Loving Ashe (8 page)

The moment Riley saw Paige’s face, she knew her sister was not happy. She scrambled off Ashe’s lap and did her best to smoothen her hair, which had come loose from its clip, and pull down her rumpled shirt, which had been partly raised to show skin just above her waist. She felt like a teen-ager caught making out with a boy on a school night, but as she and Ashe stood up to face Paige and Clint, anger filled her.

They did nothing wrong, she thought. And she was also twenty-three years old — old enough to kiss any boy she liked.

“Wow, a quiet house,” Clint said, seeming unperturbed by the growing tension in the room. “Thanks so much, Ri, and you, too, Ashe. I hope the boys didn’t give you too much trouble.”

“No, they were little darlings. They were actually quite well-behaved,” Ashe said. ” Riley did a great job taking charge while I only managed to muck things up.”

“Well, that’s usually the case, eh? Women are just so much better with children, I believe,” Clint laughed. “Anyway, I’m going upstairs to check on them. Thanks again. I need to get out of this tux before it suffocates me.”

Paige didn’t move. She stared at Riley and then at Ashe, though her gaze was primarily directed to her little sister. She turned to face Ashe. “Thank you so much for coming over and helping Riley out. But it’s late, and I’m sure you have other better things to do.”

“I’d love to walk Riley home whenever she’s ready.”

“Actually, that won’t be necessary. I’ve got the town car still outside and Bob can drive you back to your hotel,” Paige said, her gaze hardening. “When Bob comes back, he can drop off my baby sister.”

Ashe glanced at Riley, who lowered her eyes, her face reddening.   It was clearly a
get out of my house
statement delivered in a way that only Paige could — with a sweet smile though her eyes were throwing daggers at Ashe.

“I need to talk to my baby sister, Ashe, if you don’t mind,” Paige said, her voice growing colder. “I understand you just got back from Europe after two weeks of promoting your movie. The complimentary buffet must have been astounding at every stop — so much to choose from.
And I don’t mean the food
.”

“You could say that,” Ashe said, frowning. “But just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to sample all of it — or at all.”

“Well said,” Paige said, her eyes narrowing. “You must know Betty Forster of Chandler and Forster Public Relations?  Soon to be just Forster Public Relations?”

Ashe nodded. “Of course, I know Betty. I didn’t realize you were friends.”

“We are. Anyway, I really need to speak to Riley and Bob is waiting outside. It’s up to you if you want to have him drive you to your hotel, but he’s there if you need a ride,” Paige said as she texted someone on her phone. “It was really nice meeting you, Ashe. Good luck on your career.”

“Paige, Ashe and I were just-”

“I know exactly what you were doing,” Paige said. “But right now, I need to talk you alone and Ashe here needs to give us privacy.”

As if that wasn’t enough of a hint, Ashe turned to face her, his jaw tightening, though he managed faint smile. “I had a wonderful time tonight, Riley-I-am. Thank you.”

Riley nodded, the words unable to come out of her mouth.
Why did she feel so guilty?   

She waited till Ashe stepped out and Paige shut the door behind him, just a little too hard. Paige turned to look at Riley, her hands on her hips, but before she could say something, Riley spoke.

“What’s got your panties in a twist, Paige? You yourself said to me the other night that-” her voice lifted in a falsetto, “-if you ever get him in my bed-”

“That was then, before I changed my mind about him,” Paige said. “It’s a bad idea, given that h and Gareth work together, for crying out loud. What will the press think? That you’re being passed around between costars?”

“Gareth was three years ago,” Riley said.  “No one even knew him then.”

“So what? Anyway, do you really honestly believe that Ashe Hunter, Hollywood’s latest “It” boy, will call you back after he’s done promoting his movie in Asia two weeks from now? Because as far as I know, he’s got more press to do when his movie opens in Tokyo and then the rest of Asia. And where does that leave you?” Paige countered. “Once he’s done sampling everything they offer him during all the press junkets and the parties, he won’t even remember your name. You’re just a plaything right now, a distraction, and that’s the last thing you need.”

Riley frowned, remembering how Ashe had looked at her and told her to her face what a beautiful woman she was, and that she took his breath away. “You really think Ashe is just like Gareth, don’t you? You really think he’ll dive into this buffet you keep talking about.”

“God, Ri, are you really so naive? Why do  you think Gareth forgot about you the moment he made it in Hollywood?  And as for Ashe, of course, he’s going to sample the buffet, because if he hasn’t — all those women, the drugs, and the booze — then he’s crazy. Either that, or he’s a saint and he won’t last long if he doesn’t play the game. And don’t forget that he and Isobel are supposed to be an item, so he’s off-limits to you and to anyone else.”

“Is this what Betty tells you?” Riley asked.  “Do you really believe everything she says?”

But Riley knew better than to ask about something she already knew about. She’d seen it with her own eyes when she flew to LA to be with Gareth even after he changed his mind about her following him, saying he was not ready, that he was in the midst of snagging a role in his first big movie and didn’t need the distraction. She’d walked into a mansion filled with gorgeous women, endless servings of alcohol and even lines of coke on the glass tables. Hell, she’d even participated in it, only because it was the only way she could think of self-destructing in front of Gareth – so he could see what his rejection was doing to her.

And while Paige could be right — that Ashe would not even remember her two weeks from now — how certain was she that he was that type of man who’d just forget all about her? But then, maybe Riley had just idealized him, wanting him to be so unlike Gareth, whom she knew had long drank the Kool-Aid when Hollywood first offered him a taste. And from there, it was like he’d found the fast track to fame in less than three years.

What if Paige was right?

“No man in his right mind can say no to such things, Ri. No one — not even my Clint, if you parked his butt in front of it,” Paige said. “So get that in your head. Men like Ashe and Gareth don’t get into this business to be saints. They do what they do because they can live a lie and get paid well doing it. They do it because they can have anything they want,
anyone
they want. And as long as they’re making money for the studios, whatever they want is handed to them on a silver platter. It’s like modeling – only with more money, more drugs and more sex.”

“Sure, that’s because you’ve been there, right?” Riley scoffed, though she knew she was losing the battle. She could feel her confidence wavering.  What did she really know about Ashe’s world?

“And that’s the reality of things, Ri,” Paige continued. “That’s the world Ashe lives in, and no matter what you want to believe about him in your fairy tale world, he’s no different from Gareth. And he’s going to hurt you worse than Gareth ever did.”

“You don’t know that,” Riley said in a small voice. She remembered his touch, his kiss — so tender, so heartfelt. Could a kiss lie, she wondered? But then, Ashe was also an actor — a highly sought-after actor who was good at what he did.

“I do know it,” Paige said, walking towards her and gathering Riley in her arms. “And I don’t think I can take seeing you on some bathroom floor again, with a needle still stuck in your arm, overdosing over a boy. I just can’t, Ri. Not again. I promised mom I’d take care of you a long time ago, and if it means I have to treat you like you’re some teen-ager, then I will.  But I don’t want to take the risk of you going back to drugs again all because some boy like Ashe Hunter just needed a pussy for the night.  I’m sorry for being crass, Ri, but that’s the way it is where he comes from.”

Riley pulled away, crossing her arms in front of her chest, as if hiding the track marks that were barely there. The only marks that remained were on her left arm, a wide scar that spanned from the middle of her upper arm down to the middle of her forearm. But that hadn’t been from the needles she’d used to pump her system with heroin. That was from something else, from a much longer time, when her life changed forever.

“Whatever happened to me because of Gareth was a long time ago,” Riley whispered. “I’m older and I’m wiser now. And I’ve been a good girl, Paige. You know very well that I haven’t even seen anyone past the first date.”

“I know you’re a good girl. But if you’re as wise as you think you are now, Ri, then you’d know better than to hang around Ashe,” Paige said. “And I don’t even care how big his dick is, or if he can play golf with his hands tied behind his back, but you stay away. Even if it works out with Ashe, what do you think will happen if you saw Gareth again? Do you honestly believe you can handle it? After the way he dumped you?”

She pulled Riley into an embrace, kissing the top of her sister’s head. “You’re beautiful, you know that. You’ve got the sweetest heart, and you give everything — everything, Ri – when you love someone — just like you did when you were with Gareth. Three fucking years you slaved to get him the acting classes he needed, pay for that ratty apartment you lived in, and put food on the table even if you had to work two jobs while he did whatever he wanted for his art or whatever he called it. And that asshole knew it. He took and took from you, Ri. He had you support him until he made it and then he dumped you.”

Tears streamed down Paige’s face, her mascara running down her cheeks. “When you said you were going back to Jackson Heights after he left you with just a bed — no, a mattress because he took the damn frame, too! — I thought it was a good thing even when I was afraid what Dad would think. I thought maybe this time, you and Dad would get your act together and maybe bond together,” she said as Riley looked away. Paige was getting all worked up again and Riley knew better than to say anything.  She also didn’t want to wake up her nephews.

“Instead you kept it together only for show,” Paige continued. “You fooled everyone, making us believe that you were fine when you weren’t. All that time you were hooked on heroin —
heroin
! But I’ll never make that mistake again, you hear me? I’m not going to be the one to find you overdosing on some floor-”

“And you won’t!” Riley exclaimed, taking a step back from Paige. “You won’t, okay? I promise. If you don’t want me to see Ashe again, then I won’t. I may not be able to stop him from ordering his damn coffee at the Library when he’s in town, but I won’t see him again, alright?”

Paige stared at her, unconvinced.

“I promise,” Riley said, her voice softening. “You’re right. He’s just going to hurt me.”

“Anyway, Clint’s assistant likes you,” Paige said. “He told Clint and I tonight that he’d like to see you, maybe get together for a coffee or something, maybe dinner. He’s a little bit older, but he’s very successful and he’s very funny. You’ll like Jesse, Ri. He’s really nice.”

Riley nodded, wiping the tears from her own face with the sleeve of her shirt. She just wanted to go home and pretend she didn’t give in to her sister so easily. “Okay. Just let me know when.”

“Maybe I’ll have him come by while you’re working, and then you guys can sit and talk…see how it goes. How does that sound?” Paige asked.

“Sounds good,” Riley said as Paige’s phone beeped to let her know that she had received a text message. She glanced at it and texted something back before looking back at her.

“That was Bob. He’s on his way back from dropping Ashe off at his apartment —
shit, he’s got his own apartment
,” Paige said the last words almost to herself before turning to look at Riley again. “He’s on his way back and I’ll have him drop you off to your place, okay?”

“Okay,” Riley said, gathering her purse. She pretended to act resigned, just the way she knew Paige would like her to be. At least it would get her home sooner, and she’d bury herself — and her dreams of being kissed by Ashe Hunter — under her covers.   Still, she couldn’t help but feel defeated. She would have wanted some of that —
how’d they say it?
— fine ass, she thought to herself ruefully, trying to find some humor in the predicament she found herself in.

“Look, Ri, this is for your own good,” Paige said, walking her towards the foyer. “I’ve never ever said you couldn’t see anyone, have I?”

Riley shook her head.

“Anyone but Ashe,” Paige said. “Or anyone who knows Gareth, for that matter.”

“Okay.” That last one didn’t make sense but Riley was past caring. She just wanted to go home.

“Come here and give your big sister a hug,” Paige said, spreading her arms open and gathering Riley against her. She looked like an angel with her shimmering dress and the diamond necklace that graced her neck while Riley felt like a mere mortal in her jeans and checkered shirt layered over her tank top. Besides, Paige always knew the right thing to do, Riley thought as she inhaled her sister’s perfume. Chanel No. 5.

“Trust me on this, Ri,” Paige murmured as Riley sighed.  Of course she was going to trust Paige, even if everything inside her screamed that Paige was wrong.

But when was Miss Perfect ever wrong?