“Whatever you say,” Simon muttered.
Seemingly happy, Ian turned up the radio. “It’s all going to
work out, buddy. The way things stand now, you’ll be able to start your next
project in no time.” He did a quick drum roll to the stereo. “We’re back in
business.”
Considering the recent improvements in his situation, Simon
supposed there was no reason
not
to return to work.
He knew how fickle fame could be. If he pissed away the opportunities he had
right now, they could disappear, and he could end up like his father. Someone
who missed the spotlight. Someone who was yesterday’s news. Besides, there were
a lot of people who’d been disappointed when he backed out of his commitments.
Maybe he could reschedule some of them. For the most part, he was interested in
those projects, or he wouldn’t have signed on for them.
But did he really want to fall back into his old lifestyle?
What about the woman who’d made him happy to live in an
eight-hundred-square-foot house and work as a carpenter?
* * *
Bella’s house was every bit as opulent as Simon
remembered. Located in Beverly Hills, not far from his, it was a
fifteen-thousand-square-foot Mediterranean with plenty of palm trees and three
different pools. She’d never earned much money of her own. She’d been a news
anchor when he met her at an after-party, working for sixty thousand a year, but
she’d quit that job as soon as they became an item.
He waited at the gate until the security guard buzzed him
through, then pulled up behind her Escalade. He’d had Ian take him home to get
his car, so it was after midnight, but he never knew what to expect with Bella
and wanted to be able to leave at a moment’s notice, if necessary.
She was waiting for him on the front stoop. Her eyes searched
his face. Then she slipped into his arms. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she
murmured, pressing her cheek to his chest.
Her perfume brought back myriad memories, both good and bad,
but Simon didn’t feel the poignant emotions he’d associated with that scent
before. Sadness weighed on him, for what they used to have that was now lost,
but he felt nothing else. Apparently a lot had changed in the past few weeks. Or
maybe the changes had been taking place much longer and he just hadn’t noticed
because of all the drinking.
“Where’s Ty?” he asked.
“In bed. Come on, we can talk in the family room.” She tried to
lead him into a large but cozy kitchen/family room with hardwood floors, a huge
rock fireplace, granite counters and stainless-steel appliances. It was
tastefully decorated, but everything about Bella was tasteful and always had
been. He couldn’t fault her sense of style. With her large brown eyes, olive
skin and sleek black hair, she was beautiful, too.
“Would you like something to drink?” She held up a bottle of
wine—a pinot noir that was one of his favorites.
The alcohol tempted him. It felt like he hadn’t had a drink in
forever. But he shook his head. “No. I’m fine, thanks.”
“Really?”
“I don’t drink anymore.” He was almost as surprised as she was
to hear those words come out of his mouth, but he remained committed to them. He
felt more in control of himself than he’d been in a long time; he wanted to stay
that way.
“I see.” Although she should be acting happy about this, which
could only be an improvement in his life, he saw that her smile wilted.
Obviously she’d envisioned a different kind of night than this was turning out
to be. Still, she adjusted and shored up her attitude. “You look tired. What
about some coffee?”
“That’d be great.”
“Good. Have a seat.”
He stopped her as she started to walk away. “Before we do
anything else, I really want to see Ty.”
She hesitated. No doubt she could tell he was much more excited
about seeing their son than he was her. Simon knew that wouldn’t go over too
well. But he wasn’t willing to deal with her until she’d given him what she’d
promised.
“Of course. I’ll take you up. Our boy is getting so big. Every
day he looks more like his handsome daddy.”
Simon followed her up a set of stairs to the second story, then
down a long hall to the right wing. Had they kept going they would’ve come to a
set of double doors—he guessed that was the master but he’d never been inside
it. He and Bella had certainly made love since their separation, but not since
she’d bought this house.
Ty’s room wasn’t far from hers. “He wanted his room decorated
with race cars this time,” she whispered as she opened the door.
There was a night-light burning on the far wall, providing just
enough of a glow for Simon to see his son’s face as he moved closer.
Smiling, he sat on the bed and pulled his little boy out from
under the covers and into his arms.
“Don’t wake him up,” Bella whispered as if she’d thought he was
only going to look.
Simon ignored her. He’d anticipated this moment for too long to
hold back. “Ty, it’s Daddy,” he whispered. “God, I missed you.”
Ty opened his eyes, smiled sleepily and tightened his arms
around Simon’s neck. “Daddy, where did you go? Can I go with you next time?”
Simon wished, more than anything, that he could say yes. But he
wasn’t sure Bella would allow him to take Ty anywhere. Not once she figured out
that he didn’t intend to try again with her. “I hope you can come with me
someday soon.”
“Maybe Daddy will stay here with us.” Bella looked at him as
she ruffled Ty’s hair. The invitation in her eyes was clear. For whatever
reason, she was ready to welcome him back into her bed, into their lives, into
the family.
But Simon was no longer in love with her.
30
I
t’d taken two hours to get Ty back to
sleep, but Simon hadn’t minded at all. He’d played army men with his son and
talked to him about his missing tooth and the money the tooth fairy had brought
him. He’d asked about kindergarten and listened as Ty talked about his teacher
and proudly recited the alphabet. Once Ty’s eyelids began to droop, Simon had
even crawled into bed, tucked his son up against his side and memorized the
smell of his hair and the feel of his baby-soft skin as if he might never see
him again. It wasn’t until Ty nodded off that Simon got up to find Bella, who’d
grown frustrated with the lack of attention and left more than an hour
earlier.
Simon wasn’t looking forward to their talk. He knew she
wouldn’t like what he had to say. But he couldn’t avoid engaging her, not if he
hoped to see Ty again.
He found her sitting in the living room, watching a reality
show she’d recorded on her DVR. She put the program on pause when he came in
and, bottom lip jutting in an exaggerated pout, turned to him. “Happy now?” she
asked.
The bitterness in that question nearly set him off. How dared
she think she had the right to keep his son from him? The lies she’d told to get
the restraining order were bad enough. She seemed to feel she could stand behind
those lies and that infuriated him. But he’d let his anger get the best of him
before. He couldn’t allow himself to make that mistake again. The goal was to
establish a friendly relationship, not revert to the animosity of the past. “It
was great to see him. Thank you.”
She nodded, combing her fingers through her long hair as if
she’d done him a huge favor instead of merely giving him what he deserved as
Ty’s father. “Your dad called.”
Simon almost asked if they were still sleeping together but bit
his tongue again. His father had plenty of women who were willing to do whatever
he wanted. He didn’t need Bella. As a rule, Bella wasn’t attracted to men who
were twice her age. Simon knew what they’d done had been all about him. Now that
he and Bella weren’t together, she and Tex didn’t even like each other. “What
did he want?”
“He heard you were back in town.”
“How?”
“Who knows? That prick of a business manager probably told
him.”
Something was up there. Ian had told Tex where to find Simon in
Whiskey Creek, too. There was a reason for that, just as there was a reason he
was so excited to see Simon return to work—to make
Hellion.
Simon suspected Ian had been offered a kickback of some kind.
Everything in Hollywood seemed to come down to money. But he’d deal with that
later.
“What did he want?” he asked.
“He told me to leave you alone.”
Instead of crossing the floor to sit down with her, Simon
pulled out a bar stool from the kitchen island and turned it to face the living
room. “Did he say why?”
“You can’t guess?”
“You know my father and I don’t talk.”
“He said you were finally happy. That you don’t need trash like
me messing up your life again.”
When he didn’t respond to the “trash” part, didn’t defend her
as she was no doubt hoping he would, her expression darkened. “As if what
happened was
my
fault,” she added.
“
I’m
not the one who slept with
him,” Simon pointed out.
“You slept with plenty!” she snapped, but whether she believed
him or not, he hadn’t touched another woman until he’d caught the two of them.
Even then it was several months later, when he’d known he couldn’t put his
marriage back together, that he wound up in bed with a costar. After that, there
didn’t seem to be any reason to hold back. There were a few times Bella had
realized she was losing him and attempted to straighten up, but those periods
never lasted. She couldn’t overcome the insecurities that caused her to provoke
him.
But there was no use arguing. What had happened had happened.
They’d both made mistakes. He just wanted to figure out how to go on. “I did,”
he admitted.
Evidently satisfied that he’d taken responsibility for his
behavior, she clicked her nails as she stared at him. “So…where do we go from
here?”
“I’m hoping we can make some arrangements where Ty is
concerned.”
“What kind of arrangements?”
“I’d like full custody.” That was the only way he could put a
definitive stop to her using Ty as a weapon against him. “But if you cooperate
with me I’ll settle for shared.”
“You’ll never get full custody. I don’t have to cooperate with
you.”
Simon felt his muscles tense. “Why are you still being like
this?”
“Because we come as a package! You can’t reject me but accept
him! That’s not fair!”
This made no sense. She was talking out of the hurt and anger
that’d gotten them into so much trouble to begin with.
Simon tried to counteract that by remaining as calm as
possible. “Bella, please. I love Ty. I’d never let anything happen to him, and
you know it. That should be what matters.”
“What about
me?
”
Bella acted like a child herself. “What about you?” he
asked.
“What will I become? Your castoff? You think you can toss me
aside and take my son to start a new family with your publicist in some boondock
town hours and hours away from here? Go live happily ever after when I’m
miserable?”
Simon lifted his hands. “Even if I take him to Whiskey Creek,
it wouldn’t be for long. I plan on coming back to L.A. and making more movies.
I’m not walking away from my career. We can work together, make sure we both
have what we need.”
She bit her lip. “Do you love her?”
As he’d suspected from the beginning, this wasn’t about Ty.
Bella was feeling left out, couldn’t stand the thought that he’d managed to move
on. She’d liked it far better when she knew he was suffering because of her,
when she still had the power to hurt him.
“Do you really want to know?” he asked.
She didn’t respond, but raised her chin as if she expected an
answer.
He drew a deep breath. “I married her because I thought it
would be good for my image.”
She sagged in relief. “Of course. You would never be attracted
to someone as…as plain as she is!”
“I’m not finished,” he said. “That was how it started, but
then…everything changed. She’s the most wonderful person I’ve ever met. She
makes me feel good in a deep-down, satisfied way. I love how she laughs and how
she makes me laugh. I love that I know I can depend on her. I love the way her
face lights up every time I walk into the room. I love that she pretends to be
tough but she’s really all heart. Most of all, I love the way she loves me.” He
smiled just thinking of her. “Does that mean I love her back?” He nodded. “Yeah,
I guess it does. I was telling you the truth—I’m happily married.”
Tears welled up in Bella’s eyes, but he felt no empathy. She
didn’t need him to feel sorry for her; she was feeling sorry enough for herself.
“You will never see Ty again,” she said. “Now get out before I call the
police.”
Simon headed to the door. He wouldn’t undo everything he’d
accomplished by causing another scandal. But he paused before opening it. “I
won’t give up, Bella. I’ll fight for Ty as long and as hard as it takes.”
She grabbed his arm. “I think it’s a mistake to forget about
us, Simon,” she said. “We could try again. We were happy once.” She lifted his
hand to her breast but he wasn’t remotely tempted.
“Sorry, I’m not interested,” he said, and pulled away.
* * *
Simon felt great when he woke up the next morning. He’d
seen Ty. The time they’d spent hadn’t been long enough to make up for the months
he’d missed, but at least he’d had a couple of hours with him. And he was no
longer conflicted about Bella or anything else in his life. She’d finally lost
all power to hurt him. His visit to her place last night had been cathartic in
so many ways, had crystallized what he really wanted out of life. He wasn’t
ready to go back to making movies. Not yet. He preferred to return to Whiskey
Creek, where he’d been so content, and finish the house on Autumn Lane. When he
did come back to L.A., Gail would be with him, but that wouldn’t happen until
they were both ready for what they’d face here.
He’d tried calling her last night, as soon as he got home. He’d
wanted to tell her he’d made these decisions and couldn’t wait to see her. His
future was completely wrapped up with hers. Over the past few weeks he’d become
healthier and happier. Why would he ever let that go or trade it for the
emptiness of before?
He didn’t plan to, but she didn’t know that yet. It had been
very late when he tried to reach her, and she hadn’t answered.
Thinking of her the second he opened his eyes, he rolled over
to search for his phone, but it began to ring before he could even touch it.
Maybe she’d seen that she’d missed his call and was getting back to him.
He hoped so. He was eager to talk to her. But caller ID told
him it wasn’t Gail. It was his father.
Scowling, he studied his digital display. What could Tex
possibly want with him? Simon couldn’t even guess, but because his father had
signed the release for
Hellion,
and because he felt
as if he finally knew his own mind and had a clear sense of direction, he went
ahead and answered.
“’Lo?”
“What the hell are you doing?” Tex demanded.
The harshness of his tone surprised Simon. He’d thought they
were on better terms than usual, but it didn’t sound like that right now. “I’m
sleeping. What the hell are you doing?”
“I’m not talking about this minute. I’m talking about last
night.”
“I went to see my son. Why? And why are you so mad?”
“Because I thought you’d finally straightened up and figured
out your life. I thought you understood what you had and wouldn’t piss it away.
And then you go and do
this.
”
A sick feeling curled through Simon’s stomach, chasing away the
last of his fatigue. Sitting up, he rubbed a hand over his face. “Slow down and
tell me what you’re talking about.
What
did I do
last night?”
“You’re going to pretend like you don’t know? It’s all over the
internet—on YouTube, all the celebrity blogs, AOL....”
“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then turn on your computer and find out. You’re busted, and
the media’s having a field day with this one. After the ‘I’m a reformed man’ act
you put on with Gail, they’re going for your jugular. Actually, some of ’em are
more interested in going after a different part of your anatomy. Castration has
been mentioned as a fitting punishment.”
For what? He hadn’t done anything!
Tossing his phone aside, Simon climbed out of bed and hurried
over to his computer. After powering it up, he did a Google search on his name.
Then he sank into the desk chair, staring at the screen in silent horror. The
very first hit that came up was a link to a sex tape between him and Bella. The
headline read Simon’s Delicious Romp with Ex Last Night Proves He’s No Changed
Man.
* * *
Just about everyone she’d ever known had called to tell
Gail about the online footage that’d gone viral. The onslaught had started with
Serge at her own PR company, because he’d been helping Josh track all the media
hits relating to her and Simon, and he was first in the office. He’d awakened
her. But now that word of the tape had been picked up by the major news outlets,
she was beginning to hear from her friends in Whiskey Creek, too.
Although Gail had her laptop in bed and knew what the tape
depicted, she couldn’t bring herself to watch it. Not the whole thing. The
beginning footage, with Simon approaching Bella’s house and going inside, as
evidenced by security cameras, was clear enough to identify him. It also
revealed the date and time, which was last night, shortly after he would have
arrived in L.A. That was all she needed to see. He’d left her and returned to
Bella’s bed within hours.
“What are we going to do?” Josh asked. He’d reached the office
after Serge, so this was the first chance she’d had to talk to him. His call was
the only one she’d been willing to answer. The humiliation and embarrassment was
too fresh, too poignant, to cope with the sympathy of those who cared about her.
She hadn’t even answered the phone for her father, who must’ve been tipped off
by some patron at the gas station. She couldn’t imagine how else he would’ve
heard.
“I don’t know,” she said. Her heart was aching so badly she
couldn’t think clearly. She dared not leave her own bedroom, dared not venture
out for fear she’d be cornered. It was only a matter of time before her father
showed up on her doorstep. Or maybe Joe would come. She’d pleaded with them to
give Simon a chance and they had. Now she felt like she’d set them up for a
strong sucker punch.
She rubbed her stomach, feeling as if Simon had hit her there.
Why had she believed in him? Why had she let herself fall for his looks, his
charm, his playfulness and his incredible lovemaking? Of course he was good at
making love. He’d had plenty of practice both on and off the screen....
It was his happiness that had convinced her he was sincere, she
decided. He’d seemed so content while he was here.
She shook her head as she remembered his boyish smile when he
was demolishing the kitchen. He’d left it in rubble, just like her heart.
God, all the warnings she’d ignored… On top of everything else,
what Simon had done made her feel like an idiot.
“So you’ve seen it?” Josh said.
“Not all of it,” she replied. “But what I have seen is plenty
graphic.”
“It gets worse. There’s no way we’ll be able to spin it into
anything other than what it is.”
“No. And we can’t claim it’s not him. He left me, he went
there, he slept with her. Our hands are tied. We have to let this one go, see
how it affects Big Hit.”