Dreaming With A Broken Heart (Hollywood Legends Book 1) (7 page)

“Want to join me?”

“Nope,” Garrett said, his eyes darting towards the
clock. “I’m stuffed. Pancakes at Mom and Dad’s”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time in Beverly Hills
lately.” Wyatt gave him a speculative look. “Any reason?”

“Other than liking my parents’ company?” Garrett
shook his head. “Nope.”

“You’re a good son,” Wyatt said. “One that is
full of shit.”

“Hey—”

“There has to be another reason you’re hanging out in
Beverly Hills.” Wyatt slowly smiled. “Who is she?”

Garrett felt his throat tighten. He didn’t need to keep Jade
a secret from his family. No one would object to him helping her. For some
reason, he wasn’t ready to share Jade.

“She?” Answer a question with a question. A great
avoidance tactic. One Wyatt knew very well.

“Now I’m
certain
there’s a woman. You are a
straight shooter, brother. Colt charms, Nate bulldozes, and I can wheedle a
deal with the best of them.”

“What am I?”

“You tell the truth. You never lied. Not really.”
Wyatt laughed. “Not that you didn’t try a few times. Usually when you were
covering for Nate. Even for your twin brother, you couldn’t lie your way out of
a paper bag.”

“I can lie.” Wyatt’s look told Garrett he wasn’t
convinced. “When it’s important. Helping Nate put one over on Mom and Dad
hit low on the importance scale.”

“Fine. Keep your secrets.” Wyatt moved towards the
door. He stopped, looking back at his brother. “Is she married?”

“Of course not.”

Fuck. He knew the second the words were out of his mouth he was
sunk. The grin on Wyatt’s mouth confirmed it.

“Enjoy your lady, Garrett. If you want to talk, you
know where to find me.”

What he wanted to do was kick Wyatt in the ass. He had
fallen for that particular trick since they were boys. It seemed he never learned.
He didn’t have long to worry about it. His phone rang. Jade. Right on time.

“Hi.”

“Can we meet?”

Not what he was expecting. Garrett didn’t ask questions. He
didn’t hesitate.

“Name the place and time. I’ll be there.”

Jade’s choice of meeting place was a surprise. To put it
mildly.

Garrett didn’t have time to argue. Jade whispered the
location, told him she would text the rest of the details, then immediately
hung up. He tried calling her back. He wanted to suggest half a dozen
alternatives that were out of the way in neighborhoods where you could walk
alone. Night
and
day. Unfortunately, Jade turned her phone off. He left
a message.

Jade didn’t get back to him. As a result, Garrett found
himself driving to a seedy motel in Gramercy Park. Wisely, he borrowed Hamish’s
nondescript car. Brown, dust, dented. He often wondered why a man who could
afford any model he wanted would drive a rundown piece of crap. Tonight he was
grateful for his friend’s questionable taste. It wouldn’t draw undue attention
amidst similar makes and models.

In the text, Jade asked him to check in, and then text her
the room number. He was happy to get there first. If the place were a
vermin-infested hole, he would insist they leave. Surprisingly, the room,
though shabby, appeared clean.

Garrett set the key on the scarred table. So far, he was
following her instructions to a T. What she wanted him to do next had him
hesitating.

“Turn off all the lights. Make sure the curtains are
tightly drawn. Leave the door ajar. Sit as far away from the door as possible.
Don’t look at me. Please. Not even a glance.”

He wondered if the gossip was right. Had Jade’s scumbag
husband cut up her face? Was her body scarred as well as her soul? Why ask to
meet? Perhaps this was a test. For both of them.

Not liking it, yet trying to understand, Garrett made the
room as light tight as possible. He was fixing the curtains when he heard the
approaching tap of heels. Quickly, he walked across the room. He sat with his
back to the door. He didn’t plan on looking at her. He would honor Jade’s
wishes. He hoped seeing him turned away would give her an added layer of
security.

The door slowly creaked open.

“Garrett?”

“I’m over here.”

He waited while she followed the sound of his voice.
Apparently satisfied, she shut the door.

“Thank you.”

“I want to help you, Jade. If this is what you need,
I’m fine with it.”

Not fine. More like resigned. Jade didn’t need to know that.

“It must sound very cloak and dagger.”

Garrett listened to what sounded like a coat being removed.
That made sense. It had to be ninety degrees in the room. He turned on the air
conditioner as soon as he arrived. The wall unit was noisy — and ineffective.

“Did you have trouble finding the place?”

“No.” Garrett heard the rustle of silk. His body
reacted. Christ. Pavlov’s dogs. Even a hint of something sexy and his dick
started to harden. Down, boy. For all he knew, she might be wearing very
expensive bloomers. Bloomers weren’t a turn on, right? It seemed nobody sent
his dick that memo.

Since he couldn’t ask her what she was wearing without
coming across as a pervert, Garrett settled on a more innocuous subject.

“What kind of car did you drive?”

“I took the bus.”

“Are you kidding? You walked all the way from the bus
stop? In this neighborhood?”

“It was fine,” Jade assured him in a low, quiet
voice. “No one bothered me.”

“Then you were damn lucky.” Under any other
circumstances, Garrett would have given her hell. Such stupidity deserved a
reaming out. Instead, he breathed deeply. She was safe. That’s all that mattered.

“When we leave, I’ll call you a cab.”

“Fine.”

Garrett waited. This was Jade’s play. Wasn’t it up to her to
make the first move? Or first speech? Shit. Whatever. It was up to her.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“For?”

“Calling.” There was another pause. “Not that
other people haven’t been in touch. Reporters. Neighbors. Women I went to
school with who I haven’t spoken with in years.”

“Rubberneckers.” Garrett knew the type.

“Yes,” Jade sighed. It sounded achingly sad.
“You were the first who mentioned friendship. I’ve been so isolated. So
alone. God, I sound pathetic.”

“No,” Garrett assured her. “You sound like a
woman who has been through hell and is trying to come out the other side.
Needing a friend isn’t weak, Jade.
Needing
isn’t weak.”

“Tell that to my father.”

“I’d be happy to.”

The sound Jade made wasn’t a laugh. Not quite. It was too
harsh. A raspy bark as though it was too long since she had any reason to let
happiness travel through her throat.
All it takes is practice
, Garrett
thought. One laugh a day, to start. He could help with that.

“My father isn’t easily convinced. When he’s right, the
world and their opinions be damned.”

“What does your therapist say?”

“Psychiatrist,” Jade said. “According to Dr.
Phillips there is a
huge
distinction.”

“Pompous ass,” Garrett muttered.

“Yes!” Jade exclaimed. “That’s what I told my
father after my first session.”

“I take it your father didn’t agree.”

“I see Dr. Phillips every other day. Does that answer
your question?”

“Jesus, Jade! Every other day?” Garrett couldn’t
imagine. “Don’t you run out of things to say?”

“That hasn’t been a problem with you.” Jade’s
heartfelt words were softly spoken. Garrett heard every single one.

“Jade—”

“Dr. Phillips likes repetition,” she hurried on.
“I tell him the same thing over and over. He nods. Eventually, Jade is all
better. No, not better. I’m erasing the past. Soon, it will be like it never
happened.”

Garrett heard the bitterness. Who could blame her? Her
father, with that idiot doctor’s help, was trying to rewrite history. Anson
Marlow pushed his daughter into the marriage. The abuse she suffered took place
in Marlow’s home. What better way to sweep it all under the rug than to act
like it never happened. There was so much wrong with that. Garrett didn’t know
where to start.

“You need someone else, Jade. Throw that Phillips
character out on his ass.”

“My father is insistent. And,” she sighed.
“He’s paying the bills.”

Why hadn’t he thought of that? Money. Jade’s job was to act as
hostess for her father. She ran his home. While Anson Marlow received years of
free labor, Jade received what? A roof over her head? A husband who almost
killed her? Hardly a fair trade.

“Let me help.” Garrett tried to word his
proposition so it wasn’t offensive. “I’ll pay for a new therapist. It’s
what any friend would do, Jade.”

“I have money, Garrett.”

“You do?”

“Not a lot. My mother left me some in trust. It came to
me when I turned twenty-one.”

“Your mother? I thought—”

“I don’t want to talk about her.”

Her words had heat. More heat than any subject they had
touched on. The woman who abandoned Jade to be raised by Anson Marlow was
obviously a sore subject. Garrett let it drop.

“I can help you find a doctor. I know plenty of people
in therapy. This is Los Angeles.”

“I’m already seeing someone. A woman. Promise not to
tell anyone? My father can never know.”

“What you tell me stays between us, Jade. Always.”
Garrett frowned. “Have you dropped Phillips?”

“No. I still see him. My father is determined.”

“Demented.”

“Excuse me?”

Why pull his punches now? He could tell Jade was stronger
than anyone gave her credit for. Bent — not broken. Healing more every day.

“I said your father is demented. You should be his
priority.”

“It’s hard to change a lifetime’s habits, Garrett. I’m
more of an annoyance. An obligation. As far as my father is concerned, my
marriage is one more thing I managed to screw up.”

“He blames you?” Again with that crap. What the
hell?

“Not in so many words.” Jade sighed. “Then
again, my father could write a book on passive aggressive behavior. Dr.
Phillips would have a field day.”

“Will you tell me about your therapist? Not what you
talk about,” Garrett rushed to qualify. “Do you like her? Trust
her?”

“I do like her,” Jade said. “Trust is harder.
That takes time. But I’m getting there.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

“Garrett?”

“Yes?”

“I want to ask you something. A favor.”

“I won’t say you can ask me anything,” Garrett
teased. “I stop at murder. Pretty much anything else. Shoot.”

“Feel free to say no.”

“Okay.”

“It’s a biggie.”

“Jade,” Garrett chastised softly.

“Right.” He could hear her take a deep breath.
“Will you have sex with me?”

“Yes.”

“Wait. What?” Jade paused. “Just like
that?”

“You know I want you, Jade.” Garrett chose his words
carefully, tiptoeing through this particular minefield. “I wanted you that
night over two years ago. That hasn’t changed.”

“I have.”

“So have I,” Garrett told her. “Not that I’m
comparing us. I’m simply saying, time moves along and we move with it. I know
more than I did. At least I hope I do. The one thing that hasn’t changed is my
desire for you.”

“I…,” Jade hesitated. “I don’t want to raise
your expectations, Garrett. I wasn’t a virgin when I got married. I like sex.
Not that I had a lot of experience. It was nice. After… With Stephen…,”
she seemed to choke on the name. “Let’s just say he wasn’t worried about
my enjoyment. Or participation.”

“Shit.” Garrett gripped the arms of the chair so
hard he was surprised they didn’t snap.

“I want to like it again.”

“Of course you do.”

“Now do you understand why I want you to think about
what I’m asking? I don’t know how I’ll react when you touch me. Most of the
time, with… Stephen,” again, she hesitated over the name. “I felt
frozen inside. A coping mechanism, according to my therapist.”

“That sounds logical.”

“I suppose. My point is I don’t know if I can thaw. I
want to. I want to be me again. I’d like you to help.”

“Do you want to start tonight?” Garrett didn’t
know if he was crazy. He certainly had no qualifications to help a woman get
past sexual abuse. He only knew he had to try.

“No!” Jade exclaimed. “I mean it never
occurred to me you would say yes. Not without thinking about it.”

“Your pace, Jade,” Garrett assured her. “When
you’re ready, I’m your man.”

“Thank you. I should be going.”

“I’ll call that cab.”

Garrett pulled up the number. The driver knew Garrett. He
knew his tip would be sizable. Even so, he hesitated when he was told the
neighborhood. An extra hundred dispelled the man’s reluctance.

“Half an hour,” Garrett told Jade.

“You don’t have to wait.”

He didn’t answer. What could he say to such a ridiculous
statement? The smell of Pine-Sol and stale smoke swirled through the room,
pushed by the antiquated air conditioner. Garrett sat, his back still to Jade.
There was no talk for several minutes before he asked
her
a favor.

“May I see your face?”

“You know what I look like.”

Panic. That’s what he heard. Jade’s breathing deepened — he
could hear it from across the room. His request wasn’t made from morbid
curiosity. He wanted her to know she could show him anything. Her scars inside
and out. He wouldn’t turn away from her either.

“It’s okay,” Garrett said reassuringly. “I
understand. Too soon.”

“He didn’t cut my face.”

The words were rushed, like jumping into a cold lake or
pulling off a Band-Aid. Quick. To reduce the shock and pain.

“Oh, honey…” How could a man respond to that?
Good?
Her husband cut her
. It was horrifying for Garrett to think about
it. Jade lived through it.