The Trouble with Marrying a Movie Star (22 page)

His anger was now full-blown, and I took a few deep breaths before speaking, in order to not choke him. "I told you the truth. It was hard at first after hearing everything people had done to you, and yes, I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid
this
would happen."

"Could it have been your conscious?"

I glared at him. "Just like yours telling you not to trust me? Oh, Wait. That’s just your whore of an ex-girlfriend. Pull over!" I yelled to the driver.

"No! We are not done here."

I pulled away from him, leaning forward over to the driver. "Pull over now, or I will jump out of this damn car."

"Pull over," Connor ordered after me.

I turned back around towards Andrew. "I have put up with your crazy life. I have put up with your making decisions regarding
my
life without asking me. I even put up with you when you agreed with that stupid idea of having the studio throw us a wedding. But what I'm
not
going to put up with is you and Brittney. I have had it! Since you trust her so damn much, why don't you marry
her
, you jackass! I'm done!" I threw the ring at him, before opening my door, to slam it in his face.

With my back turned, I heard another door slam before Andrew yelled out, "I have only
ever
thought about what's best for you! I vetoed the wedding idea immediately, but only considered it for you. Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret in this town? They went mad over the engagement, and do you really think they won't stoop to anything to get a glimpse of our wedding? There is a six-figure offer to anyone who can bring in the first shot. That's the largest offer ever made! Do you know what that means to a pap to see that kind of a dollar sign for one damn picture? I only agreed to the idea of the wedding after all of the facts were presented, thinking only of you. And I stopped speaking to Brittney. You know that! Maybe if you would speak the hell up now and then, and tell me the
truth
, I wouldn't have to make these dumb ass decisions that you speak of by myself! If I knew Brittney was harassing you, I would have destroyed the bitch, but your choosing to not tell me things is messed up."

I turned around, storming straight toward him. "You hypocrite! You know what's messed up? Trusting that whore more than me. Listening to a group of 'in it for themselves' advisors regarding our lives, and not sharing information with your future wife! That's what's messed up." He stormed toward me and I stepped back saying, "Don't come any further Andrew, and you had better not follow me if you want to keep your balls!" I turned on my heels and marched away. I could only see red as I stormed through the people walking on the sidewalk. I had no clue as to where I was, or where I was going, but I couldn't stop walking. A couple of times I walked in a sprint, needing to feel the burn in my lungs. When I felt a hand grab my arm; I balled my fist in instinct to punch him, but Connor stopped me mid punch. "Hey, Tyson, it's me."

I was relieved that it was him. "I need to be alone."

"Sorry, sweet cheeks, you're not walking the streets alone."

I snarled at him, before grabbing his shirt, and pulling him in for a hug. I wrapped my arms around him as his dangled straight down his side. He stayed stiff, and I didn't care. I held onto him for a while, before releasing him, and looking up. His face kept his hard outside appearance—good to know he was always an ass—yet he reached down into his pocket, and handed me a tissue. Well…he wasn't such an ass.

"Let's get you home."

"I'm not going back to Andrew's."

He looked at me, thinking for a moment. "Okay, I'll take you somewhere else.

I was shocked that
somewhere else
would be his place. I knew Connor's business was doing well, but his home told another story. It was huge, and it rivaled Andrew's. Andrew's home wasn't the standard grand movie star's home, but it was nice. Connor's home
looked
as if he was the movie star instead of Andrew.

Connor told me to make myself at home. He showed me to one of the guest room, and extended an invitation to stay with him for as long as I wanted, even though he knew I didn’t want to impose.

After freshening up, I sat on the sofa in one of his family rooms and stared at the TV. He placed a short glass of dark liquor in front of me before saying, "I thought you might need this."

I smiled at him before slamming the drink down, coughing afterward. It was not what I expected and it was strong. "Ummm…thanks, and thanks for everything, by the way."

"It's my job to look after you."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're my bodyguard, not my babysitter, but thank you." We sat in silence for a while. I finally looked over at him. "Well, at least you won't have to guard me anymore. You can go back to whatever you do, and by the look of this place you do it well."

"I'm not going anywhere, sunshine," he said matter of fact.

"It won't be necessary for you to stay with me. The only reason that I needed you was because of Andr…" I couldn't say his name without my chest caving in.

"I'm staying," he said sharply.

"All right. Then, I can pay you—"

"It's taken care of!" He snapped. My head fell. "Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to…look. I will be around for a very long time."

"Thanks, but I was trying to—"

"The only thing you need to focus on right now is yourself."

I smiled at him, and he poured more of the substance in my glass, until the only thing I could remember was being carried and placed in a fluffy bed.

One week has gone by, and I found myself in the same position that I was in yesterday. Lying in bed, looking at the ceiling, and wondering how to get out of this mess. Not able to sleep, I wasn't sure if I was coming or going. It was as if I was in a stage of constant purgatory; wondering if I would be able to feel again. I was dead; a walking zombie. I could function, just not with any feeling.

I had completed my last LA book tour, and saying I was ecstatic that it was over was an understatement. It had been hell. Everyone had noticed that my engagement ring was missing, which started a media frenzy that rivaled the engagement in the first place.

There was a war going on, governments were falling, and people were starving, but all everyone seemed interested in was my naked ring finger. I dodged every question regarding it, and Andrew hadn't made any official statement either. When Rebeca called, I was ready for a lecture, but then realized she didn't know.

She called to tell me that Taylor had a healthy baby girl named Emma.  She was several weeks late, and I knew that Rebeca had been extremely concerned. I had checked up on her daily but hadn't had the courage to face her. I was relieved when Rebeca said she was sending pictures of Emma, while she gushed over how beautiful she was. She asked if Andrew was there. I mistakenly told her I hadn't seen him. She asked me why. I broke down and told her that we had had a fight, but left it at that. She didn't pry, but I could tell that she would be hunting Andrew down for some answers. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wouldn't be marrying her son.

I hadn't had the energy to speak to anyone about it. Keira had been wonderful, and didn't say a word, just offered her assistance. Per my request, she had packed up my things at Andrew's the week after our fight. I only had clothes at his house, so it had been easy enough. I didn't want to tackle the fact that I had just moved everything into his place in Virginia. She said that we could hold off on that for a while.

If I wasn't playing the happy writer in public, I was sitting on Connor's sofa eating potato chips and feeling numb. I couldn't feel anything yet. I thought about going back to Dallas for a while, but my mom and Bob were there for the month and I really wasn't in the mood to see or hear her.

I thought about going to Erin's, but she was busy with her upcoming nuptials. The wedding was in a few weeks. I didn't want to spoil this time for her with my issues. Even though I knew she would have been there for me, this time I wanted to be there for her.

I had decided to go to Baltimore to visit my Dad. He doesn't say much, and right now, that was just what I needed.

I sat on my swing, once a happy place, now filled with the memory of Andrew. It was a sunny day, and the birds chirped cheerfully around me, as a warm breeze rustled through my hair. I dragged my feet below through the dirt, thinking back to when I was last here. I could feel him still, and it had been over three weeks since we were last together. This place was tainted forever with his memory.

My dad was working the late shift, and I had the house to myself. Pilar had brought over a casserole for dinner. It was her way of trying to make me feel better. Andrew and I still hadn't made any formal announcement, and as far as I knew, he hadn't said anything to his family. I only said we needed time apart to mine, and left it at that. It was a cowardly thing to do, but I didn't need the added stress.

I was watching the discovery channel about animal-mating, when I heard a knock on the back door. Brandon had stopped by to say hello on his way home from the shop. "It's good to see you," he said, giving me a bear hug that lifted me off of my feet.