Mr. Hollywood (6 page)

I had never heard of his co-stars in the movie, the twin girls Mia and Meggan Tanner. He said they were practically unknowns when they got cast in the movie, and the studio had to end up hiring an acting coach and re-shoot several of the scenes that didn't come out so well the first time.

I wasn't sure if I was going to like a science fiction movie but much to my surprise, I ended up loving the movie. Grayson was amazing, and the girl Amy who was nominated for the best-supporting-actress award was really good too. I could see why she was nominated for an award. She played Grayson's love interest in the movie.

“That’s got to be hard,” I said absently as the end credits rolled on the screen.

“What?” He asked.

“Making out on screen. Doesn’t it get, umm … you know?”

“It’s really not as intimate as you might think,” Grayson said.

“I watched you on set today with Ava Bailey. That looked mighty intimate to me.”

“Good. I’m glad it looked that way to you. That means I’m doing my job.”

I giggled.

He picked up the remote and turned off the movie and then leaned over to kiss me.

I pulled back, worried that things might get away from us too quickly, like last time.

“It’s getting late Grayson, and I know you have an early call time.”

He was silent most of the ride back to my house but the whole time, he never stopped holding my hand. Grayson's hand was warm, clasping mine tightly as we slowly walked to my door, every step taking us closer to our final goodbye.

When we got to my door, I reached for his other hand and stared up at him in the moonlight.

“I guess this is it.”

“Maybe for now, but not forever,” he said, almost in a whisper.

He put his hands around my waist and pulled me in for a hug. I rested my cheek on his chest and sighed. I tried hard not to cry. I really did, but I couldn’t help myself. My eyes began to water.

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

I pulled back and looked up at him. “That’s so beautiful. What’s that from?”

“I don’t know, some movie or another.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead and then I went inside, sure that would be the last time I would ever lay eyes on my movie star.

It was a little late by the time I got home, so I was sure Jennifer was in bed sleeping because I knew she had an early class on Friday morning. She hated that class, and complained about it all the time, but it was the only available time for it, and she needed the class to get her degree. So I went to sleep without giving it a second thought.

The next morning when she wasn't there, I also wasn't worried because I knew at that time, she was normally in class. By lunch however, when she wasn't home, and she still hadn't texted me back from the day before I began to get worried. Jennifer could be flighty at times, but she's never gone that long before without calling and checking in or texting me back. It's just not like her. She knew how much I worry.

When the doorbell rang, I couldn't help but hope it was Jennifer, and she just forgot her key. It wasn't her, though – it was a man delivering a huge bouquet of flowers. The card wasn't signed, but I knew who it was from.

“Please think about coming to see me in LA.”

Just as I finished reading it, the doorbell rang again. It was another delivery man with another extravagant bouquet of flowers.

"If you don't say yes, I'll just keep sending you flowers until I wear you down."

I had to laugh when the doorbell rang again, and yet another delivery man stood there with yet another bouquet of flowers.

“I’m serious. I could do this all day. Just say yes already.”

Several more deliveries came, one after the other. Each with an equally adorable plea from Grayson for me to agree to visit him in LA. I was starting to run out of space to put all the flowers when the doorbell rang again.

It wasn't a floral delivery guy, this time; it was Jax, his bodyguard. “Okay, you win. I will agree to think about it.”

Jax gave me a strange look as if he didn't have the slightest clue what I was talking about. "Miss Alison, I need you to come with me to the set. There's been an
incident
.” He said the last word carefully as if he wasn’t quite sure that was the right word to use or not.

“Is everything okay?”

"Yes, ma'am. Please, we just need to hurry."

I grabbed my purse, ran to the waiting car and was rushed to the set. On the short drive there my mind was awhirl. What could be going on?

“This way ma’am,” Jax said as he led me towards the collection of star trailers.

"Is Grayson okay?" I asked as I tried to keep up with him. I have short legs, so I had to take twice as many steps for every one of his.

He stopped for just a moment. “No, Miss Alison you aren’t here for Mr. Chase. It’s your friend.”

My friend? Who the hell was he talking about? Who would I know that worked on this movie with Grayson? Before I could ask, though, he was dragging me along. We passed Grayson's trailer and stopped in front of one similar in size.

As I read the name on the door, “Ethan Clarke” I heard someone screaming. It was a female’s voice that sounded familiar.

“You have a girlfriend,” the disembodied female voice shouted.

"Yes, but it's not like you think. Please just let me explain." That voice must be Ethan's. I heard a loud thump like someone threw something, then the slamming of a door.

“Oh God, please don’t lock yourself in the bathroom again,” Ethan pleaded. “Just let me explain.”

"What is there to explain? You have a girlfriend, and you slept with me. That makes me the other woman, you sorry piece of shit.”

Oh my goodness, that’s Jennifer in there. Now I get why they needed me.

Grayson came up behind me. “I’m glad you are here. I didn’t want security or even worse, the police to get involved in this. It wouldn’t be good for anyone, especially when the media gets wind of it.”

"So, for now, it's contained, as long as I can get her out of here?"

“You don’t want the media to get ahold of this story Alison. The press will swarm your house, follow you and her everywhere, and make Jennifer out as the bad guy.”

I rolled my eyes and then pushed my way into Ethan’s trailer.

“Get out,” I said forcefully to Ethan. He did as I told him and left the trailer.

“Jennifer, it’s me. Are you okay?”

The bathroom door creaked open and then she ran into my arms, almost knocking me down.

“Oh Alison, I was so stupid. What was I thinking?”

“It’s alright,” I soothed. “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. Some men are just assholes like that. It’s not your fault.”

She sobbed uncontrollably for a moment while I lovingly ran my hand over her hair and patted her back.

"I know you are upset Jennifer, and you have every right to be, but we need to get out of here and quick. The longer we stay here, the more risk we run of the press finding out about all of this and trust me when I say, that's the last thing you want."

Jennifer nodded as if she understood.

“Where are your things?” I asked her and she pointed to her overnight bag and purse sitting in the corner.

I grabbed them in one hand while holding her hand in the other before leading her out the door. Thank goodness Ethan and Grayson weren't there when we stepped outside of his trailer. Jax took Jennifer’s bag from me, led us back to the limousine, and then took us back home.

Jennifer went to her room the second we entered the house and cried. I felt horrible. I wished there was something I could do or say to make her feel better, but I knew there wasn't. All I could do was be there for her if she needed me.

Eventually, when I heard her tears start to subside, I went into her bedroom with some tea. I sat on the edge of the bed and ran my hand through her hair for comfort.

“Want to talk about it?”

She sniffled.

"How did you even get there? I don't understand. Last I knew, you came home the next morning after our dinner date and that was that."

"While you were out, he called and then sent a car to me. He said he missed me and wanted to know if I wanted to see him on set. How could I say no to that? While he was shooting, I stayed in his trailer and in between we
played
.”

I put my hand up.

“Okay, you don’t need to give me those specific details.”

I was only teasing, but seriously, I really didn't want all the details of what they did in private.

“How did you find out he had a girlfriend?”

"She called, and when I asked who it was on the phone, he said it was his girlfriend. Can you believe that? Like it was no big deal. Oh hey, it's just my girlfriend calling, don't mind me. Can you believe that shit?"

She started to cry again, and all I could think to do was hug her. The doorbell rang, so I got up to answer it. I only hoped it wasn't another flower delivery. While it was cute earlier, I wasn't in the mood for his antics now, not with all that was going on with Jennifer.

I flung open the door to see Grayson standing on my porch.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I came to see if Jennifer was okay.”

He didn’t wait for me to invite him in, he just sort of side stepped me and walked on by.

"Of course, she isn't okay Grayson. She's crushed."

“Is she in her room?” He asked as he started walking towards her bedroom door.

“Yes, but I don’t think it’s a good idea that you go in there right now. She’s upset.”

He didn’t listen, just made his way in through her bedroom door. Jennifer sat up on her bed. “What are you doing here? Did
he
send you to tell me more lies?”

"No, of course not," Grayson said tenderly. "I came to check on you. It was a real dick move on his part to treat you like that, so I just wanted to come by and make sure you were okay before I got on my flight and headed back to LA."

Jennifer sniffled. “I’m fine,” she said. “Well, I will be.”

He leaned over and gave her a hug – a real hug, not one of those fake, barely touch the person hugs. It was a genuinely caring, I hope you are going to be okay kind of hugs.

“I know you will be. You are a great girl Jennifer and any man that can’t see that is a fool.”

“Are you finished making your movie?” Jennifer asked him.

“Yes. My plane is on standby now to take me back to LA. I just wanted to stop by here first and make sure you were going to be okay.”

She sniffled again. "Thank you, Grayson. That was very sweet of you, but you didn't have to do that. I'll be fine, I promise."

She gave him a little smile and in turn, he gave her another hug.

“I have to get going now, but you be strong, okay? Don’t let this get you down. You are better than that.”

“I promise,” she said.

Grayson walked out of her room with me following just behind him.

"I'm sorry I don't have more time to spend with you Alison, but I really do have to get going. I'm running late as it is," Grayson turned to me and said as he was walking out the front door.

“It’s fine. I understand. Have a safe flight.”

He gave me a chaste kiss and walked out the door.

The next few days were maddening. I tried everything I could to get him off of my mind, and nothing seemed to work. I ran, I studied twice as hard, took on an extra shift at the bookstore. No matter what I did, though, nothing stopped me from thinking about Grayson Chase.

Just when I was sure I was about to go completely insane, my laptop started making noises. Grayson was requesting to be my friend on Skype. The second I accepted his friendship request my computer rang, and his Skype call came through.

“Hey you,” I said nervously as soon as the video resolved and showed his perfect face.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called before now. It’s been a crazy week.”

“I can only imagine. How’s life back in LA?”

He shrugged. “It is what it is. Is Jen doing any better?”

“Yes. She is doing a lot better. That was really sweet, what you did, coming by the see her before you left Houston.”

"It was the least I could do. It was my fault she met Ethan in the first place. I didn't know he had a girlfriend, just so you know."

"Don't worry Grayson, neither of us blames you because your friend is an ass."

He looked chagrin, so I decided to change the subject.

“Tell me about all you’ve been doing since you’ve gotten back home.”

“I’ve had a lot of things to catch up on after being gone for so long,” he started to say.

“Like going through your mail?” I teased.

“Yeah,” he laughed. “That and meetings with my lawyer, agent, accountant, publicist … all that good stuff.”

“Better you than me,” I said sarcastically.

"So there was another reason I called you," Grayson said carefully as if he was nervous about something. "I have this movie premiere to go to next Thursday, and I was wondering if you and Jennifer wanted to go with me?" He paused, perhaps to judge my reaction. "It would mean a lot to me if you could be there."

"I don't know Grayson. Jennifer in Hollywood? That's kind of too close to Ethan. I don't think she's ready for that yet. She liked Ethan a lot, more than I even realized. I just don't believe it would be a good idea."

“What about your sister?” He asked.

“What about my sister?”

“Think she might like to come to the premiere with you?”

I had to choke back a laugh at the thought of my stuffy, all too prim and proper sister at a fancy movie premiere in Hollywood.

“I don’t know Grayson. That’s not really her thing.”

Then again, mine either. Was I really considering calling her and begging her to go with me? I must be losing my mind.

“Just hear me out,” he pleaded. “I’ll fly you both out here, pay for everything including your hotel, food, dresses, full makeovers. You’ll both be red carpet ready.”

“Okay, okay. I can see this means a lot to you Grayson so I’ll call and ask her, but I can’t make any promises. She’s really busy with school. This is her final year of law school,” I reminded him.

In the end, I agreed to call and speak to her about going to LA with me and then call him back with her answer. When I did call my sister, much to my surprise, she actually said yes, but only if we promised she would be back home by Saturday. She said she needed a full day to recover because Monday’s were one of her busiest days of the week and she didn’t want to be tired from all that traveling.