Chapter Twenty
Anders tossed the script on top of the desk and leveled Nathan with a glare. “You can’t be serious.”
Nathan huffed out a frustrated breath. “It’s a great role, just like the other three you snubbed. What is it you’re looking for? If I had a better idea, maybe I could weed through these instead of wasting everyone’s time.”
“I don’t know what I’m looking for, but it isn’t this shit.” Anders had no idea why he hated the script in front of him. It was everything he looked for in a film: strong characters, edgy storyline, and an excellent director. But nothing felt right.
“Look, why don’t you get away for a bit. They’re scouting out locations in Atlanta now. Go down there and have a look around. Get a feel for the place. Maybe hook up with Jared and get an idea of what it’ll be like working with him as a director. It’ll do you good.”
Nathan didn’t need to elaborate on why Anders needed to get away. Ever since his idiotic decision to storm into Josie’s office and act like an asshole, he’d been different. When he’d woken the morning after their fight and remembered the awful way he had treated her, it made him sick. Even now, two months later, the guilt and regret hadn’t faded. He hadn’t bothered to text or call to say he was sorry. His apology would’ve seemed empty and insincere. The bottom line was it didn’t matter how sorry he was or how much he loved her. If he couldn’t treat her better, then he didn’t deserve her.
He’d hoped time would lessen the pain, dull the constant ache that squeezed his lungs and made it difficult to breathe. However, it didn’t take long for him to realize the only thing time did was make him miss her more. For a while he kept up appearances by hanging out with Owen, but pretending he didn’t care about anything or anyone was just that: pretending. Eventually, he started answering his phone less and less until it stopped ringing at all.
The downside, Anders soon learned, of spending so much time alone was the uninterrupted time he had to reflect on his life and the person he’d become. Still, he refused to make apologies. He didn’t care if people thought he was an asshole or about his reputation as a player. Had he not become that person, he might not have had such a successful career. He might not have landed his last project. He might’ve never met Josie.
Josie. She was a different story. She was the one thing―the only thing―he regretted. Hindsight was like that. He wondered how different things would have been if he’d met her before. Before Eva. Back when he wasn’t closed off and angry at the world. A time when the thought of trusting someone didn’t make his throat tighten and his palms sweat.
Was it really too late? Had he become so cold and jaded that he’d ruined any chance of being with her, being who she deserved? Her voice floated through his mind, repeating her final words to him before he walked out of her office and her life.
“For the record, I wish I could have been enough.”
After everything he’d said and done, instead of telling him to go to hell and stay away forever, she’d told him she wished she’d been enough. It made him wonder if there was still a chance for them.
“What do you say?”
Anders snapped his head up and looked at Nathan, who was staring at him. “What?”
“Atlanta. Will you go? Maybe some old-fashioned southern hospitality will do you some good. If nothing else, the food will be good.”
Shaking his head, Anders smirked as he thought about the disgusting meals he’d been subjected to watching on a certain show. “Yeah. I’ll go.”
Surprise flashed across Nathan’s face before he nodded and cleared his throat. “Excellent. That’s great. I’ll send your itinerary as soon as it’s booked.”
Anders stood and grabbed the script. “Speaking of itinerary, what did you work out for the press junket?”
Nathan fell back in his chair and sighed. “I did the best I could. I was able to split you two up for everything except the fan convention. There’s no way around it. You’ll have to do those interviews together.”
Anders nodded. “It’s not what I wanted, but I suppose it’ll have to do. Email me with my flight information.” Turning, he walked out of Nathan’s office.
Through the rest of the evening and the following morning, Anders struggled with how to approach Josie. Calling her was out of the question. She’d either be pissed at him for calling, which would cause him to say something stupid, or he’d do that on his own with no help at all. Flipping his phone between his hands, he settled in his seat and waited for the plane to board. With a slow exhale, he pulled up her name and typed out a message.
Heading to Atlanta for work. If I see Honey Boo Boo, I’ll get her autograph for you. If they try to feed me sketti though, I can’t be held responsible for my actions.
With a sigh, he powered off his phone. He hoped she’d respond, but he had very low expectations. If he was going to repair the damage between them, he would have to take things slow.
Josie squinted at the paper in front of her as she dragged her thumb down the black mark, smoothing and smudging the outline. When her phone beeped, she reached for it absently. Unlocking the screen, she tore her eyes away from her drawing, her body freezing when she saw a message from Asshole.
“What the fuck?” She was almost afraid to open the text, afraid to see what he could have to say after two months of silence, but her fear quickly disappeared, replaced with a flutter of anticipation.
Her brows dipped in confusion as she read it once and then once more. She opened and closed her mouth several times before an uncontrollable laugh burst from her chest. The sound of her laughter bounced off the walls as her eyes pinched at the corners and a wide smile spread across her face. Losing herself in the memory of a happier time only lasted a moment before her laughter morphed from gasping breaths to choking sobs. Pressing her phone over her heart, her shoulders curved inward and her jaw clenched as she tried to relieve the tightness in her chest and stinging in her eyes.
She had no idea how he could be so infuriatingly perfect sometimes. How the man who caused her more hurt than she’d ever experienced still managed to make her ache for him. Shaking her head, she looked at her watch and cursed. She was late. Pushing away from her desk, she grabbed her purse and headed toward her car. She was supposed to be at Holden’s restaurant for his celebration dinner in ten minutes.
She stopped abruptly when she thought about the timing of Anders’ text and what she was doing tonight. She wondered if he knew about the pictures Levi had taken but shook the idea off. She couldn’t focus on the motives behind Anders’ sudden, random text. Tonight was about Holden. No matter her reservations about Levi, she would overlook them for her brother.
She spotted Madison as soon as she pushed through the door. Weaving through the crowd, she looped her arm with Madison’s and smiled. “Holy shit. It’s packed.”
Madison’s smile was blinding. “Can you believe it? It’s more than we ever dreamed. This is his big break.”
Happiness and pride surged through Josie. “I’m so happy for you guys, Maddie.”
“We couldn’t have done it without you. You know that right?”
Josie shrugged and smiled. “I did what any sister would’ve done. Besides, Levi is the one who’s responsible for all this.”
Josie looked around the room packed wall to wall with people. Things had been so different a mere two weeks ago, before Levi scored a job with a local culinary magazine. All he had had to do was follow a food critic around to a few new hot spots and take pictures. Was it a coincidence that he had ended up at Holden’s restaurant? It was unlikely, but Josie wasn’t going to complain because as soon as the article hit print, business tripled. Of course that couldn’t be the end of the story. In a twist of fate, Holden and Levi became instant friends.
When Holden introduced them, it was impossible for Josie to hide her shock. Levi stepped in, explaining he’d lent Josie a hand when she ran into trouble with some paparazzi. It was true, of course, albeit only half the story.
After thanking Levi a dozen times, Holden insisted they go out for drinks. Josie agreed, but the pointed look on her face when she turned to face Levi made her feelings clear. She’d been around him twice more; each time becoming a little less strained.
“How was work? Did you get that design finished?” Madison asked.
Josie shifted her weight and eyed the table reserved for them in the back. “It was fine. I didn’t finish, though. I was distracted.”
“Why are you acting all sketchy?” Madison narrowed her eyes and leaned closer to Josie, her lips pursed. “I thought you were getting more comfortable around Levi.”
Josie waved her off. “I am. It’s fine.”
“Well, if it’s not Levi, what is it?”
Josie hesitated before opening her mouth only to snap it shut again. She cursed under her breath for not just telling Madison it was Levi making her act weird.
“Don’t you dare try to come up with a lie while I’m looking right at you,” Madison scolded.
“Now isn’t the time.”
Madison didn’t budge, her only movement a lift of her brow.
“It’s about Anders,” Josie hissed as she glanced over Madison’s shoulder.
Madison’s eyes widened as she looked around as well. “Shit. What happened?”
“Not the time, Maddie.” Josie tilted her head to the side, her gaze landing on Holden as he made his way over.
“Fuck. This is bullshit,” Madison grumbled. She waved her hand between the two of them and fixed Josie with a pointed glare. “This isn’t over.”
Josie laughed and pushed Madison backward. “You sound like Robert De Niro. ‘I’ll be watching you,’” she mimicked, deepening her voice.
“I will,” Madison retorted. “Don’t even consider pulling the ‘I’m super tired’ or ‘I’m not feeling well’ shit either. I will call you out in front of everyone.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Bitch,” she whispered as she brushed past her.
“Damn straight.”
Dinner passed as Josie expected. Holden and Levi joked and laughed while Philip watched on with a look of annoyance. Madison made ridiculous faces at Josie when no one was looking, causing Josie to receive more than a few side eyes for her random outbursts of laughter. She drank a little more than she intended so by the time they were filing out the front door, Holden had already confiscated her keys.
“Why don’t you let Levi take you home? I’ll bring your car to you in the morning.”
“I only had one drink,” Madison interjected. “I can drive her car and you can stop by and pick me up. We have some work stuff we need to discuss anyway.”
Holden started to protest, but whatever look Madison gave him shut him up. “Okay. I have a few things to wrap up then I’ll be on my way.”
After exchanging goodbyes, Josie and Madison climbed into her car and headed home. Not bothering to beat around the bush, Josie told her about the text. Madison suggested he was drunk, but Josie disagreed. If Anders had been drunk, he would have either been an asshole or said something inappropriate.
Josie mentioned the timing and her theory that maybe it had something to do with Levi, but Madison reminded her of the last time Anders had found out she’d been with Levi. Both agreed that sending a text about Honey Boo Boo would be the last thing he’d do. When Madison left an hour later, Josie wasn’t any closer to understanding the meaning behind his bizarre text.
As she lay in bed that night, she tapped the side of her phone against her forehead. While time hadn’t lessened her feelings for him, it had diluted her anger. Or maybe it was the combination of his message with the wine she drank. No matter the reason, she was definitely curious to see what he would do if she responded.
It felt like a chess match, but a wrong move wouldn’t get her knocked off the board; it would explode right in her face. The realization made her heart race. However messed up it seemed, the constant push and pull between them ignited something inside her. Like a moth to a flame, she was drawn to something that could destroy her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she berated herself. This wasn’t a game, but even after everything, she still loved him.
With a resigned sigh, she did what she’d wanted to do the moment he texted. Opening his message, she brushed her thumb over the screen and thought of a response. She realized she had no idea what to say. Indecision crept over her once more. He wasn’t going to change. Prolonging their involvement would make the healing process that much more painful.
A tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she slammed her phone against the mattress. Rolling away from her phone, she wrapped her arms around her pillow and buried her face in the soft material. Her shoulders shook and her breaths stuttered as silent tears soaked into the fabric. When she succumbed to the mercy of sleep, her head and her heart were still at war.
It was several days later, while Josie and Madison had a late lunch, when her phone alerted her of a new message. Josie’s eyes darted to Madison, who watched her with cautious eyes and a small smile. Josie huffed and grabbed her phone from her bag. “It’s probably Craig,” she mumbled. It wasn’t.
Mama June is a fox.
Just like last time, her laugh was abrupt, loud, and uncontrollable. Before she even realized what she was doing, she typed out a reply.
Hate to burst your bubble, but Mama June is taken. I wouldn’t mess with Sugar Bear.
“Did you just text him back?” Madison’s smile had turned into a smirk and her eyes danced with amusement as Josie blanched.
“Fuck.”
“Must have been some text.”
Josie lifted her gaze to Madison’s, her eyes still glassy from laughter-induced tears. “I think he’s lost his mind. Right now, I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad one.”
Before Madison could respond, Josie’s phone beeped again.
You’re joking. I’m crushed. Now I have to cancel the plans to build Chicken Nugget’s pen in the backyard. Sugar Bear wins this round.
“Oh my God,” Josie giggled. “Maddie, I think the heat has broken him.” She passed her phone to Madison, who began laughing as soon as she read his messages.
“Who knew the biggest asshole in Hollywood could have a sense of humor?”
Josie’s face fell as she reached for her phone. “I did,” she murmured, her gaze dropping to the table as she slid her phone into her bag.
“I’m sorry, Josie.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s okay. You’re right. He is an asshole. I shouldn’t have texted him back.”
Madison let her eyes drift shut as she exhaled. “I want to ask you something,” Madison began. “I don’t want you to think about your answer, just say the first thing that comes to mind, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes,” Josie croaked without a second’s hesitation.
“Can you give him another chance if that’s what he’s after?”
“I don’t know.”
With a deep breath, Madison leaned forward and grabbed Josie’s hand. “Will you hate yourself if you don’t find out?”
Josie dropped her head to her chest. “Probably,” she whispered. “But I can’t imagine it would be any worse than how much I’d hate myself if I gave him another chance and he broke my heart all over again.”
“But that’s life. That’s what it’s all about. Taking risks. Living and learning. You can’t go back to how you were before. You can’t shut yourself off because it’s easier, safer. Don’t deprive yourself of the chance to have it all. It would be such a waste.”
Josie nodded. “I hear what you’re saying. It’s just easier said than done.”
“Isn’t everything?”
Madison was right, but Josie wasn’t going to throw herself to the wolves. Anders’ motives were still unclear, and until he decided to lay all his cards on the table, she wouldn’t either.
A part of her expected him to lose interest. The idea of someone as aggressive and demanding as Anders being content exchanging superficial text messages was laughable. However, much to her surprise, the texts didn’t stop. Every couple of days her phone would beep with a new message.
The content for the first several weeks stayed impersonal and random. He’d tell her about a television show he’d watched or a script he’d read. It terrified her how easy it was to fall back into their snarky banter and even more so when she realized how much she’d missed it.
After the first month, the content became more personal. He told her things about his childhood, his first dog, and the time a kid beat him up on the playground. She found it harder and harder to refrain from asking questions or poking fun at him. He revealed things he guarded fiercely before, endearing himself to her in an entirely different way. It was almost like seeing a different person altogether. She was falling in love with him all over again.
She tried to hide her inner turmoil, but Madison and Holden noticed. When he pressed the issue over dinner one night, she told him she was working out some personal issues that were not up for discussion.
Madison told Josie he’d prodded her for answers, asking if she and Anders were seeing each other again. Madison also informed her that she’d overheard Holden complaining to Levi about it one night. To their surprise, however, Levi remained silent on the subject.
It was no secret to Josie that Levi felt the same as Holden, so his neutral stance earned him a bit of favor. When they all hung out again, she wasn’t quite as distant, and over time they even formed a tentative friendship. Still, the strain of everything that happened in her life since splitting with Anders had taken its toll.
As she loaded boxes full of costumes onto a dolly, she wondered if a trip to visit her parents would do her good. Maybe a change of pace and scenery would reenergize her. She was mentally and physically exhausted.
She dug her phone out of her bag when it beeped, thankful for the interruption as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. It was a text from Anders, of course. The frequency with which he contacted her had increased over the past several days. His messages had also become more engaging. This one was no different.
Guess what I found under my bed today?
She chuckled as she replied.
The more pressing question is what were you doing under your bed in the first place?
“Hey, are you about done?” Madison asked, stepping into the room and pulling Josie’s attention from her phone.
Josie nodded and shoved her phone in her back pocket. “Yeah. This is the last box.”
“Thank God. Let’s get a drink.”
“Will you take these to the storage room? I need to grab a couple of things from my desk.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you in the parking lot.”
Josie’s phone buzzed again as she entered her department. Pulling it out of her pocket, she laughed at his message.
Nathan’s house is being fumigated. He asked me to keep his demon cat who has taken up residence under my bed. He must hate this cat and hope I end up killing it. Why else would he leave her with me?
Josie laughed again as she replied.
Maybe you’re going soft.
It took mere seconds for him to reply.
Did you really just go there? I’m trying to behave.
Josie grabbed the folders on her desk and shoved them into her bag before walking down the hall and out the door.
You don’t know the meaning of behaving.
When Josie looked up from her phone, she noticed Madison leaning against the side of her car with a smirk on her face. “Don’t start,” Josie chided.
“I didn’t say a word! Yet…,” she added with a grin.
“Get in the car before I leave you behind.”
“Well, go ahead and look at his text before it drives you crazy.” Madison fastened her seatbelt then studied her nails. Josie scowled at her before looking at her phone.
I do now. I Googled it. Looks pretty boring if I’m being honest.
Josie muttered something about needing medication as she tossed her phone in the cup holder and drove to Holden’s restaurant.
“Do you think Levi’s here?” Madison asked, pulling open the door.
“Is Philip working? Because if so, then no. Hell no.”
Madison rolled her eyes. “He needs to pull that baguette out of his ass and chill out.”
Josie nodded as she slid into a booth in the lounge. “I don’t know why he’s so jealous of Levi. It’s not like we’re dating. We’re friends. And barely at that.”
“I don’t think it’s just about you. Maybe he feels Levi has taken his place as Holden’s friend. Those two were close before Holden met Levi.”
“And Levi made his restaurant the hottest spot in LA overnight,” Josie added with a wry smile.
“Well, yes. There’s that too.”
They’d just finished their second round of drinks and ordered dinner when Levi appeared at the end of their booth. “Room for one more?”
Josie and Madison eyed each other for a brief second, but before either could speak, he laughed and nudged Madison’s leg with his foot. “Scoot over. Philip is working. I don’t want him to spit in my food for sitting next to Josie.”
Both girls laughed but neither argued. Waving down their server, Levi ordered another round of drinks and an appetizer. While he and Madison chatted, Josie reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She’d never responded to Anders, and she was more than a little curious about what he’d found under his bed. Setting her phone in her lap, she opened up his text.
Are you going to tell me what you found or are you busy playing with your houseguest?
Sipping her drink, she tried to follow the conversation on the other side of the table but her mind was a million miles away.
Woman. You don’t play with this cat. You fend for your life. But demon cat aside, you owe me an apology.
Josie almost choked on her drink when she read his text. It felt strange that her first reaction wasn’t anger, but curiosity.
This is going to be good.
The appetizer arrived a couple of minutes later, and the trio busied themselves filling their plates. Josie shifted in her seat, unable to stop her eyes from drifting to her lap every couple of seconds. She was about to make sure her text sent when the screen lit up.
Do you remember how I used to threaten to throw your clothes in the trash because you left them all over the place?
Josie’s throat tightened as she wiped her hand on the napkin beside her.
Yes.
And do you remember the time you looked everywhere for your purple bra then accused me of throwing it away?
“No!” Josie whispered as she shook her head. She blinked repeatedly to clear her vision and the stinging in her eyes. This was the first time he’d mentioned something so personal between them, and the memory made her stomach flip. Her hands shook as she typed out a reply.
Let me guess. It was under the bed?
It was under the bed.
Madison nudged Josie’s leg, causing Josie to snap her eyes away from her phone. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I’m―” She stopped speaking when her phone vibrated.
I miss you so fucking much, Ivy.
The tears she worked so hard to keep at bay filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. Anders’ words, the use of her nickname, the memory of a happier time, it cut her wide open.
“Actually no. I…I need to go.”
Madison’s brows dipped in concern, but she didn’t press. “Okay. You’ll call if you need anything?”
“Of course.” Josie wiped under her eyes and cut her gaze to Levi. “I’m sorry to rush out.”
Levi lifted his hand and shook his head. “It’s fine. Is there anything you need? Can I drive you?”
“No, but you can eat the dinner I ordered. No reason to let it go to waste.”
“Okay.” Both Levi and Madison watched as Josie darted out of the restaurant before he slid out of the booth and moved to the other side.
“Is she okay?”
Madison drained the rest of her drink and sighed. “No, she isn’t.”
Levi’s eyes widened at her omission but schooled his features. He’d grown to care about Josie, and Madison’s confirmation that something was wrong bothered him more than he expected.
“Can you believe Josie’s never been in love?” Madison continued, her expression melancholy, her eyes distant.
Levi’s face twisted with confusion. “Ever?”
Taking a bite of food, she shook her head. “Well, not ever. But it took twenty-five years to happen.”
The air suddenly felt heavy and stifling. “How old is Josie?”
Madison lifted her gaze to Levi, a sad smile pulling at the side of her mouth. “She’s twenty-five. It worked out super for her, huh?”
Levi sat in stunned silence as he processed Madison’s statement. “It couldn’t have been that much of a shock. She had to expect going after someone like Anders would end badly.”
Madison set down her fork. When she looked Levi in the eye, he shifted in his seat. “You know what? I might regret telling you this, but I’d rather know now if you’ve changed or if your interest in Holden and Josie is about Anders after all. Josie didn’t go after Anders. She avoided him at every turn. He pursued her.”
“She turned him down? Well that explains it.”
“It explains why it started, but not why it continued.” Madison propped her elbows on the table. “Let me tell you what I think. Anders Ellis is the biggest jerk in Hollywood. He’s selfish and egotistical. I’m fairly certain he will always be those things to an extent, but Josie saw something good in him. She wanted to be with him in spite of his fame and all the bullshit that goes with it. And because of the way Josie affects people, she got to him as well. There are so many things people don’t know. If I’m being honest, I think they could’ve had a real shot. But after everything with Aubrey?” Madison shook her head and blew out a heavy breath.
“How can you say he cares about Josie? He slept with Aubrey.” He knew it was a lie.
“He did. Before they met. Did he do it again? I have my doubts. I’ve talked to Anders. I’ve seen the way he looks at Josie. He was wrong not to tell Josie, but I don’t believe he slept with Aubrey while they were together.”
“Then why isn’t Josie with him?” Levi didn’t like the direction of their conversation, but a sick part of him needed to know. He needed to hear that it was something other than his involvement that had caused their split.
Madison shrugged. “Because he’s an asshole? Because something happened to him years ago that made him closed off and ruined his ability to trust people? Those are possibilities.”
Levi didn’t miss Madison’s pointed glare that accompanied her last statement. “Then Aubrey didn’t have anything to do with their breakup. They wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”
“No. I said those were possibilities. I think he was changing. If they’d been left alone, been able to remain hidden…” Madison twisted her hands in her hair and sighed. “But Aubrey ruined it. As confident as Josie is, every girl has her limit. Josie’s limit was seeing pictures of Anders doing the walk of shame from Aubrey’s.”
Guilt twisted inside of Levi. Those pictures had been a set up. Just like every other picture taken of Anders and Aubrey. The entire thing had been done with careful planning and malicious intent. “If you’re so sure about him, why hasn’t he tried to fix things?”
Madison tore her eyes away from Levi and smiled at Holden as he approached their table. Not taking her eyes off Holden, she said the words Levi dreaded. “Do you think it was the milkman texting her tonight? He’s been in contact with her for months. He hasn’t given up.”
After exchanging hellos, Levi stayed as long as he could stand. He tried to follow the conversation, but all he could think about was Josie and the possibility that his interference had done more damage than he’d realized. It didn’t change the fact he still wanted to keep his mouth shut, but at some point Levi had grown a conscience.
In the weeks that followed, Levi insinuated himself into Josie’s life. He hung out with Holden and showed up to any gathering where Josie was sure to be. To an outsider it would seem almost as if he were stalking her. In reality, he wanted proof that Madison was wrong. Instead, what he saw was Josie shoot down every guy who approached her and that was only when she tore herself away from her phone. The look on her face when the screen lit up was all the proof he needed. He felt like shit at how easy it was to see, and even sicker when he realized he had to right his wrongs.
While Levi sat in his dimly lit office gathering negatives from his camera, notes from conversations with Aubrey, and check copies, Josie relaxed on her sofa. She planned on losing herself in trashy TV and letting her mind go blank. That idea went to hell when Anders’ face appeared on the television. Her hand hovered over the arrow key for a moment before she dropped the remote in defeat. It seemed no matter how hard she tried, he refused to be forgotten.
After Anders’ text about missing her, she’d been a mess of conflicted emotions. She missed him too. It still didn’t change anything. In all his texts, not once had he asked to see her. He never mentioned anything that happened with Aubrey or the last time they’d seen each other. She wondered if he was just lonely. Maybe he wanted a connection to someone familiar but wasn’t willing to deal with the hard stuff.
With a sigh, she turned off the television and stood from the couch. He’d texted her a few days ago about a convention he had to attend for the movie they’d worked on. She knew he was leaving in the morning, but when he came back, she had to talk to him, no matter how much the idea terrified her.
The next morning she woke tired and groggy. She stumbled through her morning routine, wanting nothing more than a strong cup of coffee. She’d just pulled onto the freeway when her phone rang. Digging it out of her bag, her brows pulled together when Levi’s number flashed across the screen.
“Hello?”
“Josie, hey. I’m sorry to call so early, but I need to talk to you about something.”
“Okay,” she answered, her voice full of hesitation.
“Can you meet today?”
“You can’t talk to me about it now?”
“It’s…it’s not a conversation to have over the phone.”
She wanted to say no. She had a bad feeling that whatever he wanted to talk about wasn’t going to be good. “Are you free for lunch?”
Levi blew out a heavy breath. When he spoke, he sounded both relieved and resigned. “Does one o’clock work for you? I’ll text you the place.”
“One is fine. I’ll see you then.”
The rest of the morning, Josie tried to concentrate on work. She met with Craig to discuss designs and budgets for their next project, but nothing could hold her attention. She was too distracted. It also didn’t help that Aubrey was expected in the studio at some point for a meeting.
She hated that Aubrey would be at the convention with Anders. Josie was certain Aubrey would find a way to be around him as much as possible. She feared what would happen once they were seen together. Her life had finally gone back to normal. She hadn’t been forced to deal with the paparazzi in over a month. The thought of having them come around again because Anders and Aubrey were back in the spotlight made her anxious.
At half past noon, Josie dropped her pen on the desktop and headed to her car. When she walked into the diner twenty minutes later, she found Levi seated in a booth toward the back. “Hey,” she greeted, sliding into the seat across from him.
“Hey.” Levi wiped his palms over his jeans as he tried to work up the nerve to tell her everything. “Look,” he began before pausing to clear his throat. “Fuck.”
“What’s going on?” Josie didn’t like how nervous his behavior made her.
Levi gripped the manila envelope by his thigh and pulled it onto his lap. “When I took those pictures of Holden’s restaurant, I truly had no idea he was your brother. It was a chance at a job doing something I love without intruding in people’s lives. I never expected to see you again. But there you were, the owner’s sister.” The memory still blew his mind.
“I don’t have many friends in LA. The ones I did have, well… It turned out they weren’t very good friends after all. I thought for sure you’d tell Holden I was a bad guy, but you didn’t. Hell, you were even nice to me. Even though we’re not what you’d call friends, I’d like to think we’re more than acquaintances. Your brother is a great guy, and his friendship is the first real one I’ve had in years.”
“Levi,” Josie sighed. “I’m not trying to push, but what’s this all about?”
“What I’m trying to say is that your family―you, Holden, and Madison―are important to me. You gave me a chance when you didn’t have to, and I’d never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”
“You haven’t―”
“I have,” Levi interrupted, his hands shaking. “Fuck it.” Sucking in a deep breath, he lifted the envelope from his lap and pushed it across the table. “Just know that none of this was ever intended to hurt you.”
Josie stared down at the envelope like she expected it to explode. “What is this?”
“Just open it. Please.” Levi looked at his lap, unable to meet her questioning gaze.
Tapping her finger on top of the table, her eyes bounced between Levi and the envelope. Sighing, she unfastened the top and pulled out the contents. Her brows drew together as she thumbed through the papers. Checks written to Levi from Aubrey covered page after page. The amounts varied but all of them were substantial. She paused when she saw Anders’ name written across the page in Levi’s messy scrawl.
“What is all this?” she whispered, her eyes darting across the pages. Notes about vehicle descriptions and gate codes jumped off the page and sunk like boulders in her stomach. It was when she reached the last page that time came to a screeching halt. At the bottom, in bold print were the words that had changed Josie’s life.
Ivy=Josie Bane
mystery solved
“You know what it is.”
“Why…?” she choked, her throat tight. “You were working for Aubrey? You helped her?” Josie blinked back tears, her grip tightening around the pages. “Why would you do that?”
Levi lifted his gaze. Guilt and regret swelled inside his chest as he took in her bright red cheeks and shimmering eyes. “Because I was broke. Desperate. No one would hire me, and I had this huge debt thanks to Anders. I was going to lose everything.” Levi grunted in frustration and gripped the back of his neck. “When Anders rejected Aubrey, she became obsessed. That’s why she pushed for the fake relationship. She was certain she could win him over. When that didn’t happen, she became suspicious. She was convinced the only reason he wouldn’t date her was because he was seeing someone else. She would tell me where they were going to be and set up pictures for me to snap.”
“The morning he left her house…,” she trailed off.
Levi nodded. “And the kiss at her house. Everything. She set it all up.”
“And me? How did she find out about me?”
“She went through Anders’ phone while he was passed out and saw the texts from someone named Ivy. She flipped. That’s when she called me to take the pics. She wanted it to look like they’d slept together.”
Josie’s hands shook as she lost the tenuous grip on her emotions. Tears brimmed her eyes. “He didn’t sleep with her that night.” It wasn’t a question.
“No. She wouldn’t have kept pushing if she’d had her way. When she overheard you and some girls at the studio and realized that you were Ivy, she told me to run the story. I tried to talk her out of it, I swear, but she would have found someone else to do it. She wasn’t going to stop until she’d exposed you and Anders.”
“She overheard?” Suddenly all of Josie’s conflicting emotions merged. They twisted and turned until the only thing she felt was white-hot, boiling rage. “She wrecked my life, and you helped her! You lied to me. You said you weren’t a pap anymore.”
“When I told you that, I was telling the truth. I just didn’t tell you how recently I’d quit. It was a shitty thing to do.”
“Why are you telling me this now? What do you have to gain?” she spat.
Levi shook his head, a humorless chuckle parting his lips. “Nothing. I’m telling you this because I care about you, because what I did hurt you. I’m trying to make it right.”
“Make it right? You want to clear your conscience?”
“No. I want to clear yours. Anders didn’t do the things you were led to believe. At least not where Aubrey was concerned.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? You want me to believe you’re telling me this because you want to clear Anders’ name? Don’t bullshit me.”
“I don’t give a shit about Anders, but I do care about you. You’re unhappy, and I had a hand in that. I’m trying to do the right thing.”
“The right thing would’ve been never getting involved with that psycho bitch in the first place!” Josie stood from the booth and glared at Levi. “All of it. She was behind all of it. Exposing me, the lies about Anders, everything. And you helped her.”
Levi’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he nodded. “Yes.”
“As happy as I am to find out the truth, don’t expect my gratitude. You can go to hell.” Grabbing the envelope, she stormed out the door to her car. Her body vibrated with anger as puzzle pieces clicked into place. It had been Aubrey all along. She’d played a game with Josie’s life and flipped her world upside down. Wrapping her hands around the steering wheel, she shook her head.
“Fuck that,” she scoffed as she started her car. “No way is that bitch getting away with this.” Turning out of the parking lot she had only one thought on her mind: getting to the studio before Aubrey left.