American Star

by Jackie Collins

  cold pause. "I'm extremely disappointed in Lauren. You should be

  too."

  "Lauren's always done the right thing," Jane said, finally coming to

  her daughter's defense.

  "Certainly not this time."

  "Well . . ." Jane hesitated. "I'm sure whatever happened between

  them, Stock and Lauren will work it out."

  "You're making very light of this," Daphne said disapprovingly.

  "You do know she gave him back his ring."

  "Oh," said Jane blankly.

  "He doesn't care," said Daphne, her tone snappy and spiteful. "Not

  after the way she treated him."

  "I have to go," Jane said, not wishing to prolong the conversation.

  "Fine," sniffed Daphne, hanging up.

  Phil walked back into the room, adjusting his tie. "We should leave,"

  he said. "You'd better write Lauren a note telling her we've gone

  ahead."

  "Too late," Jane said. "The engagement is off. We are no longer

  invited to lunch."

  By noon the news was all over town that Lauren Roberts had broken off

  her engagement to Stock Browning. It was also common knowledge that

  Stock had smashed Nick Angelo in the face, and nobody seemed to know

  where Nick and Lauren were.

  Joey was alarmed, he'd seen the electricity between the two of them and

  knew it meant trouble. Shortly before noon he rode over to pick up

  Cyndra.

  "Did you hear anything from Nick?" she asked.

  "No. Did you?"

  "We don't have a phone, in case you hadn't noticed."

  Harlan was hanging around outside. "Nick was gonna take us to a

  movie," he said, sounding mournful.

  "He got hurt," Cyndra explained. "He was in a fight."

  "When's he coming back?"

  "Later."

  "He promised," Harlan said sadly. "Luke was lookin' forward to it."

  "He'll take you another day," Cyndra said.

  "Whyn't you take us?" Harlan asked, his eyes big.

  "Some other time," she answered quickly. "Come on, Joey. Let's go."

  Cyndra didn't care to admit it, but she was pleased to see Joey.

  When he'd taken her home the night before he hadn't even tried for a

  kiss good night. She felt safe with him. It was a welcome change to

  feel safe with a member of the opposite sex.

  They rode into town on his bike and stopped by the drugstore. Joey

  settled her in a corner booth and went off to talk to some of his

  friends. When he came back he said, "Okay, so this is the story going'

  around. Nick took a slug at Stock an' the big guy creamed him."

  "But that's not true," Cyndra said heatedly. "Nick didn't have a

  chance. Stock hit him when he wasn't looking."

  "Yeah, we know it," Joey agreed. "But since he's on the missing list

  it's difficult to defend him. Oh, an' Meg says Lauren's not around

  either. She's been tryin' to call her all day."

  They both thought about it for a minute.

  "Hey," Joey said at last, as if he'd had some kind of big revelation.

  "You don't think they ran off and did it, do you?"

  Cyndra smiled, a sly smile. "Did what, Joey?"

  He grinned back. "You know. What we're gonna do one of these days."

  Oh, yeah?, That's what he thought. "Don't bet on it," she said,

  sipping her Coke.

  He threw up his hands. "Okay, okay. Only jokin'."

  By late afternqon the light smattering of snowflakes had turned into a

  fierce storm. "I'm calling the police," Phil Roberts said. "I'll give

  them the license number and they'll track her down."

  Jane looked dismayed. "How can she do this to us?" she asked, her

  voice quavering. "Doesn't she know we're worried out of our minds?"

  Phil shook his head as he marched across the room to the phone.

  "I'm calling the police," he repeated.

  Jane nodded. There seemed to be no other answer.

  hey sat in the hamburger place for two hours. They talked. They got

  to know each other. They gazed into each other's eyes. They held

  hands. They giggled. Neither of them had any idea of the time.

  The two of them made a strange couple-Lauren all bundled up in her

  winter clothes, and Nick in his battered tuxedo, his nose bandaged, his

  dark hair falling on his forehead, his green eyes as intense as ever.

  Eventually the waitress approached their table. "You can't sit here

  nursing a Coke forever," she said sharply. "Either order something'

  else or leave."

  Nick stood up. "We're outta here."

  "Old bitch!" Lauren whispered.

  "No bad language," he said, laughing.

  "I'm not the little goody-goody everybody thinks I am."

  "Yeah-like I've noticed."

  He grabbed her hand and they ran outside. Now the snow was really

  coming down in icy blasts.

  "I'd better phone home," Lauren said, feeling guilty.

  "They'll only yell at you," he said. "Let's hit the road an' get

  back."

  When they reached the station wagon it was piled high with snow.

  It was so cold that some of it had already turned to slabs of ice.

  Lauren got a shovel out of the back and handed it to Nick, who began

  trying to crack the ice.

  "I'm gonna end up with no hands," he complained. "My fingers are

  frozen!"

  "Can I help?"

  "Yeah, get in the car an' start the engine. We'd better get going'

  before it's dark."

  The car wouldn't start. Lauren tried to no avail. She moved across

  the seat while Nick got behind the wheel. He gave it a couple of shots

  until the engine finally turned over and they set off.

  The car began to skid and slide on the slippery roads. He tuned the

  radio to a news station. A weather warning announced heavy snow and

  impassable roads.

  "What now?" Lauren asked helplessly.

  "We can try an' make it' "And if we get stuck?"

  "I dunno."

  "Maybe we should stay here," she said tentatively.

  "Then you're really gonna have to call home. You can't let em think

  you're never comin' back."

  "Okay."

  "There's a motel over by the gas station at the edge of town," he

  said.

  "Let's see if we can make it."

  "Fine," she replied, thinking about how she would explain this to her

  parents.

  By the time they reached the motel she was shivering with nerves.

  While Nick booked them in she hurried to a pay phone.

  Her father answered with a sharp "Yes?"

  "Daddy?"

  "Lauren," he replied, his voice harsh. "Where are you? Your mother

  and I are worried sick."

  "I know. I'm sorry.

  "You're sorry? We imagined you dead and buried under a snowdrift, and

  you're calling to say you're sorry. Get home right now! Do you

  understand me? Right now!"

  "Daddy, I can't. I'm in Ripley. The roads are closed."

  There was an ominous silence. "Who are you with?"

  "I . . . I'm with Nick. I took him to the hospital. You see, it's my

  fault his nose is broken. I know I shouldn't have borrowed the car

  without asking you, but I didn't want to wake you. The emergency room

  was filled with people, we had to wait . . . I . . I didn't realize

  it would take so long."

  "Are you telling me you can't get home?"

&
nbsp; "We thought we'd stay in a motel and drive back tomorrow."

  "My daughter-in a motel? With that scum?"

  "Nick's not scum," she said defiantly. "He's a very nice person. It

  wasn't his fault Stock smashed him in the face, it was mine."

  "You'd better speak to your mother."

  Jane grabbed the phone. "Your behavior is absolutely disgraceful," she

  said in a low tight voice.

  "I'm sorry .

  "I don't wish to hear your excuses. If the roads are closed it's quite

  obvious you can't get home tonight. Since you are forced to stay in

  Ripley, promise me you'll stay in separate rooms and have nothing to do

  with that boy whatsoever. Can you promise me that, Lauren?"

  There was no point in arguing. She crossed the fingers of her left

  hand and, just to make sure, her right hand too. "I promise,

  Mother."

  "We'll deal with this tomorrow, young lady," Jane said. "And don't

  expect us to be lenient."

  The motel room had fringed orange lampshades with scorch marks.

  The faded yellow bedspread had seen better days. The blue rug was

  threadbare. But there was a television, and the manager's office had

  soft drink and snack machines.

  "It cost too much to get two rooms," Nick explained when she came back

  from the phone. "You don't mind sharin', do you?"

  She didn't mind. She knew that when she got home it would all be over

  anyway-so why not make this a night to remember?

  Once they were settled they both decided they were having a wonderful

  time. They'd stocked up on candy and potato chips, Cokes and -Ups, and

  now they sat cross-legged on the bed munching and watching an "I Love

  Lucy" rerun.

  This is great," Nick said, swigging Coke from the can.

  Lauren smiled happily. "I can't believe we're here together."

  "You know," he said, "I always had you figured as a timid little

  small-town girl-frightened to make a move.

  "Then why did you come after me?"

  Cause I figured you were worth savin' "Thanks a lot!"

  "You're welcome."

  She began to laugh. "You look so silly with your nose all bandaged."

  "Maybe I should rip it off. That doctor didn't seem to know what he

  was doin'."

  "You were too handsome before."

  "You thought I was handsome, huh?"

  "Very."

  "Not your type, though?"

  "Yes."

  "Nope. You like em big an' beefy."

  She reached for a pillow and threw it at him. "Will you stop."

  "Only if you make me.

  "I'll make you, all right," she giggled, rolling on top of him,

  attempting to pin his arms to the bed.

  With one swift move he reversed the situation and had her trapped

  beneath him. "Now you're my prisoner," he joked. "I can do anything I

  like."

  "Go ahead," she whispered, suddenly serious. In her heart she knew

  that when they returned to the real world she would be forbidden to see

  him, and while she could she wanted to be as close to him as

  possible.

  He was filled with mixed emotions. His body was urging him to go for

  it-but his head kept insisting he'd better hold back. Lauren Roberts

  wasn't just another one-night conquest. She was pretty and sweet and

  talented and, most of all, special.

  And yet he had a hard-on that could crack ice.

  She gazed up at him, her eyes dreamy and inviting.

  "Uh, y'know, maybe we shouldn't. . "he said.

  "Yes-we should," she said earnestly, reaching up to touch his face.

  "I'm ready, Nick. It's what I want. It's what we both want, isn't

  it?"

  ." he said uncertainly.

  "Only if you're sure "I'm very sure.

  He started to kiss her, slowly at first, but as things began to heat up

  it was all he could do to control himself. For a girl who hadn't been

  around, she certainly could kiss.

  He reached under her sweatshirt, touching her breasts, groping to

  unhook her bra.

  She helped him pull the sweatshirt over her head and went for the

  buttons on his shirt, tearing the material in her haste to get it off

  him.

  He traced her breasts with the tips of his fingers-touching her softly,

  stroking her nipples until she began to make small gasping sounds.

  Jeer! Her skin was like satin, her hair long and silky fanning out

  over the sheets. And she smelled so clean and fresh. Most girls he'd

  slept with favored heavy perfume and had cigarette breath. Dawn Kovak

  wore musk; he had to scrub to get her scent off him.

  "Come on, Nick." Now she was leading him, reaching for his zipper,

  wriggling out of her jeans.

  She had the longest legs he'd ever seen.

  He peeled down her panties and tossed them on the floor, dipping his

  fingers, feeling her urgent need, and finally getting on top of her and

  carefully easing into the trip of a lifetime.

  She opened up to him with no inhibitions. It was her first time but it

  didn't matter.

  He broke through as gently as he could and took her all the way.

  When they were finished he held her in his arms-cradling her until she

  fell asleep, a smile on her face.

  He'd made love a hundred times since the first time when he was

  thirteen, but never like this-never had feelings been part of it.

  Lauren Roberts.

  Lauren Angelo.

  It sounded good.

  He'd finally found a soul mate, and as far as he was concerned their

  lives were forever entwined.

  you will never see him again," Phil Roberts thundered. "Do you

  understand me, Lauren? Do you?"

  She understood him all right, and his harsh words came as no

  surprise-so why was her heart breaking into a thousand tiny pieces?

  Why was there a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach? Why did

  she want to die?

  She glanced over at her mother. Jane's mouth was set in a tightly

  compressed line. Lauren knew the expression; it meant I'm not getting

  involved-don't ask me.

  "Daddy-" she began.

  He held up his hand. "No! I do not wish to hear your excuses.

  What you did was unforgivable. Taking the car. Staying out all

  night."

  "I called," she said defiantly. "I explained the roads were closed. I

  couldn't get home."

  "And as for the way you've treated Stock, it's beyond my

  comprehension."

  "He's a jerk, Daddy. He called me a prick tease."

  "Lauren!" gasped Jane.

  "How dare you speak like that in front of your mother," Phil roared.

  Lauren imagined herself as a stranger watching this dramatic family

  scene. Phil Roberts-red in the face, puffed up with self-righteous

  anger.

  Jane Roberts-a faded beauty in a small town, her shoulders tense,

  standing by while her husband took charge.

  And then there was Lauren. Sixteen years old and no longer a virgin.

  Sixteen years old and desperately, wildly, incredibly in love.

  They couldn't stop her from seeing Nick. What were they going to

  do-lock her in the house?

  The moment she'd walked through the door they'd started on her.

  Why did you break your engagement?

  Nick Angelo is nothing but tras
h.

  How can you do this to us?

  What will people think?

  Who cared what people thought? She certainly didn't. For once in her

  life she felt absolutely, totally alive.

  "Go to your room," her father said harshly. "And stay there until we

  give you permission to come out.

  Good. All she wanted was to be alone so she could think about Nick,

  relive every wonderful magical moment. The touch of him, the taste of