Rumor Has It: A Bad Boy Romantic Comedy (19 page)

“I’m at the hospital.”

“Are Connor and Louis okay?”

“Connor’s still in surgery but they expect him to make a full recovery. Louis’s doing well. He’s ordering all the nurses around so I guess he’s feeling better. What about you?”

“I’m just a little shaken up, but I’m with Theo, so…” I left it unsaid that I was safe in his hands. Shonda understood.

“Louis’s publicist is dead,” I blurted out.

It was strange to say it out loud. She felt so unstoppable. What would happen now that she wasn’t around to manipulate all our lives?

“I know that prick from Gossip Guru won’t leave me alone. They claim we promised them an exclusive.”

“I sort of did.”

I glanced at Theo. He was watching me closely. His disdain for Hollywood bullshit had not diminished in the last few days.

“Just handle it,” I said to Shonda. “I trust you. I can’t deal with this now… or ever again.”

“But, I can’t just-”

“Thanks, bye.”

I hung up the phone and crawled across the bed. The phone immediately started to ring again. Theo picked it up. It was Shonda.

“Just hit Ignore,” I said.

“Are you sure?”

“I need peace and quiet. Shonda can figure out the rest.”

Theo shut off his phone. I curled up next to him, twisting my bare leg around his.

“You’re not too hurt to…”

“To, what?” he said with a mischievous smile.

“You know.” I slid my hand down his chest and slowly stroked his cock. I kissed his stomach. “Does that hurt?”

He answered with a sigh. He ran his fingers through my hair, then moved me on top of him. I slid down onto his cock and started to slowly move. Theo rested his hands on my hips and watched my body sway. I felt like I was guided by music heard only by the two of us.

“I want to go away,” I gasped.

“Where?”

“Somewhere far away- where no one knows me. Somewhere that no one can find us.”

I gasped as Theo repositioned me. My body clenched around his cock. I kept moving in the same steady flow. Heat rose and trembled inside me, threatening to burst open. I put my hands over his. His fingers slid between mine, interlocking.

“Take me away, Theo. Please. I need you.”

I rode him slowly, not wanting the moment to end. When we’d both finished, we held each other. Neither of us slept. There was too much to consider.

Six Months Later

“It’s too tight!” I protested.

The harness looped between my legs, cutting into the insides of my thighs painfully. I wore my superhero costume, a dark red and black spandex number that left little to the imagination. It was paired with thigh-high boots that had a three inch heel. The outfit was completely impractical for fighting crime, but this was a movie. Practicality doesn’t factor into it.

I stood in front of a green screen and waited for the director to yell: “Action!”

I would be pulled backwards into the air by wires and land softly on padding about thirty feet away. Movie magic would make it look like I was being thrown into the air after being shot by a plasma blast from the main villain. The reality was far less exciting.

“Somebody fix the harness,” the director shouted.

I waited patiently as the practical effects guys tried to fix the rigging. I looked past them. In the shadows, Theo watched with an amused smile on his face. I returned the look and we shared a secret laugh. Show business was ridiculous. I realized now more than ever how important it was to never forget that. It’s so easy to get lost in the adoration of fans and ass-kissers. The worst thing that can happen in this business is to start believing your own hype.

Actually, it’s the second worse thing. The worst is losing your life.

My eyes darted around the set. There were so many strange faces. Shooting big action scenes requires a large crew. I didn’t recognize anyone except for the producers and the director. It made me nervous. I still hadn’t fully recovered from the trauma of being kidnapped and attacked.

Theo was never far away, though. He kept his eyes out for anyone suspicious. Connor was always at his side. He walked a bit stiffly since being shot, but he was more than capable of taking down a threat. Not far behind was Shonda. She and Connor were attached at the hip these days. She’d never admit it, but she was head over heels for him.

As for Louis, it turned out getting shot was the best thing to ever happen to him. His brush with death forced him to see what was important in life. He came out as gay and introduced the world to his boyfriend.

The studio was furious. They expected heavy backlash. When none came, they were bewildered. Louis’s fans didn’t abandon him. Some of the younger girls were upset that their fantasy of marrying Louis was crushed, but they got over it. Most of them moved on to swooning over how cute Louis was with his partner. The genuine affection they showed for each other was more endearing than the phony love we shared for the public.

Word about our contract never made its way into the public, though many people whispered about it. We neither confirmed nor denied the rumors. Gossip Guru got their big scoop on Louis’s publicist’s murder, along with all the details of her involvement in orchestrating the kidnapping. The press had a field day. It overshadowed real news in our country for weeks.

I was bombarded with interview requests, not to mention being harassed by the paparazzi more than ever. There was only one way out. Theo and I boarded a private jet and took off. I rented an island and we spent the next five months making love in the sand and drinking pina coladas.

My life as Jamie Kelly, America’s Sweetheart felt like a distant memory. Then I got a call from Shonda. I was contractually obligated to film this superhero movie. If I didn’t honor my commitment the studio could sue me for lost revenue and breach of contract. I could potentially owe them hundreds of millions of dollars. Needless to say, I dragged my ass back to Hollywood and prepared to film.

Now that I’d been on set a couple weeks, the acting bug had bitten me again. The production was a mess, but it reminded me of how much I loved to act. I’d been inundated with scripts since my kidnapping. I didn’t read any of them. I’d vowed to retire. I’d since changed my mind. I only wanted to read meaty roles though. I was sick of being America’s Sweetheart. I wanted to play parts that were challenging, in movies I could be proud of.

I expected Theo to protest, but he was happy for me.

“As long as you’re passionate about it,” he said.

I’d forgotten what it was like to feel passionate about anything. Luckily Theo was around to remind me.

“Are we ready?” the director screamed. The crew guys quickly ran out of the shot. “Action!”

I took my mark and looked sternly off camera, as if I was staring down the film’s villain. Suddenly, the wires pulled tight. I was hurdled into the air. I landed with a soft thud. I laughed. It was insane that I got paid to do this for a living.

“Cut! Reset the shot!”

The crew members helped me up. I was immediately surrounded by my Glam Squad. They went to work fixing my hair and makeup so we could film the scene again. I winked at Theo just as the director yelled, ‘Action!’ and I was thrown into the air again.

Theo and I did everything we could to avoid the paparazzi. I didn’t interact with them anymore. I didn’t tip them off to where I was going. My presence in the tabloids dropped dramatically. The truth is most celebrities are lying when they say it’s impossible to hide from the paparazzi. If you don’t tip them off, they mostly leave you alone. They can’t follow you all the time. I’d learned to avoid them.

Eventually they lost interest in me.

Theo and I slipped into a café downtown to eat. We drank and ate Mexican food until I was so stuffed I thought I would puke. Then we walked around downtown, hand-in-hand, taking in the sights. At one point, we passed a group of girls. I saw the excitement light up one of the girls’ eyes. She recognized me. She furiously whispered to her friends, “That’s Jamie Kelly!”

I smiled to myself and squeezed Theo’s hand.

“That’s not her,” the other girl said rudely. “She’s too fat.”

Instead of being offended, I burst out laughing. I’d put on about twenty pounds since the kidnapping fiasco, but I was far from fat. Everyone’s used to seeing celebrities stick thin with full faces of makeup and perfectly stylish outfits. When it was just me and Theo, I do my own hair and makeup; I dress casually. America’s Sweetheart died when ‘John’ entered my life. I had no desire to resurrect her.

My kidnapper’s real name turned out to be Leigh Allen. He’d spent his life in and out of jail, mostly for petty crimes. He did have a history of stalking, though. He’d admitted to killing Louis’s publicist, kidnapping me and shooting the others, but he was found incompetent to stand trial. He ended up in a mental institution.

I had mixed feelings about the verdict. On one hand, he was mentally ill and needed help. On the other hand, I was terrified of him. What if he was released? Would he come looking for me? I leaned into Theo. He wrapped an arm around me and kissed the top of my head as we walked through the city at sunset.

We were safe as long as we were together. Nothing could rip us apart. Could it?

We stopped at a bridge to watch the sun disappear over the horizon. He kissed me sweetly, then his eyes darted past me. He was always watching for danger. My protector, my savior and now my lover. As long as we were together, the world felt a little safer.

Hollywood bullshit didn’t matter as long Theo was by my side.

The End

Daddy Dearest

Part One

Genevieve

“The best way to get over a man is to get under a new one.”

“Mom! Christ, I don’t want your romance advice.”

I put a pillow over my face and tried to block out the sight of my mother modeling her new lingerie in front of a mirror.

“Do you think Luke will like this?”

From the corner of my eye I could see her turn and suck in her stomach. She readjusted her red bra and squeezed her tits together, creating deep cleavage. I have to admit, my mom has a killer body. She’s spares no expense when it comes to ‘personal upkeep.’ That’s her way of describing a visit to the plastic surgeon.

She’s had the works: multiple boob jobs, lipo, butt injections, a nose job, on and on. I’ve lost count of how many procedures she’s had. Her plastic surgeon has turned her into a living Barbie.

Guys lose their shit over her. They think she’s the hottest woman on the planet. Her boyfriends-
and I use that term loosely
- spoil her rotten. She always juggles multiple wealthy men at the same time. She calls them her ‘Daddies’ because they take care of all her needs and in return… well, I don’t want to think about it.

Her Daddies take her on expensive vacations on their private jets and on shopping sprees at designer stores. My mother is pampered beyond anything you could imagine. Which was why I was shocked to learn she was getting married. Or as she put it: “I’m buying in.”

“Buying what?” I’d asked.

“Buying a future. I’m getting married.”

I was surprised to learn she was giving up her Daddies and going exclusive. I’d puzzled over why she would do such a thing, when a horrifying thought popped into my mind.

“Oh my God, you’re pregnant!”

“No! Don’t be silly,” she replied. “Though, there’s still time.”

She laughed deviously and winked at me. My mother was not the greatest parent. She had me when she was sixteen and as far as I can tell never matured past that point. She’s always treated me like a little sister, even going so far as to invite me out drinking and partying with her.

Of course, I always refuse the offer. I can’t think of anything more horrifying than watching my mother work one of her Daddies for money. She lies and manipulates them, telling them whatever they want to hear until they open their wallets. Her hustle has afforded us a comfortable lifestyle, but it came at the cost of her dignity. I’d trade it all for a boring, normal life with a boring, normal mom.

“So, what do you think?” she asked.

She propped her butt out as she stared at herself in the mirror. She had skinny long legs and a big round ass. Men loved it, but she looked strange to me; her body proportions were off. It gave her the look of a centaur. I laughed to myself at the thought of her face on the body of a centaur.

“What’s so funny?” she said defensively.

“Nothing mom. I was just thinking about something that happened last night,” I lied.

“How many times have I told you to stop calling me mom?”

“Sorry,
Val
.”

“You’re no help. You’re too distracted by that silly boy. What’s his name? Carson? Larson?”

“Not even close. His name is Michael.”

“Whatever. You know I don’t approve of you dating a boy like that.”

By a ‘boy like that’ she meant unemployed. Michael was a student. He was focused on getting his degree in philosophy. He’d introduced me to a world I never knew existed. We took long walks in the park discussing works of literature and poetry. We could spend all night talking about the universe and our place in it.

It all came crashing down when I caught him in bed with another girl; I wanted to die. I thought we had something special. Clearly, I was wrong.

“He’s smart and sophisticated. He’s more mature than most adults I know,” I said giving her a knowing look.

“He’s also broke with a dead end future. And he can’t keep his dick in his pants.”

I groaned and put the pillow over my face.

“Don’t kill the messenger. The guy’s a loser. I can set you up with this hedge fund manager I know. He owns his own jet and-”

“Pass!” I yelled. My voice was muffled by the pillow, but she seemed to get the point.

“If you’d prefer a guy closer in age to you, he has a son. The kid doesn’t have as much money as his father, but he’s got a trust fund that’s big enough to buy your happiness.”

“Happiness can’t be bought.”

My mother laughed. “Sure.”

“Is that why you’re getting married? Did Luke buy your happiness?”

“I’m getting married because I’m not getting any younger. I can’t believe you’re eighteen now.” She gave me a side long glance as if I’d conspired to turn eighteen just to make her older. “Luke is my retirement plan. It’s time I settle down. Because of this fabulous apartment, I have no money in savings. But Luke will take care of me.”

“Must be nice,” I muttered.

“It is. It could be nice for you too. Your inheritance is my little black book. It has the names of some of the wealthiest most well-connected men in the world in it. It should take you no time at all to land a wealthy Daddy with the connections I have. If only you weren’t so stubborn.”

“I’d rather do things the old-fashioned way. Meet a guy, fall in love with him- not his bank account. I want a man who respects me, a man I can call my partner- not my ‘Daddy.’”

My mother shrugged. “Suit yourself.”

She sounded disappointed. I was beyond caring. I was starting college in the fall. I’d be away from my mother and on my own for the first time ever. It was exciting and terrifying. I couldn’t wait, but I was plagued with anxiety.

‘What now?’ flashed through my mind with frightening regularity. I had no idea what I wanted to major in. The thought of dedicating my future to one profession was scary. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life working in an office cubicle. There was a lot to consider before the fall semester starts.

“What are you wearing tonight Gigi?” my mother asked.

She was in the middle of taking a selfie. I hoped she was sending it to Luke and not posting in online. It was bad enough I had a mother who dressed and acted the way she did. I didn’t need all my friends seeing pictures of her on the internet.

“Stop calling me Gigi. I prefer Genevieve.”

She rolled her eyes. “What are you wearing?”

“I don’t know. A sweater? Jeans?”

“Absolutely not. Luke is taking us to a
very
nice restaurant. You will dress accordingly. Do you understand?”

My mother didn’t normally get this angry. She must have been nervous. It was strange. My mother was always confident when it came to men. What was it about Luke that had her worried?