Beyond Famous (Famous #3) (11 page)

Could Cade get any more fucking perfect?
I sighed heavily and pushed the door to my suite open, going into the dark room alone.

I stripped off my sodden clothes and started the shower as I shivered in the bathroom.  I stepped inside and the warm water replaced the cold rain.  I felt content knowing that when Cade and I were separated over the summer, we'd be okay.  We’d still be
us,
despite the distance.

I knew what I had to do to make sure we did. If I could just make it through the goodbye next week without completely losing it, that would be a start. 

No chance in hell of that happening
. I scoffed at myself. 

We could make it through it, but it was still going to rip both of our hearts out.  I knew it... and Cade did, too.

I MADE IT THROUGH
the photo calls and the interviews the day before.  It seemed like they were endless, taking literally hours. The photographers all screaming and the fans lined up to see me do, I didn't know
what
?  Stand on the pier, or talking to a reporter for an interview?  I didn't understand the fascination that they found in it; to me it was bloody ridiculous.

Thank God Denise was with me and I had the band of bodyguards to ward off the hoards of fans.

It was my last night in France; I was on my way to another
premiere with Denise.  I didn’t even want to be there, but the film was getting a lot of hype and Denise said she wouldn’t be doing her job as my agent if she didn’t get me in front of this director, but I was preoccupied and I didn’t even recall who it was. More bloody photo calls were sure to ensue, but I knew Brook would be watching for them. I smiled as I remembered how she said I looked so gorgeous at the Academy Awards; she liked seeing me in a tux.  My heart sped up a little at the mere thought of her.  The world could think I was Adonis and I didn’t give a rat’s ass, but Brook saying I was handsome meant everything to me, and put a silly grin on my face.

She was the beautiful one; so insanely beautiful.

We were texting most of the day and Denise had to remind me that it didn't look good for me to always be looking at my phone, especially in pictures that were constantly being taken. 

I didn't bloody care.

These situations drove me bonkers, and Brook's presence, even if only on my phone via text messages, helped me to get through it.

I realized that the mobs and fans weren't going away in the near or distant future.  Even if I decided to stop acting, it wouldn't go away, and no amount of worrying or whining would change anything.  I might as well make the best of this bloody mess.

Hundreds of fans and photographers waited for me as I stepped out of the limousine onto the red carpet, followed closely behind by Denise.  She moved to the side as they all started shouting and screaming and what seemed like a million cameras never ceased their flashing.  Screaming my name, various magazines, televisions shows and freelance photographers had me turn this way and that as the cameras clicking began to explode around me. I felt like a bloody puppet. 

Christ, I hate this shit
.

I was going blind by the lights on the cameras, and it was harder and harder not to squint in the face of it all, so again, even though the sun was down, I pushed on my sunglasses.

The movie was amusing and I tried hard to focus on the plot, so I wouldn’t make an ass of myself later when Denise paraded me in front of the director. I found him to be an interesting person and I enjoyed talking to him.

They basically herded us into an after party and on the way, I checked my phone to see if Brook had called or texted. Denise nudged my arm, but I smirked at her.

"Okay, last time, I promise."

You looked amazing, my love.  Remember, you're mine.

A big grin split out across my face as I quickly texted her back.

No need to remind me.  You know where my heart is.

We had assigned seating for the dinner at the after party, and by some coincidence, Patrick Armstrong, his girlfriend, Brianna Denfeld, and a couple of his friends were placed with Denise and me. Patrick would be directing Brook in a new romantic comedy and he was sure to pick my brain about her.

I was seated across from Patrick and Brianna, Denise was on my right and a woman by the name of Erika something or other on my left.  I ordered a Crown Royal and lit a cigarette as I assessed Patrick from across the table.  He had his hair slicked back and looked completely different to how I'd seen him in the past.  He had a flick he was promoting that would be coming out a month or so ahead of
Don’t Forget to Remember Me
, and we spent several minutes talking about that before the conversation came around to Brook.

"So Cade, how'd you like working with Brook Halloway?" he asked over his glass of wine.

"Oh, I liked it," I said with a careful smile.  "She's great."

"Yes, isn't she? I find her very intriguing.  She's quite intelligent, inquisitive and very beautiful. I really enjoyed talking with her before her audition. She seems very dedicated."

My eyes narrowed involuntarily as I looked at him talk about my baby. "Um, yes, I agree.  I think anyone who gets the opportunity to work with her will be extremely lucky. She and I are, uh... well, we've become very close through all of this madness." Denise kicked my leg, so apparently she thought I was about to spill more details than would be appropriate. 

"You know, I recommended her to Martin Deering for this series; he’s is a close personal friend of mine.  I’d seen a screen test she did for a TV movie and though she didn’t get cast, I could tell she was going to be very sought after. I was glad to hear he gave her the role. She should send me a diamond or something," he laughed and the women all joined him, but Denise looked at me nervously.

"I'll let her know when I see her in Italy in a few days."

I was concentrating on him, but somewhere in my subconscious, I was aware of Erika leaning in toward me to try to get my attention.  I was polite and gracious to the woman, but I was more interested in what Patrick was saying about Brook.

"Oh, you're going to Italy?  I love Italy," Erika interjected to get my attention. I looked at her for the first time that evening.  She was blonde, pretty, but nothing to turn my head, even if I wasn't in love with Brook. “Especially Florence.”

I ordered another drink and lit another cigarette as I turned my head toward her. "Yes, we're attending the Italian Film Festival. I'm meeting Brook and some of the other cast there when I leave France tomorrow."

At that moment, one of her friends asked that I lean into her so that they could get a picture. Erika scooted her chair closer and the woman with the camera asked me to put my arm around her.  I put my arm around her chair and she took the photo.  Right when I did it, I realized the mistake I'd made.  Instantly moving my chair away and leaned in to whisper to Denise.

"Fuck, what did I just do? Can we get that photo back?"

"I don't see how, Cade.  It's not a big deal. You didn't have your tongue down her throat. Pinnacle will be happy to have public attention diverted from you and Brook, and it was innocent."

I ran my hand through my hair a couple of times, leaned back in my chair and downed my drink.

"We don't even know this girl; who is she? And will she make more of it than there is? Nothing is ever bloody innocent with these damned paparazzi!"

Denise shrugged and shook her head. "Now isn't a good time to discuss it."

"Cade, do you want to go somewhere else?  I'd love to talk to you some more," Erika said.

"Uh...”

Shit.  How can I be nice about this?
I wondered.

"Thank you for the offer, Erika, but, uh... I have an early flight tomorrow and I need to be rested.  I’m going straight back to the hotel after this," I knew my tone was flat and disinterested.

"Well... I could... come with you? " The words sounded coy, but the invitation in her eyes was obvious.

I looked at Denise, my eyes widening slightly in annoyance.

"Thank you, really," I said again as I put out my hand to stop her words, "but I must be going now." Her expression hardened and she was clearly put off.

Thank God Denise had called the car minutes before.  I couldn't get out of there fast enough as I felt the heat start to flush my face. I said goodbye to Patrick, who rose and shook my hand.

"I'm sorry you feel the need to run off, Cade. It was good to meet you.  Tell my little Brooksy I look forward to working with her."

I stiffened at his words and glanced at his girlfriend who had a strained look on her face.

"I will. It was very nice to meet you as well, all of you. Goodnight Erika, Brianna.  Enjoy the remainder of your evening."

I put my hand behind Denise's back to turn her from the table and she preceded me to the door.

In the limo back to the hotel, I worried about that damned photo, and not because the world would speculate that I was banging some nameless woman in Cannes, but because I didn't need for Brook to be put through any stress, wondering...

"She'll be fine, Cade.  Wipe that goofy look off of your face.  She'll handle this shit better than you will. Trust me." Denise rolled her eyes.

"I hope you're right."

"I'm right.  You just tell her the truth...
before
she sees that picture. Got it?"

I sighed and stared out the window as we made our way through the streets of Antibes.

Fuck, I can't wait to get on that bloody plane tomorrow, to see my baby girl the day after... but I'd be bloody damned if I'd ever call her Brooksy.

THE WEEK WENT BY
relatively fast. I missed Cade, but we kept in touch with texts and talked on the phone a couple of times a day. I kept busy with the reshoots and hanging out with Noah and Jennifer.

I still had one day of shooting left before Jennifer and I were headed to meet up with Cade in Italy. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. These would be the last five days I’d see him every day, sleeping with him at night, holding him, touching him... breathing him in. I was acutely aware of the time ticking away like a bomb about to explode.

I was overly emotional. I knew it and made the decision I needed to get myself in control. I was excited because I was going to see Cade in twenty-four hours, yet, sad that he would leave soon. I had a long talk with my mother the night before on the phone, and she had centered me a little, insisting that Cade and I would be just fine. I knew it wouldn't be easy being away from him, but we both needed to decompress and I needed to start compiling a body of work that would set me up for success as I moved beyond this series.

I'd spent the rest of the evening packing up my things, surfing the Internet and looking at pictures of my man. I'd seen hundreds of them, but I could look at them forever. It was like an addiction; he was so damn beautiful, each and every feature perfect on its own, but when you combined them, it was enough to make women swoon and men turn green with envy.