Mr. Hollywood (Celebrity #1) (6 page)

“
Pack
your bags then,
”
Penelope said with a slight
air of triumph.
“
It looks like you
’
re going on a vacation to
Sunnybrook Haven Center for Wellness.
”

I
’
d heard of the posh recovery center
before. Other celebrities had done rehab there, too. But I didn
’
t care about any of that.

No, what I wanted to know was why my old high school
girlfriend, the one I
’
d left behind for fame and fortune,
was suddenly living so near me in the same state. LA was a far cry from the
small neighboring country farms we
’
d grown up on.

Aubrey Hart. All I had to do was hear her name and her
teary face came right to the surface. I wondered if she believed everything I
told her the night before I left. I hadn
’
t been lying when I said I intended
to come back for her. But it soon became a lie as I moved up the ladder, convincing
myself that Aubrey was better off left where she was
—
in my past.

Only that wasn
’
t the truth. If I died right now in
this minute, I
’
d have but one real regret, and
that regret was Aubrey. I
’
d give every penny I had, if I
could somehow erase my mistakes concerning her. Now seemed like as good a time
as any to fix the past. If it was time to get my life in order, might as well
do it all at once.

How bad could it be, really?

It was terrible. I
’
d
been eating a lot of my words in the past twenty-four hours. Penelope had been
with me constantly, never leaving me alone. Even following me home and checking
my house for contraband and flushing any of my stashes she found. I
’
d watched her with humor, shaking
my head as I slowly continued packing some of my clothing. It was as if she
thought I was going to sit here and take everything all at once in front of
her. I wasn
’
t that stupid. If I were going to
do something like that, I would
’
ve done it a long time ago and
ended the pain I
’
d been in completely.

A few hours later, the truth of what I was actually
doing began to settle in. I hadn
’
t had anything today,
substance-wise. No prescription painkillers, no alcohol, nothing illegal
—
nothing
—
not even an over the counter
headache medicine.

I felt damn jittery, truth be told, as if I were going
to shed and crawl out of my own skin. All of this was happening after a video
call with one of the studio representatives, followed by a visit to a police
station and a hearing with the judge, to which I pled no contest. The judge was
postponing sentencing, dependent on how my
“
voluntary
”
treatment went. As soon as that was
finished, I was escorted to a waiting car and we left for my new temporary
home.

Irritation crawled through me as the car turned up the
long, palm tree lined driveway that led into Sunnybrook Haven. I
’
d never been here before, though I
had several friends and associates that had been to rehab. I
’
d seen pictures of the sprawling,
resort looking building that made up the main facility, with its Tuscan
inspired design, and perfect landscaping complete with babbling brooks and
miniature water falls. It seemed more like a place someone would go for a great
weekend of golf and being pampered, not treatment for drug addiction, but I
knew how deceiving looks could be.

“
Are
you okay?
”
Penelope asked, her gaze
drifting to where my hands trembled in my lap.

“
Fine.
You don
’
t happen to have some Tylenol, do
you? My head is splitting.
”
That was the truth, at least.

Penelope snorted.
“
Even
if I did, I wouldn
’
t offer it to you.
”

“
Hey
now. I
’
ve done everything you
’
ve asked of me. There
’
s no reason for you to get snotty.
”
Rubbing my forehead, I wished for
the pounding to go away. I simply wanted to sleep and forget everything.

Raising an eyebrow, she pinned me with a glassy stare.
“
If I sound snotty it
’
s because I
’
m annoyed.
”

Now I was annoyed. I cast a casual glance out the
window, sighing.
“
Sorry I annoy you.
”
I wasn
’
t really sorry. I simply wanted her
to be quiet.

Apparently that was too much to hope for.

“
I
just don
’
t understand. You have everything a
guy could want. Why would you risk throwing it all away? Don
’
t you realize how many people are
waiting in line to knock you off the top? But it
’
s
like you don
’
t even care anymore.
”

Silence stretched between us for a few moments.
“
Maybe I don
’
t. Maybe I haven
’
t for a long time.
”
It was the first time I
’
d ever admitted the truth out loud
to her
—
or anyone.

“
Well,
you better find something you do care about and start focusing on it. Otherwise
I see you ending up here over and over again. Not many hit this point and
successfully walk away, you know.
”

“
I
’
ll be one of them.
”
If I put my mind to something, I
knew I could do it. It was simply a matter of knowing what I wanted, which in
this case, I wasn
’
t sure. But that was okay. I was
good at bluffing. It was my job.

“
I
hope you
’
re right.
”
Shaking her head slightly, she
suddenly became intent on straightening her blouse, which already looked
perfect.

Her words stuck with me. I hoped I was right, too.
Truly. I didn
’
t want to be broken, I just was.

There was no time to continue the conversation, as the
car pulled up in front of the facility and several staff members appeared on
the front step, seemingly ready to greet us.

“
So
what happens now?
”
I asked, feeling a bit
nervous with having never done anything like this before. I was totally out of
my element. This felt way different than playing a character.

Penelope retrieved her briefcase on the floor and
moved it to her lap.
“
You
’
ll
meet the staff and have an initial sit down for an evaluation, and they
’
ll make a plan from there. Don
’
t worry. I
’
m sure you
’
ll be well taken care of, and I
’
ll call daily to check on your
progress with your doctor. After you
’
ve completed the first ten days
successfully, you
’
ll be allowed to have visitors once
a week on Sundays. I
’
m sure Luke and Mike will want to
come with me to see you on those days.
”

“
I
’
d like that. You three are the
closest family I
’
ve got.
”
Even that statement irritated me.
It was damn pitiful that my closest family was people I paid.

“
We
think of you as family, too, Z. We want what
’
s
best for you. I hope you know that.
”
I knew without a doubt that
she was sincere. We might not always get along or see eye to eye, but she was
always there for me when I needed her.

A twinge of regret raced through me, and I leaned over
and hugged her.
“
Thanks for caring.
”

“
I
’
ve always cared about you. This isn
’
t going to change anything.
”
She gripped me tightly to her.
“
You
’
re
trembling. Let
’
s get you inside so they can get
you squared away.
”

Pulling back, I took a deep breath and nodded. It was
time to face the music. Stepping from the vehicle, I was immediately greeted by
a man in a suit.

“
Welcome
to Sunnybrook Haven. I
’
m Doctor Bentley. I
’
ll be your personal physician
during your stay with us.
”
I was surprised that the
doctor came to greet me personally on arrival. I had to admit, it was a nice
touch
—
even if it was only happening
because I was a big celebrity.

Extending his hand, he smiled warmly, and I shook it
with what I hoped was a firm solid grip. I didn
’
t
want everyone to notice how bad my tremors were.
“
Nice
to meet you. I
’
m Zane McCartney.
”
I figured this was a good time to
use my real name, not my celebrity persona.
“
This
is my personal assistant, Penelope Dantes,
”
I introduced as she exited
the vehicle behind me.

“
Yes,
of course. We spoke on the phone. Nice to meet you.
”

As the two of them greeted each other, I briefly
glanced around at some of the staff waiting on the steps, not seeing the face I
was looking for.

Dr. Bentley noticed my interest and immediately moved
to introduce the others.
“
These are some of the people who
will personally be helping with your care. Of course, this is only the night
shift. You
’
ll meet the day shift crew
tomorrow.
”

Aubrey must work days. Relief flooded through me. I
was shaking so damn bad right now I
’
d be embarrassed for her to see me
like this.
“
Sounds good,
”
I said, nodding.

“
Come
on. Let
’
s get you inside and see if we can
’
t help you get fixed up for
tonight.
”
He gestured for me to follow
and I did, not paying any attention to who was going to take care of my
luggage. Someone would get it. Someone always did.

“Z McCartney
Pleads “No Contest” to Indecent Exposure Charges!”

~
The
Inquisitor
~

Chapter Three

Aubrey

“
Ow!
Dammit!
”
Tears welled in my eyes as I popped
my thumb in my mouth, sucking on it briefly before removing and examining it.
There was a nasty blood blister forming and the pressure under the nail was
incredible.

Glancing at my watch, I realized I was going to be
late for the morning staff meeting, but the pain was so bad I couldn
’
t help my tears.

“
Aubrey?
Are you okay?
”
Doctor Wilson
’
s voice interrupted my painful
musings and I glanced over to where the older gentleman was crossing the
employee parking lot, concern written on his features.

“
I
’
ll be fine,
”
I managed to mutter through gritted
teeth.
“
I smashed my thumb in the car door.
”
The throbbing was reaching
excruciating levels now.

“
Let
me check it,
”
he said, coming and taking my
hand without hesitation, and even that simple gesture made the pain increase.
“
Oh, that doesn
’
t look good at all. Why don
’
t you come to my office with me and
we will see about removing the pressure for you.
”

“
I
’
ll be fine,
”
I lied, squaring my shoulders and
attempting to suck it up.
“
I
’
m
already running late. Traffic on the 405 was hell this morning, and I need to
get to the morning staff meeting.
”
Shifting my bag higher onto
my shoulder, I moved toward the sidewalk that led to the employee entrance at
Sunnybrook Haven.

“
I
’
ll vouch for you. I
’
m late because I was stuck on the
405 as well. Please let me help your finger. You
’
ll
feel much better if we can relieve the pressure for you. I
’
m sure we can both get a quick
briefing from someone who was at the meeting later.
”

I wasn
’
t about to argue. Though I wasn
’
t fond of having a needle stuck
through my nail to relieve said pressure, I was more than willing to have it
done. The pain was now at an epic throbbing level.

“
Thank
you. I appreciate your help. It hurts a lot.
”

“
I
’
ll get you an over the counter pain
reliever, too. Hopefully that will help ease it some for your shift.
”

“
Thank
you,
”
I said, again, completely grateful.
It wasn
’
t easy to take over the counter
medication at this job.

Being an employee of an addiction recovery service,
staff members were not allowed to bring outside medications into the facility,
unless they were personal prescriptions. Even then, those medications had to be
locked in a special cabinet while we were at work, and any opening of the
cabinet had to be supervised. The managers of Sunnybrook Haven went to every
precaution to make sure patients staying here were never compromised, or able
to receive drugs, illegal or not, from any outside source. As a result, I
’
d gotten in the habit of never
carrying pain relievers around with me. It was easier that way.

Dr. Wilson opened the door for me.

“
Thanks,
”
I said softly, stepping inside and
being immediately greeted by the security guard, Skip.

 Smiling, he stepped forward, holding out his hand.
“
Good morning, Miss Aubrey,
”
he said as I gave him my
belongings.
“
How are you today?
”

Sighing, I patted my hair, making sure my ponytail was
still straight, while I watched him empty the contents of my purse onto the
long table in front of him and checked through them.
“
Honestly, I
’
ve had better mornings. It seems
everything that could go wrong today, has.
”

“
Well,
I hope you
’
ll have a better day, now that you
’
re here.
”
Taking his arm, he swiped my items
to the side of the table.
“
You
’
re
free to go through. Dr. Wilson,
”
he said, turning to greet the
doctor with a smile as he took his briefcase.

“
If
you
’
re free for lunch later, maybe we
can eat together again today,
”
I suggested, quickly scooping
my personal items back into my bag without any order.

Glancing up at the handsome, slightly overweight man,
I couldn
’
t help smiling. His amazing
positive personality always cheered me up. Plus, I loved staring at his bright
white smile that was dazzling against his very dark, mocha colored skin. The
two of us had formed a fast friendship, bonding over similar interests, like
gardening, and we enjoyed visiting with one another whenever the chance arose. 
His wife was wonderful, too, and they
’
d even had me over for dinner on a
couple occasions.

“
I
’
m down for that. Just let me know
when you go on break.
”

“
Okay,
I
’
ll call you on the house line.
”

“
Great.
See you later. Hope your day is better.
”

“
Thanks.
I need it.
”
I was blinking back tears
now; the throbbing in my thumb had increased drastically. What the hell was
going on in there?

Patiently, I waited for Dr. Wilson to be cleared and
then waved at Skip as he buzzed us through the door.

Working at Sunnybrook was a dream come true for me. I
’
d had the opportunity to do some of
my clinical hours at this facility while I was getting my degree. I
’
d fallen in love with the people
who worked here, and apparently they liked me as well, because as soon as I
graduated, they offered me a job. I
’
d worked here ever since.

It was a fulfilling thing for me. In a way, it seemed
as if I was giving back to the world and helping it to become a better place.
Patient confidentiality was a number one priority, especially since we often
had celebrities who didn
’
t want the general public to know
they were here. As a result, I sometimes felt sad when my patients left,
because I knew there was a good chance I
’
d never see them again. But I still
felt the positives of the job way outweighed the negatives. Over the years I
’
d received several pay raises, so
it was a very good income. I couldn
’
t imagine working anywhere else.

Opening the door to his office, Dr. Wilson rushed
inside and placed his briefcase on his desk.
“
Have
a seat and let me run and get some supplies real quick. I
’
ll be right back.
”

“
Okay.
Thanks.
”
I slid into the chair in front of
his desk, normally used by patients or family members who were there to see
him, since he was one of the facility's therapists.

Barely two minutes passed before he returned.
“
All right. Let
’
s get this taken care of.
”

“
You
sure you know what you
’
re doing?
”
I teased, feeling my nerves get the
better of me.
“
Maybe you can talk the blood blister
out.
”

Chuckling, he smiled.
“
Have
no fear. I was a regular MD before I decided to go into therapy. I promise I
won
’
t destroy your digit.
”

I snickered at his choice of words. True, I wasn
’
t eager for him to do this, but I
trusted him. There was just something about the silver haired man that made me
want to tell all to him. I guess his switch into the therapy field was a good
choice.

“
Okay,
depending on whether or not you are squeamish, you may want to look away.
”

I wasn
’
t squeamish, normally, but since it
was my own hand being treated this time, I looked away anyway.

“
Take
a deep breath and relax,
”
he coached and I tried to do
what he asked.
“
Here we go.
”

I couldn
’
t help the loud wince that escaped
me, which was immediately followed by a sigh of relief. Glancing back at my
thumb, I was surprised by how much blood was welling out of the small hole, and
dismayed to notice it seemed to have had enough force behind it that it had
shot up on the doctor
’
s sleeve.

“
Oh
my gosh! I
’
m so sorry about your shirt. I can
buy you a new one.
”

“
Nonsense.
It
’
s fine. I keep an extra set of
clothes here in case I ever need to change for any reason. Plus, I can also
round up some scrubs. It
’
s all good.
”

“
Well,
I
’
m happy to do it. You
’
ve been such a help to me.
”

“
Give
me a ring when you and Skip have lunch and we
’
ll
call it even.
”
He winked at me as he
finished placing a nice Band-Aid around my finger.
“
There you go. You
’
re all set. If you need any more
pain medicine just give me a holler.
”
He slipped a small foil
package in my hand with ibuprofen in it.
“
This should help the inflammation.
Let me grab you some water.
”

I felt bad, watching as he hurried to the water cooler
and filled a small cup, bringing it back to me.
“
Thank
you. You don
’
t have to wait on me,
”
I said with a laugh.
“
I
’
m
sure you have better things to do.
”

“
What
can be better than helping out the sweetest nurse on the planet?
”
He smiled again as I opened the
packet and downed the meds.

“
I
doubt you
’
d find me sweet if you
’
d been with me on the 405 this
morning,
”
I said when I
’
d finished.
“
I
’
m
pretty sure my mom would
’
ve washed my mouth out with soap if
she
’
d heard me.
”