Before A Perfect World: Movie Trilogy, Book Two (The Movie Trilogy) (11 page)

“
I remember.” My dad reached to pat Keaton’s shoulder, and I nearly fell over. I’d never seen him show
any
kind of affection toward Matthew, and certainly not ever witnessed him proactively reach
out
to him. “You’re a good kid. I remember the way you looked out for your little brother.”

Some awkwardness passed between us all, and I looked up at Keaton in confusion. He kept his charismatic smile plastered on his face, but I could tell that he was
irritated over something.

And suddenly, I remembered the fact that his dad had been abusive, and it was entirely possible that my own dad was bringing that shit up
now
.

I covered my hands over my stomach,
swallowing hard. “Mom, Dad… we… Keaton and I, um, we-”

“I’ve asked Vivian to marry me, and she’s accepted.” Keaton dropped his arm around my waist, turning to kiss the top of my head.

So much for easing them into the information. Apparently, Keaton had no concept of any delivery other than blunt drama.

“What?”

“What about Matthew?”

“You’re pregnant again, Vivian-”

“
Our
baby is due in March,” he cut in with a wide grin. “When she was out in LA last week auditioning for my movie, I had her seen by a specialist. In fact,” he said, reaching into his back pocket to extract his wallet, “meet… your granddaughter. I have a feeling she’s a girl,” he added to me with a wink.

My father couldn’t say a word. My mom’s mouth hung open, and she reached for the ultrasound photo, her eyes
wide.

“Movie? Vivian?” Dad looked between the two of us expectantly.

“I know, this is a lot of information, really fast. Here.” He tucked his wallet back in his pocket, retrieving his phone. “Let me order some dinner. Or would you rather go out, V?”

He commanded the situation, and I could feel the tension increase between the four of us.

“Keaton is a director, Dad. He… won an Oscar,” I began, wishing my words back.

Rewind time.

Time travel.

Go back.
Noooooo…

“An Oscar? Oh my, Keaton! What movie?” my mother gushed, gripping the ultrasound photo
with her fingers.

He kept his even smile. “It’s a documentary called
Dominance
. It’s about-”

“I want to go out! Out,” I interrupted, nearly shouting at him before he could begin talking about the details of his BDSM documentary with my
parents
. “I’ve been craving Mexican food. Please?”

“
Of course, kiddo,” he replied, too quickly, and I realized that he must have realized what I was doing. “Mr. and Mrs. Hale, would you care to join us?”

“Catherine,” my mother corrected, giving my dad a sideways glance.

My father looked between the two of us, once, twice, before turning to Keaton. “How old are you, son?”

“Almost twenty-seven. My birthday is Saturday.”

I looked up at him quickly. I didn’t know his birthday, either.
What is wrong with me?
Why are we always talking about
me
? Am I
that
self-absorbed?

“
And Matthew is out of the picture, I assume?” he pressed, now looking my way. I tried not to cower under his domineering gaze.

“
Matthew and I will always be… friends,” I stammered, reaching for a long strand of my hair. “He loves me so much, and I love him, but not like I love Keaton, and-”

“She’s adorable when she rambles,” Keaton interrupted, and his silencing glare was enough to force the hairs on my arms to attention.

Had I really just said that I still
loved
Matthew? What in the fucking
fuck
was wrong with me?

After ten endless seconds, my father finally reached for Keaton’s hand.

Keaton accepted his handshake, his winning grin charming the slacks off of my mother.

“Greg,” my dad said, giving me a quick glance before nodding at Keaton. “Please call me Greg
. And,” he began, gesturing out to the Ferrari in the driveway, “we’re taking your car.”

Keaton grinned, hugging me closer to his side. “Vivian told me that you have a passion for classic cars…”

I followed them out the door, dumbfounded at how quickly my dad and Keaton seemed to have bonded. My mom linked her arm through mine, hugging me to her. “Vivian, he’s so handsome,” she crooned.

Stiffening, I fell back and lowered my voice. “So is Matthew,” I defended, under my breath.

Her expression hardened. “We’re not talking about Matthew, honey. If you’re in love with this boy- with
Keaton
- then get your priorities in order. Let Matthew go.”

My mother. She had the ability to wrap up everything that had happened over the past two years with a neat little bow and tuck it away
in the back of her mind.

“
Right,” I agreed softly, watching my dad run his hands over the Ferrari. “Dad seems to like him.”

“He remembers when the Thorne children were just little. Poor Keaton; he took the brunt of his father’s alcoholism and abuse. It was no secret what went on in that house. He’s a strong boy. Man,” she corrected, winking my way.

What? No. God no. “Mom, stop looking at him like that,” I begged.

“He reminds me of… oh, what’s his name, that actor in the
Star Trek
movies, the new one…”

“Chris Pine,” I supplied, gazing at my gorgeous fiancé.

“Yes! Hmm,” she hummed, making her way toward the car.

“Vivian?” Keaton called, opening the door for me.
His hazel eyes sparkled in the beam of sunlight that had broken through the evening storm.

I took a steadying breath, thanking him before sliding into the leather seat.

. . .

My dad sat up front with Keaton, and I sat in the back with my mom, marveling at Keaton’s enigmatic personality. He had my parents completely enamored,
recounting a few entertaining Hollywood stories that had my mom seeing stars.

“
What was the red carpet like?” my mom asked, leaning forward between the seats. I couldn’t believe that, after all the drama and stress they’d put me through over Matthew, they just readily accepted Keaton into their lives.

Had I already paved the road to this shit show with Matthew?

“Vivian can tell you after Saturday,” he said, catching my eyes through the rearview mirror.

“What’s Saturday? Besides your birthday,” I added.

“Your first red carpet appearance. The annual Sundance Charity Ball. The film festival isn’t until September, but the ball in August raises money for children’s charities.”

I took in his information, my heart clamoring.

Red carpet? Ball?

Cameras…

Nausea was brewing, and I knew we were only minutes from the restaurant. He caught my eyes in the mirror, slowing down. “V? Are you sick?”

“A little,” I admitted, taking a deep breath.

“Hold on, baby, we’re almost there.”

The small exchange between the two of us did
n’t go unnoticed by my parents. My dad turned to flash me a reassuring smile, and my mom patted my back.

“
How exciting,” she cried, hugging me against her. “What about a lawyer? Greg, wouldn’t she need a lawyer for the movie? Have you signed any contracts-”

“Don’t worry, Catherine, I got her the best agent in LA. Her contract neg
otiations were definitely fair,” Keaton said, pulling into the restaurant parking lot.

I nodded, shifting uncomfortably. “Keaton wouldn’t screw me over,” I assured her, immediately wishing my words back.

My dad’s face was a mask of stone, and he turned toward the window.

The rash of hives grew over my neck, and as I reached to scratch during the intense, mortifying silence, Keaton finally burst out laughing, breaking the tension.
He offered me his hand, helping me step out of the Ferrari, and both of my parents waited by the front of the car.

“
Oh, wait… Gram said to give you this.”

I turned to him as his lips brushed mine, so very softly.

With just the slightest touch, every nerve ending in my body came sharply alive. In the middle of the Don Tequilas parking lot, he moved upward slightly, kissing the tip of my nose.

I was acutely aware that my parents were watching us. He couldn’t have been sweeter if he’d tried.

“I love you, kiddo.”

Oddly calmed by his little kiss and simple words, I folded into his arms.

“We’ll go get a table,” my mom called with a knowing smile, and I heard the door open, the volume of the festive music inside pouring into the parking lot.

The
night had turned out to be chilly but clear. I lifted my eyes to his.

“How did you do that?” I murmured, running my fingertips over his stubbly jaw. “How did you just win my parents over like that?”

He smirked, that boyish grin that forced a playful smile to my own lips.

“
I’m just being real. I hope that they can see how much I love you.”

“I love you, Keaton.” I pressed my forehead into his chest. “It was so hard
showing up at their door this morning, with Matthew and my suitcase… I feel like such a disappointment to them.”

“
What, did he just drop you off? Pin a note to your sweater, ring the doorbell, and run?”

“No,” I replied quickly,
rolling my eyes. “No, he said about three words to my dad.”

“
Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, reaching to tuck a long strand of hair behind my ear.

“Nope.” I looked down at my flats.

“Good. Now, what are the chances of us sleeping together tonight?”

“With my parents in the next room?” I asked, flinching at the thought. There was no way I would be quiet.

Not with Keaton.

“Hotel then.” He retrieved his phone from his pocket, nodding toward the door. “Come on, let’s go feed my baby. I’ll find us a room.”

“Are you sure?”

I didn’t understand what I was asking him, and neither did he. He stopped searching on his phone, meeting my eyes.

“Are
you
sure?”

“We haven’t…” M
y stomach churned at the overwhelming emotions.

“Haven’t what?” he urged.

“Made love. Really made love. It was just that- that crazy time at the park, and…,”

“You’re nervous?” he realized,
and I nodded quickly before my ego would force me to lie.

“Of course I am. What if I’m not as good as you remember?”

He took a step closer, his hips pressing me to the side of the Ferrari. Another couple opened the door of the restaurant, filling the air with fiesta music.

“
Vivian… Hale,” he paused, looking down at me. “What’s your middle name?”

“
Julia,” I replied quickly. “Yours?”

“Anthony,” he added, grinning. “Vivian Julia Hale, I fucked you at that park. It was hot, and fast, and when I came, I came so hard I made a human being.”

I blushed, and he grinned.

“Tonight, I’m going to make love to you. Slowly. The way I wanted to the night of
my brother’s wedding. The way you deserve.”

His words were like his fingertips, drawing soft circles over my skin, leaving me breathless.

“I want that.” I nodded resolutely, and now it was his turn to laugh. He tugged me even closer, his strong hand at the small of my back.

“I want you,” he confirmed, catching my lips in his.

The cool, evening breeze picked up around us as he kissed me. He flattened his palm on my lower back, drawing me up and into him with every thrust of his tongue. I fit my body against his, letting the euphoria take me over.

“
I want you,
” I whispered.

Groaning,
he held me harder.

“
Christ
,” he murmured and pulled away, taking a deep breath before exhaling a short laugh. “Okay.”

Somehow we made it into the restaurant.

We sat across from my parents in a booth, and the single bulb with a lime green shade hanging overhead reminded me of an interrogation room.

It must have
also been inspirational for my dad, because he began the rapid-fire questions before our drinks arrived.

“
When do you plan to get married?”

Keaton reached for my hand, threading his fingers through mine. “After the movie is finished filming, but before the baby is born. We haven’t set a date.”