The Stars Trilogy (66 page)

DARE STARTED TO FULLY MOBILIZE his movie production and Celine only saw him late at night when he’d come to her place dead beat from meetings all day.

He would sleep all night and make love to her the moment he woke up. He would be at it the whole morning and he would leave after lunch and go about his business and come home way past midnight.

She was so bored staying at home. All day, she would read, swim in the pool, cook and watch TV. She actually missed being his secretary, doing errands for him.

Dare would always call her and inform her of his activities. But good ‘ol Twitter did the rest. She knew of course that Ken was running Dare’s Twitter account, but still, it gave her valuable information about Dare’s daily activities as Ken was almost always with Dare.

The paparazzi had been following him aggressively since he got back to the US. The mystery woman at the airport was the hot topic and Dare had not obliged any interview regarding that, which fueled gossip even more.

She checked Dare’s Twitter on her phone.

The latest tweet was that he was with JJ Abrams at the Bad Robot office. Ken was diligently keeping his boss’ social pages alive.

She opened her laptop and surfed. After reading dozens of gossip about Dare she wanted to smash her lappy on the floor. “Idle mind, evil mind. Shame on you. Celine Antoinette Lavega!” she said out loud.

She wanted to call Dare, ask what he was doing, but she might come across as clingy and needy or worse, insecure. Which was what she really was. Insecure. She still didn’t know where she stood in Dare’s life. She wouldn’t feel any misgivings if she did. Her instincts were telling her something was just not right yet and she couldn’t help the feeling. Call it woman’s intuition. The books said, never ignore a strong intuition. But her intuition was rapidly turning into paranoia and it wasn’t doing her any good. Where was good ol’ trust in the picture?

Shame on you, Celine.

“Okay, I promise, no more Perez Hilton and Just Jared! No more TMZ!”

She decided to go out. She wanted to shop for a bit and then have dinner at a charming restaurant. She hadn’t eaten dinner with Dare for days now. He’d been coming home late at night, tired and he’d just take a quick shower and hit the sack, dead to the world in seconds, his arm draped around her.  They’d usually see each other in the morning then he’d leave again at around noon for work. She’d usually eat lunch and dinner alone. She was getting lonely.

She dialed his number. She won’t sound clingy, she promised herself. “Honey, how are you?”

“I’m good, baby. I’m on my way to THE Blvd restaurant. I have a dinner meeting with our casting director.”

“Okay...”

“Is there something you need, darling?”

“No...I just miss you.”

“Me, too. I’ll make it up to you, okay?  I’ll see you tonight, baby. I’ll be late as usual. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Okay, bye.”

She called Carlos. “Carley, we’re going out in a few.”

“I’m ready when you are, Celine.”

“Thanks. Be down in fifteen.”

She went into the walk-in closet. Minutes later, she was dressed.

Carlos had already readied the brand new, silver grey Porsche Cayenne SUV that Dare had purchased for her daily use.

“Where to, Celine?”

“Rodeo Drive.”

On their way there, she couldn’t resist checking her Twitter again. That made her ask Carlos to take a detour.

It was easy to spot where her lover was. Just look where people were flocking about hoping for a photo op with their fave celebs. A lot of people were walking to and fro in front of THE Blvd, a posh restaurant within the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel.

Donning her big Jackie O sunglasses, she walked into the restaurant and was immediately halted by the pretty receptionist in a sophisticated, black business dress.

“Do you have a reservation, Ma’am?” the receptionist politely asked her.

She gave the woman a dazzling smile. Even her JR smile worked on women, too. “No. Is it full?” She knew for a fact that reservations were a must in restaurants like this.

The receptionist gave her a once over, no doubt to assess if she was worthy to enter the establishment. If the receptionist was a stickler for designer stuff, she’d know she could afford to dine in this restaurant every night.

The receptionist smiled at her graciously. “As a matter of fact, we have vacant tables. Do you have company?”

“I’m alone. Just put me in a corner table, please.”

“Okay, this way, please.”

She followed the receptionist, her eyes busy scanning the elegant interior. Numerous guests dotted the expansive place reeking with fame and fortune.

God, what was she doing? She promised herself she won’t ever do this. But here she was.

The table given to her was indeed tucked in a corner, behind the huge square posts. She could scan the place without being noticed. She won’t stay long anyway. She just wanted to confirm if the tweet was true, that Dare was here with Alana.

Yes, it was demeaning to do this, to spy on her boyfriend.

But she had to see for herself.

She  immediately spotted Dare at a center booth table with several gentlemen and an older lady. Alana was nowhere in sight.

She sighed in relief. He was telling the truth, after all. He appeared to be in a deep discussion with the older woman beside him. He came here to meet with people he worked with, not to rendezvous with his ex-wife.

Damn those tweets. She won’t EVER believe those gossip birds again!

She ordered a flute of wine.  Just one flute and she’d leave.

She recognized a few celebrities at the nearby tables. Megan Fox and Brian Astin Green. Megan looked even skinnier in person. Sarah-Jessica Parker...still channeling Carrie until now? Ellen DeGeneres! My, she was pretty!

Oh God, what the hell was she still doing here? She was no celebrity crazy. Only Dare crazy.

She’d better go shopping. If Dare caught her spying on him, eww, major turn off!

She left some dollar bills on the table to cover for her drink and was about to stand up when she caught sight of the woman approaching Dare’s table. She was dressed in red, her silky midnight black hair cascading down her back.

Her heart sank.

Alana sat beside Dare. Way too close. The actress whispered something in his ear. He smiled.

Celine was riveted to her seat and watched them helplessly.

She wanted to do so many things at the same time, feeling so many things at the same time. She hurt. She was angry. Furious. Mad. Jealous. Envious. Insecure.

They were laughing. Alana was casually caressing his forearm with familiarity. They were at ease with each other and the people at their table treated them with apparent admiration and respect. The waiters fawned over them. People went to their table and politely asked for pictures and Dare and Alana posed together. They were perfect together, moving and blending in perfect harmony for the cam.

Alana was with Dare, openly sharing his company in public while she was there, lurking like a thief, spying on them, anonymous like his dirty little secret.

What was frustrating was, it was her choice to be his dirty little secret.

She couldn’t stand watching them.

She discreetly left the restaurant.

Celine pretended to be asleep when Dare arrived home that night at around 1:00 a.m. He took a quick shower and joined her on the bed.

He kissed her hair, spooned her and went to sleep.

It was all she could do not to kick him from the bed. The bastard! Did he spend most of the night in Alana’s company? How long had they been seeing each other behind her back? Were they having sex?! She wished he didn’t have to take a shower before snuggling up to her so she could smell him. Maybe she’d sniff Alana’s perfume on his skin.

God, she was going mad!

She only slept for a few hours and left the bed before 6:00 a.m. Any minute after six, he would wake up and would want to have sex with her.

She didn’t want that. She didn’t want him touching her when her mind was full of images of him and his ex-wife engaged in the same intimacy.

She went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Minutes later, Dare padded into the kitchen wearing a pair of black track pants and nothing else.

He hugged her from behind, obviously in an amorous mood. She could feel his tumescence poking her bottom.

“You’re up so early today.” He nuzzled her hair while his hands cupped her breasts. This was common staple in the morning since they arrived in LA. Sex before breakfast, before they could even take a bath. It was always good as her body would be sensitive and eager to play. Dare was always hard in the morning. He told her it was called “morning glory”. She’d laughed. But she liked it even more when he told her he felt glorious inside her every morning. His sexy words were always enough to make her wet.

He just whispered some really lusty stuff to her and she wanted to kick him in the balls.

She stepped away from his embrace. “Have some breakfast.”

He wrapped his arms around her again. “I’d rather have you first. I missed you.”

His hands took liberty on her private parts again. Gritting her teeth, she forcibly removed his hands from her body. “Please, Dare. I’m not in the mood.”

“Not in the mood?”

She went to the toaster and turned it off. She put the toasted breads in a platter. When she faced him again, there was a devilish gleam in his eyes. “Not in the mood, hmm?” He reached for her again.

She deliberately dropped the platter. It broke on the floor.

“Oh. Sorry,” she said dryly.

He was beside her in an instant. “You alright?”

“Yes. I’ll clean this up.”

She went to get the broom and the dust pan from the utility cabinet and swept the ceramic fragments from the floor. He helped pick some scattered pieces of the broken plate. “Be careful next time, babe. Don’t want you cutting yourself,” he said.

She wanted to dump the contents of the dust pan on his head.

He took the dust pan from her and went outside the kitchen. She heard him dumping the broken ceramics in the trash bin.

He came back and sat on a stool and helped himself with breakfast.

The bastard, sitting there like a king being served by his slave, HER. And he spent last night with his ex! Blood rushed through her veins like a storm but she kept her emotions concealed.

She joined him in the nook and they drank coffee in silence.

“Aren’t you feeling well, babe?” he asked her, concern in his voice.

As a matter of fact, she wasn’t. Her heart was aching and she wanted to ask him so many questions but her pride was getting in the way. A relationship must be based on trust and honesty. Honesty must be given voluntarily. He must tell her without being asked.

But would a man ever fess up he’d cheated until he was confronted? Not likely.

“I’m fine,” she said frostily. She drank her coffee.

“I’m not used to you so silent like this, Celine. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I need to work.”

“Work?”

“Yes. Work. I need to earn. Since I can’t work for you for now, I have to find another job.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be dependent on you for all my basic needs. It’s not right.”

“Why are we having this silly discussion again?”

She flared up. “This is not silly! It’s principle!”

“Hey, baby, chill. I’m not arguing with your principle. I just can’t understand why you don’t want to be dependent on me. This is me, your man. I should take care of you. I must take care of you. That’s the way it should be.”

“I can take care of myself.”

He sighed. “Okay, so you’re bored. What kind of work do you have in mind?”

“I’m not bored. You’re such a chauvinist! You think my job is to entertain you every day?”

He sighed. “I didn’t mean that—”

“You did, too! Honesty, hello?”

He sighed again. “I’m sorry. Your job in NOT to entertain me everyday. Your place in my life is to be with me every day. Does that sound better? And is that bad? I don’t want you getting busy with some job and not be here when I get home. I make good money. I can take care of us. You don’t need to work. So yes, your job is to be with me. I’m selfish that way. My exes had no problem with that, at all.”

She stood up at the mention of his exes. “One more word, Dare and I’m gonna start putting cyanide in your food.”

He chuckled. “Nah. You want me to live for a long time. You would die for me. Even kill a tiger for me,” he said confidently, popped a piece of chocolate cookie in his mouth and winked at her.

She made a disgruntled sound and turned around. How could he talk to her like this, like he hadn’t been seeing his ex behind her back?
Oh yes, he is a great actor!

She faced him again. “I want to be an actress.”

His jaw dropped. “What...?”

She put her hand on her hips and thrust her chest out.  “Why do you look surprised? I have a background in theater. I should remind your friend Jamie of his offer.”

“No!” was his vehement reply.

“No?”

“No.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “Because...”

“You think I’m not attractive enough?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re more beautiful than half of the actresses around here.”

“Well, then, I shall be one of them.”

“Celine...”

“If we’re going to be together, I must blend in. I must join your world.”

He fell quiet, seemingly in deep thought.

Actually, she didn’t know what came over her when she said she wanted to be an actress. It was just an impulsive idea sprouted by her jealousy.

But while they were discussing it, the idea took shape. Why the hell not? She was tired of feeling insecure of his exes who were all famous. As the saying went, if you can’t beat them, join them. Alana was insinuating herself in the picture again. By God, she won’t give her the chance to do so. She didn’t care if Alana was the toast of Hollywood. She, Celine Lavega, was the woman in Dare’s life  NOW. Alana was just an EX. A thing of the past. And she would remind Alana of that every day by joining Hollywood.