The Complete Groupie Trilogy (90 page)

She nodded but wasn’t entirely reassured. After a brief lunch they went their separate ways for the rest of the day, and didn’t head for home until after seven o’clock that evening. He wanted to stop by a restaurant on their way home, but her ears were still ringing with Graham’s warnings from that afternoon.

She was an unenthusiastic partner as they ran the gauntlet of paparazzo at a popular restaurant on Melrose. She found herself hiding her hand in her coat pocket as they were ushered to a private booth in the back. It was the most uncomfortable she had ever felt with him, and their little baby Bean kept her stomach coiled in knots so that she really didn’t enjoy the pricey meal despite the restaurant’s renowned reputation.

He sensed her discomfort and slid around the booth to pull her close. She shook her head and tried to keep him at arm’s length, but he was undaunted as he kept her close. He tipped her head up to look into his dark eyes. “Let them see,” he said before his mouth lowered on hers and he kissed her for the whole world – or at least a few dozen people in Beverly Hills – to see. It was even more passionate than he’d normally indulge for a public display of affection, or PDA, but he was determined to make a statement.

In truth, he was trying to force the hand of fate. He no longer wanted to wait for the end of the week. He wanted the whole world to know he and Andy were in love, especially since he was feeling particularly vulnerable finding her in Graham’s arms that very afternoon.

His jaw still clenched to think about it. She had found comfort in the arms of another man, another man who had managed to wedge himself between them for the past few years. If she had walked in on him holding Holly, he would have had hell to pay. He had felt uncomfortable even touching her body to feel the baby, or remembering how that baby was conceived. Now that he and Andy were together, really, honestly together, he couldn’t imagine being with anyone else.

He was an idiot for trying to fit anyone in the Andy-shaped hole in his heart for the past four years. No one fit. No one filled him like Andy. He kissed her again, and put her hand on the table so the entire world – or at least the few dozen people in Beverly Hills – could see the symbol of love he had placed on her finger.

No one would get between them again. N
ot Graham. Not Holly. Not PING.

He was rewarded for his efforts by breaking news on the Internet by the time they got home.

DEADBEAT DAD GIOVANNI CARNEVALE CAUGHT CANOODLING WITH OTHER WOMAN. Even though Andy had been linked with Vanni in the press before, she wasn’t named. But Holly was. It was pointed out almost gleefully that she was in serious condition at a local hospital and had nearly lost their child. He was painted as the loser who was spending too much money while he romanced an “overweight” woman the press clearly didn’t think needed to be fed.

Their romantic night together was interrupted by texts from Holly and texts from Graham and Shannon. When they collapsed into bed at midnight, neither was in the mood to resume their am
orous intent from that morning.

Even more disturbing, Vanni’s new stalker left a doll in a box on their doorstep. It was a doll, its head separated from its body, in some psychotic, unspoken threat. They were late for work as they filed a report about the discomforting discovery, and the security guy reported straight to Graham about the new development. He had tried to call her but she silenced her phone. Vanni didn’t need the extra aggravation.

Andy was pretty shaken when they met with Shannon once they got to the lot. She and Dixie had already discussed what they wanted to do about things. Essentially they wanted everyone to keep a lid on any further scandal. Vanni told them they could fire him if they wanted to, but he was still going to announce his engagement and baby with Andy publicly. It could be at their press conference or it could be a separate event, but it was going to happen.

Later, in her office, Andy stared at the ring on her finger. It was the proof of his love, and yet she was considering taking it off until the furor died down surrounding Holly. If Vanni had known he would have blown a gasket. He was ready to brave the firestorm of media backlash in a way she had not seen since he took a stand against Jasper Carrington years ago. Only this time he wasn’t fighting for his reputation, he was fighting for hers.

He had been livid when he read the hurtful things they had written about her. And that could only get worse once they knew he had chosen her over Holly. In their world, people didn’t understand why he’d reject sweet, wholesome, beautiful Holly over someone like Andy, who – if they connected the dots from December – would be considered the home-wrecker that destroyed their upcoming marriage.

As if PING read her mind, they released that story almost verbatim, with corresponding photos, by lunch. Shannon called them back into her office, only this time her tune had changed. The tawdry way their relationship was being portrayed in the press could only be helped by a press release detailing the fact they were serious and
committed. They called Gwen to have her craft the announcement, but Andy was anything but excited as they drove home that night.

Her stomach dropped when they found another box. They called security, and the officer opened to find a similar doll, this time missing her head and one of her arms. That night, Andy didn’t have her dream about Vanni leaving her for another woman.

Instead she dreamed that she opened her front door to find Talia standing there, with a gun. In an explosive blast, she felt every limb separate from her body and her head roll away.

She jerked awake in a cold sweat. Vanni had his arm draped across her stomach, and dozed peacefully through her freak-out. She lay back against the pillows
and tried to catch her breath.

But there was no sleep for Andy Foster the rest of that fitful night. Instead she watched the moonlight spark off of her engagement ring and wondered what the hell she was going to do next.

CHAPTER TEN

Redondo Beach, California

February 23, 2011

Both Vanni and Andy were cautious as they opened their front door that following morning, but thankfully they found no further disturbing packages on their porch. Thanks to surveillance cameras that had been mounted the day before, courtesy of Graham’s security team, apparently the stalker had been sufficiently deterred. It was a good start but Andy was still disturbed by her nightmare. She glanced over at Vanni, who was driving them to work. “I think we should start looking for another place to live,” she offered quietly.

As much as he loved their beach house, he had been thinking the same thing. How could he ask her to stay in their little love nest when it meant the crazies that orbited his world could have easy access to her? The idea that someone as deranged as Talia could easily show up on their doorstep to do whatever she wanted when they had a baby to protect was almost too much for Vanni to bear. Within days the stakes would rise for his family exponentially and the world would know the true heart of his vulnerability. He nodded. “We’ll start this weekend,” he promised.

She gave him a smile but it didn’t do much to assuage her anxiety. In fact, the closer they got to the weekend – which would begin with his press conference on Friday – the more anxious she became. She was essentially being threatened by an unknown source as it was. Imagine how unhinged this person could become, knowing she was expecting Vanni’s baby.

Was Holly experiencing this kind of threat? Somehow Andy didn’t think so. Those things seemed to be reserved for Andy alone.

She remembered back to her first encounters with Talia years before, and how she immediately sensed the threat was real even before anyone would take her seriously. Now the threat could come from anywhere.

If it weren’t for Graham’s security team, she would seriously consider staying in a hotel until they got to the bottom of who was behind their doorstep packages. She didn’t say as much to Vanni. She sensed that he wouldn’t take it well that another man helped her feel safe when he couldn’t.

In fact, if anything Vanni was further painting the target on her back by insisting upon going public with their relationship. As each moment ticked past, Andy started to lean toward Graham’s point of view they should hold off, at least temporarily until the initial dust had settled surrounding Holly.

The thoughts haunted her all day as the remnants of her nightmare lingered. Not only was she jumpy, she was irritable from her lack of sleep. Graham tried to corner her in her office that afternoon but she sidestepped him. She didn’t want to run the risk of Vanni finding them together again. She had to pick her battles now, and she was beginning to suspect asking Vanni to hold off on his announcement would require all of her energy.

She was quiet as they drove home. “You okay, babe?” he asked as he glanced over at where she sat in the darkened car. Their days at the studio were hectic and he didn’t get to see her much, to check on her to see if she was feeling okay. From her somber mood he wondered if maybe they had been overly ambitious with her new work schedule.

She gave him an absent nod. “We’re fine,” she said with a small smile. Pregnancy-wise, the day had been an easy one. Even with her increased level of anxiety, their little Bean had been quiet and low-maintenance. Every now and then she’d feel a reassuring little flutter, but with her increased activity, her constant motion had seemingly lulled their little bundle of joy to sleep all day.

They grabbed some Chinese food on the way home, and her appetite was good as they plowed through dinner. They sat on the floor around their coffee table, with the TV droning on in the background. They fed each other using their chopsticks, and amidst stolen kisses and laughter over a mindless sitcom rerun, the memory of her nightmare finally started to fade.

They cuddled together against the sofa as they shared a fortune cookie. She pulled out the tiny scrap of paper. “What does it say?” he asked as he nuzzled her ear.

She took a deep breath. “It says you should hold off making any important announcements.”

He stiffened as he pulled away. “Andy…” he started, but she cut him off.

“I’ve been thinking about it and I think… I think the producers are right. It’s too soon with all this Holly business.”

He glared at her. “You mean you think Graham is right. Shannon already told us we could make the announcement, that it would help our audience to know I’m in a committed relationship with you and that was why I didn’t run back to Holly.”

Her eyes met his. “I’m scared, Vanni. Not just for me, but for our baby. There’s just way too much in the air right now. Maybe once we get a new place…”

He pounced all over that. “Maybe?”

She said nothing. He hopped to his feet and grabbed the discarded food cartons across the coffee table. She rose to her feet as well. “Vanni, please. Don’t be angry.”

“Who’s angry? I’m just engaged to someone who doesn’t want the world to know who she is. What in the world is wrong with that?” he snapped as he went to the kitchen and busied himself with cleanup. “Tell me, Andy. Will our daughter be able to acknowledge me in public? Is that allowed?”

She sighed. He really didn’t like being denied what he really wanted. “You’re acting like a child,” she pointed out.

He spun around. “I’ll tell you what I’m acting like. I’m acting like a man who just realized his fiancé is afraid to be publicly linked to him. Or is it ashamed? Let’s be honest. I mean, let’s face it. I’m not exactly the pick of the litter anymore. Lost half of my fortune when I drove off a cliff with a hooker, who I nearly killed. I got another girl pregnant two months after I got you pregnant. I’m a recovering alcoholic and sex addict. And now my biggest claim to fame is a reality show. Not exactly ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’ material, am I?”

“I’m not ashamed of anything from our past,” she asserted.

“Either way it puts a pretty big crimp into our future plans, don’t you think?” He turned to face her. “And by not telling the world the truth, you always have the loophole to make a clean getaway. You can run back to Graham and no one would be the wiser. I mean, you were living with him as of three months ago, and you’re five months pregnant now. As long as you deny any association with me, it all fits neatly together.”

Her mouth fell open. Is that what he really thought? “I’m not going back to Graham,” she said.

“Really?” he challenged. “You looked pretty cozy in your office the other day. And isn’t it convenient that he offers me this show, and you a job, right when all the shit is hitting the fan.”

“It’s hitting the fan because of our poor choices,” she corrected. “But why do we owe an explanation to the world about any of it?”

“I don’t want to explain anything,” he said, his voice rising with his frustration. “I want to tell the world that you’re mine. Most men like to do that when they fall in love. I’m not jumping on a sofa on a daytime talk show, but I really can’t see being faulted for wanting to set the record straight when it’s all so horribly wrong right now.”

She walked over to where he stood in the kitchen, and wrapped her arms around his waist as she stepped into his arms. “I don’t care what they get wrong.”

He gathered her tight. “I do. I don’t like what they’re saying about you. They’re making Holly to look like this long-suffering Madonna while you’re being cast as the opportunistic whore. It’s all backwards.”