He paused. “Personally, it doesn’t affect me.
But for Lancaster Enterprises…” he hesitated.
“Lancaster Enterprises maintains a low profile.
I’d prefer not to be in the gossip columns with a
celebrity before our wedding.”
“I know,” I nodded. “I’ll handle it.”
“If you could handle it, he wouldn’t be in
Seattle, would he?” he said quietly.
I paused. Why did he sound…annoyed?
<
“Sometimes, things are easier to handle with
two people than one.” He turned to me. “Want some help?”
“How?”
“Simplest solution: you move in with me.”
“What?”
He’s
He sighed. “Ray’s out of town, right? What if he
shows up at your place and you’re alone? Do
you want to be photographed by the paparazzi
and end up in the headlines before our
wedding?”
“Do you think he’ll bother you if he knows
you’re living with your fiancé?”
He had a point.
<
“But…wouldn’t that be a bother for you?”
He smiled. “We’re going to be living together
after the wedding anyway. Consider it moving in
early.”
Alex was a man of action. The next day, my
things were moved into the guest room of his
penthouse apartment. As predicted, Jason
didn’t contact me again. Living together,
sharing meals, I got to know Alex better. He
preferred black coffee for breakfast, hated
cilantro, didn’t like fish but enjoyed picking out
fish bones. He worked out for an hour every
day, often continued working late into the night,
and truly didn’t snore. He sometimes got
hooked on cheesy TV dramas and would
discuss the plot with me. He was even
interested in the novels I read. We talked about
work, careers, my future plans.
“I’ve always wanted to start an entertainment
company,” I confessed one day. “To give
newcomers, people like me, more
opportunities.”
Alex’s apartment was minimally decorated, but
it had a well–stocked bar. I’d learned to mix
cocktails as a hobby, and with his permission, I’d make a few drinks in the evenings. One
evening, I was mixing drinks when he came
home.
“Anything you’d like?” I asked, sipping my own
concoction.
He took off his jacket, walked over, and looked at me with a playful smile. “You’re pretty
comfortable making drinks in my home, aren’t you? Don’t you trust me?”
“Huh?”
“What are you making?”
“Oh, it’s a sweet cocktail. Want me to make
you a Depth Charge?”
“I’ll have what you’re having.”
“Huh?”
Mine? I still had some drink in my mouth. My brain short–circuited. “Sure…but, but you’ll need a glass.”
41
“Of course,” he said, his smile widening. “How
else would I drink it?”
I felt my cheeks burn. I wanted the earth to
swallow me whole.
He took the glass from my hand, chuckling
softly. “Ray gets back on Sunday. Let’s go for a
drive on Sunday afternoon.”
He’d changed the subject perfectly. “Sure,” I
said quickly.
<
On Sunday, Alex took me to his country estate.
On the way back, I got a call from Rhonda. She
excitedly told me I’d been nominated for Best
Supporting Actress at the Seattle International
Film Festival. The Seattle International Film
Festival was prestigious; winning would be a
huge recognition of my talent.
“Amy, Jason actually hired me to work for him.
He keeps asking me about you, about things
you used to do. I think he still has feelings for
you. I told him about all the times you were
treated unfairly on set. He really didn’t see it
back then. It makes me so mad just thinking
about it! He always gets really quiet when I tell
him these things. Oh, and Sarah’s been trying
to see him, but I’ve seen her leave his place.
crying a couple of times…”
Rhonda kept talking, but I realized how distant.
Hollywood, how distant my life in Seattle,
suddenly felt. I’d moved on, faster than I’d
thought possible. Why?
>
I glanced at Alex, focused on driving, and found
myself staring
“Amy,” he said after a while, “if you keep
looking at me like that. I’m going to get
nervous.”
“Isn’t that how it always goes in those novels
you read? The heroine always stares at the guy
for a long time before she says something
Important.
“Alex…”
“Hmm?”
“You should read fewer novels. It’s ruining your
CEO image.”
He chuckled. “Just trying to understand my
wife’s interests.” He turned the car. “It rained
<
yesterday. Let’s get the car washed.”
The owner of the car wash knew Alex. “Mr.
Lancaster, Mr. Lancaster!” he kept saying. After
some small talk, Alex sat down in the waiting
area and started working on his phone. Then
his brow furrowed.
