30
I waited at least ten minutes before heading out the front.
I found the men talking in the garage and the conversation stopped when I entered.
“Lena.” Kaden nodded at me.
“Hi Aaron. Are you happy with everything?”
“For now.” He gestured to the screens lined up against the wall, which would soon be connected to various security cameras around my property and in my house. “It will be better when the gatehouse is done and Jay can move out of here.”
I was careful not to look at Marc. “That’s fine. As long as it works in the meantime.”
“It will.”
There was no possible way he could have known what had just happened between Marc and I in the library, but I’d feel a lot more comfortable once the gatehouse was finished. Well, as comfortable as a person could feel when there were cameras everywhere.
“Jay tells me you’re having a party in a couple of weeks?” Aaron said ‘party’ like it was a dirty word.
“Just an end-of-production gathering with some of the cast and crew.”
“I can’t convince you to forget the idea?”
“Why?”
Kaden glanced over at Marc. “Letting a lot of people into your home is never a good idea. It exposes you.”
I paused before I answered, wanting to give his recommendation the respect it deserved. “I appreciate that, but this new house is a home and I intend to live in it like it’s one.”
“I’m not suggesting you can never hold a party, just that with the way things are right now it might be better not to.”
“The way things are right now?” I echoed. “For as long as I’m famous, there’s always going to be something, so I’m planning to host this party.”
Kaden opened his mouth but Marc shot him a sharp look and Kaden stayed quiet.
He sighed. “Can we help you out with security on the night?”
“That’s up to Jay. He can talk to you about our requirements if you like.”
“I’ll give you a call later in the week once Lena’s confirmed the guest list,” Jay told him.
With a furtive glance at Marc I smiled, thanked Kaden and said my goodbyes. As much as I wanted to be near Marc, they had a job to do and I didn’t see the point in hovering.
Marc caught my arm as I went to leave the garage. “Got a sec?”
I nodded and he followed me into the house. I could feel Kaden and Jay’s eyes on us as we went inside but acted like Marc’s request was entirely normal.
Marc closed the door behind us and we walked down the hall into the kitchen.
I turned when I reached the counter and jumped because he was right behind me. “Marc! Don’t sneak up on me!”
“Sorry,” he said, but didn’t look it. He caught my hands and pulled me to him.
He kissed me deeply until my toes tingled and I reluctantly broke away.
I cast a concerned look down the hall. “Marc, we can’t—”
“I know. I just wanted to give you this. It’s what I came here for in the first place.” He dug a hand into his back jean pocket and pressed a folded envelope into my hand. “For you.”
I frowned. “For me?” I unfolded the paper and saw the corner was stained with coffee.
“Open it.”
I slid my finger along the edge, tearing the paper. I lifted out two tickets.
“The Red Hot Chili Peppers?” I said at the same time as I saw ‘Access All Areas’ and ‘Backstage Pass’. “What is this?” I demanded.
“Read the back.”
I turned the tickets over and gasped, reading out loud. “Hey beautiful lady, we’d be honored if you joined us for some tunes this Saturday.” It was signed by Anthony Kiedis, Flea and the rest of the band members. “Marc, what did you do?”
He shrugged. “Nothing really. I met them a few years back and they referred some work to us recently. I gave them a call to say thanks and we got talking.”
I narrowed my eyes. “About me?”
He shrugged again. “They were concerned about you. They’d read all the shit in the media and figured out you were my client. They really would like you to come.”
I couldn’t hide it any longer and gave him a wide smile. “You’re amazing.”
Marc blinked. “OK.”
I laughed, secretly enjoying the surprised reaction to my compliment. “I’m thrilled and of course I’ll go. I’ve never been to one of their concerts.”
“I thought you said they were one of your favorite bands?”
“They are, but I don’t know, I just never managed to see them before. When I was modeling, I was either traveling or working. Then I was so busy when my acting took off, and then I married Duncan and . . . ” I let my voice trail off, not wanting to continue.
“And he wouldn’t go to a Chili Peppers concert.”
“No, he wouldn’t,” I admitted. “But that’s in the past and I’m going now. Who’s the extra ticket for?”
“Whoever you want. I figured you’d take Ally or Chloe or—”
“You.”
“Me?”
“Come with me, Marc.”
“You want me to go with you?” he said slowly.
“That’s what I just said.”
“Like on a date?”
I hid a smile. He was uncomfortable and I found it endearing. “We’ve already been on a date, Nathan.”
He scowled and my smile grew.
“I can’t go with you as myself,” he said carefully.
“I don’t care what you call yourself. I’d like you there.”
He stepped in closer, trapping me against the bench. “Then I’ll be there. Or Nathan will be.”
“I hope he’ll be more well-behaved this time.”
He smirked. “Unlikely.” Then his smile faded. “Are you sure you’re OK with the act?”
I attempted a carefree shrug. “It’s not the end of the world. So much of my life in Hollywood has been an act.”
“And I know you hate that.”
I smiled at him a little sadly. “I couldn’t ask you to blow your cover any more than you could ask me to stop acting.”
“The case is over.”
“I know. But you still don’t want the whole world to know who you are. It could compromise future work.”
Marc stepped back and turned to look out the window. “My low profile is my doing. You’re the first client I’ve agreed to be seen with. And believe me, Kaden would be happy for the extra coverage.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s been at me for years to build the business in a more high-profile way. Claims there’s plenty of clients that would happily sing my praises.” He turned back to me and leaned against the bench beside me, rolling his eyes. “He wanted us to write a book together about our time in Afghanistan. I told him what I thought of that idea.”
I bet he had. “Why don’t you?” I said innocently, fully aware of what I was asking.
“Why don’t I?” Marc sputtered. “Because it’s self-serving and egotistical and makes me no better than . . . ”
“Than who? Hollywood? Me? Other actors?”
He rubbed a hand over his cropped hair in frustration. “No, I didn’t say that. It’s just not me, Lena.”
I caught his arm and threaded my fingers through his. “I know.”
I hadn’t meant to antagonize him and I wasn’t going to have another debate about Hollywood with him. I just had a feeling his story was worth telling.
“You don’t have to be something you’re not,” I continued. “And if you want to come as Nathan, I really don’t mind.”
Marc squeezed my fingers and pulled me to him. “I’ll be there. We’ll deal with the publicity.”
“And there will be publicity.”
“It doesn’t scare me.”
I touched his beard. “What does scare you?”
His eyes searched mine. “Not publicity.”
He kissed me and it didn’t take long for me to forget about what it was we’d been talking about.
*
“You’re going to the Red Hot Chili Peppers with Marc?” said Ally, not trying to hide her surprise.
It was a couple of nights later and the girls had dropped by to see my new house. I’d just finished giving them the tour, which had been blissfully quick. Now we were standing in the kitchen drinking tea because we all had to get up early the next morning.
I nodded. “It only seemed fair. He organized the tickets.” I ignored the way Chloe was grinning at me.
Faith put her mug down on the counter. “Sounds off to me.”
“Off? What could be off?”
“You never wanted Marc around when you were his client, let alone to be seen with him. Something’s happened. Why would you want to voluntarily spend time with him now?”
“Nothing’s happened,” I replied smoothly. “And he got me the tickets. He knows the band.”
“Nope. Doesn’t fit. Did he finally make a move?”
“What? Of course not!” OK, so that reply hadn’t been so calm.
“He did,” Chloe sang, grinning from ear to ear. “He so did!”
“He did not. I don’t even like him.” I felt a sharp pang as soon as I said it, but ignored it.
“That’s because you love him!”
The others burst out laughing at Chloe’s immature behavior and even I cracked a smile.
“I don’t love him.”
Faith’s smile turned sly. “Alright then, you want to fuck him.”
“Faith!” Chloe gasped.
Faith shrugged. “What? He’s hot. I’d go there if he was more my type.”
“I haven’t slept with him.” Yet. It wasn’t a lie. “What’s your type anyway, Faith?” I said, genuinely curious.
“Not Marc. And stop changing the subject. I don’t know why you’re fighting it. Someone like Marc makes sense after Duncan.”
I put a hand on my hip. “So what? I need a rebound fling?”
“I didn’t say that. It would just be nice to see you with someone with more passion.”
“Duncan had passion,” I said quietly.
“For Hollywood and your career,” said Ally.
I didn’t want to think about Duncan. “I’m not sure why you think Marc has passion. He’s got such a rock-hard shell it’s a wonder he let me see underneath . . .” I let my voice trail off when I realized what I’d said.
Chloe squealed and Faith grabbed her mug and put it on the counter before it spilled.
Chloe clapped her hands together. “I’m so happy for you, Lena. Marc is such a sweetheart.”
The others, and me included, stared at her.
“He is,” she insisted. “We’ve all seen the way he looks at Lena. Like she’s his princess.”
I swallowed a mouthful of tea and coughed.
Faith patted me on the back. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to the idea. So come on, what changed?”
“Yeah, Lena. Why won’t you tell us?” asked Ally, looking a little hurt, and I immediately felt guilty.
Ally was used to how intensely private I was, but I hadn’t meant to keep things from her. It also wasn’t like Marc and I had fallen in love. Since the other night, I hadn’t seen him again and wouldn’t do so until the night of the concert. I guess we were staying in touch. He messaged me at least once a day and then we’d text some more—usually about my safety. It wasn’t exactly romantic, but it was kind of nice.
With a sigh, I went to one of the stools and sat down. I told the girls a bit more about my time at the ranch with Marc and how we’d grown to trust each other. The bit about him stripping me naked in my new library I kept to myself.
“He was a Marine, not in the FBI?” said Chloe, sounding impressed. “And he’s got a daughter? Why isn’t he married anymore?”
I hadn’t gone into too much detail about why he’d left the Marines, nor was I going to. I felt strange about talking about his ex-wife, too. “I think being a Marine put a lot of pressure on their marriage, but he didn’t really say. It’s pretty obvious it’s in the past.”
“That may be,” said Ally. “But it’s important you understand his background.”
I gave her a sympathetic look. Ally and Jake had endured a rough patch when he’d had to deal with some things from his past, so I knew she was speaking from experience.
“I appreciate that, but I don’t think we’re at the stage yet.”
“Have you discussed Duncan with him?” Chloe asked.
“Well, yes, but that’s different. He knows almost everything about me.”
The women didn’t say anything—they didn’t need to.
“He’s not the sort of man you can push,” I said.
“That’s more of a reason to worry,” said Faith.
Her statement surprised me. “Do you think so?”
“Take it from me. The things you want to leave buried are the same ones that come back to bite you when you least expect it.”
I ignored a feeling of unease and forced myself to smile. “I’ll keep that in mind. Come on, let me show you the pool area where we’re going to host the party next week.”