Long days of filming leave me exhausted, and I need to try and get some sleep.

Except that’s pretty impossible these days. All I want to do is look up rumors and news stories about Jackson and Holly, which is totally an insane thing to do. I can just ask him about it, but I don’t fully trust him yet, although I don’t know why I’d trust the freaking paparazzi.

It’s not just the news stories. It’s everything. I keep thinking about what I used to have with him, back in the day. I keep seeing the guy he used to be, and sometimes I see that guy still inside of him. I can tell he’s been through a lot since I last saw him. I mean, he was a freaking Navy SEAL that saw actual combat. I feel like people don’t think about that nearly enough. He’s a real badass, not like those fake pretty boys that pretend to be tough.

The Jackson I knew was always hard, but he has a soft side, and he always showed it to me. I miss that side of him. I miss the way he used to sneak to my house in the middle of the night and throw rocks at my window. It was really cliché, but he didn’t own a cellphone. He’d climb up onto my roof and help me out the window, and we’d sit there together and kiss each other for hours. He’d sneak back home before the sun came up, and we never got caught.

At least I assume he never got caught. I know his home life was far from ideal. I’m pretty sure he snuck out to come to my place when his father was blacked out drunk and acting aggressively. I think his whole family would vacate the house when his father got like that. I don’t know how he handled it. I’m not close with my family, but at least they weren’t alcoholics.

I try and shut my eyes, try and let sleep come, but my brain just keeps buzzing. I can’t stop seeing the way Jackson used to hold my hand, used to whisper in my ear, used to tell me that we’d get out of town together and never come back. We both got out, but it wasn’t together.

Maybe that’s how it goes. Maybe I’m holding him to impossibly high standards. He was a kid back then, just like me, and he was dealing with some serious shit. Maybe I don’t know why he left me because I couldn’t possibly understand the sort of pressures he was under. He didn’t talk about his father much, but I know that the man was always on his mind, always a part of him. As far as I know, his dad’s still out there somewhere, probably drunk and angry.

I roll over onto my side and notice my phone’s screen is lit up. I reach out and there’s a text from Jackson, which is almost spooky.

“Need to talk. You awake?”

I smile to myself. “I was just thinking about you.”

“I bet you were. Hand down your panties, sweat rolling down your skin?”

“Not exactly.” I bite my lip as I type. “I was remembering how you used to throw rocks at my window to wake me up.”

“We were stupid kids back then. But those were good nights.”

“Very true. Anyway, I’m awake.”

“Can I come by your apartment?”

My heart skips a beat. I never thought I’d actually have Jackson at my place. But if he says he needs to talk, I can’t turn him down.

“Okay,” I say, and send him the address.

“Be there in twenty.”

Instantly I jump out of bed and get myself together. I don’t want to look like I’m getting too dressed up for him, so I keep it casual, but I fix myself up a little bit. I don’t know why he’s coming over, and part of me thinks this might be a booty call.

When I’m done, I head out into the living room to find Laney sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and staring at the television. She’s watching old Power Rangers episodes.

“Love this stuff,” she says to me without looking away. “All of my scripts are inspired by the original Power Rangers.”

“They’re great,” I say. “Listen, Jackson Hendricks is coming over.”

That gets her attention. “Your old flame?”

“I mean, sure.”

She grins at me. “Are you tapping that again, you ho?”

“No,” I say quickly, and feel guilty for lying. “I mean, I don’t know. Just be cool, okay?”

“Please,” she says, her grin enormous. “I’m always cool. Just try and keep it down. I’m doing research.”

I roll my eyes and sit down, waiting for Jackson. A few minutes later, there’s a knock at the door. Laney grins at me and gestures at the door with her head.

“Don’t keep him waiting,” she says. “He’s famous now, you know.”

I groan and get up. I cross the room and open the door.

Jackson smiles at me as soon as I see him. He’s wearing a simple outfit of a black leather jacket, a white t-shirt, jeans, and leather boots. He almost looks like a biker, except it’s all sleek and expensive and fits him perfectly.

“Hey,” he says to me.

“Hey yourself.” I can’t help but smile like an idiot.

“Hey,” Laney yells from the couch.

Jackson looks over my shoulder. “Oh hey, you’re Laney, right?”

“Script writer,” she says, looking back at the TV.

“Ignore her,” I say.

“Is that the Power Rangers?” he asks.

“Yes,” Laney says. “Feel free to join.”

He grins and hesitates a second. “Actually, Tara, mind if we go for a little walk? It’s nice out.”

“Sure. Laney, we’ll be back.” I leave the apartment and shut the door behind me.

“Sorry for coming over like this,” he says softly. “I mean, it’s pretty late, but I had to talk to you.”

“It’s no big deal,” I answer. “Things have been pretty crazy.”

“You don’t even know the half of it.”

He goes quiet as we walk out onto the street and start to head down the block. We’re going slowly, and the sidewalk is empty at this time of night. I live in a pretty nice area, looks like the suburbs basically, though it’s part of LA still. Modest bungalows line the streets along with a strip mall and some random stores.

I look up at him and his expression is serious. I don’t know what’s going on, but I suddenly realize that this isn’t a booty call. He’s not here just to sleep with me.

Maybe this is his way of throwing rocks at my window again.

“I talked to Holly,” he says finally. “Well, she did most of the talking.”

“She talked to me, too,” I admit to him.

He raises an eyebrow. “What did she say?”

“Threatened me,” I say. “Basically told me she’d get me fired if I don’t back off you.”

He groans and shakes his head. “That crazy fucking bitch.”

“What’s her deal, Jackson?” I ask him. “I don’t understand this at all. Does she love you or something?”

“No,” he says. “She thinks that if we stay attached as a couple that she’ll have an easier time getting a job.”

“She’s doing this for her career?” I can’t help but laugh. “That almost makes it worse.”

“Either way, she’s serious. I came here to tell you that she threatened to go to the paparazzi with a story about me abusing her and raping her.”

My eyes go a little wide. “She what?”

“Yeah,” he says. “She’ll tell the world I’m an abusive rapist or some shit if I don’t stay with her until she gets another job.”

“Holy shit,” I whisper. “Jackson, that’s insane. She’s blackmailing you.”

“Yeah,” he grunts. “And I don’t know what the fuck to do about it.” He stops and faces me, and I turn to face him.

“Whatever I can do to help,” I say softly.

He reaches out and takes my hand, pulling me against him. He kisses me hard, surprising me for a second, but quickly I fall into his kiss. I let myself enjoy it, even if it’s dangerous and stupid to push this thing.

Slowly he breaks it off. “I just need you to know… Holly means nothing to me.”

“And why do I need to know that?” I ask him.

“I want you to trust me again.”

I look away, down at the ground. “That’s going to take some time,” I say.

“I know.” He tips my chin up and makes me look him in the eye. “But I’m trying. I don’t want anything to do with Holly, but I don’t know how to get out of it.”

I look into his eyes, and I believe him. I don’t know what it is about his expression but it’s the most sincere thing I’ve ever seen. I stand up on my toes and kiss him softly on the mouth, not sure what’s coming over me, and he kisses me back.

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll let you try.”

“Got any ideas about how I can get out of this with Holly, or am I just fucked?”

I shake my head. “No clue. But I know someone who might.”

He cocks his head. “Who?”

“She’s a little weird and loves the Power Rangers apparently, but Laney’s the smartest person I know. If anyone can help, I bet it’s her.”

“You think we can trust her?” he asks me. “This story… if it leaks… it’ll be huge. And Holly will go off.”

“We can trust her,” I say. “I trust Laney with everything.”

“Okay,” he says. “Let’s go ask her.”

We head back to the apartment, holding hands, and I don’t know what that means. But it makes my heart beat fast and it feels good, really good, to have his hand in mine. I’m trying not to overanalyze this moment. I’m trying to enjoy it.

We get back to the apartment, and Laney is right where we left her. Once inside, we sit down and I launch into the story. I tell her the whole thing, about how we’re sleeping together, about his fake relationship with Holly, everything. Jackson adds in any details I don’t know, and when we’re finished, Laney is frowning.

“What do you think?” he asks her.

“Sounds like a fucking crazy story,” she says. “Can I write a script about it?”

He laughs a little. “You can option my story if you come up with a good plan.”

Her eyes light up, and I know she’s taking him seriously. “It’s a deal,” she says.

“Okay then.” He grins at her and they shake hands.

“Give me a few hours,” Laney says. “I think I can come up with a solution to your problem.”

“You sure?” I ask her.

“Positive. Just leave me to my work.” She grabs her laptop and a pair of headphones. “Don’t bother me until the morning.”

“Okay,” I say, but Laney already has the headphones on. She’s tapping away as Jackson and I get up. I’m not sure what to do, so I take him back through the house and into my room.

I shut the door and he looks at me. “She’s weird,” he says with a smile. “But I like her. I can see why you do too.”

“She’s pretty great,” I say, suddenly nervous. Jackson is in my room, my actual bedroom. I feel like a teenager again.

He looks around, studying my life. “So this is it,” he says. “More CDs than I would have guessed.”

“I got into music,” I say.

He nods and looks at the pictures on my walls, at the stuff on my bureau, before stopping in front of me.

He reaches out and takes my hair, pulling me toward him. My heart skips a beat as I press myself against his body. “I’ve always wanted to fuck you in your bedroom,” he whispers in my ear. “Even all those years ago. But now we won’t have to be quiet.”

I look at him, eyes wide. “Who says you can do that?” I ask him.

“I do.” He smirks and kisses me, and I know he’s right.