If I Loved You (Hollywood Hearts 1) (18 page)

“His name is Grady.” She choked out.

“Grady! You’re joking? Grady? What the…why are you laughing?” Anger turned to suspicion.

“I’m not…laughing…I’m…” she put the phone down and howled with laughter.

“Give.” His voice was calm once again.

“Okay, just a minute.” She took a deep breath then let it out, and a few giggles with it.

“Who is this guy?”

“Remember Baxter? Mrs. Bender’s pug?”

“The one Briny was taking care of?”

“Mrs. Bender died, and Briny got custody of Baxter. He gave him to me. He’s the sweetest thing. Since I miss you so much, I renamed him ‘Grady.’”

Now it was Chaz’s turn to laugh. Grady walked over to her, licked her face, and circled again—this time nearer to Meg—before flopping back down. “Grady is a pug. You little tease…you had me worried.” Chaz chuckled.

“He’s the cutest thing. You can see him on the computer.”

“I’d better. Want to make sure ‘Grady’ is really a dog.”

“Jealous?”

“A little. After all, he’s sleeping with you and I’m not.”

“Good. While you’re out there with a million sexy women, I’m snuggling up here with Grady.”

“I wish it were
Grady Spencer
you were snuggling with.”

“So do I. Tomorrow I’m going to start your weekly financial report. Will you have time?”

“I will. Gotta go. Early call tomorrow. Sweet dreams, little chick.”

“Sweet dreams, Dunc.” Megan hung up the phone and sighed. She rolled onto her back and thought about Chaz. Grady licked her nose then settled down next to her, resting his head on her leg.

*
* * *

The next morning at six thirty, Grady was standing over Megan whining.

“I suppose you want to go out, eh?” He whined at her again.

Megan threw back the sheet and pulled herself out of bed. She tossed her little jersey dress on, slipped her feet into sandals, grabbed his leash plus a couple of empty bags, and headed for the elevator. “Good morning, Sam.”

“Morning, Miss,” the morning doorman tipped his hat to her. “So you’ve got Baxter now, have ya?”

“Baxter? Oh, Grady…you mean Grady. I changed his name.”

“Named him after the character your boyfriend plays in the movies, did ya?”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“That’s not what that photographer fella says.”

“What photographer fellow?”

“Guy swings by every morning about eleven, askin’ about you and that fella. Askin’ if he’s been here.”

“And what do you say?” Megan put her hand on her chest.

“I say ‘Good Morning, Sir. Nice day, eh?’ and that’s all.”

“Bless you, Sam.” Megan leaned over and pecked the rotund doorman on the cheek.

He blushed a bright pink. “Just doin’ me job, Miss.”

Oh my God. There’s someone here every morning.
Megan made a face and groaned aloud. Grady stopped dead in his tracks, picked up his nose from the smell capturing his attention on the sidewalk, and barked at her. “I agree, Grady. He’s got some nerve snooping around.”

“Do you always talk to your dog?”

Suddenly, Megan was looking up into the ruggedly handsome face of Quinn Roberts.

“Quinn Roberts?”

“Yeah,” he said, offering her his hand.

“Megan Davis.”

“Megan Davis? Oh no, not
the
Megan Davis?” He raised his eyebrows.

She laughed. “I don’t know. How many Megan Davis’ are there?”

“Chaz Duncan’s…uh…friend?”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “Guilty as charged.” She walked down the avenue.

“He has good taste.” He fell in step with her.

“Thank you.” Her blush deepened.

“New dog?”

“Got him yesterday.”

“Figured. Chaz would’ve mentioned a dog.”

“Why?” At the corner, Megan and Quinn turned back.

“He loves dogs. He fed homeless dogs when we were doing stock together. Damned annoying having mangy mutts hanging around the theater. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?”

“I’d like that. Perhaps you can fill me in on a few facts about Mr. Duncan.”

“Uh oh. Feel a third degree coming on.” He stopped when they reached her building.

“Let me take Grady back. I’ll be down in a minute.”

She left Quinn sitting in the lobby of The Royal while she dropped off Grady. One look in the mirror and she was appalled. She applied a little blush and lipstick, slipped on a pair of more attractive sandals, and brushed her hair.

On her way out, she ran into Penny and Mark, who were moving slowly toward the kitchen.

“Can you feed Grady?” Megan asked.

“Sure,” Penny said, scratching the snarl of tangles on top of her head.

“Where you headed so early on a Sunday morning?” Mark rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and yawned.

“I’m having coffee.”

“With who?” Penny asked in a casual tone.

“Uh…Quinn Roberts?”

Instantly, Penny’s eyes opened wider. “Quinn Roberts!”

“Are you going to sleep with him too? Aren’t they buddies? Are you becoming a groupie slut, Meg?” Mark’s face clouded with concern and a brief flash of anger flickered in his eyes.

“Don’t be silly! I’d never do that to Chaz.”

“I don’t want to have to beat this guy up before breakfast, okay?”

“Ah, Mark, you always know exactly what to say to make my day.” Meg giggled as she closed the door behind her.

The elevator whisked her down to the lobby quickly. As she approached, Quinn’s gaze roamed over her curves and he smiled in appreciation.

“Ready,” she announced.

“As I said before, Chaz has great taste.” He pushed to his feet and the p
air strolled out and down the street to
Starbucks
.

Chapter Eleven

On a warm Thursday in late July, Megan threw on her favorite jersey dress, grabbed her notes, and set up a comfortable chair in front of the computer. Grady was sleeping on her bed, snoring softly. Meg shuffled papers, reading and rereading, preparing for her conference with Chaz.

Finally, she turned on the computer and waited for Chaz’s call. It was nine thirty in New York City. She waited. And waited. And waited. Next to her feet, Grady rolled over into a more comfortable position, and Megan shifted in her chair. After twenty minutes, the chair became hard and punishing to sit in. She called Chaz, but her call went straight to voice mail. By ten o’clock, she packed up her papers and put them away.
Maybe he’s shooting or re-shooting or whatever it is he’s doing out there. Maybe he’s running lines. I’m sure there’s a good explanation.

At eleven, she got up and went into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Mark was draped around his wife as Penny stood at the sink, washing the coffee pot.

“Hey, I’m here. Don’t start anything,” Megan warned as her shoulders slumped.

“What are you doing up?”

“I was supposed to have a conference with Chaz about his Perkins Products stock and the real estate mutual fund. But he wasn’t there.”

“I see he’s been busy…real busy.” Mark separated from Penny and went over to the counter. He picked up a colorful newspaper and tossed it on the table in front of Meg.

The headline screamed at her, “Chaz Duncan squires Anna Jason to the Premiere of the new
PBS
Series,”
and underneath there was a picture of Chaz with his hand on the naked lower back of Anna Jason. Meg sank down into a chair at the kitchen table. “He…he has to do these things. He told me not to get upset that he has to take women out for…for publicity. For his work. Anna Jason?” Meg picked up the paper and perused it carefully.

“I think he’s screwing around on you. He’s making it with this Anna chick. Look at the way he’s got his hand on her.” Mark went back to the sink and picked up a dishtowel.

He does the same thing with me.
Inside, she was crushed, but she couldn’t give her brother any more fuel for his dislike of Chaz. “I have to trust him, Mark. He told me he’d be doing things like this.”

“Yeah, so he could get away with murder and still come to New York and get laid.”

“Don’t talk like that!” Megan rose from the chair quickly, her voice angry.

“It’s the truth. Face it, squirt, you’re one of many.”

“I don’t believe that.” Tears of anger stung her eyes while fear of betrayal gnawed at her gut.
He wouldn’t do that. He told me. I have to believe him…don’t I?

“Where do you think he was tonight, Meg?” Mark put the coffeepot back on the counter.

“What do you mean?” She leaned on the table, bracing herself.

“When you were moping around here, waiting for a call from him. I’m not stupid just because I’m not an ‘A’ student.” He tossed the dishtowel to Penny.

“Oh God,” she muttered, her head in her hands as she sank back down into the chair.

“Mark!” Penny snapped the towel at him.

“What? You want her to know the truth, don’t you? I don’t want him breaking her heart.”

“You think he was out with Anna Jason?” Meg asked, lifting her gaze to his.

“Damn right I do. He could have sent you a text…something.”

Megan got up and raced to her bedroom. Grady ran behind her, barking. She grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand and opened the inbox. There it was. A message from Chaz. She smiled in relief as she opened the message.

Sorry about tonight. On publicity duty. Don’t be upset by the

pix of Anna and me. Promotion for the PBS series. You’re

still my girl.

Meg read the message over again on her way back to the living room.

“Is there a message from him?”

She nodded.

“He talks about the pictures in the paper and apologized for missing tonight.”

   “I’ll bet he’s sorry. Did you see the rack on that chick?” Mark motioned with his hands.

Penny smacked him lightly in the arm. “You’re not helping. Since when do you notice ‘racks’?”

Megan sat down on the sofa. “I love Chaz. Okay. There. I’ve said it. We agreed we weren’t going to fall in love. Too late. I already have. This isn’t going to work if I don’t trust him. I have to believe him…give him a chance. When you go on the road, Penny has to trust that you’re not screwing around like the rest of the team with some babe you picked up in the hotel bar. Right?”

Mark moved over to her and put his arm around her shoulders “Penny and I are married. We’ve made vows, declared our …love—not to get mushy. Hell, you and Chaz haven’t…in fact, you’ve both vowed not to. How do you keep vows or promises you haven’t made?” Megan’s eyes teared up. She hid her face in Mark’s shoulder.

“I don’t know. But I have to. I can’t help it. I love him. So I have to trust him…until he breaks that trust. Chaz is…has…life hasn’t been easy for him. He doesn’t trust easily. He’ll get around to declaring himself …one of these days. I know he will. If I’m demanding, bitchy, and controlling, he’ll bolt. I need to hold him with a loose grip.”

“That’s very wise.” Penny rubbed Meg’s shoulder.

“What’s so special about this guy…I mean, besides his good looks and money?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Meg wiped her eyes with her hand.

“You used to talk to me about guys,” Mark replied.

“This is different, it’s private. Hey, I don’t want to love him. I fought it right from the start. Who needs more celebrity? I hate the limelight, and I don’t want that life…dodging the media, watching your every word. But it’s too late.”

“You’re too good for him. Don’t take any crap, Meg. If he breaks your heart, he’ll have to answer to me.”

Mark straightened up. Meg followed, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “Thanks, lug.”

“Whose turn is it to take Grady out?” Penny asked.

Meg and Mark pointed at each other.

* * * *

Chaz was ready for their next scheduled conference. In fact, he was early. Meg rushed to the computer when she heard the call notification, hastily smearing on lipstick before sitting down in front of a glowering Chaz. “Hi,” she said, uneasy at the look on his face.

“What were you doing out with Quinn?”

“What?”

“Quinn Roberts. Haven’t you seen
Celebs R Us
yet? Your picture is plastered on the front page. The headline reads, ‘Quinn Roberts “Borrows” Duncan’s Girl For…Financial Advice?’”

“That’s ridiculous!” Megan sputtered.

“But there you are, together. Are you dating him? I’ll kill Quinn.”

“We ran into each other by accident on Central Park West. I was taking Grady for a walk.”