Boxed Set: Intercepted by Love (The Complete Collection): Books One - Book Six (23 page)

“Did your boyfriend just call?” Sylvia touched up her lipstick in front of the ladies’ room mirror while Andie redid her hair twist.

“Yep. He had to cancel our date this evening. Something came up.”

Andie couldn’t help the strain in her voice. This weekend had been a dream come true. She’d finally had a real boyfriend, and darn it all, both she and Cade were already at the ‘L’ word stage. It felt so giddy and buoyant, like riding in a hot air balloon, floating above the clouds—then pop!

Declan Reed happened.

“Hey, don’t feel too bad.” Sylvia sprayed cologne over her wrists. Her happy side was a pink colored rollerball, floral and playful, while her gloomy side was a dark one, earthy and alluring. “You have two men loving you: light, sprite, and charming versus dark, rough, and protective. What’s not to like?”

“Everything. I just got back together with Cade. Finally, and then this happens. Talk about blast from the past.” Andie blew out a frustrated breath.

“Well, if you don’t want Declan, let me have him.” Sylvia retouched her eye shadow, two different colors for each eye.

Andie didn’t want to seem flippant about this, but she barely knew Sylvia. If she wanted to inflict herself with the likes of Declan Reed, so be it.

“Sure, good luck.” Andie shrugged and changed the subject. “What’s with the half face and the half perfume?”

Sylvia was always dressed in halves, one side light, the other side dark, one side colorful, the other side grey. She even had jackets she split in half and stitched together with a different one—like the fringed motorcycle jacket with the Japanese kimono.

“The duality of life, half empty or half full, yin and yang, eyes wide shut, life in death and death in life.” Sylvia twirled her finger from side to side, then made a circle. “Good can come out of bad, and bad out of good.”

“Okay …” Andie didn’t know what New Age psychobabble Sylvia was into, but it made sense. “I guess good and bad depends on your perspective.”

“Exactly, so, the way I see it, you’re either in a jam because you have two guys wanting you, or you’re sitting pretty.”

“Sitting pretty?” Andie pursed her lips and let her hair down. “Not if you love one of them and hate the other.”

“Love and hate, opposites and yet so close.” Sylvia brushed out the side of her head with long flowing hair. The other side was shaved bald, but decorated with snake tattoos that looked like hair. “Why don’t we have dinner, and you can tell me about love and hate?”

“Sure. I don’t have to be home any time soon.” Andie held the door as they exited the bathroom. She could use a friend and a sounding board.

After all, what exactly was she going to tell Cade when she got home? The papers were unsigned, and she was legally still Declan’s wife.

Oh gosh! She felt her face heat. She’d committed adultery. She’d turned out to be a cheat after all.

# # #

Andie and Sylvia sat at the bar of a barbeque restaurant facing a large TV tuned to the baseball game. Just this morning, she’d been looking forward to an uneventful day at work and an evening with him at the game, but duty had called. Not that she could even begin to fake having a romantic evening with this Declan cloud hanging over her head. Poor Cade, though. What if Roxanne had lost the baby and was in hiding, stricken with grief? Hopefully not, but Cade must be worried sick.

Andie slipped her phone from her purse and texted a quick message to Cade.
Everything okay with the baby?

Next to her, Sylvia checked out the other just as colorful denizens of a typical Hollywood bar.

Sylvia’s half and half outfit, complete with mismatched makeup down to mismatched shoes didn’t seem too far out of place among the chic crowd: punks with blue tipped spiked hair, blondes in dreadlocks, and men wearing skirts and psychedelic leopard, zebra, and tied-dyed leggings. What was with guys without body hair? Smooth arms and legs? Did they really wax their entire body?

Andie shuddered as she stirred the lime wedge in her watermelon-flavored cosmo cocktail. She wasn’t quite ready to talk about Cade and Declan, and she was definitely not sitting pretty with Declan wanting money and refusing to sign the divorce papers. If Ronaldo hadn’t happened by and snagged Declan for a meeting, he might have followed her home and confronted Cade. She had to come clean. Maybe, she shouldn’t even be here. She should be at Cade’s side, helping him track down Roxanne. It wasn’t right what that woman was doing to him, making him worry.

Andie glanced at her phone, but there was no reply to her text.

Putting her phone notification sound on loud so she could hear it above the din of the bar, she eyed the fashionistas. “I’m so out of place here. It almost feels like one of those space movies where the characters go to a space bar and there are creatures from every planet sitting around.”

“Just part of the Hollywood scene,” Sylvia swirled her margarita. “I like being different. Tell me, have you ever seen anyone else wearing a halfie jacket?”

Andie sipped her cosmo. “No, I do say, you’re pretty unique. What do you do with the other half of the jackets you cut out? Do you make a matching mirrored image?”

“I’m waiting to have a friend wear them with me. You want one?” Sylvia dipped a potato skin in blue cheese dressing and licked it. “I’ve always wanted to have a friend for twin day.”

“Twin day?”

“Big party at Mr. Silver’s parents’ house. You do know, his grandmother’s Amanda Silver, Hollywood’s grand dame casting agent, and his father’s Monty Silver, director of
The Dark Samurai
, a Japanese epic fantasy on the scale of
The Game of Thrones
.”

“I didn’t know that,” Andie said. “So they have this party?”

“Every August, in celebration of National Twin Day. Mr. Silver has an identical twin. It would be smashing to be sandwiched between them.” Sylvia licked the salty rim of her margarita glass.

“Sandwiched? What do you mean?” Andie couldn’t think of a worse thing than being around two Ronaldos.

“A threesome. Have you ever tried it? That’s what I meant about you sitting pretty. You’ve got rough and ready Cade and pretty boy Declan.”

“Uh, I’ll pass on that. What am I going to do?” Andie took a mouthful of her cocktail. She didn’t feel at all like a swinging single woman in a big city bar. More like a pretender. Cade had always been out of her league. Heck, Roxanne Cash was a former model turned fashion designer. She was thin and fashionable. And she was having his baby.

Andie crushed the lime slice and slung the rest of the drink back, burning her throat with the sweetish sting.

“I’m sorry.” Sylva patted her arm. “I didn’t mean to make light of it. You’re in a pickle.”

“Tell me about it.”

“The way I see it,” Sylvia said. “You need to figure out what you want. I didn’t take you for a gold digger, but Cade’s salary is public knowledge, whereas we don’t know what Ronaldo’s going to offer Declan. You want me to snoop around?”

“No, really. I’m not a gold digger. I just said that to try to get him to sign the divorce.”

“Oh, honey, then you gotta make him hate you enough to want to divorce you. ’Cause right now, from where I’m sitting, he’s still got the hots for you.”

“I don’t think it’s real. I mean, the strange thing is he mentioned being my husband to Ronaldo. Do you think that was a way for him to get the contract? Saying he knew me already and would make a great team with me?”

“You think that’s his angle?” Sylvia raised her eyebrow and glanced sideways. “Maybe that’s why Ronaldo hired you. He’d been talking to Declan even before you appeared on the scene.”

Andie flushed and pressed her lips together. Shit. What if Declan were the reason she was hired? No wonder Ronaldo was upset with her for recommending against him.

“Sorry, I’m feeling tired,” Andie said. “Do you mind if I go now? We can have dinner another time.”

“Sure, let’s do this again. Next time, come to my place and we can play dress up.”

“Okay, sounds like fun.” Andie squeezed a smile and waved goodbye. At this point, Sylvia was her only ally, sort of, and maybe it would be fun to have a friend, especially one so chic and fashionable.

Andie checked her phone as she unlocked the door to Cade’s house. No messages. Where was he? She was getting worried now. What if Roxanne already had the baby? Even worse, what if Cade couldn’t locate her?

Red and Gollie greeted her at the door, licking her hand and panting. She squatted to hug them. Red allowed her to ruffle his head and tickle his ears, but Gollie wanted to lick and kiss her, so she gave into the moment and let her dog give her some love. “I’m glad you came to California with me. I love you, sweet puppy.”

The place looked dark, and Cade’s mother was obviously not around, or if she was, she was sleeping. Andie crept to the kitchen and switched on the lights to see if anyone left her a note.

Nothing.

Breathing a silent prayer for Cade and the baby, she fixed herself a salad. The two dogs hung by her side as she fed them pieces of ham and steak. She loved the feel of dogs licking her fingers and their excited bodies and tails thumping against her legs.

Suddenly, Red dropped his piece, and a growl tore from his throat. A split second later, he scrambled for the door, his nails slipping on the hardwood floor. Gollie was only too happy to gobble up the extra meat. Ha, ha, Gollie the glutton.

Red’s barking was met by the doorbell ringing. Andie wiped her hands and went for the video intercom.

Crap. It was Declan. This was not good.

Maybe she shouldn’t answer it. Just wait it out. Andie turned off the lights. Oops. That was dumb. Real dumb. Now he knew someone was home.

The doorbell’s continuous tone clanged in her ears. Declan had the button depressed without letting go. Both dogs aimed themselves at the door and barked. While Red had his ears down in defensive mode, silly Gollie was wagging her tail, yelping as if her playmate had arrived with a Santa sized sack of doggie biscuits.

Andie had to be the only person in Hollywood with the friendly dog who couldn’t tell if someone was good or bad.

A minute passed. Two minutes. Five. Declan turned to pounding and yelling, “Andie, I know you’re in there. Come on, open up, or I’ll stay here all night.”

Andie’s heart thumped deeply, and nausea squirmed in her belly. It was only a matter of time before Cade got here and then what?

She wanted to tell him herself. Needed to. Saturday, when she’d met Declan at the Chinese Theater admiring the hand- and footprints of the stars, she’d evaded Cade’s question of who Declan was with a simple,
oh, just someone who was interested in Matt Damon
—a stranger she’d had a conversation with.

Why had she lied?

Because she didn’t think. Or she thought she’d get away with it. She didn’t want to believe anything could get between her and Cade, and she wanted the evening to be magical and beautiful, everything she’d dreamed of.

And it had been. The concert at the Hollywood Bowl, the kisses and then later, the love they’d made in bed. All had been perfectly enchanting. And now? It could all be ruined by the maniac at the door.

Sweat poured down her face, and she shuddered to catch her breath. Declan was obviously not leaving. She pressed “talk” on the intercom and shut the video feed. She didn’t want to see his face as he pleaded with the camera. Didn’t want to remember how his lips felt or the way his eyes pooled deep and lustful, didn’t want to be reminded of his gestures, the way he’d tilt his head, or the lopsided grin with the dimple on one cheek. Worst of all was the way he’d strut and swagger like a little Napoleon, her model of King David, because as much as she tried to replace King David with Cade, it didn’t work. Cade was too big, too powerful, too overwhelming to be the trickster king. Cade would be more like Jonathan, a straight shooter and a loyal friend—the prince who lived and died honorably at the side of his father whom he could not betray.

Sheesh. What the hell was her mind doing? It wasn’t as if she were the casting agent for
The Love Lives of King David.

Meanwhile, this David-wannabe needed to leave. She hardened her voice, while Red growled behind her. “Please leave. I can’t talk to you right now.”

“I have to see you, Andie.”

“Only if you’re signing the papers.”

“Why are you in such a hurry to end what we had?”

Andie gritted her teeth. She wasn’t getting through his thick head. The arrogant ass still thought of himself as a contender, or maybe he was only here to extort money from her.

“We haven’t kept in touch these last two years. We agreed to the divorce. You wanted it before your big
Romeo and Juliet
contract.”

“When you never returned the papers, I changed my mind. I missed you. Can’t blame me there, can you?” His voice took on a flirtatious lilt.

“You saw the envelope. It was never delivered. Why didn’t you call me to find out if I’d mailed it?” Andie rubbed her eyes and dragged her hand over her face. This was useless. Arguing over spilled milk. He was obviously trying to make things difficult for her. She’d try another angle. “What happened to all the models and movie stars you were dating, or should I say screwing?”

Declan sighed loudly. “They weren’t you. Seriously, you know that. They open their legs for anyone. It wasn’t fun anymore, and you know? I’m glad you thought we were divorced, because I’m sure it would have hurt you more if you thought we were still married.”

“We’re all but divorced. You just have to keep to the original agreement. No fault. No one owes anyone anything.”

“I don’t want to walk away, and I know you’re not a gold digger. You’re too honest. Open the door.”

Andie’s throat tightened and she gripped her fists. She hated to do this, but she had to make him leave. “Okay, so I’m not gold digging, but what about you? How much money do you want? Tell me, and we’ll make a deal. You sign and I’ll pay.”

“You’ll pay all right.” Declan laughed. Laughed in that rolling way of his that used to give her goosebumps, of the good kind. Only today, they gave her horrors. He was crazed—playing with her. She had to figure out his angle. It didn’t sound like it was money he wanted her to pay.

Frustrated, she screamed, “Go away. Go away, and leave me alone. Go, or I’ll call the police.”

Red and Gollie joined in on the commotion, their claws scrabbling on the floor and against the door as they pounced and lunged.

“Who the hell are you?” Cade’s deep voice thundered through the intercom. “Get off my property.”

Andie switched on the video feed.

Cade lifted Declan by his armpits and shoved him against the wall. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Andie. I’m her husband.”

# # #

“Andie never mentioned being married,” Cade all but growled, even though a spear of shock stopped his heart cold. Could this be Declan? Oh, he was movie star handsome, all right, clean cut, all-American, picture perfect features, but a wimp.

Cade still hadn’t let the douche go, still had him pushed up against the wall, off his feet. But his legs felt like jelly and his head swirled. Why didn’t Andie tell him that she was married?

“If you’ll let me down, we can make the proper introductions,” the man said in a clipped, high-classed accent.

Cade let go of him, and he dropped to his feet, stumbling, before righting himself. The urge to plunge his fist through the pretty-boy face raged in Cade’s chest, but this wasn’t the football field and he was under contract with the Flash not to get into brawls.

The front door whooshed open, and Andie, Red, and Gollie tumbled out. Red took a defensive posture and cornered the intruder while Gollie swished around his and Andie’s legs, wanting to be greeted.

“Cade, let me explain.” Andie threw herself into his arms. “There was an envelope. It was missing in the mail for two years. I didn’t know until this morning.”

“Wait, wait.” Cade’s head felt light and about to explode, and his body wanted to levitate. “It’s true? This man’s your husband.”

“He was supposed to be my ex, but he never signed the divorce papers. I ran into him at the studio at the same time I got my envelope back—returned to sender, and my mom forwarded it to the studio after I left New York.” Her words tumbled like the bouncing fake rocks careening down the hillside of old Hollywood westerns.

“Can you call off the dogs, and we can all go inside and talk?” The actor who had to be Declan Reed eyed Red suspiciously.

“No, Cade. I want to talk to you first. He’s harassing me. He won’t sign the papers, and he wants money.”

Confusion was quickly replaced by anger. Cade pulled Red back and glared at Declan. “Get off my property. Now. We have nothing to talk about.”

“That’s what you think.” Declan straightened his lapels as Red gave him room to leave. He shrugged and tilted his head, not that he could have possibly looked down his nose at the taller Cade. “Andie and I have a lot of catching up to do. She never mailed the divorce papers, or if she did, she never followed up. I still love her, and I’m sure she has feelings for me.”

“Don’t listen to him. He’s lying. He’s a trickster. He’s just like King David. Did you know David pretended to be a madman once to trick the Philistine king who wanted to kill him? He pretended he was crazy. That’s what this man is. Crazy.”

“Crazy in love, honeybuns.” Declan winked.

Cade growled. “Go. Now.”

“Sure, fine. I’ll leave. But without my John Hancock, your girlfriend’s still my wife. Wouldn’t want to make an adulteress out of her, would you? In ancient Israel, adulteresses were stoned. You should read the bitter water test.”

“Fuck off.” Cade roared as Declan sauntered up the driveway with a jaunt in his step. “And don’t come back.”