CHAPTER 20
Leila
I met with Lynn to discuss the potential sale while Lance met with his agent. I had a sense of hope with everything that happened the night before and I glanced at her across the table as I sipped my iced tea. I was telling her the next steps to take as well as who to contact, slipping a sheet across the table that had all the names and numbers that she’d need. It was a list that I compiled of the best people to work with in the area that I worked hard on and she just shoved it into her purse.
I looked at her in disbelief. Lynn smiled at me, assuring me that she knew a lot of people in the business and I simply nodded. I told her that I’d keep in touch as I heard news and she grabbed her phone as it rang. Lynn answered it, talking once again about Lance and the rumors that he was leaving as I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
I pretended to get a text and told her that I needed to rush off, waving as she gave me a distracted look. I grabbed my purse and left the restaurant, noticing the looks that were being tossed her way. She loved the public places. I wondered how many women were upset about his possible change in career and rage flooded me. I went to my car and sat inside for a moment before pulling up Google and typing in his name. I knew that it was going to kill me to know but I had to have the numbers in front of me.
Lance had been in the industry for ten years, becoming successful quickly. I knew that it was his looks that made him so popular at first, but I also knew the size of his cock. I knew it very well and I read further to see the list of his films. Lance was in so many and I wasn’t an idiot. I knew that there were group sex scenes in porn films and that the numbers of women could be in the hundreds or even thousands. I had to assume that he slept with a lot of other women in his personal time as well. I felt a tear slide down my cheek as I took all this in.
I was in love with Lance. I tried to prevent it from happening, but I fell fast, and I fell hard. I knew that I wanted this to work out, but his past was just so involved, and I closed my eyes for a moment.
I jumped as my phone chimed and pressed a hand to my heart. I checked for a message and noticed that Lance was trying to get a hold of me. I read his text to see that a contract was signed for the new film and possibly more, ending the contract with the porn industry. He asked me to go out to dinner with him as I kept crying, shaking too much to send anything back.
Lance was perfect in every way except for his past. He was the guy that I’d been dreaming of and never thought that I would have a shot with. He was so hot and had a giant heart, as well as a cock that women loved. It was famous. I was certain that it was mine now, but I couldn’t help but doubt everything right now. I heard the chime again and looked down to see him asking if I was okay. I found the words to tell him that I was headed home from working and that I’d love to go to dinner. I’d go take a shower and do anything I could to look presentable. I needed to give this a shot and give up my insecurities.
I needed Lance.
I started the car and pulled out of the parking spot to go home. I needed some time alone to sort this out and I pressed the gas pedal down to get home faster. I was still crying, though softer. I figured that I just had to work this out of my system. Lance didn’t have to know my every thought on the matter. I could keep some things to myself.
I took a small nap and then a long shower. All the words that I read online still played through my mind, but I still tried to see ahead to the future. Wasn’t that what everyone told you to do when it came to life? Put the past behind you and just move on. His past was really a past now that he had a new acting job and while I’d get a little jealous of any women that he worked with from here on, I knew that it was all simulated.
I ran my fingers through my hair as it dried and stared into the mirror. I looked stressed out and I thickened the layer of makeup tonight to hide the circles under my eyes before powdering my face. I did a Fall look with some eyeshadow, wanting to play more since moving here and seeing how put together all the women were. It was far more casual in Carlsbad and I smiled when I was finished with the complete look. I slicked over my lips with some tinted matte gloss and went to look at my closet. After a long time deciding, I pulled out my favorite jeans and a burgundy blouse. I wrapped a black scarf around my neck and slipped on my favorite boots before I made my way to the living room.
There was a knock at the door and I took a slow breath before going to answer it. I opened the door, seeing Lance dressed up tonight as he smiled brilliantly at me.
He was so gorgeous and my heart split into pieces as I thought about everything.
“Ready to go, beautiful?” Lance asked me before he pressed his lips to mine, making me melt into a puddle inside.
“I am.” I grabbed my purse and we made our way to his car before heading into the downtown part of LA. I watched as we drove through the big buildings to Newport Beach. I hadn’t been this way too much and I grinned as he drove down a street that was parallel to the beach before pulling into a parking lot. There was nothing about this place that made it a dive and I gasped as I turned to look at him. “This is amazing.” There was a stunning view of the ocean and soon the sunset and he smiled at me as he turned the engine off.
“There might be some pap here tonight with the announcement and all. I kind of figured I could go all in and just get this out of the way, if that’s okay with you. Otherwise, we can go back to the house and order in. I just want you happy.” The look on his face was so sincere and I pressed my lips together before kissing him. I couldn’t help it and he held me steady as I tried to crawl into his lap.
“Am I dressed all right for this place?” I asked him as I looked into his beautiful eyes. Lance was wearing black slacks and a dark blue button-up shirt, and he smiled and nodded.
“You look beautiful tonight.” Lance assured me before he kissed me again softly.
“Let’s go here then.” I felt my heart rate pick up as Lance opened his door and pressed his hands down his shirt. He looked so good tonight and I ran a hand through my loose curls before he reached the door. Lance opened it and took my hand as we made our way to the front of the restaurant and I winced as I heard voices surrounding us.
“Lance!! How do you feel about your career change?” One voice yelled as another asked the same question in different terms. Lance answered positively, still holding onto me as the next question was about what I was to him. He paused and turned to face the crowd as I widened my eyes at him.
“She’s an important part of my life and so much of the reason I wanted to make some changes to it.” He kept it simple, beaming at me through the entire statement. He cut it short after that, assuring them that everything was good in his life before staff opened the door for us. Lance led me in and someone grabbed menus to lead us to a table in the corner, tucked beside a fireplace with a view of the water. “They’ll be digging on you now. Your name might get out to the media. Is that okay?” Lance looked serious as he questioned me, and I nodded. I feared the backlash, but I wanted to try with him.
We enjoyed dinner, talking about the movie and his large roll in it. It featured one of the most gorgeous women in Hollywood, but she was married with five kids. I knew that it was silly to worry about that when I was still feeling the sting of his porn career, but I would always have doubt from my past.
We stayed late, enjoying the sunset and the food and wine before Lance took me outside and back to the car. The media was gone now, and I breathed a sigh of relief as I mentally prepared myself for the following day. He took me to his house, where we made love all night inside of his room. Lance told me that he loved me that night and I held on tight as I whispered the words back.
It was soon, possibly too soon. It was real. I knew that there would be consequences for this love and the new publicity surrounding it. It started the next day when Lynn berated me for having a relationship with Lance and ruining his career. She got quite graphic in her call and I hung up in tears, not sure about what I was doing. Lance told me that everything would be fine, and I thanked the fact that I wasn’t going to have to see too much of her from here on out. I’d still see the commission and she could use another agent for the remaining steps. Lynn seemed to know someone to take care of her every need, and she was pissed off that it wasn’t going to be Lance any longer.
There was also the media that found out my name and after that, personal things about me. I didn’t have any skeletons in my closet to make me look bad and in fact, I looked pretty good in the public eye.
Lance started filming the new movie and loved the variety of what he was doing. I was happy to hear him talk about it every night after work and slowly worked through everything regarding his past. Lance proved that he loved me every day and I never saw any signs that he was seeing any other women. I still heard the comments out and about who he used to be, often spoken loudly when I was in sight. I was as famous as he was these days and it was hard not to go out in peace anymore.
Lance finished the movie six months later and asked me to move in with him. Things had calmed down by this time and we were doing much better, so I agreed. I knew that we would have a great future together and we made love that night as we made plans for the beach house.
I called Viv to announce our engagement and we both cried. She told me that she was going to help with every detail of the wedding and my mom was going to be involved as well. Everyone embraced us and now, the world was beginning to do the same.
EPILOGUE
Lance
I tossed back the shot with my friends as we cheered in the room behind the church. It was my wedding day and after a lot of shit, they were happy for me at the end of the day. I settled down surprisingly fast with Leila once I quit the porn industry and I preferred not to think about it too much now. It was the past now. We celebrated a year together just a few months back and today we were going to become man and wife.
We made our way out of the room as the planner told me that I was up, walking through the landscaped grounds to the small chapel. Leila found it on one of her photography trips in the city and fell in love immediately. She booked it the following day and talked on the phone nonstop to plan the rest of the ceremony. I joked that it was exhausting me, but I loved seeing her enthusiasm.
I walked into the church and greeted some friends as I paused to talk to them. I had just my closest friend Brian standing up with me today and Leila had Viv. We wanted to keep this small and intimate, despite what we could afford, and the world expected of me. The guest list only included close family and friends and I didn’t regret a thing.
I walked down the aisle, straightening my tie as I faced the crowd. I looked over the side where my family was sitting and saw the tears starting as I smiled, shaking my head. People talked about Leila and I like we were some kind of fairy tale, and they might be right. She did save me at the perfect time when I was ready for the change. It wasn’t easy and there were nights in the beginning where Leila would cry about not being good enough for me. I’d console her and do everything in my power to prove that I loved her, and she’d feel better. As time went on, we moved right along with it. She threw herself into the wedding planning with the help of Viv and her mom.
I met them at dinner at my house after she moved in. I saw the look of wonder in Leila’s eyes as she looked around the table, wondering what was going on inside of her mind. I loved both immediately and it was clear how they both fiercely loved my girl. They were protective until they sensed they didn’t need to be, or at least that’s what I picked up. I made a point of taking Leila to visit them when we could both get away and spending a few days.
I blinked as Brian led my mother down the aisle and joined me, giving me a reassuring smile. He was thrilled when he heard that I was settling down and adored Leila from the moment they met. They became close as I did to the ones that she loved the most and I’d never been happier in my life. I was content now and I straightened as I heard the harpist start a song. Viv walked down the aisle in a purple flowing dress and tears on her cheeks, making me smile as I looked over at Leila’s family. Once Viv was in place, she gave me a weak smile and I knew that emotions were going to be running rampant around this room.
I heard the music transition into something I’d heard around the house a lot as of late. I looked forward, seeing the doors closed as I waited for her. I needed to see Leila and I felt the chapel fall silent as the music continued.
The door opened, and I watched my beautiful fiancée step forward, wearing a gorgeous cream dress. It suited her perfectly with the cap sleeves and fitted torso, ending in a long train. Her eyes were bright as she met my gaze and I swore that she never looked as beautiful as she did today. It wasn’t the extra makeup that she was wearing or the way her hair was curled around her face. It was the smile on her face and the love in her eyes. Leila made her way down to me and we took our places before the minister, unable to stop staring at her.
In my vows, I explained how much she brightened my life. I told everyone how fast I fell for Leila and how complete she made me feel. I could hear people crying as I spoke, but I only focused on Leila. Her vows were soft and sweet, and she told me how she’d given up on love before she met me. She told me that I made her feel alive in a way that nobody else had and tears slipped down her cheeks as I clasped her hands in mine.
The kiss was the best moment of my life. Leila was mine and I cupped her face and kissed her greedily as cheers rose through the crowd. We pulled apart and I told her that I loved her before pressing my lips softly to hers again.
The second greatest moment was when she gave birth to our twins, Maura and Liam. I didn’t know that they were in my family, but Mom revealed it when Leila announced her pregnancy and it held true for us. I didn’t care because they were our kids. They were our dream.
***The End***
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