Holly Hearts Hollywood (16 page)

Before we could say anything, two dogs came running with their tongues lolling out of their mouths. Grayson grinned and crouched to the ground.

“C’mere, boys! C’mon!” he said in that animal-baby-talk voice.

A golden retriever reached him first with a Welsh Corgi following close behind. Grayson patted the retriever on his shiny, golden head. “This is Caesar.” The Corgi collided into Grayson’s legs and bounced around excitedly. “And this,” he said, laughing, “is Sarge.”

“They’re adorable,” I said, bending down to pet their soft little heads. Sarge, with his short little legs and a stump for a tail, was totally my favorite.

“So this is where you come when you need to get away?” I asked.

He stood up, and I was daunted by how tall he was for a second. He was freaking Viking-like. “Not exactly, although I have a soft spot for these two. It’s right in here,” he pointed ahead.

“In the stables?” I asked as I followed him inside.

The smell overwhelmed me, and it actually made me miss Iowa a bit. Not that I want to go back, but sometimes it’s nice to take a trip down memory lane. The smell made me think of hayrides and early-morning farm chores. I could perfectly recall the sharp tang of hay and manure in the crisp Iowa autumn air.

We walked in between the rows of stables. A few were empty, but most of them housed so many beautiful horses. They had all kinds—Arabian, Palomino, Painted, and even an adorable Shetland pony! We reached the end of the stables, and Grayson gestured to the most magnificent thoroughbred stallion I’d ever seen. He was show-horse-worthy! I immediately wanted to throw a saddle on him and take him out for a nice gallop.

“This is Hercules,” Grayson said.

“This is
your
horse?”

I knew I sounded incredulous, but I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of “Grayson Frost: Outdoorsman.”

“Yeah, I love animals. I’m always trying to adopt strays and rescues, but my parents had to put their foot down after the last hungry kitten I brought home.”

I wanted to shout:
WHO
ARE
YOU?!
Instead, I said, “How many cats do you have?”

“Six,” he laughed. “I leave bowls of food out on the patio for the other strays my parents won’t let me take in.”

It was too much for my brain to handle. He didn’t sound anything at all like the Grayson I remembered. I seriously started to wonder if aliens had latched onto his brain and taken over his body. Or maybe it was part of his
Criminal Minds
-psychopathic-killer routine!

“Oh hey, unsuspecting victim, look at my cool horse and my rescue kittens. I’m so sensitive. Do you want to look at my machete and chainsaw collection?”

I seriously considered running away. He was obviously mentally unhinged.

“I got Hercules when he was just a foal back when I lived in Iowa.” His face darkened for one heart-stopping second. “I’m sorry, I’m terrible with names. Lace gives me a hard time about it. What’s your last name again? I know, I sound awful, but I can never remember peoples’ last names.”

I felt worried and relieved at the same time. I didn’t want to tell him my last name. How many Holly Harts does he know? Clearly his memory was a little spotty, so maybe he wouldn’t remember even if I told him.

“It’s okay. I’m Holly Hart.”

“So, Holly Hart, do you play any instruments?”

“No, why?” His question seemed completely out of left field.

“I assumed you do. Most people in this industry do, or at least want to learn.”

I thought about it, and then, for whatever strange reason, I actually told the truth.

“I’ve always wanted to learn to play the guitar.” What’s wrong with me?

He smiled. “Really? It just so happens I play the guitar. Do you want me to teach you?”

I was speechless. I wasn’t sure what the right response was. Yes, I wanted to learn to play the guitar, but no, I didn’t want Grayson Frost to be the one to teach me. I’d rather my grandpa teach me, even though he’d berate me the whole time, ask me what I’m doing with my life, feed me a Werther’s Original, and ask me why I’m still gaining weight. But Grayson seemed…nice and actually genuine. Maybe he has an acting career ahead of him.

I must’ve had a momentary lapse in sanity. There’s no other possible reason as to why I responded, “Yeah, that sounds great, thanks!”

He smiled again. I wished he’d stop doing that. It made him look so…handsome. Ugh! He took my
hand
and pulled it to Hercules’s nose. “He has the most velvety nose,” Grayson mused.

I stroked Hercules’s admittedly super-soft nose, and Grayson thankfully let go of my hand. My stomach was turning and
not
in excitement.

“Whenever I feel stressed or smothered, I come out here and take long rides with Hercules. He never pressures me to be something I don’t want to be.”

This statement was curious. What could Grayson Frost, international country music star, possibly feel pressure about? I understand the pressure to look good and release amazing albums every other year, but what did he mean by pressure about being
someone else
? Grayson fed Hercules a carrot, and the horse munched it happily. I was about to ask him what he meant when he suddenly asked me what high school in Iowa I went to. My stomach twisted itself into a cinnamon-roll-like shape. I could lie my way out of anything if I wanted to. I could’ve lied to Grayson; I had been planning on it, but standing there in the stables with the memory of his hand still on mine, I threw that plan out the window.

“Actually, I need to tell you something,” I said.

“That sounds serious, I only asked you about your high school,” Grayson cautiously.

“I’ve been lying to you,” I blurted out quickly.

Grayson looked at me curiously. “Lying? What do you mean?”

“I’m not from Des Moines. I’m from Cedar Junction,” I confessed. “We used to go to school together, elementary and junior high. You made fun of me all the time. It felt wrong to pretend it never happened. You made me feel so horrible, and I wanted you to know that it was me.”

Grayson didn’t even hesitate. “Yes, I know,” he said before he stepped close to me, straw crunching under his feet, and
KISSED
me.

HE KISSED ME! ON PURPOSE!

His left hand pushed against the small of my back, and he pressed me against his body. His right hand slid along my neck, through my hair, and grasped the side of my head. This was my first
real
kiss, and it wasn’t what I expected
at all
. I didn’t expect my first kiss to be with a superstar in his stables after I told him he’d hurt my feelings in junior high.

When he finally broke away, I looked into his gleaming eyes and said in a wobbly voice, “What do you mean ‘you know?’” Grayson didn’t move his face away from mine. The tips of our noses were almost touching.

“I knew who you were from the moment we met.” He kissed me gently again.

“And you let me
lie
about it?” I demanded, murmuring the question against his lips.

“It was adorable how much you didn’t want me to know, Holly.” Even the way he said my name made me shudder. “And I’m sorry for everything I said to you back then. It wasn’t true. I’m different now; I hope I’ve proven that to you.”

The illusion shattered. We weren’t characters in a movie, and despite how romantic and sweet Grayson was, he still used to hurl sweet potato fries at me every Tuesday at lunch. Not to mention he’s
DATING LACEY
. How am I supposed to believe he’s changed when he kissed someone he’s not dating?

I stepped back. “No.”

Grayson’s eyes widened. “What?” His lips were wet and red.

“You can’t bully me for all those years, kiss me after having one conversation, and expect everything to be okay. You’re dating my friend, too!”

Grayson looked at his feet. “I’m sorry about the things I did to you. I was stupid.” He looked up at me. “But I really like you, Holly.”

“You don’t even know me,” I said, my voice wavering a bit.

“Let me get to know you, then!” he said firmly.

I took another step away, my heart pounding. “No, Grayson. Your words aren’t enough.
Prove
it to me.”
AND THEN I WALKED AWAY!
My knees were wobbling, but I felt like a sassy heroine in the climax of a chick flick. This was the dramatic scene where the heroine realizes the rogue of the movie has been lying to her the whole time, and she storms out of the fancy restaurant, leaving him alone with the bread basket and engagement ring.

I am just like Katherine Heigl.

Later, 9:30pm—Pink Palm Motel

Oh my God, how am I supposed to function in society after that? Grayson Frost kissed me. He told me he
liked
me. His lips were on my lips!
TWICE.
Oh my God, I can’t believe he was my first kiss. And he’ll be my last kiss for God knows how long. Who knows when someone else will lose their mind and kiss me again? I need to wash him out of my mouth.

Even Later, 9:45pm—Pink Palm Motel

Found some horseradish in the mini-fridge. Mouth is now spicy, but I can still feel his lips on mine. Gross.

Even Later, 10:15pm—Pink Palm Motel

Went to the corner store and bought jalapeño chips and hummus. At the last minute, also got breath mints, as it seems I’ll need them later.

March 5
^th
, 8:00am—Pink Palm Motel

I didn’t sleep well. I was up all night thinking about the fact that I’m a horrible person. Lacey can be awful all on her own, but I’m the one who kissed her boyfriend a hundred feet away from her and didn’t even
TELL
her about it.

Why am I freaking out this much? I don’t even
LIKE
Grayson, as a friend or a boyfriend. Maybe I’ll consider him friend material if he proves himself to actually be nice, but he’s not off to a good start with the whole “kiss someone I’m not dating” thing.

When people say your teenage years are the best years of your life, I’m pretty sure that’s some kind of sick joke.

Later, 10:30pm—Pink Palm Motel

Keller called! I was working on homework and should’ve let the phone go to voicemail, but it’s been so long since we talked. He wasn’t very thrilled I went to Grayson’s today, so I decided not to tell him about the kiss. Then there’s the part where Grayson offered to teach me guitar, but I don’t know if that offer is still on the table after I walked out. But what does Keller care? He isn’t my boyfriend. Even if he were, he wouldn’t be allowed to tell me who I could hang out with.

Keller doesn’t like Grayson, or Lacey for that matter, and thinks I shouldn’t spend time with them. He’s lucky Mom didn’t hear him say that. She would’ve lectured him about controlling men and how he doesn’t get to make choices for me.

Keller and I talked for a little while, but before we hung up, he asked me if I was free on Wednesday night! I guess he isn’t too mad at me. The possibility of me being his girlfriend is still on the table! Hooray! Maybe if Keller becomes my boyfriend, Grayson will back off and stop being weird. He’s obviously deranged. After I hung up with Keller, my mom came in the room with a strange look on her face.

“Are you okay, Mom? You look like you overdosed on Midol.”

She sat on the edge of the bed. “It seems like you and Keller are getting serious.”

I furrowed my brow. I was about to remind her we’re not even dating, but she carried right on.

“Well, I’m sure he’ll kiss you soon, but once you start kissing him, you’ll want to do all kinds of things.” Ugh, she wouldn’t have said that if she knew about Grayson yesterday.

I felt sick. I was about to practice my newfound assertiveness, and tell her nothing (yet) was going on with Keller and me, when I had a horrible realization. “Wait, are you trying to have
the talk
with me?”

“It’s not actually ‘the talk,’” she said. “I want you to know you can talk to me if you need to. If you need birth control or have questions about condoms, please feel free to ask me. I want you to be safe.”

I wanted to vomit. I know I’m the product of sex, everyone is technically, and even as I write this someone in the world is having sex, but still. I don’t want to talk to my mom about sex. I know she’s open-minded and everything but no, just no. Plus, it’s weird to get “the talk” from my mom about a boy I’m
NOT EVEN DATING.

After I kicked Mom out, I had to call Meredith and Amanda. Too much had happened in the past few days, especially in the past half-hour, to keep them in the dark any longer. Problem was, I forgot about time zones.

“Hello?” Meredith mumbled sleepily into the phone.

“Oh, sorry, Meredith, I forgot it was late over there.”

“Holly? Why haven’t you called? Amanda and I thought you’d been eaten by vegans.”

“The leap from veganism to cannibalism is kind of drastic.”

“Whatever, I just woke up. What’s going on?”

“Well, I might be getting a boyfriend soon!” I announced gleefully. I know, yeah, I was jumping the gun a little, but I wanted to tell someone about Keller, and then maybe I’d forget about Grayson’s hands on my lower back.

“Really? Oh my God, I’m so excited. Tell me everything,”

So, I told her everything. I told her about how cute Keller is and how smart he is. Of course, we discussed at length the whole “dating other interns” issue and whether or not he’ll abandon his concerns so he can date me. But then I ended up complaining about Keller for the rest of the conversation. I didn’t
want
to complain about him; I think he’s great, but the never-calling thing and “don’t be friends with Grayson and Lacey” thing bothered me.