Mr. Hollywood (Celebrity #1) (29 page)

“
How
did you reunite with Z?
”
another voice hollered.

“
How
long have you two been dating?
”

“
Are
you planning a future together?
”

“
No
comment,
”
I muttered, stepping backward
and forcing the door closed inch by inch with all the strength I could muster
and tightly locking it. The knocking resumed.

“
What
’
s going on?
”
Dustin asked and I turned to find
him rubbing sleepy eyes.
“
Who are those people?
”

“
Reporters.
They
’
ve figured out who I am and are
trying to find out more about it. Your dad is really famous and he attracts a
lot of attention. People are going to want to know every single thing about us.
”

“
Why?
”

“
Because
they sell the stories to magazines to make money. This is a big story in their
world, so they all want to be the one to break it and get the recognition.
”
Crouching down beside him, I tried
to ignore the banging and shouts still coming through the door.
“
Promise me one thing.
”

“
What?
”

“
Don
’
t ever talk to any of those people.
In fact, don
’
t talk to anyone who asks you
questions about our family. If you see any of these people following you
around, you run home as fast as you can, okay? I need to know you
’
re safe.
”

“
Okay.
”
He seemed scared, his eyes
constantly flickering over to the door.

“
Come
on. We
’
ll sneak through the fence in the
backyard over to Grandma and Grandpa
’
s and eat breakfast with them. How
’
s that sound?
”

Immediately, his face brightened.
“
Do you think she
’
ll make me smiley face pancakes
like you do?
”

“
Where
do you think I learned to make smiley face pancakes?
”
I winked at him and rubbed my hand
across his hair.
“
Go get your shoes on and meet me in
my room. I need to grab my phone.
”

He ran off and I hurried to my room. Searching the
messy covers, I finally located the business card with Zane
’
s number on it, but when dialing I
noticed a message from one of the external lines at Sunnybrook. Quickly, I opened
it, listening.

“
Hi,
Aubrey. This is Dr. Wilson. I
’
m calling for Zane. He wanted me to
let you know that he has readmitted himself as an inpatient. Apparently he was
having a rough night and was tempted to use again. He refrained though and
checked himself in here voluntarily. I was very pleased. I came in and saw him,
and while he was pretty broken up about things when I first arrived, he
’
s doing much better now.

“
Feel
free to call me if you have any questions over the next ten days. We
’
ll be strictly enforcing the no
visiting rule this time, as per our normal policy. I apologize that there isn
’
t a way for you to speak with him.
I know he left you with a lot on your plate. If you need to talk give me a
call. It
’
s free of charge for you. Chin up,
pretty lass,
”
he added, showing his
Scottish roots.
“
It will all work out somehow.
”

There was a click as the call ended and I didn
’
t know whether to laugh or cry. I
knew when I asked him to leave that it would most likely push him toward a
crisis point. I just hadn
’
t known which way he
’
d break. Would he use again, or
would he seek help? Now I knew. While I was sad that he felt sick enough to ask
to be readmitted as an inpatient, I was equally happy that he
’
d recognized where he needed to go
for help. He was in the best place possible for him, right now.

And I had no idea how to deal with any of this mess. I
couldn
’
t get ahold of him and didn
’
t know how to reach Penelope. Maybe
her number was listed online under a business website or something.

“
I
’
m ready,
”
Dustin said, reappearing, wearing
his Green Arrow pajamas and a pair of tennis shoes without socks.

“
Nice
ensemble,
”
I teased, ruffling a hand
across his hair.
“
All right. Let
’
s go. Just remember we need to be
as quiet as possible.
”
Grabbing my purse, too, we both
snuck out of the house and through the fence into my parents
’
yard undetected.

“Z McCartney Team Confirms! He is the Father!”

 
~
Glitz Magazine
~

Chapter Twenty-Three

Aubrey

Nervous, I straightened my wig and clothing, hoping it
would be enough to confuse the reporters constantly trying to get at me. We
’
d discovered early on that my
parents could leave their house with little to no harassment, while I was
basically stalked through the streets of town.

Penelope had even come and offered an official statement
to the press, asking them to please give our family some privacy, while Zane
was gone taking care of some business related items.

Unfortunately, that didn
’
t
stop anything and the harassment continued the entire time Zane had been gone.
He was finished with his initial ten days now, and I was supposed to join him
shortly for a session. Our problem was how to get me out of the house without
leading a paparazzi parade straight to him.

Once again, Penelope arrived with a solution.
“
I thought you might need some help,
”
she said, reaching into her giant
Malcolm Rich designer bag and pulling out two wigs, one salt and pepper colored
and the other brown.
“
I noticed you and your mom are
about the same size. We
’
re going to have her standing near
the window, peeking through the blinds while she
’
s
wearing your clothes. You
’
re going to sneak out wearing her
clothes and this wig that matches her hair color. Hopefully we can throw people
off enough to create a diversion.
”

“
I
’
m willing to try anything,
”
I
’
d
replied, and the transformation began.

Now here I was, praying that this was going to work as
I pressed the remote control on the visor and the garage door began sliding up.
Instantly the press of people crowded around the driveway, some even standing
directly behind the car.

Penelope warned me that this might happen and to not
stop or slow down, but to keep moving as if I were willing to run them over. I
was too scared to not follow her instructions, and just as she said, angry
reporters began hitting the vehicle, but they did move out of the way.

One second everyone was around me, and the next they
were all running back to the front door, cameras flashing and microphones
extended. Smiling, I realized our diversion was working and pulled from the
driveway without anyone giving me so much as a backward glance.

The drive to Sunnybrook was without event, but I
couldn
’
t help my continuing nerves as I
constantly checked my mirrors expecting someone to be following me. I didn
’
t take my wig off until I was
standing inside the facility, too terrified that someone might still be
watching somehow.

“
That
’
s a new look for you,
”
Skip said, greeting me with a laugh
and raised eyebrows.

“
Oh
my gosh. I had to wear a disguise just to get here! You have no idea what my
poor family has gone through for the last ten days.
”

“
Actually,
I do. I saw some stuff on the news. Do you want me to start swinging by after I
get off work and checking on you? Maybe run some people off?
”

“
I
’
m telling you, we
’
ve tried everything
—
from being polite to calling the
police. As long as they stay off any private property though, nothing can be
done. Someone must be watching for them, though, or have someone in the police
department. They disperse every time a patrol car comes through only to
congregate after it
’
s gone. It
’
s been crazy. We snuck Dustin over
the fence to stay at the neighbor
’
s house. They
’
ve been hiding him in their vehicle
and taking him to school every day. I don
’
t want these nut jobs following him
there.
”

“
Wow.
That sounds insane,
”
he replied, taking my bag and
pouring out the contents and sifting through them.
“
I
’
m
glad you were able to get away okay.
”

“
I
was afraid to remove my disguise, in case someone spotted me, even though I
didn
’
t notice anyone following me. I
have no idea how Zane lives like this.
”

“
He
pays for the protection he needs, I
’
d imagine.
”

“
Still,
what kind of life is this, holed up all time, or praying you aren
’
t discovered when you
’
re out? It
’
s been ten days for me and already
I want to pull my hair out.
”

“
He
probably felt the same the first time it happened to him. He
’
s most likely used to it by now.
”
He handed me my purse, smiling.
“
You
’
re
all clear. Go ahead and go in. It
’
s nice to see you again, too. It
’
s not the same around here without
you.
”

Touched, I leaned over the table and hugged him.
“
That means a lot to me. I miss you,
as well.
”

“
I
hope everything works out for you, Aubrey. You deserve all the happiness in the
world.
”

“
Thanks,
Skip. You
’
re the best.
”
Releasing him, I stepped through
the security gate.
“
See you in a bit.
”

My pulse rate quickened as I moved along, but it had
nothing to do with the mess I
’
d just been through and everything
to do with seeing Zane again. Being away from him had only reaffirmed that I
wanted to be with him, but I was anxious to see how his therapy had gone. I
hoped he was feeling more stable and on his way to handling things better.
Glancing at my watch I noticed it was still a little early, so I made my way
straight to Zane
’
s room and knocked.

The door opened, revealing a pretty blonde hair woman
with a sour expression, her lips pursed together in an irritated fashion. I
stepped backward, shocked.

“
Yes?
”
she asked.

Glancing at the number on the door, I saw it was the
right room.
“
Is Za
—
John
Carpenter here?
”

“
Not
in this room,
”
she replied shortly and shut
the door in my face.

Standing there bewildered, I wasn
’
t sure what to do. The door to the
next room suddenly swung open and Zane stepped out looking amazing in a black
t-shirt and jeans.
“
Aubrey?
”
he breathed out, stopping short as
a grin spread across his face.

I smiled.
“
You switched rooms.
”

He laughed.
“
In the time I was gone, they
’
d already put another patient in my
old room.
”
He leaned closer and lowered
his voice.
“
Involuntary admit. She
’
s not very happy to be here.
”

“
I
noticed.
”
I couldn
’
t stop staring at him. Was it
possible that he
’
d gotten better looking in the ten
days he
’
d been gone? It seemed absurd even
to think so, yet something seemed different about him
—
almost lighter, or more relaxed. I
couldn
’
t quite put my finger on it. Whatever
it was, it looked fantastic on him.

Zane
’
s eyes traveled over me, pausing
when he got to the wig in my hands and then looking at me again.
“
What
’
s
that for?
”

“
Let
’
s just say all hell broke loose
while you were in here and I had to disguise myself as my mother to escape the
house.
”

“
Shit.
The press found out.
”
It wasn
’
t a question. Just the fact that he
knew what I was talking about without me elaborating was telling in itself. He
’
d obviously dealt with this a lot.
I didn
’
t know if I could.

“
Yeah,
and it
’
s been awful.
”

“
Let
’
s continue this inside.
”
Glancing around, he grabbed my arm
and pulled me into his room after him. Immediately, I noticed the packed
suitcase on the bed.

“
Going
somewhere?
”
I asked.

“
Home,
with you, I hope
—
if you
’
ll have me. If not, then I will
return to my lonely penthouse in the sky.
”
There was the tiniest bit of
humor laced through his voice, but it wasn
’
t enough to disguise the fear
behind his question. It radiated through his eyes.
“
They
’
re
putting me back to outpatient status as of today. I
’
m free to come and go.
”

“
That
’
s good. How are you feeling?
”
I continued to study him,
attempting to figure out what exactly was different about him.

“
Like
I
’
m gonna die if you don
’
t let me hug you right now.
”
Stepping closer, his eyes bore into
mine. It was as if I could read everything he was thinking, and it had nothing
to do with getting a hug.

Heat flooded me.
“
I
’
d
like that, but we aren
’
t supposed to really have contact
here unless we are in a session together. You know that.
”

“
I
don
’
t care.
”
Slipping his hands to either side
of my face, he pressed his lips to mine, landing there for only a second before
his tongue was seeking entrance.

Willingly, I opened to him, allowing my senses to once
again be filled with his essence and consumed by him. The smell of his
delicious cologne, mixed with the sound of his breathing, enticed me to pull
him even closer. His fresh minty breath tasted wonderful as his tongue tangled
with mine, lighting a fire inside me, as the well-groomed stubble on his face
brushed against my tender skin. I wanted to feel it touching me everywhere
while I watched him do wicked, wicked, things to my body.

“
Aubrey,
”
he whispered against my lips, his
voice sounding needy with longing.
“
Tell me you still want me.
”