Living Dangerously (10 page)

Abbey had told Julie about the elevator incident...how the hunky guy had calmed her down when she’d hyperventilated. Julie had never seen Abbey anything but calm and cool, but she understood how being trapped in a broken elevator, thinking you might fall to your death, could be a little unnerving.

“It wasn’t a big deal,” Abbey explained to Elena. “I met a guy in an elevator and since I wouldn’t give him my number or email address he gave me his.”

“Were you seriously going to call him?” Cal asked. She’d razzed Abbey enough about her man-less life. Talk about two sides of the teeter-totter. Cal bedded anyone who might help her career, and Abbey stayed arm’s length from just about anything with a
Y
chromosome.

“Maybe. I don’t know. It’s a moot point now since I lost that slip of paper.”

She looked truly dejected. Poor kid. Julie sympathized.

Scrunching her face up into a pucker, Cal asked, “Jules, have you by any chance heard from Ari about the movie?” Cal wasn’t much of a sympathizer. She was on to the next subject. Something that concerned
her
.

“Now, girls,” Elena said, leaning forward to set her tea on the table. “No shoptalk. I hate when you two are up against each other. Makes my stomach turn.” She gave Abbey a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

“Ditto,” Cal muttered.

“It doesn’t happen that often.” Julie got up and went to the kitchen. Ari did seem to be taking a lot of time to make up his mind. But things could’ve been happening to slow the schedule. The whole process was out of her control; she understood that. Which was why she never talked about it with Cal and why she wished Cal hadn’t brought it up.

She snatched the real estate section from the counter and headed back to the den. She pulled it apart in four sections and handed one to her mother, Abbey and Cal, keeping one for herself.

“Why are we doing this?” Cal asked. “This is a realtor’s job.”

“Maybe, but we found this place on our own.” Elena grinned, reliving the fond memory.

Julie remembered the excitement of hunting for her first house. She hadn’t even been twenty years old. Instead of a getting the usual one season pickup, her show had been guaranteed at least three more years because of its success, so her mother had insisted she invest in real estate. “Abbey will get some names, but in the meantime, it won’t kill us to see what’s out there.”

“What’s our budget?” Cal perused the first page. “Because there’s a twenty-five-thousand-square-foot place in Holmby Hills on the market for twenty million.” She arched a blond eyebrow.

“What would I do in twenty-five thousand square feet?” Julie didn’t wait for an answer. “I’d get lost. Try for something about a fifth of that size. I don’t need more than three bedrooms. Four tops.”

“Another canyon house?” Abbey asked as she flipped a page.

“No,” Elena answered. “After what just happened the other night, I think we’ve learned our lesson about canyon homes.”

“No offense, Elena...” Cal peeked from over the rim of her paper. “But if someone’s going to be shooting, it’s not going to matter if the house is in a canyon or not.”

Elena arched one honey-blond eyebrow in a clear Mom-glare that spoke volumes.

“Jules, your mom is mad at me. Save me.”

“Stop it, both of you,” Julie said.

Cal glanced at her watch and her eyes opened wide. “Shit, I wasn’t keeping track of time. I have a nail appointment.” She hopped off the sofa, tugged down her thigh-hugging skirt and snatched her frap and bag off the table on her way to the door.

“Are you sure you don’t want to carpool tomorrow?” Julie asked as she followed her. “I don’t like showing up to these things alone.” It wasn’t that she hadn’t walked down a ton of red carpets on her own before, but it never made the process easier.

“I’m sure. I have to leave right after the luncheon. Drew’s at my place for a couple of nights while the house is being tented and I’m still worried about him.”

“Is everything all right?” Elena asked, setting her tea down and joining them at the door as Abbey started picking up napkins and bits of trash around the coffee table.

“Yeah. He’s just depressed. That volunteer thing I sent him to didn’t have a lasting effect and he thinks I was trying to get rid of him. He says I don’t spend enough time with him. It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s never enough so...” She shrugged.

“Oh, sweetie.” Elena hugged her tight and Julie made it a threesome with her arms around both of them.

Julie pulled back first. “I know he doesn’t usually like to be in a crowd, but why don’t you try and bring him tomorrow. Maybe it will cheer him up.”

A smile curved Cal’s lips. “I think he might love that. He really misses you, but isn’t it too-short notice?”

“Hey, the luncheon is for me. I’m sure they can accommodate one more person. There are always no-shows at this kind of thing. I’ll call and set it up now.”

Cal hugged her tight again, a quick squeeze, before pulling away. “I think it’s a great idea. Drew will flip. Thank you. Now, I need to hit the road or I’ll only get seven out of ten nails done.” Cal turned to Elena. “Why are you not carpooling with your daughter?”

“I have to leave early so I can make a doctor’s appointment before I pack for Arizona. I decided to drive.”

“Oh, no,” Cal said, the knowing sadness in her eyes. “Again?”

Elena nodded. “Yes, and no. It’s been a roller coaster for months. At the moment, Brian’s doing well. It’s his sixtieth birthday so I want to be there for him to celebrate. Vicki can’t get enough time off work, but I thought one of us should be there.” She shook her head. “Not sure how many more he has in the future, you know?”

“Well, that’s sweet. Big brother is sure keeping you on your toes,” Cal commented.

Elena nodded. “I guess that’s what brothers do.”

“Sure seems that way.” Cal opened the door and scooted out. “See you both at lunch tomorrow.” She waved. “Don’t be late!”

Julie waved and shut the door. The only time she’d been late had been for the Sporties. Then she’d almost been dead.

* * *

Troy looked around the crowded downstairs lobby at yet another event with Ari. A dozen or so Hollywood bigwigs loitered near the upstairs bar, sipping their drinks and schmoozing it up. Cameras flashed all around as did the jewels worn by most of the women. Troy hadn’t seen this much glitz in the middle of the day since...the Sporties. That memory brought a cold chill down his spine and he shrugged it off.

He hated dressing in suits. Last night he’d been thirty seconds away from calling Sophia Nepali and quitting. He hated this job more than any other he’d ever taken, for too many reasons to count. Usually he watched the cheating spouses from a distance, and got up close and personal with a Canon Rebel EOS with a high def lens. He’d never worked undercover in a situation like this nor had he expected it to last anywhere near this long. In fact, the longer he shadowed Ari, the more certain he became that although the man wanted into Julie’s pants, he hadn’t gotten there yet. That Ari
wanted
there was a given. After all, there weren’t too many men who didn’t want to take Julie to bed. But whereas early on, Troy had thought Julie was just as likely as anyone to sleep with a married man, now his instincts screamed at him, and they were saying something a lot different.

He’d had plenty of time to look at the pictures he’d taken of Julie and Ari that night at her front door. Julie had not shown one speck of body language that indicated she wanted the man touching her, much less kissing her. Still, Troy couldn’t discount the kiss because he’d seen it with his own eyes, over and over and over again as he stared at the damning photos.

It didn’t surprise him that this luncheon honored Julie, but he hadn’t known until they got there. Ari had told him only where they were going, and since Ari had produced Julie’s last big movie, it made sense for him to be here.

Ari’s introduction presenting Julie with an award seemed heartfelt. The crowd applauded as Julie accepted it and gave her speech. Troy hadn’t realized the type of money she donated to animal causes.

Now as he and Ari made their way up a giant curving staircase toward the bar where many of the stragglers remained since the luncheon was breaking up, Ari stopped to talk to yet another man about his forthcoming picture. Sometimes Troy honestly thought Ari was having an affair with his movie and not a woman. He ate, lived and breathed this film.

Troy glanced around the second level, looking for any other familiar faces Ari might know. He spotted Julie at the bar with her friend Carrie Ann, another older woman who looked remarkably like her—had to be her mother—and a younger man. The woman set her glass down, kissed Julie on the cheek and gave her a heartfelt hug. The gesture and the way she spoke to Julie told Troy these two were tight. Another pang hit his own chest as he thought about all the hugs he’d missed out on from his own mother. Troy quickly banished the thought. Next, Julie’s mom hugged Carrie Ann and the guy, and walked toward the elevators to the right. Julie turned and continued her conversation with her friend. She looked like a star from the fifties in her pencil skirt and cream silk top. She looked exactly like America’s Sweetheart. The moniker fit her perfectly. She was innocence and beauty rolled into one. She embodied old-time Hollywood with new-age beauty. Old-time comedy with class and distinction.

Troy looked away before his dick got hard. The skirt she wore detailed every curve of her hips, ass and thighs. The sleeveless top allowed everyone to see the power in her arms and shoulders.

Ari finished up with the man in front of him and continued up the stairs. Troy followed like a dog at heel and once again wanted to tell Sophia to find another patsy.

Julie’s gaze swept the room and passed right over him and Ari. Then she looked again. She cocked her head and a sexy little grin curved her lips. Troy was damn sure she aimed that grin his way, but Ari must have seen it and thought it was for him because after shaking hands with yet another man, he excused himself and continued up the staircase.

Not to Troy’s surprise, Julie said something to her friend and came toward them.

Another man stopped Ari and delayed their progress. Troy kept an eye on Julie as she drew closer. She got a few feet from the top of the stairs when her friend Carrie Ann stopped her. The same man from the bar approached, medium height and build with blond hair, and Julie’s smile brightened as he neared. He was only a foot away when he tripped on something and flew forward like a projectile.

Julie’s proximity to the stairs made every muscle in Troy’s body tense. The whole situation played itself out in his head about a second before it happened.

The guy slammed into Carrie Ann and the domino effect unfolded. Carrie Ann’s eyes widened. Her hands flew up to protect herself from the impact. She screamed as she slammed into Julie. With her body facing Carrie Ann, Julie went flying backward, airborne over the stairs.

Chapter Nine

Julie’s pulse mushroom bombed as Cal came at her. Had she not been so close to the stairs she might have laughed, but with Cal’s velocity, Julie could only brace herself for contact. Cal didn’t so much as fall
into
her
as
at
her
. Her best friend sent her flying. With her back to the stairs she had no way to protect herself, no arms or legs to cushion her fall. Not that arms or legs could cushion a fall like this. They’d more likely break into many pieces as she was going to do very shortly.

Still airborne, a heavy weight hit her before she connected with the stairs. Strong arms surrounded her, twisting her in midair, before they hit. Impact knocked the breath from both of them. She heard it whoosh out of his lungs on a gust as she landed on a solid chest instead of the hard stairs. They rolled a few steps and finally settled on the first landing.

Julie didn’t move. Couldn’t move. Her heart pounded wildly, her breathing rough and loud between her ears. She clearly had a guardian angel. Either that or she was a cat in a former life and those nine lives were coming back to save her now.

A familiar scent wafted up her nostrils. A spicy cologne she associated with one particular man. She lifted her head and gazed into the eyes of Troy Mills.

“We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he said at the same time she said, “You. Again?”

Julie’s racing heart fluttered at their position. Draped completely over Troy’s chest, the intimacy hit her just as clearly as the growing erection in Troy’s pants. With his arms still securely around her, she’d never felt more safe or protected. Their legs entwined like lovers and his palms brushed soothingly across her back.

Her initial fear of his immediate injuries waned as she looked at his smile and watched the intensity in his eyes. “You know if you keep saving my ass like this, I’m going to have to put you on the payroll.” Her voice sounded much too husky for her own good, but her grin mirrored his.

“It’s becoming a habit I—”

“
Querida
!” Ari’s voice broke the spell and Julie looked up to see the crowd gathering around them.

“I’m okay.” She glanced at Troy. “Are
you
okay?” The fall had to hurt. She’d knocked the wind out of him just as surely as if she’d punched him.

“I think so. I—”

“Julie!” Cal’s voice rose above the worried muted whispers.

Ari helped her off Troy and she felt a loss at the separation. She glanced up again when Cal called her a second time. She spotted her best friend through the crowd of people who’d gathered at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide and panic-stricken.

“Oh my God, Julie!” Cal stood and winced, keeping her weight on her right foot. “Are you okay?” she asked even though she was the one hurt.

“I’m okay.” A couple of men helped Troy to his feet as Julie carefully took the stairs on shaky legs. Several people made way for her. “But it looks like you’re hurt. Did you sprain your ankle?”

“I don’t know. I might have just twisted it.” She turned to her brother, still on the floor where he’d fallen into her. “Drew, are you okay?”

Drew lay curled up into a tight ball on the carpet, his shoulders shaking. Cal’s hurt ankle suddenly became an afterthought as both of them surrounded Drew. For a twenty-five-year-old man, he looked more like a little boy.

Julie put her hand on his shoulder. “Drew, it’s okay. Everyone is okay,” she assured him.

“No,” he shouted, the word muffled behind his arms. “It’s
not
okay
!”

“Yes, it is,” Cal said, trying to soothe him. “I’m fine. It barely hurts and Julie is fine too.”

“Drew,” Julie said, stroking his arm. “C’mon, let’s get up and I’ll buy you a Coke. How does that sound?”

He sniffed loudly and peeked out from behind his arms, his eyes skeptical. He rolled over and grabbed Julie in an awkward hug. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” His warm breath whooshed past her ear.

“Honey, it was an accident.” Julie gave him a last reassuring squeeze and pulled away.

He looked at the crowd gathered around him and his brows pulled together. “I want to go home.” He didn’t exactly shout the words, but his snarl and gritted teeth hinted at the definite possibility.

Cal shot Julie a warning glance. Drew was about to have a serious meltdown. “Fine,” Cal said, rubbing his arm. “We can go. I’ll take us right now.”

“No!” he shouted again. “I want to go to
my
house.”

A flush of embarrassment heated Julie’s face. Though Cal had mentioned Drew having more behavioral issues, she’d never seen him like this.

Taking a steadying breath, Cal shut her eyes briefly and seemed to ready for the battle. She sat next to Drew. “I know you do, but the house is being tented for termites. You have to stay with me for a few days.”

“No!” he shouted again, still on the floor and physically backing away from them both, his attention on the people watching them.

Julie bent to hear Cal’s whisper. “He’s pissed because he thought we were going to be sitting at your table.”

A freight train loaded with guilt slammed into Julie, and another wave of heat spread across her skin. “I am so sorry,” she whispered back. “I thought they’d squeeze him in at the table. I didn’t think they’d move you to sit with him somewhere else.”

Cal shrugged like it was no big deal, but Julie still felt bad.

“Drew,” Julie said, hoping to help. “What if I come with you guys?”

Cal covertly mouthed
thank
you
behind her hand.

“We can catch up. I’m still upset that I had to cancel our lunch a couple of months ago.” They’d rescheduled, but she’d had to cancel that appointment too after being shot. “What do you say? I can follow you and Cal home.”

Drew slowly met her gaze. He had a lost look in his eyes that was becoming too familiar. “You will?” he asked. Julie realized that Hollywood had crushed the boy who’d had such huge hopes and dreams. He’d not only lost his confidence, he’d lost his self-esteem. It was as if Tinseltown had literally stolen Drew’s mental health. His father’s suicide hadn’t helped anything, nor had the fact that Drew had found Andrew Sr.’s body. His life had been a downhill slide ever since.

“Sure.” She took his hand and squeezed. “We can make some popcorn and catch up. How does that sound?”

A smile blossomed on his face and he looked like the old Drew. Julie still couldn’t figure out why Hollywood had passed over him for so many years. He was a good-looking guy with the same blond hair and amazing light brown eyes as his sister. “It sounds good. As long as you don’t go back on your word.”

Ouch. That stung. Apparently he wanted to hold onto his grudge because she’d canceled their last two visits. “I won’t go back on my word. Jeez. Give me a break,” she teased with an eye roll and quick smack to his forearm. “It’s not every day a girl gets shot and loses her spleen.”

Drew’s eyes rounded before his face crinkled up. Uh oh. Wrong thing to say. The man was going to cry any minute. He had more moods than a schizophrenic with bipolar issues.

“C’mon,” Julie said, rising to her feet and extending a hand. “Let’s blow this joint so we can get comfortable and pop in a movie or something.”

“Blow this joint,” Drew echoed. He laughed and took her hand, his mood shifting once again. “I like that.” He reminded her of the eleven-year-old boy she’d first met in acting class with Cal. He’d been fearless, ready to tackle any scene or exercise. He’d had an energy and vitality that made him stand out.

“Hey. Yo. What about me?” Cal said from her spot on the floor. “I could use a little help.” She lifted both hands, and Julie and Drew each grabbed one and pulled her up. She tested her ankle by circling it and putting some weight on it. “I think I’m good,” she said with a wink to her brother.

His sweet smile decimated Julie. Drew’s love for his sister shone as bright as sparklers on the Fourth of July. Ever since their mom had died nine years ago, Cal had taken care of Drew. She’d been not only his older sister, but his surrogate mother.

Julie respected her best friend. Cal had a lot on her plate dealing with Drew and her career, paying for the mortgage on the house she grew up in and her own condo. She had a big nut to crack every month, but she’d been doing it for years.

An arm draped around Julie’s shoulders and she recognized Ari’s strong scent of patchouli. As usual, he had his dark hair slicked back against his head. Her smile faltered and she got the heebie jeebies when he kissed her temple. Troy stood just behind him, looking as if nothing had happened, his face stony.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ari asked softly in her ear.

“I’m fine.” She didn’t like putting up with Ari’s roaming hands in public. For some unexplainable reason, she couldn’t meet Troy’s gaze. Only at the last minute did she look into his eyes. “Thank you,” she whispered.

He nodded, his expression somber, his lips a grim line.

She wanted to hug him, wanted to see the smile she’d seen in the hospital when they’d talked and joked. He stood four feet away but it might as well have been miles. It was as if some invisible barrier kept them separated.

Well,
bullshit
to that. She didn’t care what anyone thought, especially Ari, so she pulled out from his arm and marched over to Troy, where she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Really. I seem to say it a lot, but thank you.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her briefly. He felt so solid against her, like he could withstand anything that came at him, be it bullets or a flight of stairs. She pulled away and looked into his eyes, finally getting the whisper of a smile she’d been hoping for.

“Julie,” Drew called. “C’mon. We’re waiting.”

Right. Drew. After saying more goodbyes, Julie and Drew helped Cal to the garage. Julie promised to follow directly behind to keep Drew from having a panic attack.

She would’ve rather been with Troy, thanking him a different way for breaking her fall. Just thinking about how close she’d come to breaking her neck had a chill racing down her spine. She’d never forget the strength of the man beneath her.

Her thigh still tingled where she’d felt him grow against her. She flushed at the memory, at the heat in his gaze, the solid strength of his muscles and the pounding of his heart beneath her. God, what a stud. She shook off the haze as she started her car and waited for Cal to pass her going out of the garage.

It took about thirty minutes to get to Cal’s Studio City place, and Julie helped her up the small flight of steps to the building and her spacious condo.

Cal and Julie both ditched their heels as soon as they walked in the door, and Drew slipped off his navy blazer. He went straight to the kitchen. “I’m making popcorn,” he singsonged. His foul mood seemed to have disappeared, which suited Julie fine.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Julie said, doing the
hold
it
in
dance of someone who’d had too much to drink at lunch. She beelined to the guest bathroom where all of Drew’s things cluttered the dark marble countertop.

“Hey, Julie,” Drew yelled a minute later from outside the door. “I made some of that mango tea you talked about. Will you have some and tell me what you think?”

Julie finished in the bathroom, washed her hands and opened the door to see Drew with a whopper of a smile creasing his face. “Well, since I’ve lightened my load, I can have some, sure,” she said.

Drew had already poured them each a glass. Julie carried one to Cal, who had a comfortable spot on the sofa. Julie sat back on the thick cushions. The couch was very similar to the one she had at her house. Cal had fallen in love with it and bought nearly the same thing in a different color.

Cal gulped her drink. “Ugh. Drew, what’s in here? I think it’s a little bitter. What do you think?” She stretched out on the sofa, her foot nearly in Julie’s lap.

Julie tasted the drink. It was icy cold just the way she liked her tea, but Cal was right about the bitterness. She didn’t want Drew backsliding into a depression though and she took another sip. “This is...interesting. Maybe I’ll pick some up for my place. With a lot of sugar.”

Drew beamed and took a drink. He grimaced. “Yuck, this is awful!”

Julie sipped more and made a face just to elicit a laugh from Drew. It worked.

Cal puckered her lips together after another taste. “I’m so tired. How come three-hour luncheons wipe me out so fast?” She set her glass on the coffee table.

Julie had more tea, then set it next to Cal’s. She couldn’t hold back a giant yawn. “Because it’s exhausting to be ‘on’ for that many hours.” She stretched her legs, crossed her ankles on the coffee table and leaned her head back on the sofa. “This is nice,” she muttered.

“It is nice,” Drew said. “When was the last time the three of us spent any alone time together?”

The carefree smile on his face made Julie happy. She shook her head. “I can’t even remember.”

“It’s been years,” Drew said before sipping his own tea. His voice sounded sad and maybe a little angry. “I feel like you guys have left me behind.”

Cal lifted one eyebrow. “What are you talking about? I see you all the time.”

Scowling at her best friend, Julie scrambled for damage control. “Drew, I miss this too. But sometimes schedules change and I can’t control what happens.” When the three of them had first met, they’d been virtually inseparable. Julie loved them both like the siblings she’d always wanted and never had. But as her career took off and life got busy, her time with Drew had dwindled to a fraction of what it used to be. Julie didn’t realize Drew’s mood swings had become so frequent. Cal hadn’t mentioned him having any public breakdowns and Julie hadn’t thought to ask.

As she watched Cal, a pang of sympathy hit her chest. Cal worked her butt off to keep her brother safe. Drew had been a happy kid for the most part, but after their father had committed suicide, he’d withdrawn. Cal had managed to pull him out of his depression just in time for their mother to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She’d died within six months of their father’s funeral. It was as if Drew snapped after that. He’d retreated to someplace in his mind and hadn’t managed to cope with life. He held down a job bagging groceries at the market around the corner, and Julie figured that’s what kept him as grounded as he was.