CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Lincoln
I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW MUCH OF a creature of habit I was until Dani started working for me. It was semi-embarrassing to give her daily lists of my weird quirks that, up until now, I'd never realized were even odd.
I only wanted my blinds open in the morning. I had to have them closed, blanketing me in darkness around six at night if I was still on set. The Today Show always had to be playing when I walked in. And coffee needed to be available at all times.
Not too bad, if you asked me, but then, the whole Skittles thing was next on the list. I needed Skittles at all times. And if my bowl for some reason became empty, I felt… panicked. Great, so Skittles were my comfort food.
Add in only two brands of bottled water I'd drink.
And the special laundry detergent, and I seriously felt like a freaking diva. I was trying to rewrite my list for her for the next day, crossing things out, trying to make myself seem less like a tyrant, more easygoing, when she burst into my trailer with a bag of hot, steaming food.
"Please," I said in a hoarse voice, "let that be a hamburger and fries!"
Dani gave me a tired smile and placed the brown sack on the table. "Go crazy." With a huff, she sat on the couch and held her head in her hands. "Hey, if I asked for a thirty-minute break, would you fire me?"
"You haven't taken a break all day?" I glanced at the clock on the wall. "Dani, it's nearing two in the afternoon. You started work at six and haven't stopped moving since."
She let out a quiet yawn. "I know, but Jay needed me today."
"Come again?"
"My brother-in-law," she repeated, "needed me because his assistant's sick or something."
"Jay's assistant—" I laughed. "—isn't sick."
"No?"
"No. Because Jay's assistant doesn't exist. He's never had an assistant."
"No!" Dani let out a pitiful groan. "No, no, no." She punched the couch. "So I've been at his beck and call for no apparent reason? I kept praying his assistant would have a miraculous recovery! I was on my knees, Linc!"
I burst out laughing. "Seems to me like he's trying to keep you too busy and tired to be with me."
Dani curled up on the couch and laid her head on the pillow, tucking her hands under her cheek. "Well, he succeeded. I'm exhausted and hungry."
With a sigh, I opened the bag of fries and lifted one to her lips. "Eat."
She opened her mouth.
And ended up eating my entire lunch.
Not that I cared. Feeding her was… kind of nice. In fact, just having her near me was nice. It calmed me better than any sort of yoga shit or alcohol. Her presence alone was enough to make my head clear.
"Thanks, Linc," she whispered, her eyes closed. "You didn't have to feed me."
"But I wanted to." I kissed her forehead, my lips lingering, tingling with the need to taste her, lick the salt from her lips, do anything but pull away and go back to work.
"Small nap?" she asked, eyes still closed.
"Take as long as you need. I pay you. Jay doesn't." I kissed her one last time and made my way out of the trailer, body aching, heart clenching. When had it happened? How had a small, seventeen-year-old girl wiggled her way into my life in the short span of two weeks?
Panic set in when I realized we'd only film for another two months, and then I'd be out of Seaside.
I glanced back at the trailer. Something told me that wasn't going to happen, and that Seaside was going to claim one more from Hollywood. Huh, maybe there was something in the water.
"SPAGHETTI." I STARED DOWN at the plate later that night. "You cooked for us?" Zane was currently shirtless, sporting a pink apron with cupcakes splattered all over it.
"Why does everyone assume I'm without domestic skills?" Zane asked aloud. "It's somewhat offensive."
"I don't know, man." I eyed him up and down in hesitation, "Maybe it's the skull tattoos on your arms and the pierced nose?"
"What, this old thing?" Zane pointed to the stud in his nose and heaped a pile of pasta onto Pris's plate that doubled the size of Jaymeson's. "Eating for two."
It was probably the last meal any of us would have together before filming ended. Our schedule was going to be insane over the next few weeks, which I was semi-thankful for, considering, whenever I had any free time, I just wanted to maul Dani and steal her away from society.
"Thanks, Zane." Dani reached up and squeezed his hand.
Sparks of jealousy surged through me as I eyed their hands. I knew Zane wasn't the type to try to seduce her away from me, but it was still Zane. The same guy who, while walking down the street, gave an elderly woman a heart attack, then upon noticing her not breathing, started chest compressions and saved her life. He was once given the keys to the small town he was recording in.
He was known for his looks and talent as much as his crazy sexcapades. The last thing I wanted was a shirtless Zane walking around the house.
"So…" Jaymeson cleared his throat. "… I know all of our schedules have been intense, and things are about to get crazier with Pris pregnant."
Pris touched her still flat stomach, beaming in my direction.
"And with Zane needing some time off, we thought it just made sense to have him stay here a little longer and help out."
"Help out?" I squinted. "What as? A manny?"
"I'd be a badass manny," Zane said in a serious voice. "I raised my sisters. Literally."
He had sisters?
I exchanged a confused look with Dani while Jay kept talking.
"So, we're extending Zane an open-ended invitation to stay as long as he'd like. Of course, you need to pitch in, but it may inspire your new album. Plus, going back to an empty home in Malibu…" Jay's voice trailed. "… doesn't sound like the most inspiring thing I've ever heard."
"Climb Everest," I interjected. "There's your damn inspiration."
"Oh, I did that…" Zane met my gaze. "… twice."
"Prove it."
He did.
By pulling out his phone and showing the entire table pictures. Dani was so engrossed I nearly fake-choked in order to gain back her attention.
Friends. They were just friends.
Like us.
Shit.
My palms started to sweat.
He'd never told her she was too young.
He'd never made her feel small and stupid.
NO, because freaking Zane Andrews was a saint.
Double. Shit.
"Dani." I said her name a bit loudly.
All eyes turned to me as I officially lost my train of thought. The only thing on my mind was "Marry me, go to Vegas, leave all thoughts of Zane behind before I murder him."
"What?" She leaned back against me.
Finally.
Zane smirked.
"Nothing." I sighed kissing her head. "Sorry, just tired."
"I'd love to stay." Zane said loudly. "You guys are like family, and it's always great to have…" He eyed Dani like she was dessert. "… friends."
"Slumber party." Dani winked at him. "Perfect."
"The last one was my favorite," he whispered.
"You're having slumber parties?" I shouted. "Jaymeson, do something! He's — he's — he's—"
"Being nice?" Pris finished. "Dani still gets nightmares, you know."
"No." I felt stupid and ashamed. I hadn't known. And I felt like an ass for being jealous, but mainly I felt like a selfish ass because I wanted to be the one comforting her, not Zane.
"You can come to our next one," Zane said, all seductive glances void. "Promise."
"Do you paint toenails?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Only mine." Dani laughed. "And Zane's when he falls asleep."
Zane rolled his eyes. "One time."
Just how many damn slumber parties had they had together?
"Thanks, guys." Zane stared into his glass. "For the invitation. I really like it here. You were right, Jay." He and Jaymeson shared a look I couldn't decipher as Jaymeson's face softened, like he felt sorry for the bastard.
"Happy to have you, man." His voice even broke. What the hell?
I glanced back at Zane, hoping to clue in to the underlying message that wasn't getting spoken out loud, but he was back to shoveling food in his mouth, and I was left wondering if there was more to the guy than I'd originally assumed.