CHAPTER ELEVEN
Riley looked incredibly gorgeous. Sam had seen a multitude of beautiful women in his lifetime but not one could hold a candle to the woman standing in front of him in her living room. He’d been nervous tonight as he’d dressed in his tuxedo and tried to tame his hair that had grown a tad too long in the last few weeks, but when she’d opened the door he’d almost swallowed his own spit.
Her dark blonde hair was coiled up off of her neck and face, showing off creamy skin that didn’t need all the layers of cosmetics he was so used to seeing. Her dress was white, cut high on her leg and low in the back, showing off every mouthwatering curve of her body and highlighting her golden Florida tan. Good old Chad was going to kick himself repeatedly in the ass for leaving this woman.
“Are you ready to go?”
Surprisingly, his voice sounded completely normal despite his body vibrating from the inside out. His reaction wasn’t only to her physical beauty; it was also that he knew what lay beyond it. The intelligence, the kindness, even the silly sense of humor. She was fun, sweet, and the most normal woman he’d met in ages.
This is not real. You’re just doing a favor.
Riley turned and checked her reflection in the foyer mirror. “I think so. This is about as good as it’s going to get.”
“You look beautiful,” he assured her. “You’re a knockout and every man at that party tonight is going to wish he was me.”
Laughing, she gathered up her purse and dropped her house keys inside. “Of course, they’re going to wish they were you. You’re Sam Collins, movie star. It won’t have anything to do with me.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit.”
“And you give yourself too little.”
The drive to the party was short and Riley kept him entertained with stories of his mother with the children at school. When he pulled into the long driveway in front of the beachside mansion, he had a quick moment of doubt that he felt deep in the pit of his stomach. It felt all wrong to be pretending this way with Riley. She wasn’t one of the actresses he usually worked with that knew the movie business rules inside and out. If he’d learned anything about her this week it was that she was an honest person and what they were about to do was far from those ideals.
“There’s still time for me to turn around and go back,” he heard himself say. “I know Paula pretty much cornered you into this.”
“She cornered you, too,” Riley reminded him. “We’re here now so we might as well go in, but I doubt I’ll want to stay long. I can’t imagine that we’re going to have much fun tonight.”
Sam was determined that Riley was going to enjoy herself despite everything they had going against them. He just needed to know one more thing…
“How do you want to do this? Do you want to make sure that Chad and Monica see us together? Seek them out? Or just go in and have fun and if they see us, then fine?”
“The latter.” Riley’s tone was firm. “I’m not sure it’s even all that smart to be here so I don’t want to make a production of it. Other people can do that for us if they want to. Let’s find your mother and Tara, have a few cocktails, and maybe even dance. Everyone will know that we’re having a good time and then we can leave. How does that sound?”
“It sounds perfect to me, but I would have been good either way, although I have to tell you that my mom might have other ideas. She’s the one that’s pushing this, remember?”
As if they could forget that Paula had thrown Riley under the bus. And Sam along with her. Those tires hurt like a bitch.
“I think she knows she overstepped,” Riley replied as they pulled up in front of the home, a large modern monstrosity that tonight was all lit up with people bustling around the entrance. “I don’t think she’ll be pushy tonight.”
Riley’s prediction turned out to be true. Paula was on her best behavior at the party, gushing about how they were the most handsome couple there and pulling them both in for big hugs. Riley nudged his elbow and nodded toward Paula who was flirting harmlessly with a young waiter bearing champagne flutes.
“You should ask your mother to dance. She’d love that.”
“I haven’t even danced with you yet.”
Smiling, Riley’s gaze settled on Paula. “I can wait. She’s your mother and the real reason you’ve spent your vacation here. I think she’s earned the first dance. I’ll be fine here with Tara.”
Tara had come as Paula’s date since her husband, the firefighter, was on duty at the last minute.
“Mother, would you care to dance?”
Paula’s face lit up and she clasped her hands together in delight. “Trip the light fantastic with my favorite son? I believe I will.” But then her smile fell and she glanced nervously at Riley. “But shouldn’t you dance with your date first?”
Riley nodded toward her best friend. “Tara and I want to catch up a little, so please go on with Sam.”
The smile was back and Sam couldn’t help the rush of love that ran through him when his mother looked this happy. She’d done so much for him, sacrificed so much, and he’d do anything to make sure that her golden years were as happy and peaceful as possible.
Which brought him around to what he and Riley were doing tonight. It wasn’t real. Or was it? Truthfully, if he’d been invited to this party the one woman he might have asked to be his date was Riley. So maybe it wasn’t so fake.
Forget it, man. Riley is off limits.
Paula was a hell of a dancer and Sam was only okay, but they managed to find an equilibrium that seemed to suit them both. In other words, she allowed him to lead. Up to a point.
“Riley looks lovely tonight, doesn’t she?”
“She does. So do you, though. Is that a new dress?”
Chuckling, Paula shook her head. “I wore this to the premiere of one of your movies, but I can’t remember which one. You bought it for me in Milan when we vacationed there.”
He truly didn’t remember, but then women’s fashions weren’t something he noticed often, or at all.
“You look beautiful in it.”
“Don’t look at me.” His mother nudged his shoulder. “Look at Riley. She’s the one you should be paying attention to. She’s the perfect woman for you.”
The idea of any one female being perfect for Sam amused him to no end. He didn’t believe in soulmates, although a few of his friends might have come close.
“Are you playing matchmaker, Mom? Because you’re wasting your time. I’m a lost cause and you of all people should know that.”
Paula had been there when Sam’s marriage had fallen apart and she knew that it was his fault. He’d failed as a husband.
“That was a long time ago, and you deserve happiness and love just as much as anyone does. You’d be a wonderful husband and fa–”
“Don’t,” Sam interrupted, his entire body stiffening. “I’d be a lousy husband. When I’m working on a movie the hours are terrible and we’d never see each other. When I’m not working on a film I’m traveling all over the world to promote the last one I made. None of this is conducive to making a marriage work and there are hundreds, if not thousands of broken Hollywood marriages as evidence.”
“I just think–”
“Leave it, Mother,” he said, his tone harsh. “Your baby boy is fine. The last thing I want to do is drag a nice girl like Riley into my life. She’d hate it there and she’s already had enough heartache, don’t you think?”
Paula was silent for a long time as they finished their dance, the notes of the song drifting away. He placed his hand on her shoulder as they walked back to the others, but at the edge of the dance floor she stopped, so he had to as well.
“I will leave it, but I want to say one thing first and you, young man, are going to shut up and listen to me. Do you understand?”
Paula had that tone that he knew so well from his youth. He’d better pipe down and let her have her say or he’d be scrubbing garbage cans as punishment.
“I’m listening.”
Her eyes narrowed and her finger stabbed him right in the chest. “Don’t take that tone with me. I changed your diapers. You might be a big movie star to everyone else but you’re still Samuel Christopher to me.”
And she’d never let him forget it.
Thank goodness.
“I know, Mom. I really am listening.”
“That’s better.” Paula visibly relaxed but she still had a determined glint in her eye. “I’m worried about you, son. I’m not going to live forever–”
Panic and blind fear clutched at his chest, making it hard to breathe. “Wait, are you sick?”
Paula’s gaze ran around the room and then she grabbed his arm, dragging him out to the patio that overlooked the intercoastal waterway. “I am not sick, but I am getting older.”
He could finally inhale and exhale.
“So am I. We all are. Stop talking like you have one foot in the grave and another on a banana peel. You’re in great health.”
“And I intend to stay that way as long as I possibly can, but you’re not getting any younger, either. You need someone to share your life with.” She held up her hand when he would have spoken. “Don’t tell me about all the friends you have or about all the women you date. It’s not the same. You need a partner to share your life with.”
His mother meant well. She truly did.
“You think Riley is the woman for me?”
“I think she could be if you gave her a chance.”
The key phrase there was…if he gave her a chance. He wasn’t planning to do that.
“Is that what this charade was all about? Not the engaged couple, but about fixing me up with a wife?”
Paula shook her head but she wasn’t looking him in the eye, instead staring out over the water. “It was about how they hurt Riley.”
“And you.”
“And me,” she conceded. “To be honest, in the beginning I wasn’t thinking of you and Riley as a couple, but after what I’ve seen this week I think you would be a fool to let her go. You two are perfect for one another.”
This week. It had been wonderful. Riley was an amazing woman and if he were a different person with a different life he might have stayed and tried to make their relationship have a future. But he was who he was.
“Riley is terrific but it’s just not going to happen, Mom.”
His mother finally turned to him, her gaze seeing far too much. As always. She’d never bought any of his bullshit when he was younger, and he was a terrible actor when it came to lying to her.
I’m not really lying. I like Riley. I’m attracted to Riley. But I’m leaving tomorrow.
“You’ll miss her when you’re gone.”
He couldn’t deny that he would, but he intended to stay so busy he wouldn’t have much of a chance.
“You might be right, but it still isn’t going to happen. I’m leaving tomorrow and going back to my life. Believe me when I say it, you’ll thank me later when Riley finds a nice man and settles down with him. You can still have brunch with her on Sundays and go shopping, and of course see her at school.”
Sam didn’t much like thinking about that though. He couldn’t think of one person who was good enough for her. He sure as hell wasn’t.
Paula’s eyes glittered with unshed tears. “I’m sad when I think about your life. I want so much for you but then I see you taking opportunities and just throwing them away. You act as if women like Riley will come into your life every day or whenever you want them to. And even more frustrating is that you act like you have everything you could ever want to make you happy. You have fame and fortune but frankly, son, I’ve never once seen that make anyone truly happy. This is your second chance and you’re going to turn and walk away from it. Stay a little while longer. Spend some time with Riley and see what might happen. No pretending, for real this time.”
His second chance. Did men like him get second chances? Certainly they did, but the real question was did he deserve it? His ex-wife had been very clear as to who was at fault when she’d left him and filed for divorce.
“I can’t stay,” he replied, wanting to put an end to this uncomfortable conversation. Paula only wanted what she thought would make him happy, and if he were brutally honest with himself, Riley was the kind of woman that could do that. But he wasn’t the type of man who could settle down. “I know what I am, Mom. I’d hurt her and that’s something I don’t want to do. We should go back inside. They’re probably wondering what happened to us.”
Just tonight. That’s all that was left. He’d give Riley a wonderful evening and then he’d go. No looking back. No regrets.