled a bit before he pulled me to my feet and brushed a piece of sand from my cheek. “I see that your glasses are intact this time.”
“Not your first run-in, I presume?” Alec asked, his talking voice was just as deep as his singing voice. It had a type of rasp that had me blinking at him in a trance before I opened my mouth to speak.
“Yesterday. Dog shit. Trash cans. Chapstick.” Zane grinned. “And basements. Did I leave anything out four eyes?”
I gaped. “Did you just call me four eyes?”
“I was going to go with cupcake, I also had sweetie pie, buddy, and little slugger, but something about four eyes just feels right, don’t you think?”
“It’s rude!” I clenched my fists. “Is this payback for giving you the wrong phone number?”
Maggie gasped at the same time Demetri did.
And then everyone burst out laughing while Zane held my gaze in an epic and very tense stare down, the type that I felt everywhere, like his eyes were laser beams. I suddenly felt naked. Stripped. Raw.
I hated that I loved it.
His eyes were dark, as though God had brushed kohl along his lash lines in order to make women everywhere both love and despise him. Long eyelashes, perfect skin, strong cheekbones, and a smile that caused many a woman to sin.
But not me.
Because of Maggie, I knew exactly the type of guy he was.
He loved women. All kinds. All types. All ages. He really didn’t discriminate, and I didn’t want to be added to that list just because he thought I was amusing.
“Dude, she gave you a fake number?�
� Demetri slapped him in the chest then bent over and laughed harder. “This day, right here. Hell, I’m going to make a plaque for this stone on the boardwalk, the day Zane Andrews is rejected. Epic.”
Alec bumped fists with Demetri while Maggie gave me a “have you lost your mind,” look.
“You looked… hungry.” My eyes narrowed. “I practically saw ribs through that shining six pack of yours, figured you needed carbs.”
His expression darkened like I’d offended him, which had to be impossible, he knew how good-looking he was! Women everywhere chanted his name in every language known to humanity! His tag line was I’m Saint, wanna be saved?
I almost rolled my eyes.
Almost.
But for the first time since… knowing him, which wasn’t at all a long time, he didn’t have a comeback.
Instead, he shoved a shaky hand in his pocket like he was squeezing something and then took a deep breath. “Can’t a man get chapstick?”
“The man needs to learn how to walk to the store.”
“She’s right.” Demetri nodded. “You know, I’m glad we met you four eyes.” I growled, while he winked as if he was kidding. Goodness, did they all have to be so attractive? “We were just telling Zane this morning that he needed to get out more, and since you clearly live here…” His voice trailed off while Zane shot him a look that had me backing up into the wall again.
“Whoa, there.” Alec grabbed me before I fell backwards. “You’re a walking hazard aren’t you?” His tatted fingers were warm against my bare arms, I tried not to shiver. He was married, so was Demetri, but I’d have to be dead not to notice the way that Alec’s crystal blue eyes blinked down at me.
“Sorry.” I stepped away. “It’s been a long day.”
“A hard day.” Maggie stepped into the circle. “You know since her cat died and all.”
“My cat?” I mouthed.
“Oscar.” Maggie shook her head and wiped a fake tear. “Poor, poor Oscar, hit by that really fast sports car and no cat body to bury.”
The guys looked caught, like they weren’t sure if they should comfort me or change the subject. They were probably wishing they would have taken a different way to wherever they were going.
“I was just trying to figure out a way to cheer her up.”
“By pushing me off the boardwalk?” I said through clenched teeth.
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