Chapter Eighteen
Five Years Ago
The sun beat down on me and I could feel the heat warming my skin as my body tanned in the sunlight. The hot breeze from the ocean caressed my heated skin and pushed my blonde hair back and forth across my face. The feeling was so blissful that I almost drifted off to sleep, but I fought it. It wasn’t very often I got to just sit beside the ocean and relax. I wanted to enjoy it as long as possible.
It had been over a year and a half since the Academy Awards where Ethan got his first Oscar. I knew he would get many more. He had said the same to me – that I was sure to get my own someday. I didn’t really believe him, but I wasn’t in this for the fame, fortune, or even the Academy Awards. I acted because I truly loved it.
My work in Empire Burning had landed me the role in Serenity and the film had finally wrapped a few weeks ago. I was on vacation for the time being until the film festival where it would be released. There were already rumors of great things about it and I knew they were right. I didn’t want to jinx myself, but I believed it could have been the best performance of my entire life.
Until the press junket at the film festival, I was free to relax. So I chose to spend my time at Daytona Beach in Florida. My parents had met in Daytona and we used to visit a lot growing up. It wasn’t a very popular beach at the moment, which is one of the reasons I chose it. It was spaced out enough that were still plenty of people, but everyone kept their distance for the most part. Also, the fact that I could drive my car onto the beach always made me happier. Right now, I was driving a rented Jeep Wrangler and it was so much fun, I was thinking about buying it.
Colton snored lightly next to me on his own beach lounger. His skin was a dark tan from the sun. Ever since I had asked him to be my manager/assistant, he’d been by my side and I loved having him around. We worked so well together on Serenity. I felt so happy.
My phone chirped from my beach bag under my lounger, so I begrudgingly sat up to grab it. A smile crossed my face at the contact photo to cross the screen: Ethan’s smiling facing greeted me and I swiped to answer the call.
“Ethan!” I said excitedly causing Colton to stir slightly next to me. I got up and walked closer to the ocean away from Colton.
“Hey, Elle,” Ethan said. It sounded like he was smiling. Just hearing his voice made me feel even lighter. “How are you?”
“I’m great!” It had been about a month or so since I’d heard from Ethan. He’d been working really hard lately, not only acting in one movie but also helping produce another movie. Only a few texts here and there were all we had time for lately. “How are you?”
“A little bird told me you were in Daytona?” Ethan asked, ignoring my question.
“How did you know?” I thought I’d been keeping a low profile.
“Just someone. I hear you’re at the beach right now, too. Is that right?” I squinted suspiciously and looked out over the ocean.
“Ethan, who have you been talking to?”
“That white bikini looks great on you, by the way," his amused voice rang in my ears, sounding much more clearly. I spun around and looked back behind me. Ethan stood a few feet away from me, the sun silhouetting him as if he were a dream. His hand was holding out a phone that he had just taken down from his ear. His sandy blonde hair was shorter than the last time I saw him but still slicked back in his signature style. He had one eyebrow cocked and a smirk on his face. My eyes traveled down his tan, shirtless torso, taking in all the defined muscles that were his abs. He obviously had been working out a lot in the last few months. The prominent V of his lower abdomen disappeared into a pair of red swim trunks.
I took my phone down from my ear and my eyes snapped up to meet Ethan’s green eyes. I ran over to him and threw my arms around his neck. His arms enclosed my waist drawing me closer. “What the hell!” I cried out probably a little too loudly since my mouth was next to his ear. “What are you doing here?!”
Ethan laughed and separated himself from my overzealous embrace, but kept one hand wrapped around my waist and resting on the small of my back. “I had some time off,” he shrugged. “We’re actually shooting over in Orlando so I made a day trip to come see you.”
“But how did you even know I was here?”
“Colton actually reached out to me,” he said. My eyebrows shot up. Colton reached out to Ethan? I had the belief that Colton was not impressed with Ethan at all. In fact, I never brought it up, but I felt like Colton was maybe even a little jealous of how close Ethan and I had become. When Colton signed on to be my manager, he didn’t realize how much I had grown to rely on Ethan and his friendship. It was too late to separate me from Ethan. Colton had accepted it, though I assumed it was reluctantly.
“Wow,” I said. “I’m shocked. Well, how long are you here?”
We began walking towards a pier about a quarter of a mile away. Ethan’s hand fell away from my back and he spoke candidly as we walked. “Just today, but we can go out tonight if you want? We should hit up the town.”
I snorted, “No offense, but there’s not much to do around Daytona besides go to the beach or watch a NASCAR race.” I scrunched up my nose. “And I am not a racecar fan.”
Ethan chuckled, “Me neither.” He thought for a moment. “Well, how about we call a private flight and go to West Palm Beach? I think I know a girl having a party down there tonight.”
My interest piqued. “Are you sure? That sounds expensive…”
Ethan looked sideways at me, his lip twitching into a full smile. “Did you forget who I am, love? Nothing is too expensive.”
As we walked towards the pier, we caught up on everything we had been doing and our next plans. Ethan was still shooting his next film and his producing gig was turning out well. He had high hopes for both of his projects. I told Ethan about how I had just wrapped up Serenity and was looking for my next project. I wanted it to be something big. I just had a feeling that next film I chose to pursue could change everything. I just needed to figure out what that was.
“So, are you seeing anyone?” I asked cautiously. I had heard rumors of Ethan blatantly hooking up with different women. He was turning into quite the scandal.
“I’m seeing a few women,” Ethan admitted honestly, not looking at me. “But nothing serious.” I just watched him for a second. He sighed and continued, “I’m just not ready for anything serious right now. I don’t know if I ever will be, again.”
“I understand,” I said. I did understand. Cate had really done a number on him. He didn’t have to tell me everything for me to see what a dent she had left in him.
Ethan’s eyes darkened as he finally made eye contact again. “What about you, Elle? Got a new man yet?”
I snorted. “Right. That’s not happening.” I had hardly even looked at a man since I started working in Hollywood. Which is saying something because there are infinitely numerous good-looking men around. “You know I’ve been focused on my career.” I sighed contemplatively. “Who knows? Maybe when I find my next project. Maybe then I’ll make a little time for some romancing.” I snickered disbelievingly.
“Fair enough,” Ethan said. I watched as his eyes followed a leggy, blonde woman leaning against the railing of the pier as we walked by. The blonde looked over at us, her pink mouth dropping open when she recognized us. Ethan winked and she looked like she might faint. I picked up the pace forcing Ethan to keep up with me.
“Okay,” I said, leaning against the rail at the end of the pier. “What’s the plan, then?” Ethan leaned next to me, his elbow brushing up against me. He looked out over the ocean, a calm look falling over his features.
“How about we just enjoy the beach today,” he looked back over at me. “And when we are tired here, we can fly to West Palm Beach and let loose.”
I giggled and shook my head. “Whatever you say.”
∞∞∞
“We can’t use any of this,” Colton grumbled from within the hotel closet. “Ugly…too short…too long…why do you even have this?!” He threw a long sleeved dress out of the closet on the floor next to the bed where I was lying watching him. I had recruited Colton to help me find an outfit for tonight. We had limited options because of the fact we were not at home, but I was starting to get offended at his comments on my clothing.
“Dude, watch it,” I raised my voice slightly. “Don’t insult my clothes. Plus, you helped me pick out half of those dresses.”
“Seriously, Elena. Have I taught you nothing?” He came out holding a simple navy blue bodycon dress with strategic slight cutouts. It was sexy but still classy. “You should always be prepared!” He glared at the dress in his hands. “I guess this is the best we can do. Unless you want to go shopping?” He looked up at me, his blue eyes hopeful. The guy loved to shop. Especially for me.
“We don’t have time for that.” I hopped up and grabbed the dress. Something in the fabric made it shimmer slightly when it caught the light. “This is great.” I moved to the bathroom to change. “Hurry and go change,” I told Colton. “We need to get a move on.” I heard Colton leave for his adjoining room as I inspected my appearance.
Starring in Serenity, I lost weight for my role as a woman with a terminal illness. Now, that it had wrapped, I had changed up my diet trying to get back to a healthy weight. I didn’t exactly starve myself, but my diet before had been incredibly rigorous. As I looked in the mirror, my waist was still flat and my curves still lacking, but my hips had started filling back out. My skin was crisscrossed with tan lines from my time in Florida the last couple days, but it didn’t look bad.
I slid the dress over my body and it actually covered up most of the tan lines, making it look like I had a nice, even tan. The sun had even naturally highlighted my blonde hair even more. Overall, I looked like some sort of beachy chick. I liked it.
I finished styling my hair and makeup, completing my look for the night. With a final twirl of my curling wand creating subtle waves in my hair, I turned and went back into my room.
Colton had returned while I had been in the bathroom getting ready. He lay on the bed, his knees bent over the edge, feet resting on the floor. He wore gray wash jeans, a tight-fitting button-up black shirt, and shiny black shoes. His hair was slightly gelled so it stayed in place even as he lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling.
When I emerged, he turned his head towards me, his blue eyes taking in my completed ensemble. He propped himself up on his elbows before nodding in approval. “I was hoping for more of an Aphrodite feel than a beach bum, but you still look hot,” he commented, with a frown on his face.
“Well, Aphrodite was born of the sea, wasn’t she?” I said. I grabbed my clutch purse and slipped on a pair of white peep-toe heels making my short legs look longer.
“I thought her dad was Poseidon…” Colton stood up and walked over to the door to the hotel hallway, waiting for me. I followed him and we made our way through the beachfront hotel to a waiting limo out front. We continued to argue about Greek Mythology until we were well on our way to the airport.
“Hey, shouldn’t you text Ethan?” Colton asked, ending our friendly argument. “Let him know we’re on the way?”
I looked out the window. We were already pulling into the lot for the private airplane Ethan had rented. "We're already here," I said. I looked towards a hangar where a group of cars was clustered. "And I think I see Ethan's entourage."
Sure enough, when we pulled up, I saw Ethan standing next to a black car chatting with his assistant, Eric. Ethan looked good, even from afar. His hair was slicked back in its usual style and he wore a crisp slim-fit black suit, his off-white shirt underneath slightly unbuttoned at the top giving him a casual look. Well, casual for Ethan.
He turned towards us as Colton and I climbed out of the limo. I felt Ethan’s molten gaze rake my body before we made eye contact. He smiled at me, his eyes brightening instantly. “Elle,” he spoke quietly and walked over to me. He slid his arm around my waist and pulled me into a tight embrace. My hands went around his neck and he pecked my cheek when he pulled back. “You look dazzling.” I blushed at his compliment and pushed him back a bit.
“Elena, great to see you again,” Eric waved. Eric had always been a little distant around me. I remember the first meeting I had with him at that first table read where I met Ethan. I hadn’t paid much attention to him then because he was a little wiry, scrawny, slightly pale and geeky. Since then though, he had clearly taken up some body-building classes or something, because the guy was ripped now. He looked like he could be a male model, the guy had so many muscles. He still wore a pair of dark framed glasses, making him look more like a Clark Kent character. Still, despite his newfound good looks, Eric usually remained quiet and aloof. I was honestly surprised he even spoke to me.
“You too, Eric,” I said giving him a wave back while keeping my other hand on Ethan’s shoulder. “Looking good.” I winked and he blushed. It was just fun to mess with him a bit.
Ethan gave a deep chuckle and pointed to a small private jet nearby. “That’s our ride,” he said. “You ready? I think the pilot is getting settled now.” I nodded and we filed up the small staircase into the jet. The inside was very elegant. I didn’t even want to think about how much Ethan had splurged for this day trip.
I chose to sit on the white leather couch facing two leather armchairs. Ethan sat down next to me, kicking his right foot over his left knee in a relaxed position. He leaned back, angling his body towards me, and ran his arm against the back of the couch.
“So whose party are we going to?” I asked, adjusting my dress since it had slid higher up my thigh when I sat down.
Ethan’s eyes flicked down to my exposed thighs before quickly returning to my face. “Have you ever met Eva Jones? It’s her house.” I raised my eyebrows. Eva was infamous. She was the top A-list actress right now. Slightly older than both Ethan and myself, she was probably in her early fifties. Eva rarely threw parties or went clubbing anymore, but when she did, it was a huge affair. Her parties were Gatsby-style big. It was impressive. I couldn’t believe I was actually going to one.
“No way!” I said excitedly. I turned to Colton who was sitting himself down in an armchair across from us. “Colton! We are going to an Eva Jones party!”
Colton’s head snapped up, his eyes widening. “What!” He looked over my outfit again, his brows drawing together. “This changes everything! We are dressed all wrong! Oh my god, I’m going to be sick…” He placed his head in his hands and moped.
“You both look fantastic,” Ethan said confidently. He chuckled at Colton’s display of emotions. “You’ll fit in perfectly. Just stick with me until your settled.”
It only took a little over half an hour in the air to get to West Palm Beach from Daytona. That was plenty of time for us to get the party started on the jet though. A pretty flight attendant spent most her time refilling our drinks. We all joked around and played silly drinking games that I hadn’t played in years. By the time we landed, I had a good solid buzz going on.
Colton exuberantly led the way out of the private jet to a waiting limo. “A limo?” he asked in mock horror as he slid inside, followed by Ethan and me. Eric had stepped off to take a quick phone call. “But Ethan Anderson never travels by limousine!”
Ethan laughed loudly as he settled into the seat next to me. He placed his arm around my shoulders comfortingly. I bit my cheek trying to bite back the attraction that always tried to distract me whenever he was near. "Colton," Ethan said. "This limo is for you and my girl." He looked down at me nestled under his arm, his smile widening and a slight dimple appearing on his cheek. "I know how Elle likes to ride in style, so here we go."
I smiled back at Ethan, reminding myself what a great friend he was that he would choose to ride in a limo than his usual town car. I was sure he did it for convenience. It’s what a friend would do. I glanced over at Colton in the seat facing us. He cocked an eyebrow at me before rolling his eyes.
Eric finally rejoined us and cracked open a few bottles of chardonnay as we made our way to the party. I looked out the window next to me as we whizzed through Palm Beach. We crossed the bridge leading to the ritzy part of the town just as twilight had fallen across the water.
It was a beautiful serene moment. The alcohol was buzzing through my body, Ethan’s hand caressing my shoulder as my best friends laughed loudly in tune with the music escaping through the speakers. I felt so happy and blessed as I looked out the window.
I felt a finger slip under my chin tugging my attention away from the window. I looked over at Ethan as he dropped his finger from my chin. His eyes smiled down at me. “What are you thinking, love?” The hairs stood on the back of my neck at his term of endearment. Ethan was always one to use those sweet nicknames for me. I’m sure he did it with all of his female friends.
“Silly stuff,” I said. I smiled warmly back at him. “Thanks again for all of this. I’ve really missed you.”
“I’ll always be here for you, Elle,” he said quietly making it feel like we were the only ones in the car. He leaned his head towards me a little more.
“I’ll always be here for you, as well,” I said. Involuntarily, I glanced down at his lips inches from mine. I caught myself quickly and looked around before settling back on his eyes. I hoped he didn’t catch my slip.
“Forever?” he asked, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“Forever,” I repeated.
“Infinity,” he said, leaning even closer.
I held my breath and looked up into his eyes, unsure what was happening. “And…beyond?”
Ethan laughed loudly breaking whatever spell he had over me and leaning away. He picked up his glass and lifted it as if to toast to me. “Right.” I picked up my own glass and drank to whatever it was that just happened.
“So Ethan,” Eric’s voice rang through the limo. “You think Eva can put in a good word for me to Farren?” Farren Cupp was Eva’s best friend. I think she had just finished one of her own ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ trips so she would most likely be at the party tonight.
“Farren’s married, man,” Ethan said laughing. “And not your type.”
“Dude, you don’t know what my type is,” Eric replied.
“Farren’s, like, fifty,” Ethan continued, still chuckling. “She could be your mother.”
“So?” Eric asked. I was surprised to see him this animated. It must have been all the alcohol. “Maybe she’s a cougar. Maybe she’s wild!”
“Yeah, I’m sure her husband would be able to let you know,” Ethan said. “We’re here, by the way.”
I turned my attention away from the bickering boys and looked out the window again. We were parked in a long queue of cars outside of a large white-stone mansion with an immaculate double staircase entrance. People were everywhere, drinks in hand, all dressed as if they were at the Oscars. Colton gasped next to me, “See I told you! We are underdressed! Oh god, oh god, oh god…” He began chugging his glass of chardonnay.
“Relax,” Ethan said. “You’re with me, you’re fine.” He spoke so confidently that I believed him. We filed out of the car. I brought my glass of wine with me, more for something to hold on to than for the libation.
Within seconds of being out of the car, a woman pressed herself into Ethan’s side, tugging him away from me. He chuckled, his hand falling to her waist before she crushed her mouth to his. The kiss was heated as she assaulted his face. I felt a sour taste fill my own mouth and I turned away, unable to watch them.
Finally, I heard the woman ask, “Who are you friends, baby? I didn’t know you were bringing …guests.” She said the word ‘guests’ the same way you might say the word ‘rats.’
I looked back at her and Ethan. She had her arm wrapped around Ethan’s waist, holding him close to her barely clothed body. She looked slightly familiar wearing a red gown that draped across her body haphazardly. In fact, if she moved the wrong way, I was sure the whole party would get a glimpse of her breasts. Her dark skin had a glow reflecting the party lights as if she had coated her skin with oil. Her long black hair cascaded down her back and shoulders like a soft curtain. She was gorgeous and I hated her instantly. Then felt bad for hating her based on her looks. Though she had assaulted my best friend so maybe I was justified after all.
“Eva, meet Elena Lewis,” Ethan said gesturing to me. He looked back at me, a slight smirk on his face as if the whole thing amused him. “Elle, this is Eva.”
My eyes bugged open. She had to have had work done to her. The Eva I had seen in movies didn’t have the long, black hair I was seeing or the perfect cheekbones and luscious lips. There was no way this woman could be fifty years old! And she had just shoved her tongue down Ethan’s throat! He was young enough he could be her son!
“Right, your little costar in Empire Burning,” she said, her eyes smiling at me with fake hospitality. “Well, please, enjoy yourself in my home.” She turned to Ethan, tugging lightly on his arm. “Ethan, let me steal you away. I have people you need to meet.” He gave me an apologetic smile as he let Eva pull him away.
I turned to Colton with raised eyebrows. “What the hell was that?!” I tried to control my voice, but it didn’t really matter. All the party-goers around us were too distracted with their own lives to notice me. And though Empire Burning had given me a lot of fame, it was nowhere near the level of most of the stars in attendance at an Eva Jones party.
Colton grumbled, “Nothing like inviting people to a party then ditching them.”
Eric took a step towards us. "Hey," he said defensively, his shoulders slumping a bit, though. "It's not like he asked for that to happen. Let's just have a good time without him, alright?" Eric turned, waving his hand for us to follow him. With a shrug in Colton's direction, I drained my wine glass and followed Eric's large frame through the throng of people on the staircase outside the huge mansion.
After bumbling past crowds of people into the foyer, we made our way up another staircase to the second floor. Here we were able to stop at an immaculate landing to look out over the large open foyer at the partygoers below. Music was blasting through unseen speakers and everyone had a drink in their hand. Girls in bikinis were dancing on pedestals in the middle of the foyer with men crowded around in suits gazing adoringly up at them, sliding their hands around the dancers’ ankles and caressing their legs. Everyone was gorgeous and everyone seemed to be in varying stages of inebriation.
Eric led us to a corner of the second-floor landing where a bar was set up. A crowd of people almost hid it from sight, but it seemed Eric knew it would be here. He squeezed through the crowd and I followed closely behind him, not wanting to get lost. I felt Colton pressed behind me as well. A few spaces opened up at the bar as we arrived in front and we were able to line up in front of the bar.
A cute bartender smiled at me as I leaned against the bar. He wore a traditional Chippendale’s uniform, with the black pants, no shirt, cufflinks and a collared bowtie. His body was delectable, but his face was a little lacking. Still, he had a blinding white smile and deep brown eyes that focused on me as soon as I stepped up to the bar. “Hey, gorgeous. What can I get you?”
I smiled coyly at him, “Let’s go with a bourbon and water, with ice.” He started pouring my drink and glanced at Eric and Colton waiting for their orders. He handed me my drink, holding it out for me to take out of his hand. I grabbed it, intentionally letting my fingers brush his. He gave me a wink before I turned away from the bar.
“So, let’s have fun, yeah?” Colton said, pulling me away from the crowd around the bar, losing Eric in the shuffle. We went back to the top of the landing and watched the crowd for a while. Despite everything in my life, I still felt self-conscious when I first arrived at a party. It had been that way since high school when I first started going to parties. I just always felt like I needed to be doing something – playing a game, dancing, anything – rather than just standing around. But after first arriving, I was never drunk enough to dive right into the social scene. I just liked to slowly immerse myself, getting more intoxicated as I went, drinking away my inhibitions.
“Do you recognize anyone here?” I asked before taking a hearty drink. The drink warmed me all the way to my stomach. Chippendales Bartender obviously had put very little water in this drink.
Colton laughed at me as I involuntarily shuddered from the alcohol. “Strong?” He looked around the party. “I’m pretty sure everyone in this party is famous. Look, there’s Emma Stone!” His eyes lit up and he pointed down the foyer where the tall redhead was smiling and dancing with a group of people. “Oh my god, I have to meet her.” Colton was a huge fan of Emma.
“Go ahead,” I said laughing. “Go dance with her. I’ll watch.”
“Yeah, okay,” he said sarcastically, downing his drink of what looked like straight vodka. “I’ll just walk right up and be like ‘Hey, Emma. You don’t know me, but let’s dance!’ Come on…” He rolled his eyes and leaned onto the railing over the landing, looking around the foyer again.
I leaned on the railing next to him, aware that my dress was just barely covering my backside by doing so, but I didn’t really care. I was still showing less than any of the other women in this place, despite their thousand-dollar party gowns. “Yeah, exactly.” I looked around the foyer as well, my eyes catching on every hot guy in attendance – and there were a lot of hot guys in attendance. “I’m sure it happens all the time, and she seems cool. Go for it.”
Colton’s eyes narrowed and he looked over at me, drawing my attention away from the hot guy across the room I’d been eyeing. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll go talk to Emma, but you have to get a guy’s number tonight.”
I blanched. “What? No way.”
“Yes,” he said, lifting his chin smugly in the air. “Come on, you’ve been gaining fame for, like, two years. You can get any guy in this party. You could have been on numerous dates when any number of guys, but you’re still hurt over Keith.”
“I am not!” I exclaimed, standing up straight and crossing my arms. I glared at Colton. I wasn’t hurt over Keith. Yeah, I hated him back then, when I was in high school. But I wasn't hurt by what he did to me anymore. It felt like a lifetime ago. "I don't give a rat's ass about Keith. I should really thank him for making me end it. It helped me focus on my career – ”
“Yeah, save it,” Colton said, raising his hand to my face. “If you’re so over it, then why haven’t you dated anyone? I haven’t even heard you talk about anyone since you broke things off with him.”
I shrugged. “I’ve been busy.” I looked over at the bar that was still crowded with people. I could just see the top of Chippendale Bartender’s head. I glanced at my empty glass, deciding to get another drink. The bartender had seemed a little in to me… maybe I could make that work…
“Tell you what,” Colton said, leaning against the railing again, but keeping his body facing mine. “Let’s make it interesting. A little wager.”
I looked back at Colton and raised one eyebrow. “I don’t need your money.”
Colton rolled his eyes again. "Yes, I know, princess. If you get a guy's number tonight, I'll get you VIP tickets to see Micah Sanders in concert and backstage."
I couldn't help the smile that took over my face. Micah Sanders was the lead singer of a boy band that I definitely should not be fangirling over, but I was. Teeny-boppers all over the world worshipped his godly good-looks and his swoon-worthy voice. Teeny-boppers and me. He was my guilty pleasure.
Colton continued, "And if I can get a girl's number … someone famous … then you need to give me a bonus."
I raised my eyebrows. “You want a bonus? Why didn’t you just ask for one?” With the success of Empire Burning and hopefully Serenity, money was no longer an issue for me.
“Not really, but I don’t know what else I want… so a bonus will work,” Colton shrugged. “What do you say?” He thrust his hand towards me for a handshake.
“Wait – how come you get to chat it up with a girl and make new friends and I have to pursue a guy and get a date? How is that fair?” I asked.
"Because, as I said, you need a date. That is non-negotiable," Colton gave me a narrowing glance. "And as for myself, I've completely focused on you and your career since moving to LA and I need my own friends."
“What?” I asked, surprised by the direction is reasoning was going.
“Oh, honey, it’s not that I don’t love you, but you have – you know, Ethan and those two girls that live near you, Michelle and Jane or Jenna or whatever her name is. I’m just trying to branch out on my own.” He nodded to himself and turned back to me, extending his hand. “So do we have a deal? Do you have what it takes to beat me, Elena Lewis?”
I slid my hand into his and shook it tightly, hoping to hurt his hand a little. “Game on, brotha,” I smirked and downed the rest of my drink.
∞∞∞
“Oh, come on,” I purred in what I hoped was a seductive voice. “You can be done now.” I winked. The bartender, who I learned was named Devon, smiled at me and shook his head. It was so hot in this house that a nice sheen coated his toned torso.
“Elena,” he spoke with such a smooth, deep voice. “You are going to get me fired.” He chuckled and poured a drink for someone else.
I opened my mouth to respond with something teasing and seductive, but a harsh jab knocked me sideways. I tried to catch myself on the bar, but my heels slipped and I crashed sideways onto the floor, hard.
A slew of unladylike curse words flew from my mouth as I quickly stood up and adjusted my dress. Once everything was in the right place, I glared at the spot where I had been standing to see who it was that knocked me on my ass.
A cute guy stood with his arm outstretched towards me as if he wanted to help me but didn't want to touch me. His dark tan contrasted with the white button-up shirt he wore with the sleeves rolled up. His black hair was cut short, practically shaved, and his deep brown eyes were widened in shock.
The stranger gave me a slight smile, deep dimples appearing in his cheeks. “Oh god, I’m so sorry!” His deep voice rumbled loudly to be heard over the bass-thumping music. “Are you okay?” His eyes raked over my body looking for injuries.
I scowled at him, ignoring his cute features. “What the hell, man?” I stepped closer and jabbed my finger into his hard chest, anger building inside me to replace the embarrassment of being knocked over. “You need to watch where you’re going!”
He rolled those deep dark eyes at me, his smile widening. “Maybe you should just not stand at the bar all night.”
I huffed at him, shaking my head and cocking one eyebrow. “How do you know I wasn’t standing there ordering a drink?”
He stepped a little closer. It felt like the temperature in the room increased at his proximity. He still smiled that annoying smile and looked down into my eyes. “I’ve seen you over here for the last twenty minutes.”
I furrowed my brows at his response, thinking. “If you knew I was standing over here for the last twenty minutes, why did you bump into me?”
He shrugged, “I had to get your attention away from the bartender somehow.” He smiled again, those dimples flashing dangerously across his face. “I’m Sean Rivera,” he said holding his hand out in the small space between us. “What’s your name?”
I looked down at his hand and back up at him. Despite his annoying means of getting my attention, he was attractive and infuriatingly charming. I slipped my hand into his warm palm and gave a slight shake. "My name's Elena," I spoke coldly, still more than a little pissed at this guy for kicking my dignity to the curb.
Sean pulled my hand up to his lips and gave the back of my palm a kiss. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Who did this guy think he was? “Okay, Casanova,” I said pulling my hand back. “What do you want?”
“It’s Sean,” he repeated. “And I want to get your number.” I raised my eyebrows even more. Well, looks like I'd win my challenge tonight. Still, I didn't want to seem too eager to get this guy's number. And I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to give my number to this guy. Yeah, he was definitely handsome, but his charming misdemeanor was starting to rub me the wrong way.
“Wow, Sean,” I said, turning to the bar and grabbing my drink. I started walking away, giving him a look over my shoulder so he would know I wanted him to follow. He dutifully walked along behind me until we reached the landing. I looked out over the party. I noticed Colton dancing with Emma down below and smiled to myself. I looked back over at Sean who was watching me closely. I let the smile slip off my face. “What makes you think I’d give you my number?”
“A few reasons,” he said, smirking at me and leaning against the railing. “Now hear me out…” He watched me for a moment waiting for me to interrupt, but I didn’t. I just raised my eyebrows waiting, amused despite myself.
“So I’ve been watching you for the last twenty minutes practically throw yourself at the bartender,” he said. I raised my eyebrows even more. “Now, normally I think it’s attractive when a girl goes after what she wants, but I also know that a girl like you – ” He looked me up and down before returning to my eyes. “ – you could have just about anybody you wanted. So there’s no need for you to do that.”
I cocked my head to the side and pursed my lips, trying to hold back the anger that was quickly returning. Seriously, who the hell did this guy think he was? Still, I didn’t open my mouth or say anything. I just glared at Sean as if flames could shoot out of my eyes.
He smiled, undeterred and continued. “Alright, hear me out. There’s more!” He stepped a little closer. “Elena, you’ll give me your number tonight because not only do you want attention right now – and there’s nothing wrong with that! – but you also want attention from the right guy. I’m that right guy.”
He watched me for a moment. When I continued to not say anything, he kept going. “I don’t just want your number, Elena. I want to know you. I want to know all of you. I knew that I wanted to know you from the first moment I saw you, you know?” He blinked as if he confused himself and shook his head before standing up straighter. “And that’s why I think you’ll give me your number.”
"Well, you certainly have a way with words…" I said with my eyes narrowed at this guy. He looked around the room nonchalantly and shrugged.
Turning back to me, Sean winked and said, “Come on, how can you say ‘no’ after a monologue like that?”
“I don’t even know you,” I rebutted. I sat my drink on the railing and tried to give an intimidating look.
“That’s the whole point, Elena,” Sean said smiling down at me. He ran a hand over his shaved head and looked up at the ceiling. He narrowed his eyes at me. “You’re very difficult.”
“Good,” I said. “So tell me about yourself?”
Sean stepped back and grabbed the railing, hanging his head as if he were exhausted from this conversation. "So a guy has to be interviewed by you before he can get your number?"
“If you want it that bad, then what’s the problem?” I asked smiling at him. Sean exuded confidence and a good-natured spirit that was infectious.
“Well, like most Eva’s friends, I’m an aspiring actor,” he shrugged, tugging on the sleeve of his white shirt. “I’ve been in a few small roles growing up, but I’ve got my sights set on an upcoming action trilogy that is gonna be huge.”
“Oh really?” I asked, intrigued. “What’s that?”
“I can’t tell you all my secrets yet, Elena,” he smirked. “If you give me your number, I’d be happy to tell you. Maybe we could get coffee or dinner sometime.”
I laughed, succumbing to his charm. “Yeah, maybe we could. I gotta give you props for perseverance.”
“I’m nothing if not determined,” Sean nodded, pulling out his phone. “So?” He handed me his phone, which he had opened to add a new contact. I smiled and shook my head. After keying in my phone number, I handed it back to him. He smiled and tapped on his phone for a minute while I watched. I felt my phone vibrate in my purse as he slipped his phone into his wallet. “There. Now you have mine.”
We spent the next ten minutes talking about where he would take me. It turned out that Sean lived in Beverly Hills as well and was familiar with my work. Unfortunately, I hadn't seen or heard of anything he had been in. He promised me that if we spent more time together, he would show me all the cool spots in Hollywood. Since he had lived there his whole life, he knew all the ins and outs, as he said.
Our conversation was entertaining and only lulled when I caught sight of Ethan being led past us by two half-naked women. They were wearing gowns, but the gowns did little to hide anything. Ethan caught my eye as he walked by. A strange, unreadable look crossed his face before he was pulled down the stairs and out the door. I hadn’t realized I watched his exit in its entirety until Sean cleared his throat, pulling my attention back to him. “Is there something going on with you two?” Sean asked awkwardly, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.
“Me and Ethan?” I asked. I widened my eyes and shook my head rapidly. “No way. He’s just a friend. I mean, look who he left with…” I trailed off and looked around at the party to distract myself. That sour taste had returned to my mouth and I felt slightly nauseated.
Ethan was going through something, I knew. He changed women lately like he changed clothes. He was turning into quite the playboy and there was nothing I could really do to help because I couldn't stomach the sight of seeing him like this.
I believed Ethan would pull through this reckless stage of his life, and I just needed to be patient. As Ethan's friend, he needed me to be objective and not judgmental right now. So that's what I would be. Still didn't mean I liked seeing him walk out with two women on his arms.
“Are you sure?” Sean asked, his gaze studying me closely. “Because you look a little sick now.”
I jumped up straighter. “You’re right, I’m not feeling well. But it’s definitely not because of Ethan. It’s probably from that bartender having a heavy hand all night. My drinks were strong.” I was starting to ramble and Sean just watched me analytically. “Well, I should probably find Colton and get out of here.”
Sean clasped a hand on my shoulder, comfortingly. “I’ll call you, Elena.” He leaned over and brushed his lips across my cheek. I smiled awkwardly at him before waving and disappearing into the crowd around me.
I found Colton downstairs surrounded by a group of people. He was chatting and laughing, enjoying himself. He caught sight of me and stopped laughing. “You okay?” he yelled over the loud music.
“Fine,” I yelled back. “I think we should go!” Colton nodded and followed me to the front door. We stood by the curb while I pulled out my phone. I tried calling Ethan, though I figured he wouldn’t answer. Sure enough, when I got his voicemail, I hung up and called Eric. But Eric also didn’t answer.
“I can’t get anyone to answer,” I told Colton. Colton nodded and pulled his phone out. Quickly, he made a couple calls while I tried texting Ethan.
Finally, Colton stepped over to me and pointed to a limo approaching. While he continued listening on the phone, he mouthed ‘That’s us.’ I made my way to the limo, climbing in the back as Colton followed me.
Colton thanked whoever he was talking to and hung up the phone. “We’ve got a flight in an hour back Daytona. It’ll be a pricey trip, but I figured you didn’t want to stay here.”
I nodded and leaned back against the seat. “You’re right,” I agreed. My phone buzzed and I looked at the incoming text.
It was from Ethan. Sorry, Elle. I got dragged away. Won’t make it back tonight. If you need a ride, call Eric. He can help you out. I’ll make it up to you.
I clicked the screen off and set my phone in my bag, not replying. Part of me wanted to hate Ethan. I mean, he just ditched me at a party so he could go off and do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted. But a bigger part of me knew that Ethan was seriously messed up over what happened with Cate. Since their break-up, I had seen him slowly changing and it was scary. I didn’t know how to stop him or help him.
So, I did the only thing I could do. I quietly forgave him and would be there for him when he needed a friend. That’s all there was to it.