Hollywood Heartthrob (11 page)

“So, where to now?” Josh asked from behind the wheel as ahead of them his crazed fans continued to desperately try and get a picture of their idol.

“Anywhere away from this madness,” Amy sighed.

“It is a circus,” Josh agreed.

“I don’t know how you cope!”

“Well we can’t go back to the hotel as it will just be more of the same.”

“Do you want to come back to my place?” Amy offered.

“Yes,” Josh smiled warmly, “yes I would.”

It no longer felt surreal to be driven around by Josh Roberts, international movie star. In fact, as he pulled into the driveway of Amy’s apartment she realized it almost felt natural. She still had that moment when she felt overwhelmed by butterflies at the thought of him being there but he was fast becoming just a man to her, no longer the myth, and she liked that.

“I missed your apartment,” Josh declared as he walked in and promptly made himself at home on her couch.

“You did?” Amy asked, surprised.

How could he prefer the tiny confines of her apartment to the plush comforts of the hotel suite they’d stayed in the previous night?

“It feels like home,” he added as though sensing she wanted an explanation.

“Well, glad you like it,” Amy smiled, walking across to the kitchen to put the kettle on and make them both a coffee.

She already knew how Josh took his coffee and she liked that she knew. There was an intimacy to it which she hadn’t known for a long time.

“So what shall we do?” Josh asked as Amy came in and handed him his mug of steaming hot coffee.

“Whatever you like,” Amy answered. “We could watch a movie?”

“As long as it’s not one of mine!”

“Do you ever watch your own movies?” Amy queried as she blew into her cup to cool her drink down.

“God, no!” Josh replied passionately. “That would just be horrific.”

“Some of them are actually quite good,” Amy offered.

“Only some of them?” Josh arched an eyebrow in disdain.

“Only some of them,” Amy smiled.

****

The couple nestled down together and watched a movie which didn’t star Josh Roberts. They lay across the couch with their bodies intertwined and they were just like any other normal young couple spending a Saturday night together.

You’d never know that one of them currently had their face posted up in Times Square on a hundred foot billboard and was the most recognized man in the world.

Josh felt normal and relaxed. As he sat enjoying the movie with Amy lying across him, her head resting upon his chest, he realized with a sense of shame that this was the first Saturday night he’d been sober in many years.

Since becoming famous, life was one long party for him and the party was beginning to wear thin. He no longer enjoyed getting drunk but he felt obliged to in order to perpetuate the image of being a playboy and a party guy. But he didn’t want to be that guy forever.

He wanted to settle down, get married and raise a family. The normal dreams of any guy. But he worried that the media wouldn’t let him, that they’d never release him from his duties of being Josh Roberts-movie star.

“Are you having a good time?” Amy asked sleepily as the closing credits flowed up the screen.

“I’m having a great time,” Josh smiled fondly at her, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

“Good. I’m so tired,” Amy yawned.

“We could just sleep here,” Josh suggested. “I’m already pretty comfy.”

“That sounds good to me,” Amy said, nestling down into his sturdy chest.

****

The next morning the couple awoke, still on the couch as they had been the previous evening, both rested from a good night’s sleep.

Amy stretched and then pulled herself off Josh, her legs slightly stiff from not having slept in her own bed.

“I’ve never done that before,” she said as she headed towards the shower.

“It’s overrated,” Josh answered, bending his neck back and forth to try and remove the kinks which he now had. He wished Amy’s apartment had an onsite masseuse like the hotel did who could come and relieve him of some of the knots.

“You know what?” Amy asked suddenly, hanging on the doorframe of the bathroom to look out at him.

“What?”

“I think I’d prefer not to hear about the old Josh Roberts who slept on couches with many women and did other, more obscene stuff which my innocent little mind couldn’t even dream up.”

“That sounds fair,” Josh laughed, aware that he had more than a colorful past. While it had never been an issue before, Amy was different, he knew that. She wouldn’t be impressed by his stories of threesomes in a hot tub. If anything, she’d be ashamed.

“That whole life…it intimidates me,” she said looking embarrassed.

“Don’t worry about it,” Josh came over to reassure her. “That whole life, it’s behind me. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. I want to be a decent guy.”

“You are a decent guy,” Amy smiled as she leaned up to kiss him on the lips, a brief, sweet kiss.

“Do you reckon I could stay here for a few days? I like hanging low like this,” Josh asked. “I was even thinking of going out to the store later; in my cap and sunglasses, obviously.”

“Ooh a trip to the store!” Amy teased. “Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

“We can stock up on all the things we love and nest for a few days!” Josh said excitedly.

“What about your filming commitments?”

“They can wait.”

“Won’t they be mad at you?”

“Yeah, but it’s just a few days. They’ll survive.”

****

“Where the hell is he?” Caroline Demure shrieked as she stormed across the set, knocking over set pieces as she did so.

Around her, scared stage hands backed nervously away, frightened of her famous temper.

“I’ve no idea,” Simon Canter, the director admitted. “I’ve called his cell, his agent, even his mother. No one knows where he is.”

“I’m tired of waiting around like this!” Caroline lamented, dramatically throwing her arms up in the air.

“All of us are, Caroline,” Simon tried to placate her.

“Just who does he think he is to swan off like this when we’ve got a movie to shoot?”

“He’s renowned for being temperamental,” Simon answered, adding quietly under his breath, “you both are.”

“How can no one know where he is?” Caroline was getting increasingly infuriated, striding angrily around the set like a cat about to pounce.

“We will find him,” Simon promised, not sure they would.

Caroline continued to pace, not listening, her stiletto heels sounding sharply off the concrete fall of the studio. Then she stopped suddenly and turned to stare at Simon, her eyes wild with delight.

“I know where he is!” she declared triumphantly.

“Great, let’s go get him,” Simon sighed in relief.

“Not yet, I want to teach him a lesson first.” Caroline said, an evil smirk sliding across her face.

She walked away from the set, back to her trailer, and picked up her cell phone and used speed dial to call a frequent contact. After three rings they answered.

“Clark, baby,” Caroline purred. “Do you still use that PI? The one who exposed a certain actor’s penchant for prostitutes?”

“Course,” came the monosyllabic response of her agent.

“Great, I need you to give him a call. You know that girl who was on my Josh’s arm the other night, the nobody? It’s about time we made her a somebody.”

****

Sunday morning began with a low key visit to the local store which both Josh and Amy enjoyed immensely. In his casual disguise they were able to wander up and down the aisles, shopping for produce and groceries without being bothered by fans- and it was great.

Soon they had a whole shopping cart laden with goods.

“I can’t wait to get back and eat all this stuff,” Amy giggled.

“Me neither, but how can you love Cheetos, you’ve bought like six bags?” Josh teased, picking up one of the bright orange bags and scrutinizing it to try and find its secret appeal.

“Hey, Cheetos are amazing,” Amy said, snatching the bag off him and returning it to the shopping cart.

“Besides, you’ve no room to talk, Mr. 3 Boxes of Lucky Charms!”

“They are for medicinal purposes,” Josh smiled defensively.

“Yeah, yeah.”

They paid for their groceries and returned to Amy’s apartment. It was all so normal, so serene and relaxed. It was as if they were existing in their own bubble and the rest of the world was no longer there, no longer mattered. If only they knew that the bubble was about to burst.

****

Back at her apartment Amy began to cook brunch, homemade pancakes with blueberries which were apparently a favorite of Josh’s, when her doorbell rang. Bemused, she went to answer it. Not expecting any guests she assumed it was probably a salesman or a neighbour wanting something.

When she opened her front door she was suddenly blinded by the flash of dozens of cameras as a medley of paparazzi had congregated on her doorstep.

“Where’s Josh?”

“Amy – is Josh good in bed?”

“Are you and Josh married?”

They all fired questions at her as fast and relentless as bullets from a machine gun, while terrified Amy slammed the door hard on them, shaking against it as she slid down to the floor. Josh was quickly above her, realizing what was happening.

“How did they find out where I live?” she asked, on the verge of tears.

“I don’t know,” Josh said, kneeling down to comfort her.

“They can’t be here, this is my home!” she cried.

“I know, I know, I’ll take care of it,” Josh promised.

“How?”

“I’ll have to go,” he admitted sadly. “It’s me they want. It wasn’t fair of me to stay here and bring all this on your doorstep like this.”

“It’s not your fault,” Amy sniffed.

“Yes it is,” Josh said, his face creased with guilt.

He quickly packed up his things and prepared to leave. The unattended pancakes had now become burnt.

“I don’t want you to go,” Amy admitted.

“I have to.”

“When will I see you again?” she felt pitiful to ask but knew that she had to know.

“I don’t know,” Josh said, suddenly seeming cold and distant.

“Josh-” Amy went to query his mood change but he was already out of the door, eaten up by the awaiting circus beyond on her porch.

Alone, Amy let her head fall in her hands and sobbed. She had a strange feeling in her stomach that she wouldn’t see Josh again and the pain from that was unbearable.

“Josh, I love you,” she whispered to the emptiness around her, wishing she’d had the courage to say it sooner when he was there to hear her.