Chapter Fourteen
“Just let me go,” Madison begged for the tenth time. “She won’t care who shows up.”
“If she has a complaint or issue with her costume, I’m going to be the one fixing it anyway. Besides, I did okay last time. She mostly just talked about herself. That’s a topic I don’t have much trouble tuning out.”
Madison rolled her eyes and nodded. “I suppose.”
“I’ll be back later!” Josie called over her shoulder and walked out of the room.
She rapped on the door to Aubrey’s trailer then pushed it open when Aubrey yelled come in. With her most professional smile, she crossed the room to Aubrey, who stood in her undergarments with a sour expression.
“Hi, Aubrey.”
“Oh good, you’re here. Listen, I need some changes made to the clothes I’m wearing for my scene on Friday.”
Josie stiffened. She planned to stay away from the set on Friday. It was the day Anders and Aubrey would film their sex scene. Schooling her features, she tried not to think about how she should have let Madison come after all. “Changes? What’s the matter?”
Aubrey tugged at the bra and frowned. “This isn’t tight enough. My tits should be spilling out, not swallowed up in fabric.”
Josie eyed Aubrey’s chest and the massive amount of cleavage already showing. “I’m not sure if I can, um, make your tits spill out any more without exposing you.”
“I’m not concerned with modesty. It’s not like Anders won’t see my tits once he removes the bra anyway. But I want to tease him. Get him good and worked up before the scene.” She winked at Josie, a sly smile on her face as she adjusted the bra.
Josie swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat. “Okay, I can put a few stitches in the sides to make the cups fit a little more snug. Was that all?”
Pleased with Josie’s response, Aubrey smiled. “Not exactly. You see,” she whispered, leaning closer to Josie. “I’m sure you’ve read that Anders and I are dating.” Josie nodded when Aubrey paused. “Well, we like to play this game. He loves to get me all worked up. I think seeing how much he can turn me on is his favorite thing to do. Anyway, it’s my turn for a change.” Aubrey fingered the side of her panties and tugged the material away from her body before letting it snap back into place. “I want these a size smaller.”
The color drained from Josie’s face as she listened to Aubrey talk about her relationship with Anders. She wondered if Aubrey was really that delusional or if Anders was a better actor than she’d ever imagined.
Aubrey snapped her fingers in front of Josie’s face, annoyed she didn’t have her undivided attention. “Hello?”
Josie straightened her back and shoved her shaking hands in her pockets. When she spoke, the bite in her voice was unmistakable. “If I make them any smaller, there will be no barrier between you and Mr. Ellis.”
“Exactly.” Aubrey grinned. “I’ll have them sent over to you. I’ll need them back no later than Wednesday.”
Josie’s jaw ticked. “I’ll have to see if I can fit these alterations into my schedule. I do have other responsibilities. Anyway, you won’t need them until Friday.”
“I’m aware when the scene is, but with all the issues Anders’ has with your department, I want the garments back by Wednesday to make sure they’re correct.”
Josie smirked and felt her shoulders relax a little. If Aubrey knew the real reason Anders demanded that Josie be present in his trailer every day, it would wipe that smile right off her face. “No problem, Ms. Nash. I’ll make sure you look as trashy as possible.” With that she turned and sauntered out of the room, just barely refraining from flipping Aubrey off.
As soon as Josie was in the hall, her bravado crumbled. She leaned against the wall and pulled in a deep breath. Anders had to end this game with Aubrey. There were only a few weeks left of filming, but how far past that did the executives want them to date? Until the movie released? That could be another eight to ten months. No way was that an option.
That night, as Josie and Anders ate dinner, she tried to shake the feeling of unease hanging in the air. Her conversation with Aubrey continued to play on repeat in her head. She wondered what Anders had done to make Aubrey believe their relationship was real and if pretending to love her in front of one camera and pretending to date her in front of another had caused lines to blur.
“What are you thinking about so hard over there?” Anders had long since pushed his plate away and had spent the last several moments watching Josie’s facial expressions.
“I’m just…I’m curious about your job. Well, not acting in general, but how you do it.”
Anders shoulders relaxed and a small smile tugged at the side of his mouth. Questions about his job were easy. “Come on, let’s go into the living room and get comfortable.”
Once they settled on the couch, she tried to be more specific. “When you’re in character, how much is still you? Is it hard to turn that off when you’re not on the set?”
“Um…” He scratched his head and tried to think of the best way to respond. “When I’m playing a character, well, it’s like―okay, say I’m playing the part of a murderer or a psychopath. Obviously, I don’t think the same things or feel the same way as the persona I’m portraying, but I can’t let my personal feelings affect how I move or speak. I have to become that person. So I guess, when I’m in character, I’m not really there. It’s like flipping a switch.”
“How do you do it, though? How can you disassociate from yourself?”
Anders shrugged then leaned back against the arm of the chair. The tone of her voice was different, almost desperate. When he answered her, hesitation was clear in his voice. “Practice. Self-preservation.”
“Self-preservation?”
“Yeah. Look at it this way. When you get upset or angry at me, for example”―he added with a wink, causing a small smile to lift the corner of Josie’s mouth―“you have to deal with those emotions, reconcile how you’re feeling. Now imagine carrying that burden for people who aren’t you, who don’t even exist.” Anders tapped his fingers on the back of the couch as he tried to figure out how to explain it in a way Josie could relate to.
“It’s like reading great script. It sucks you in, makes you nervous, excited, or angry for the characters.” When Josie nodded, he continued. “Those feelings are even more intense when you become that person. When you have to project their feelings and react as they would. Do you have any idea how difficult it would be to carry around the emotions of a character after filming is over? Like the feelings of a man who loses the love of his life or a killer who murdered in cold blood. It’s debilitating. When I first started acting, I wasn’t able to separate the two. I’d have these bizarre dreams and feel anxious or angry for no reason. It wasn’t until later I realized I was in the head of my characters, still living their lives. I had to learn to separate myself or else hire a full-time therapist.”
“Wow. I’ve never thought about it that way. That’s intense.”
“It can be.”
Josie was quiet for a second. She thought about how Anders’ and Aubrey’s characters fall in love. She remembered how Aubrey smiled and laughed when she talked about Anders. Aubrey seemed more like her character than a woman in a fake relationship for publicity. Josie couldn’t help but wonder if Aubrey was confused because Anders acted more like his character when he was around her, both on and off the set.
“So you never channel a character you’ve played to deal with real-life situations?”
“Real-life situations?”
“Yeah. For example, when you’re dealing with Aubrey.”
Anders’ brows shot up at the sudden mention of Aubrey. “Say what?”
“Aubrey. When you two are out and pretending to be a couple, do you sometimes fall into the personality of your character to make it easier?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking.” He was lying, of course. He knew where the conversation was heading. They’d broached the real reason she’d asked about his job.
Josie saw right through him. “You know what I’m asking, Anders. Who are you with Aubrey when the cameras aren’t rolling?”
“I’m…I’m not anybody. I just―why are you asking me this?” Anders’ frustration was clear. There was no way he could answer without pissing her off.
“Because I want to know if it’s your character who has Aubrey convinced there’s more between you than a fake relationship or if you’re so much of a player that you can convince her without having to pretend at all?” Josie tried to keep her voice even and not let her own frustrations show, but the more she talked, the more worked up she became.
“You need to calm down and tell me what the fuck this is about. I don’t want her. How can I be any clearer?” His muscles tightened when he thought about the time he’d spent with Aubrey during auditions. Even though that was before he’d met Josie, he knew he should tell her, put all his cards on the table. But fear kept the words sealed inside him. She would leave him if she knew. The thought terrified him in ways he refused to admit.
Josie huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “End it. Be done with this entire fiasco.”
“Josie, I can’t―”
“You can!”
Anders snapped his jaw shut and pulled in a deep breath. “Filming is almost over.”
“What does that mean? Is it over then? No more fake relationship or bullshit dates?”
Anders’ body stiffened the moment Josie mentioned dates. During all the time they spent together over the weekend, he failed to tell her about his upcoming date with Aubrey. He wondered if that was the real root of her ire. If she didn’t know already, he’d have to tell her now. When he spoke again his voice was clipped, defensive. If there was one thing about Anders that was consistent, it was his ability to make a bad situation worse. “I don’t know, Josie. What brought this on? Did something happen?”
Josie groaned in frustration. “She happened. God, how can you stand to be around her?”
“Why are you pissed at me for something Aubrey did? I haven’t done anything.” She’d have reason enough to be pissed at him later. He wasn’t going to be her punching bag because of someone else.
“I’m pissed at you because if you weren’t so damn paranoid, we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place.” She realized she was acting irrational, but jealousy made people say and do stupid things.
“Really, Ivy? We’re going to fight about this again?” Anders stood and moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table. Grabbing Josie’s legs, he tugged until they faced each other, her legs boxed inside his. “Did you see her today? What happened?”
“Yes, I saw her today. She’s requested I make some alterations to her clothes for the scene with you on Friday.” Josie lifted her brow and waited for understanding to cross Anders’ features. It didn’t take long.
“Ah, fuck.”
“Yes. Exactly.”
“What does she want you to do?” Anders rubbed his hands over the tops of Josie’s legs. He wasn’t the least bit happy Aubrey had cornered Josie about Friday, but considering what she could have told Josie, it was the lesser of two evils.
“Make her look like a slut. She wants as little fabric between you two as possible. Apparently, she wants her turn as the aggressor in your fun little game of cat and mouse.” Josie didn’t bother to keep the sneer off her face or the sarcasm out of her voice.
“Whoa. What game?” Anders could feel their conversation creeping on the edge of a full-blown fight.
Josie recounted her conversation with Aubrey. Anders listened patiently, and even though he wanted to interrupt her a million times to defend himself, he needed to let her get it all out.
“Come here.” He pulled her hands over the top of his thighs and leaned forward. “Listen to me. I told you I’m not perfect. I’m going to fuck up. But I also told you I want to be with you. Just you. You…” Anders blew out a harsh breath and squeezed his eyes shut. There were so many things he wanted to tell her. About himself, about how she made him feel, but it was like there was something blocking the words from escaping. His mind and heart were trapped in a steel vault with the door welded shut, set in place to protect him from ever getting hurt again. “Can’t you see that you mean something different to me?”
“Different from who? From what?”
Anders lifted his hands to her jaw and tilted her face until she was looking at him. “Everyone. Everything.”
Josie’s eyes fell shut and her shoulders slumped. “I just want this to be over. I want her out of our lives.”
Anders nodded and swallowed hard. It was now or never. “I’ll talk to Nathan. Let him deal with Clarence and see what can be done, okay?”
“You’ll do that? Tell them you want out?”
“For you? Yeah, I will. But in the meantime…” Anders pulled in a deep breath and let the words fly out of his mouth in a rush. “I have another date with Aubrey. Nathan told me about it last Friday. I wasn’t trying to keep it from you, but to be honest, when I saw you, the last thing I wanted to do was talk about Aubrey.”
“No, Anders. Are you serious?”
“It’s not like last time. There’s this new club opening and Clarence reserved us a table. What if…what if I call Owen? Invite him and a couple of other people. Make it more of a group thing, so it’s not just me and her.”
“I don’t know. Do you think inviting Owen is the best idea?” Josie might not have wanted Anders and Aubrey out alone, but the thought of Owen tagging along didn’t make her feel any better.
“Yeah, it’ll be fine. I promise. Trust me.”
The next day, Josie tried to keep busy. She submitted invoices and replied to emails, menial tasks that did little to steer her attention away from the small plastic garment bag containing Aubrey’s lingerie.
With a resigned sigh, she grabbed the bag and pulled it open. The soft, colorful material fluttered through the air and landed in a pile on top of her desk. She looped her finger around the strap of the bra and lifted it into the air, her face twisting with annoyance. There was nothing in the world she wanted to do less than help Aubrey seduce her boyfriend.
Alone at her cubicle for the remainder of the afternoon, she turned up her music, tuned out the world, and focused on getting through the alterations. When it was time to go home, there was no question where she was heading. She wanted to be at her own house, surrounded by her own things, and if she was being honest, she wanted to mope.
As expected, Anders was surprised and a little suspicious. Although, after a long day of filming, he planned on crashing early, so he let it slide.
Walking into his bedroom a couple of hours later, he let out a half-amused, half-annoyed chuckle. He’d planned on leaving her alone, let her work out whatever was bothering her, but he figured a text message wouldn’t hurt. He grabbed his phone and sent her a quick message as he started picking up her stuff.
Your shit is all over the place.
Josie, who was relaxing in her tub, couldn’t help but smile when she peeked at the screen. Drying off her hands, her response was both playful and serious.
I’m just marking my territory.
Anders shook his head and grinned around his toothbrush as he typed out a one handed reply.
Lies. You’re a slob. I’m throwing all your stuff in the trash. If you want to mark your territory, I can think of more creative ways.
Josie’s jaw dropped. He threatened to throw her clothes in the trash every time she left something lying around, but she’d always been there to snag whatever it was before it met its end. She wondered if he’d do it with her not there.
If you throw away my clothes, I’m cooking you dinner for a week. Creative you say? Do tell.
The full belly laugh that burst from Anders’ chest was abrupt and echoed off the walls of his bathroom. Flipping off the light, he crawled into bed and slid between the sheets.
Man, you went straight for the knock out. Fine, I won’t trash them...this time. Yes, creative. It involves you naked in my bed and your nails digging in my back.
Josie ran the towel over her hair and kicked a pile of clothes into the closet. She looked down and laughed before scooping them up and tossing them into the laundry basket. As soon as she was in bed, she read Anders’ message and smiled. He never missed an opportunity to bring up sex.
Smart man. You saved us both from heartburn. Are you gonna take the time to put my clothes away next time I’m in your bed naked and waiting? That’s usually how they end up on the floor in the first place.
Anders smirked as he remembered doing exactly that the night before. Pulling the pillow she slept on against his side, he tried not to think about how much he wished it were her.
Touché. You win this round.
Josie flipped off her bedside lamp, the glow of her phone illuminating her face.
Of course I did. Night, asshole.
Anders shook his head and turned off his light before typing out a reply and tossing his phone on the nightstand.
Night, Ivy.
Josie was in better spirits the next morning. The combination of a good night’s rest and Anders’ flirty texts had muted the nagging voice in her head. She hoped when the time came to see Aubrey she’d be able to hold on to those thoughts. As she walked to her cubicle, it was obvious the feat would be easier said than done. The mere sight of Aubrey’s lingerie made her fists clench.
By noon, Josie had put off the inevitable as long as she could. Grabbing the garment bag, Josie sent a silent prayer that Aubrey wouldn’t be in her trailer. As it turned out, luck was not on Josie’s side. After giving a courtesy knock, she poked her head inside only to be met with Aubrey’s surprised face. “Sorry,” Josie apologized, walking into the room.
Aubrey ignored her apology. “You finished?”
“Yup, and on Wednesday, just like you requested.” Josie didn’t bother to hide the false excitement in her voice.
“Thanks. I appreciate you taking care of this. This week has been stressful since we’re so close to wrapping up filming.”
At this, Josie’s smile was genuine. “Yes! I can’t tell you how excited I am to see this movie wrap. It’s going to be an amazing film,” she added as an afterthought. While Josie was confident the movie would do well, she had no intention of watching it.
“Of course it will be amazing.” Aubrey stuck her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “But I’m going to miss working with Anders every day.” She looked at her nails and sighed. Silence settled between them and Josie was about to bolt when Aubrey looked up and smirked. “Although, the upside will be all the free time we’ll have.”
It took every muscle in Josie’s face to keep her jaw from dropping. The desire to call Aubrey out―to ask if she realized people knew the relationship with Anders was fake―was so tempting she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep quiet.
“That’s...great.”
“Isn’t it?” Aubrey grinned and moved toward the back of the room. “The thing about Anders is, underneath that rough exterior, he’s just a guy waiting for the right woman to come along and make his life make sense.” She tossed the garment bag on the dresser and turned back to Josie. “He was never going to find what he needed in those women he associated with. He needs someone on his level, someone who understands his lifestyle and can handle all the pressure of fame. An equal.”
Aubrey’s words were like a punch in the gut. Josie focused all her energy on keeping her expression neutral. Aubrey might have been delusional and a little creepy, but she’d just put into words every fear Josie had about her relationship with Anders.
“And you think you’re that person?”
Aubrey’s laugh was over the top, her expression condescending. “I know I am.”
Josie took a step back; she just wanted to get away from the crazy woman in front of her. “Well, best of luck with that.”
“I don’t need luck. I’m Aubrey Nash. If you’ll excuse me,” she said, turning her back to Josie and dismissing her with a flick of the wrist. When the door closed moments later, Aubrey walked to the clothes rack and pulled down the top for the scene tomorrow as well as its backup. With a quick glance at the door, she tossed the backup top in her bag and zipped it. Using the scissors on her vanity, she cut a small tear on the sleeve of the original garment and tugged. Satisfied the tear was large enough to do what she needed, she replaced it on the hanger and returned her attention to the bag of lingerie.
She smiled as she inspected it. Her window of opportunity to snag Anders was closing. She needed to step up her game. Which was why she planned on sabotaging Thursday’s shoot. If she made it impossible to film the scenes, the director would have no choice but to flip the schedule.
Which was exactly what Aubrey wanted. She wanted to film her sex scene with Anders the same day as their date. She wanted the image of her naked and panting underneath him to be the first thing he saw every time he looked at her that night. A few drinks and some dancing, and there was no way he wouldn’t wake up in her bed the next morning.
Josie had just reached her desk when the phone started ringing. Dropping her things, she answered.
“This is Josie.”
“Little sister. You are alive. Wonderful.”
Josie laughed at Holden’s overly dramatic tone. “Just barely. I’ve cooked for myself enough lately it could be considered a health code violation.”
“Well, that’s not my fault now is it?”
Josie shifted her weight and sighed. “No, it isn’t.”
“Everything okay with you? It seems like I haven’t seen you in forever.”
“Yeah, I’m good. Busy.”
Holden hummed into the phone. “I see. I suppose you’ll tell me when you’re ready, but I wasn’t calling to give you the third degree. There are a few places I want you to see tomorrow night after my shift. I can’t decide which one I like best. Since you’re an investor, I thought you should have a say.”
Josie’s shoulders sagged with relief. Anything that would keep her thoughts occupied tomorrow was welcome. “Yes, of course.”
“Awesome. Come to the restaurant around eight and have dinner. We can go straight from there.”
“Okay, I’ll see you then.”
After dropping the phone in her purse, she grabbed her sketchbook and the new script then headed for her car. She planned to work on her next project and try not to think about delusional divas or fake relationships.
While Josie got to work, Anders spent every second he wasn’t filming trying to dodge Aubrey. She’d been more persistent than usual the past couple of days but in a different way. She seemed more relaxed and laid back. He wanted to believe she’d taken the hint he wasn’t interested, but the way she kept appearing kept him from becoming too hopeful.
When the director told everyone to break for dinner, Anders didn’t waste a second more than necessary getting to his car. He only had a couple of hours, and he needed to see Josie and call Owen. After pulling through the drive-thru of the first fast food restaurant he passed and ordering for himself and Josie, he called Owen.
“Maddox.”
Anders chuckled. “Do you really have to answer the phone like that every time?”
“Every time.” Owen laughed. “I didn’t expect to hear from you now that you’ve hung up your party hat and settled down.”
“Now who’s talking about relationships? Are we going back to braiding each other’s hair again?”
“Fuck you, dick. Glad to see some things haven’t changed.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m actually calling to see if you want to go out tomorrow night.”
“Really? What do you have in mind?” The surprise was clear in Owen’s voice. It made an uneasy feeling settle in Anders’ stomach.
“Um, yeah. There’s a new club opening and Clarence reserved a booth for me and Aubrey.”
“So you’re ditching her for me? I don’t know whether to be flattered or concerned.”
“No, I’m not ditching her,” Anders sighed. If he could ditch her, he wouldn’t need to call Owen to tag along. “I just thought it’d be cool to hang out. Maybe you can call Molly and Whitney, see if they want to come along.”
“Anders, why the fuck would I bring two women that aren’t interested in men? What’s going on with you?”
“Nothing, man. I just thought it’d be cool to hang out as a group. It’s not a big deal.”
Owen blew a heavy breath into the receiver. “Okay, yeah. I can call them. Walker’s out of rehab now too. He called me yesterday wanting to party.”
“Yeah? Well, bring him too. Look, I gotta run. I’ll text you the info. Later.”
Anders dropped his phone in the seat as he turned into Josie’s neighborhood. He slowed to a crawl, checking his rearview mirror to make sure no one was following him. Satisfied, he pulled against the curb a few houses down. With his hat pulled low and the bag of food clutched in his hand, he jogged to Josie’s and up the stairs.
He grinned at the surprise on her face when she opened the door. “Hey.”
“Hey. What…what are you doing here?” She pushed the door open wider and stepped to the side.
“I was worried you’d try to cook for yourself. I didn’t want you making yourself sick, so I brought
dinner.”
“You’re such an asshole.” She laughed and smacked his arm.
He shrugged and leaned down to kiss the side of her face. Smiling, he moved to her ear and whispered. “Don’t forget cocky. And hot. And―”
“Conceited?” she interrupted. “Egotistical?”
Anders chuckled and stood up straight. “And starving. Come on, I don’t have a lot of time. Let’s eat.”
Josie grinned and grabbed the bag. “You really came here to bring me food?
“I was in the neighborhood.”
“Is that so? And what prompted you to leave the studio in the first place?”
At this Anders frowned. “I just needed some space.”
Josie’s face twisted as she nodded. “From Aubrey I presume?”
Anders grabbed the burger Josie held out toward him. “Yeah? How’d you know?”
“I had the pleasure of her company earlier today. She’s, um, very invested.”
Anders groaned. “What did she do this time?”
“She’s convinced that you guys are a real couple. At least that’s how it seems when she talks. I don’t know if she’s putting on a show or if she believes the shit she’s saying. Either possibility is a little scary.”
“Look, I told you not to worry about Aubrey. I can handle her. This thing will be over soon enough.”
“Have you talked to Nathan?”
“No, but I did call Owen. He’s getting a group of people to come out tomorrow night.”
Josie arched her brow. “Does Aubrey know about this?”
“I don’t owe her an explanation for anything.”
“I think you underestimate her.”
“And I think you’re letting her get under your skin. I can handle her.” Anders couldn’t figure out what was more annoying: Aubrey’s constant presence or needing to reassure Josie every damn day.
Silence fell between them as they ate. When Anders made the decision to come over and spend time with her, this wasn’t how he planned for things to go. He looked at his watch and balled up his wrapper. “I better get back.”
“Okay. Thanks for stopping by with dinner.” Josie stood and moved in front of Anders, looping her arms around his neck.
He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her between his legs. “You know I came over here because I wanted to see you. The food was just a bonus.”
“Well, I’m glad you did. I really was about to cook for myself.”
“I see. Using me for my delivery skills.”
“Among other things.” She smiled and leaned in for a kiss.
“I’d ask what those other things are, but I’m afraid I might not get back to the studio on time.”
“Probably not,” she laughed and stepped away. “Thanks for coming over. I kind of missed you too.”
“Of course you did.” He dodged her attempt to hit him. Instead he jumped to his feet and smacked her ass before darting for the front door.
“You better run!”
“I’ll call you later, Ivy.” He chuckled and slipped out the front door, leaving her leaning against the wall with a smile on her face.
Thursday morning started with one disaster after another. Josie overslept, poured coffee down her shirt, and broke the heel off one of her favorite pairs of shoes. And that was before she even made it out the front door. She wanted to throw in the towel, write the day off as a failure, and go back to bed.
However, no matter how appealing that idea was, she knew it wasn’t a possibility. She had a meeting with Craig and needed to submit the new designs for approval. With a tired sigh, she crawled into her car and headed to work. Just as she pulled into the studio lot, her phone beeped with a message from Craig.
The director wants you on set.
Josie rolled her eyes but did as he said. She was beyond fed up with this week. She slipped onto the set, unnerved by the silence until she heard Anders groan. She took three quick steps forward and froze. Her heart stuttered in her chest and her eyes grew wide as she watched the scene before her. It wasn’t supposed to be today. Their scene was tomorrow.
“Josie,” Amelia whispered, her eyes glued to Anders and Aubrey.
“Why are they filming this today? It’s supposed to be tomorrow.” Josie turned her wide, glassy eyes to Amelia.
“Aubrey’s top for today’s scene is torn and the backup is missing.”
“What?” The word was no more than a hiss when she spoke. “How did it get torn?”
Amelia shrugged. “She caught it on something. The entire side ripped. When we couldn’t find the other, the director switched the scenes. We’ll need to make a completely new top.”
Amelia continued to prattle on, but Josie was no longer paying attention. The entire world disappeared the moment she looked at Aubrey and Anders again. She wanted to look away, turn and leave before she saw another second, but like most train wrecks, looking away was easier said than done.
Anders trailed his hands over Aubrey’s collarbone to the opening of her blouse. He popped each button and pushed the fabric away, his palms brushing over the swell of her breasts. Josie’s throat tightened as he dipped his head and kissed her neck, his arms encircling Aubrey and pulling her against his naked chest.
She tried to close her eyes as he pushed Aubrey to the bed, but the noises were worse than the visual. Her lungs burned from holding her breath as they shed their clothes, and her stomach twisted like a knife in the gut when he thrust against her. She knew it was acting. She knew it was all fake. But it looked real. And it sure as hell felt real.
“Why am I here?” She pressed her palm against her stomach, trying to soothe the ache building and gathering strength.
“My God, that’s hot,” Amelia exhaled, oblivious to Josie’s verging panic attack.
“Why am I here?” Josie asked again, blinking back hot, angry tears as she fought to hold her composure.
“Oh, the shirt. I have it for you. Hang on a second.” With a sad sigh, Amelia took off to fetch the torn garment.
Josie’s nails dug into her palms until they cut into her skin, the stinging pain barely registering as her rigid body shook with adrenaline. She needed to leave, to get as far away from the set as possible.
Aubrey threw her head back and moaned as Anders thrust harder, his pace increasing. He looked exactly like he did with Josie and the comparison made bile hit the back of her throat. She didn’t realize she’d moved forward until Anders’ voice sounded in her ears.
“Oh, God,” he groaned, the muscles in his arms and neck straining as they both hit the climax of the scene. “I love you, baby.”
Her broken inhale sounded like a cannon in her ears as a single fat tear rolled down her cheek. She spun on her heel and took off for the exit as soon as the director yelled cut.
“Josie! Hey, Josie, wait!” Amelia took off after her, Aubrey’s shirt clutched in her hand. Josie’s shoulders slumped as she slowed to a stop. “The shirt. You forgot the shirt.”
Anders’ head snapped to the far side of the set, his stomach bottoming out when his eyes landed on Josie. She wasn’t supposed to see this. He pulled his pants over his hips and tried to calm his breathing as he waited for the director to finishing speaking. As soon as he announced for everyone to take a break, Anders discreetly slipped away from the set. It was stupid to follow her, but he didn’t want to text or call. He wanted to wipe away her look of betrayal and the memories that expression evoked. Seeing that look on Josie’s face caused the long-forgotten emotion to sit like lead over his chest and all he wanted to do was stop the hurt it brought. Stop the reminders of a past he’d buried under layers of indifference years ago. When he caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the closest room.
“Hey,” he whispered, pushing the door closed and twisting the lock. Josie turned away, her back rising with choppy hard breaths. “Ivy.” He wrapped his fingers over her shoulder, the contact causing her to jerk away and spin to face him. Her red-rimmed eyes were swollen and black smudges stained the skin below. Her cheeks were flushed and tear-tracked.
“Ivy, fuck. What…?” He never wanted her to see that, knowing how it would upset her. “Why? Why would you go there? What the fuck were you thinking?”
All the air left Josie’s body in one angry exhale. “Do you think I wanted to see that? Craig sent me to get Aubrey’s torn shirt. I had no fucking clue. None.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Anders lowered his voice as he tried to calm her. The last thing they needed was an audience.
He cupped her jaw, and the moment he did, all Josie could see was him with Aubrey. When he dipped his head and kissed her, the smell and taste of Aubrey was overwhelming.
“Stop,” Josie choked and pushed him away. “Don’t fucking kiss me.”
Anders shook his head and batted her hands away from his chest as he pressed them together again. “You stop.”
“You smell like her, Anders. You taste like her. Oh my God.” She wiped her lips with the back of her hand, trying to scrub away the taste of Aubrey’s fruity lip balm.
“Stop fighting me, Ivy.” Anders locked his arms around her. His grip so firm it bordered on the edge of pain as he pressed her against the table and trapped her body with his.
“Let me go!” She pushed again, causing Anders to stumble back.
“Lower your fucking voice,” he hissed, his eyes blazing.
The hateful tone of his voice made her feel small and chastised, vulnerable. “Get out.”
“No.” Anders took a couple of steps forward. “Ivy, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
“I said get out.” She reached behind her and clutched the edge of the desk to keep her hands from shaking.
Anders shook his head. “I’m not leaving you like this. You’re pissed at me about something I had no control over and that pisses me off and makes me say stupid shit, but you’re going to listen to me. I’m not leaving until you do.”
Josie kept her jaw clenched and her eyes hard. Her face was a mask of stubborn determination. There was nothing Anders could say, no explanation that would break through the hurt and anger clouding her mind.
Anders hated explaining himself. It seemed to be all he did lately, and he’d had just about all he could stand. “Do you remember the other night when you asked me about acting? How I told you I become the character and Anders no longer exists?”
Josie continued to meet the intensity of his gaze but didn’t speak. If she opened her mouth, all the hurt she felt would pour out. Her pride refused to give in.
Anders huffed out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re going to give me the silent treatment? Fuck, I didn’t realize we’d reverted back to being children. Fine, you sit there and pout. I’ll talk. I don’t want Aubrey. I don’t know how many ways I can say it, and I don’t think it’s fucking fair I have to. What do you want me to do? This is my job.”
“The only thing I want you to do is give me a chance to collect myself. I know you think I’m being ridiculous, but that’s nothing new is it? You love to belittle my feelings.”
Anders snapped. For once, he wasn’t the one to blame. “You know what? Fuck you, Josie. You wanna talk about belittling feelings? Let’s do that. We can talk about how I constantly have to defend myself. I get it. You don’t fucking trust me. But I’m tired of always being the bad guy. I was acting. It’s what I do for a living. But you don’t want to think about that. You want to feel justified for acting like a child. Well, let me tell you, it’s not justified. Being upset is one thing, but acting like a complete bitch? No fucking way. Let me know when you’re ready to have a rational fucking conversation.” Anders didn’t wait for an answer as he wrenched the door open and stormed down the hall.
“Fuck.” Josie sniffed. Her pulse thrummed in her ears as she willed her shaking body away from the table and out into the hall. She ignored the curious stares of a couple of young kids she’d never seen before and made her way toward the bathroom.
As soon as the stall door closed behind her, she cradled her face and let the tears she’d kept at bay fall. Their entire conversation had spun out of control. They’d fought about something she had no right to be angry about. The issue was it didn’t make a difference how many times he explained his job or tried to make her understand, she never would. Her job, like most, didn’t involve touching or kissing. It didn’t involve undressing other people and pretending to make love to them.
She was wrong to take her anger and jealousy out on him. She wished he hadn’t followed her, had given her a chance to clear her mind. She wasn’t sure if time would have helped, but to have him not smell and taste like Aubrey would have been a start. She needed to apologize, and she would, but she had to get her emotions under control first. After the way he stormed out, she figured it would be best to let him do the same.
In his trailer, Anders pushed his arms through the sleeves of his button-down shirt and sighed. Flattening his palms on the counter of the vanity, he dropped his head and tried to clear his head. He hated leaving Josie like that, knowing how upset she was, but there was no point in staying. She was acting ridiculous, and until she calmed down, there was no reasoning with her.
“Damn, you make brooding look good.”
Anders lifted his gaze to the mirror and saw Aubrey standing a few feet behind him. Turning to face her, he leaned against the vanity and folded his arms over his chest. “Did you need something?”
“I wanted to know what time I should expect you tonight.”
Anders’ brows knitted together in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Aubrey tried to hide her annoyance that he didn’t remember. “Our date, silly. We’re going to that new club tonight.”
“Motherfucker,” Anders exhaled. Between switching the scenes and his fight with Josie, he’d completely forgotten. He would have to go out with Aubrey and be photographed as a couple while Josie sat at home pissed off and hurt.
“I’m going to pretend you’re distracted because of our scene earlier and not because you really forgot about tonight. Now, what time will you be picking me up? Shall we have dinner first?”
“Fuck no,” Anders answered immediately.
Aubrey lifted her brows, her gaze intense. “Is there a reason why the thought of having dinner with me would warrant that kind of reaction?”
Anders could think of several reasons, but he couldn’t tell her the most important one. Running his hand over his face, he sighed. “I have shit to do when I leave here. By the time I’m done, it’ll be time to go to the club. Plus I have no interest in being hounded by the paps any more than necessary.” He pushed off the vanity and buttoned his shirt. “I’ll pick you up at ten.” Without waiting for a rebuttal, he left a fuming Aubrey standing in the middle of his trailer.
Over the next few hours, Anders lost himself in his head. As soon as he got home, he changed into his running clothes and took off for the hills behind his house. His lungs burned and his muscles ached as he tried to push past the bullshit clouding his mind. His relationship with Josie was splitting at the seams and he didn’t know how to stop it or even if he should.
He knew she was different than Eva. Josie didn’t have an ulterior motive or inside knowledge about his life to use against him. That didn’t mean she wasn’t just as capable as Eva of tearing down everything he’d built over the last few years.
After his run and a shower, he called Owen to make sure everyone was still coming. As much as he wasn’t looking forward to dealing with Aubrey, he was ready to go out. He wanted to relax, have a few drinks, and hang out with his friend. After Owen reassured Anders he’d meet him there, he hung up and stared at his phone for a moment before tossing it on the bed.
He pulled on his shirt and pants and looked himself over in the mirror. He dressed as he always did when he went to a club: wealthy and available. The same as always, except it wasn’t. Something felt off, and he knew it had everything to do with Josie. Looking at his clock, he sighed. It was show time.
He scooped up his phone, shoved it in his pocket, and headed to his SUV. He was determined not to call Josie, but every turn, stop sign, and red light that brought him closer to Aubrey’s weakened his resolve. As pissed as he was―and he was pissed―he didn’t want to go out without at least trying to call her first. With a frustrated grunt he pulled to the side of the road, grabbed his phone, and dialed her number. It rang several times before her voice mail picked up. Pressing his finger over the end call button with a little more force than necessary, he debated what to do next.
Part of him wanted to say forget it, but the other part that decided to call her in the first place wouldn’t let him. He’d call her one more time, and if she didn’t pick up, he’d leave her a message. Only, when he dialed her number again, it went straight to voice mail. She’d turned her phone off. His lip curled up in a sneer and he huffed out a disbelieving laugh as he tossed his phone in the cup holder. He wasn’t calling again.
He pulled onto the road and drove to Aubrey’s. She was walking out her front door as he drove up her driveway. Her cream colored dress hugged her curves like a second skin. Her hair was loose and falling over her shoulders, and her shoes put at least five inches on her legs.
She slid into the passenger seat with a smile and closed the door. “Hi.”
“You ready?” Anders asked, already shifting the vehicle into drive.
“God, yes. I need a drink. This afternoon was a nightmare. I’m ready to relax and have a little fun.” Aubrey looked away from Anders’ curious stare and started rummaging around in her clutch. Her afternoon had been fine, but just before leaving the studio earlier, she’d come across a couple of kids regaling their friends with a story about how they’d seen Anders lose his shit, how he’d gotten into a yelling match with an employee at the studio and stormed down the hall mad as hell.
She wanted to ask him about it, but she refrained. She was going to find a common ground, and nothing seemed like a better start than pretending her afternoon had been as shitty as his.
The camera flashes were blinding as they stepped out of Anders’ SUV. Fans and paps alike shouted their names. Aubrey smiled and wound her hand around Anders’ bicep as he dropped his head and tried to push their way through the crowd. He didn’t care about the paps’ questions or the fans’ pleas for autographs. The only person he cared about had turned her phone off when he tried to call.
Two bouncers stepped away from the entrance and met Anders and Aubrey about halfway to help them into the club. Anders couldn’t help the small grin that tugged at the corner of his mouth once they were inside. He’d been to more clubs than he could count, but none like this.
Veins of lights infused the walls and large metal pieces of art hung from the ceiling. On the second floor, several oval balconies jutted out from the walls, overlooking the dance floor. The bar was massive, the music was excellent, and there were beautiful people everywhere.
The club manager met them at the entrance with two complimentary drinks before leading them to a side door with stairs to their private balcony. “Your party is waiting for you. If there’s anything else you need, your personal server, Amy, will take care of it.”
Aubrey grabbed Anders’ arm and tugged him to a stop. “The rest of our party? What is she talking about?”
Anders pulled his arm free. “I thought it’d be more fun if we hung out with a group of people. I’m not sure if you’ve met them all, but you’ll know who they are.”
Aubrey pulled in a deep breath and tried to keep her temper in check. “That sounds great. Had I known, I would’ve invited a couple of my friends, but no matter. I’m sure we’ll have fun.”
Anders’ eyes widened at her easy response. He’d expected her to be pissed and spend most of the evening pouting. Maybe Aubrey wasn’t as bad as he’d thought. Maybe this night might turn out to be fun after all. “Yeah. Um, come on, let’s go get another drink.”
Owen, Walker, Molly, and Whitney were all downing shots when Anders and Aubrey walked around the curtain and onto the balcony. “Hey, fuckers, you couldn’t wait for us?”
“Sorry, man.” Owen laughed. “Walker’s been in rehab for months. He doesn’t have a lot of patience.”
“It’s true. For some reason they frown upon adding tequila to your orange juice in rehab,” Walker added with a lazy grin.
After introductions, everyone settled on the plush couches surrounding the table. A new round of drinks were poured. And then another. Aubrey joked with Molly and Whitney while Anders listened to Owen and Walker debate about which lucky woman would be joining them later.
It was the most relaxed he’d been in a while. He wasn’t sure if it was the excitement of the atmosphere, the numbness of the alcohol, or the easy feeling of the group. He wondered if this was how things were for Josie when she went out dancing with friends. He shook his head and slammed back another drink. He wasn’t going to think about her when she wouldn’t even answer the phone.
“Come on, we’re going downstairs.”
Anders jerked in surprise when Walker tapped his shoulder. Everyone was standing and looking at him expectantly. “Nah, I’m good.”
Aubrey smiled. “Me too. I think I need a couple more drinks to wash off the remains of this day.” She looked at Anders. “Is that okay with you?”
Anders nodded, but the idea of being alone with Aubrey caused the familiar feeling of guilt to settle in his chest. But so far Aubrey had behaved, so he slid over on the sofa and patted the seat beside him. “Let’s knock back a few more.”
With every shot, Aubrey’s confidence grew and Anders’ inhibitions lowered. Unfortunately for Aubrey, the drunker Anders became, the more his thoughts drifted to Josie. When Aubrey’s hand slid over the top of Anders’ thigh, he knew things were getting out of control.
“Let’s go dance,” he suggested, rising from the couch and stepping toward the curtain.
Aubrey, who had faked drinking her last couple of shots, grinned and stood on much steadier feet. “Hell yeah.”
Anders hadn’t considered what dancing with Aubrey would entail when he’d made the suggestion. The moment they stepped onto the dance floor, they were pressed together from head to toe. Her hands rested over his shoulders as she swayed and rocked against him.
Aubrey turned her back to Anders and grabbed his hands, sliding them along the curve of her waist before settling them on her hips. Lifting her arms, she wound them around his neck and let her head fall back against his shoulder.
Anders flexed his fingers and blinked, trying to clear his vision against the flashing lights. He couldn’t dance with her like this. She felt good against him, and she smelled amazing, but she wasn’t the girl he wanted. Drawing attention by bolting from the dance floor wasn’t an option, though, so he danced and gave the people snapping pictures on their phones what the studio wanted.
When he noticed some of the group had returned to the balcony, he grabbed Aubrey’s arm and motioned with his head for her to follow. She smiled and laced their fingers as he led them through the crowd. As soon as they were off to the side, he dropped her hand.
He wasn’t sure if it was alcohol or guilt, but he began to question if Aubrey had just switched tactics. When they reached the balcony and Aubrey fell onto the sofa across from him, though, he was certain it was all in his head. Letting his head rest on the back of the sofa, he looked around the group and smiled. Walker had returned with a random girl from the dance floor, but Owen had yet to settle on whom he planned to take home.
“So are you gonna fuck her tonight?” Owen asked as he leaned back and mimicked Anders’ position.
“Nope. Been there done that. You know my rule.”
“You mean the rule you haven’t followed in months?” Owen smirked and held up his hands when Anders sent him a nasty glare. “Calm down. I’m just saying you’re a fucking idiot. It’s a waste to leave a woman that fine unfucked.”
Anders rolled his eyes. “Well, you’re more than welcome to her.”
It was almost midnight when Anders’ phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out and blinked a couple of times until he saw Ivy on the display. He frowned, his thumb hovering over the answer button before moving to the ignore button and pressing down. He couldn’t talk to her with so many people around, and if he was being honest, he didn’t want to. He wasn’t in the mood to fight. For the first time in a long while, he was out having fun with his friends. He’d also made a decision. He didn’t care what Clarence, Aubrey, or anyone else said. He was done. This was his last date with Aubrey. It just wasn’t worth it. Shoving his phone into his pocket, he returned his attention to Owen, unaware of Aubrey’s burning gaze.
By two in the morning, Aubrey was the only one sober. Planting a seed in Walker’s ear that she had something a little stronger than alcohol at her place, it didn’t take much to make him convince everyone to come to her house for an after-party. Anders was the only one who protested, but once reminded he’d driven and someone had to get him home, he agreed. He just needed to sober up then he could drive himself home.
When they made it to Aubrey’s, the drinking started again. Everyone was loud and obnoxious, and Anders was no exception. When Aubrey found her place next to him on the loveseat and slid her hand over his leg, he didn’t hesitate to knock her hand away.
“You’re fucking relentless,” he chuckled, his voice tinged with annoyance.
“Then maybe you should just relent.”
“Or maybe you should move on.”
“You don’t mean that.” Aubrey swung her leg over Anders’ and straddled his lap. “You can’t tell me you don’t want to fuck me again. There was hard evidence today that showed how much the idea of fucking me appeals to you.”
Curling his fingers around her waist, Anders lifted her and tossed her back on the couch beside him. He was certain Aubrey mentioned their sex scene from earlier to make him think about how they’d been, how she’d looked. The only thing it reminded him of, however, was his fight with Josie. “I’ve tried to be nice. I’ve tried to let you down easy, but you just don’t fucking get it. I have zero interest in fucking you again.” The feel of her hand stung as it made contact with the side of his face.
“You’re a fucking asshole, Anders Ellis.” Aubrey pushed up from the couch and stormed out of the room as Anders dropped his head back and laughed.
“Why do you sound so surprised? I’ve always been an asshole.” He let his eyes fall shut and willed the room to stop spinning. If he couldn’t sober up, he’d have to call a cab. Pulling out his phone, he clutched it in his hand and pulled in a deep breath. He just needed a few minutes. Then he’d call a cab.
It was almost an hour later when the last of the group filed out of Aubrey’s house and into the back of a waiting cab. Locking the front door, Aubrey walked back into her living room and sat on the coffee table in front of a sleeping Anders.
She considered waking him, sending him home with the rest of the group, and washing her hands of the entire situation. Aubrey’s pride was a vicious thing, however; her ego wouldn’t let her admit defeat, not yet.
She moved to stand when the sight of Anders’ phone caught her eye. Without a second thought she plucked the device from his hand and unlocked the screen. An alert notification popped up, and she pressed the screen to view the message.
Sorry I couldn’t answer earlier. I was with my brother and his realtor. Actually, I’m sorry about a lot of things. I was wrong, but you deserve to hear that in person. Call me when you get this.
Aubrey’s brows pulled together, and her mouth formed a frown as she looked at the name. Ivy. Scrolling through his messages, it became obvious who Ivy was. She was the reason Anders kept shooting Aubrey down. She was the obstacle, and she would have to be eliminated.
When Anders stirred, Aubrey slipped his phone back in his hand and continued to her bedroom. She didn’t want him to wake. She needed him at her house when the sun rose.
Picking up her phone, she waited for Levi to answer. On the fifth ring his groggy, sleep-filled voice rang out in her ear.
“Hello?”
“I was right. He has a girlfriend.”
After several seconds of silence Levi spoke again. This time his voice sounded much more alert. “How do you know? Did you see her?”
“No. Anders is passed out on my couch. I looked through his phone. I’m not sure how far they go back, but she’s the one Anders has been hiding.”
“What’s her name?”
“Ivy,” Aubrey spat, disdain evident in her voice. “She’s probably a stripper.”
“That would explain why he’s kept her a secret. So what’s the plan?”
Aubrey contemplated her next move. “I don’t want to leak the story about the girl. I don’t want to look like a fool by having the man I’m dating cheating on me with a stripper. I’d rather end them. Get dressed and get over here. I think some nice shots of Anders leaving my house in the morning should do the trick.”
“You got it. The codes to get in still the same?”
“Yes. Now I’m going to get some rest. Go take lots of pretty pictures for me.” Aubrey ended the call and crawled into bed. Things hadn’t turned out how she wanted, but at least now she understood why. Once she dealt with this Ivy person, there would be nothing standing in her way.