Role of a Lifetime (17 page)

Chapter 42

"Now! Pop up now!"

She got it.  Kelly watched as Holly stood up and waited for her to fall off as she had countless times that morning.  She didn't.  She rode for a good five feet and the look on her face was priceless.  Then she fell off.

Kelly paddled over to her and grabbed at the board just as she popped up.

"You okay?" he asked.

He put one hand on her board to keep it from knocking into her but it wasn't easy to control it.

"Yes, I did it, whoops!" she said as the board knocked into her shoulder.

"Get back up," he said.

She pulled herself up onto her board and laid on her stomach, gripping the sides.  Her hair was poking every which way out of the helmet Kelly had insisted she wear and she lay on the board grinning ear to ear at him.  It would have been a perfect picture if not for the damn wet suit.  But the water was way too cold not to wear a wet suit.

"So what do you think?" he asked her.

"I like it."

"Do you want to do it again?"

"Yes."

"How are your arms?"

"Like spaghetti."

That wasn't surprising.  The overwhelming majority of the time spent surfing was spent paddling.

"So do you want to take a break?"

"No!"

"Alright then, go ahead."

They paddled back out side by side.  The waves were tiny by surfing standards but perfect for a beginner.  The surf had been bigger all week and though Kelly had finished work over a week ago they had not been able to go out.  He had her practice popping up on the deck, and they had gone to rent what she needed, except for the wet suit.  That he had bought her.

"Hang on," he said as the wave came at them.

He usually dove under as he was paddling out but the wave wasn't even big enough for that.  Instead he rolled away from her.  When he popped up she was right next to him.

"What do you call that?" she asked.

"Turtle roll, you need to learn that, just not today."

"Tomorrow?"

"You might want to wait and see how your arms are tomorrow.  Plus tomorrow we've got a lot to do."

"Like what?"

"What?" Kelly said, "You're joking right?"

"Oh, yeah the premiere, I almost forgot about that."

She grinned at him again and he thought maybe she had forgotten about it, but he didn't care.  When she had first come out to California she had been stuck on east coast time for a few days.  He'd wake up and find her reading in the living room.  Most days he'd drag her right back to bed.  Kelly couldn't remember being this happy.  And now she actually liked surfing.

"Can I go?"

He had been day dreaming about taking her to Hawaii but her voice brought him back to reality.  He looked back over his shoulder.

"Get ready, paddle.  Paddle!" he yelled at her.  "Stand up!"

He watched her ride her second wave and, like the first, paddled over to her when she fell off.  The kept at it for a while but then Kelly insisted they take a break when he could tell she was getting tired.  They carried their boards up the beach to the blanket and cooler they had brought.  Kelly unzipped his wet suit to his waist and peeled it off his arms.  Holly took off her helmet and set it down in the sand.

"Oh god, my arms feel like rubber," Holly said.

"Here," Kelly said and reached for her.

He unzipped her suit to her waist and slid it off her upper body.  His intention was to massage her arms but he was well aware that the bikini, even just the top, was a heck of a lot hotter than the wet suit.  He was looking down at her cleavage when he grabbed her upper arms and dug his fingers into her triceps, trying to find the right spot.  She made a small noise and tried to pull away from him but he had too tight a hold on her.

"What?" he said looking into her face.  She wasn't happy anymore but he wasn't sure why. "What's wrong?  Did I hurt you?  I'm just trying to massage it out."  She didn't say anything and he let go, holding his hands up in the universal gesture of surrender.  "You okay?"

"Yeah," she said, but she wasn't.

Kelly sat down on the blanket and motioned for her to sit between his legs.  She hesitated and he reached for her hand and pulled her down.  He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.  The smell of her plus the ocean was too much and he pulled back a little bit and reached for her shoulders.

He took his time, rubbing her shoulders and working his way up to her neck and back down again.  When he moved down to her arms the reverse position meant he had to use just his thumbs on the back of her arms.  It took longer but he kept at it until she sighed.

"God that feels great," she said and sagged back against him.

He gave up on the massage and enfolded her in his arms again.  He kissed the side of her neck and she turned enough to kiss him.  It was a quick kiss, they were on a pretty quiet spot of the beach, mid-week during work hours for most of the population, but they were far from alone.  When she turned back to face the water he kissed her on the cheek.

"So you like surfing?" he asked her.

"Mmmmm, yes," she said, nestling up against him a little closer.

"Good."

"It's good?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Kelly used his mock serious voice, "Kind of deal breaker, so I'm glad it worked out."

"Oh really," she said, and turned around more this time.

"Yup."

"I don't believe you," she said and slid both her legs up over his right one.  It wasn't easy, wet suits don't slide, especially not across one another, but when she was done she was kind of half in his lap, half still between his legs.

"It's true," Kelly said, but he was just trying to distract her while he fingered her nipple through her bathing suit.

"I know what you're doing," she said.

"And do you like it?"

"Yes."

He glanced around and there was nobody close by so he slipped his hand down but the wet suit was an impassible obstruction.

"Dammit," he said and she giggled.

"You know what I want to do?" she said, "right now?"

"I think so," Kelly said.

"Good," she said and leapt out of his grasp, "Let's go surfing."

"Are you kidding me?" Kelly yelled at her.  He got up, somewhat awkwardly and chased her.  He didn't have any trouble catching her and when he did he spun her around and picked her up.  She wrapped her legs around him for a second and then let them drop.

"You are a horrible tease," he told her.

"Me, that was all you back there, you, I didn't start anything."

"You don't have to," he told her and kissed her again.  He pulled away abruptly.

"Hey!" she said.

"See, you don't like it when I do it."  He kissed her nose and when her eyes fluttered closed against the wind coming off the ocean, both her eyelids.  "So you want to surf more?"

"Yes."

"Boy I've created a monster, haven't I?  Okay, more surfing on one condition."

"What?"

"I get to have you when we get home.  As soon as we get home."

"What about dinner with Mabel?"

They had plans to take Mabel out to dinner.  Mabel did not want to go to the physical therapy she had been prescribed and Kelly had promised to take her out to dinner after each weekly session if she cooperated.  This was week number two and, though Kelly was happy to take Mabel out to dinner, he figured the poor physical therapist who had to put up with her was probably more deserving of the free meal.

"As soon as we get home, or no surfing," Kelly told Holly sternly.

"Okay, it's a deal," she said.

They surfed for another hour and then ate the sandwiches they had brought.  When they got back to the car he made her pose standing with her board, the ocean behind her.

"That's my new wallpaper," he said, and changed it.

"Let me see," Holly said and Kelly held out the phone to her.  "Are you kidding, look at my hair."

"Your hair looks great."

"It does not.  I have helmet hair."

"Surfing hair, come on, let's go, quit stalling."

"I'm not stalling."

She took her wet suit off and handed it to Kelly.  She pulled her shorts on and climbed into the front seat.  He stored the wet suit in the back with his and got in.  She leaned back in the seat and sighed.

"Tired?" he asked her.

"Exhausted, but in a good way."

"Do you want to try to go back out to the store later?" he asked her as he pulled the car out of the spot.  Even as he said it, he wasn't sure they could fit it in.  Taking Mabel shopping with them after dinner, well that would be interesting.

"Which store?" she asked him.

"The art store, you still need that stuff, what was it again?"

"The gesso?"

"Yes, that."

She had been grateful for the stuff he had bought her, even told him she wanted to start trying to paint the ocean, something she had never done before.  But apparently the canvases needed to be treated before you could paint on them.  They had been making dinner and he had googled it on his phone while she had explained it.

"Do you know what that stuff is?" he asked her, somewhat horrified.

"Oh god no, just the acrylic stuff, not the ummm...original.  The acrylic works fine."

"Kelly,"

Her voice brought him back to the present.

"What?"

"It's just, it's messy, painting and especially the gesso, and it stinks, really stinks, that's why the barn works out so well."

"Okay, I just,"

"What?"

"I want you to be happy here, and I know your work is important to you."

"It is, and I'm happy here.  Thank you."

"No problem."

"No I mean it, the fact that you, care about my work, that means a lot to me."

He glanced at her quickly, but with her sunglasses he couldn't tell if there were tears in her eyes.  But it sure sounded like there were.

"Hey," he said, squeezing her thigh, "We'll work it out, okay."

"Okay."

"Acrylic gesso, maybe you could do that in the garage if it stinks so bad."

"Maybe."

He let his hand rest on her thigh the whole way home, except when he needed to shift.  As he turned down his street he slid his fingers up under her shorts.

"What are you doing?" she said, turning to face him.

"We have a deal, remember?"

"Oh right."

He didn't waste any time when they got home.  As the garage door was closing he rounded the jeep and met her on her side of the car.  With the wet suit of the way, his fingers found the spot they been craving on the beach and when Holly moaned, he got more excited and tugged her shorts and bikini bottom off.  Then he bent down in front of her and used his tongue.

She was grabbing the vehicle with one hand and his shoulder with the other when she came, crying out loudly.  She sagged back against the seat when he released her to pull his bathing suit off.  He grabbed a condom from the outside pocket of the cooler in the back.  She looked at him, surprised.

"Sorry," he said.

"You are always prepared, aren't you?" she said.

"Sorry."

"Don't be," she said and turned around.

"Oh god," Kelly said.

He put the condom on as quickly as he could and started pushing inside her.  When he was as deep as he could be he let go of her hips and slid his hands up her back.  He undid the hook of her top and reached around the front of her, grabbing her breasts.  He was really worked up so it didn't take long, but man it was good.

“You okay?" he asked her, kissing the back of her shoulder.  He had to pull out but he didn't want to, not yet.

"Mmm, hmmm.  Kelly?"

"What?"

He thought she was going to tease him, about the right when we get home part.  But what she said made him even happier, he wouldn't have thought it was possible.  He knew, right then, he'd never get tired of hearing it.

"I love you," she murmured.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her as close as possible.

"I love you more."

Chapter 43

"Tell me who it was."

The shot switched to Zoe who shook her head "no." Then back to Kelly.

"Tell me."

The shot panned back and when Zoe shook her head again Kelly didn't ask a third time.  He shoved her, hard.  Zoe fell back onto the couch and Holly let out a small moan.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kelly glance at her but she ignored him and he turned his attention back to the film.

Holly's next thought was that the couch was a softer landing than the floor.  Much softer.  On screen, Kelly jumped on top of Zoe and Holly didn't want to see anymore but she didn't know how to look away without making it obvious.

Fifteen minutes later the movie was over and when the lights came back Holly took a second to check her hands before joining the rest of the audience in a standing ovation.  It never failed to dumbfound her.  Inside she felt as though every cell in her body was vibrating at a lightning speed but her hands were perfectly still.

Kelly wrapped her up in a big hug and she looked up at him.

"What did you think?"

"That you were amazing," she told him, and she meant it.

He kissed her quickly and then led her out of the theater. In the lobby he kept hold of her hand while he accepted congratulations from everybody.  Carl found them in the lobby and gave Kelly a high five.

"Holy crap man, that was unbelievable," Carl told them, "Oscar for sure," at which Kelly immediately shook his head no.  Carl continued, "No seriously, you were like..."

"Two different people," Holly said.

She wouldn't have thought it was possible but the shaking inside grew even more intense.  She looked down at her hands.  Perfectly normal.

"Yes, exactly," Carl said pointing to her, "The way you changed, I mean, you even looked different.  I'll never get how he does it," he told Holly, then added, "Okay, I'll see you guys at the party."

Holly had all but forgotten about the party.  She didn't want to go to the party, she wanted to go home.  Home was three thousand miles away.  She really, really wanted to go home.  She thought about her workshop.  She was very proactive about making sure she had enough clay on hand.  When she opened the new bag she ordered another.  The bags were fifty pounds.  She had a little left in a bag and an unopened package.  It would be enough.  When she was like this she rarely saved anything she made.  She just made a pot then squashed it back down and started over.  Over and over again.

"Holly, you ready?"

She smiled at Kelly and he smiled back.  She doubted she had ever seen him this pleased.

"Yes, let's go."

Everyone in the limo was happy and excited.  Champagne was poured and passed around and Holly took one, crossing her fingers inside her head that the alcohol would help.  The champagne was delicious, easily the best Holly had ever tasted, and she drank it quickly.  By the time they got to the venue where the party was, she had relaxed quite a bit.  She felt a bit light headed getting out of the limo but Kelly quickly put his arm around her waist and she knew if she stumbled he would have her.  But she decided she better not have any more alcohol, at least not until she had eaten some food.

The estate was gorgeous.  The night was not too warm and the French doors that lined one side of the ballroom were all opened up to the terrace.  There were no circus performers or costumed wait staff like the ones that had made the opulent party for the "Son of Cronos" premiere so spectacular.  If not for the massive movie poster that dominated one wall you wouldn't have been able to tell what the occasion was.  It seemed like a very elegant and extremely expensive wedding.

Holly was very curious to get out on the terrace and see the grounds but she didn't want to leave Kelly's side.  It took a while to get across the ballroom since everyone at the party wanted to talk to Kelly and shake his hand.  They were almost to the terrace when they crossed paths with Zoe.

Zoe's simple soft white dress was set off by an amazing sapphire and diamond necklace.  Holly knew it was probably on loan from the jewelry designer but wondered what it cost anyway.  Then she noticed the two security guards hovering nearby and had her answer.  A lot. 

Kelly held out his free hand to Zoe and she put her hand in his, but not so much to shake it, more like she expected him to raise and kiss the back of it.  Kelly gave it an awkward half shake and let it go.

"You were, amazing," Holly told Zoe, "but that's not surprising, you are always amazing."  Holly regretted saying anything as Zoe turned her blue and very cold eyes on her, "I'm a big fan of yours, actually."

"Thanks?" Zoe said looking from Kelly to Holly.

"Oh, sorry," Kelly said, "this is Holly, my...girlfriend."

"Mmm hmmm," Zoe said.  Her eyes ran up and down Holly's body once.  "Candace, Leila and Ava," she said motioning to the women on either side of her.   Then she quickly moved on, taking her entourage and security with her.

Holly glanced quickly at Zoe's friends and then dropped her eyes to the floor stealing one last glance at Zoe's dress on the way down.  I'd never could wear that length, she thought miserably, mid-calf, no way.  Not to mention white.  Holly had been happy with her dress but as she followed Kelly out to the bar on the patio, she looked around and felt that certainly every other woman at the party was taller and slimmer than her.  And they were probably all looking at her and Kelly together and thinking WTF?

"Holly," Kelly asked her, "You want a drink?"

"Umm, do you have a Moscato?" she asked the bartender.

"Of course," the woman said and turned around.

"Moscato?" Kelly asked her.

"It's just sweet and festive, I guess."

"You're sweet," he said and pulled her closer.

He was kissing her cheek moving down towards her neck and she was pretending to like it when the bartender came back.  Inside the vibrating was starting again and Holly wanted to chug the glass of wine but she held off and waited until Kelly had his scotch.  Then they said cheers and Holly allowed herself a very small sip.

Again the alcohol helped (thank god) and then there were hors d'oeuvres.  Holly alternated the food with sips of wine.  Occasionally the panic surged back up in her and she forced it back down.  Eventually she excused herself to go to the bathroom.

She stayed in the bathroom for what seemed like a very long time.  She sat on the settee in the lounge area and when women came in and out she looked down at the phone in her hand, pretending there was something very interesting on the screen.  When she finally decided she couldn't stay in the bathroom anymore, after wondering if Kelly had even noticed how long she had been gone, she dragged herself over to the mirror.  She took her time freshening up her make-up which didn't really need it that badly.  She looked perfectly normal.  She was just afraid if she opened her mouth she would start screaming.

The party was still in full swing when she came out.  She glanced around the ballroom looking for Kelly.  She didn't see him but she thought she spotted Carl on the far side of the room.  Thinking, or rather hoping, that Kelly was with Carl and also hoping, rather desperately, but doubtful, that Kelly was ready to call it a night and go home, she made her way across the room.

Kelly wasn't there and Holly quickly realized that Carl probably wasn't going to appreciate it if Holly interrupted him to ask where Kelly was.  Carl was deep in conversation with a gorgeous brunette who seemed vaguely familiar.  It wasn't until Holly turned away from them, pulling out her phone, ready to text Kelly so if they couldn't leave yet at least she wouldn't have to navigate the party alone, that she realized that the woman Carl was hitting on was one of Zoe Portnoy's friends.  Zoe and the other two girls were standing right there as Holly turned around.

"Oh hi," Holly said automatically.

"Do we know you?" one of them said.

"We met earlier, sort of," Holly said and looked at Zoe.

Holly hadn't really caught which of the girls went with which name and she was ready to introduce herself again when the third girl spoke.

"Oh right, Kelly Rockport's girlfriend."

There was something about how she said it.  Holly didn't know why but she knew the tone.  Disdain.  Disgust.  She looked from the girl who had spoken back to Zoe but Zoe just raised her eyebrows at Holly, ever so slightly.

"Well, excuse me," Holly said, "Actually, I need to find him.  Kelly, that is.  Kelly Rockport.  My boyfriend."

She turned and walked away from them with her head held high, willing her legs not to crumble underneath her.  She made herself walk at a normal pace so it wouldn't seem like she was running away from them when the truth was that was exactly what she had wanted to do.  So she was still close enough to hear what was said next, even if she wasn't sure if it was Friend One or Friend Two who said it.

"You'd figure Kelly Rockport would have better taste."

She made her way out to the patio wondering if the flinch she had been unable to control had been big enough to be observed by them.  Outside she looked left and right and spied Kelly at the bar with a bunch of his friends.  She got over to them just as they downed a round of shots.

"Where were you?" he asked her but then someone was pressing another shot on him and she didn't have to answer.

Someone tried to put a shot in her hand but she laughed and pushed it away.  She couldn't ask him to leave.  This night was too big of a deal for him and he was so happy.  So she went along.

Thankfully, that was the end of the shots.  The rest of the night was text book late night party stuff, if there was such a thing.  The dancing, the singing around the piano, Holly did it all and there was no doubt in her mind that everyone thought she was having just as grand of time as they were.  At least several times she asked herself if this was what having a heart attack felt like.

It was very late when they climbed into their private, smaller limo for the ride back to Kelly's house.  He was all over her the whole way back and even though he told her he loved her, over and over again, she still didn't want to.

She did it anyway.  She did it and she did what she needed to do to make sure it was over as quickly as possible.  He pulled out of her and fell asleep with one arm and leg still on top of her.  He jerked and muttered when she slid out from underneath him but it was too late (too early?) and he was asleep again immediately.

She tripped on her dress as she made her way around the bed and debated hanging it, and Kelly's tuxedo, up but didn't.  She grabbed a big t-shirt from his closet and left the bedroom.  In the living room, unsure of what to do, she finally went out to the deck.  The night had cooled off considerably and she sat there, shivering.

I'll go home, she decided.  As soon as he wakes up I'll tell him and I'll go home.  She tucked her knees in the shirt and sat there shivering saying the word "home" over and over again in her mind.

The sun came up and once she began to warm up she closed her eyes at the brightness and stretched out on the chaise.  It got warmer and she started to wonder if she was going to burn, but she didn't care.  When Kelly woke up and found her, hours later, she hadn't slept at all.