He went to the door and opened it.Becky, her make up artist stood outside, her knuckles raised as if she were about to knock.
“Oh!Uh, sorry.I just wondered if I could get her anything?”
“Yes.Ice and aloe vera, if you can find any.”
“Sure thing,” Becky said.“I know exactly where to find some.I’ll be right back.”
Joel shut the door and turned back to her.“Looks like you get to wait with me.”
She tried to steel herself against his devastating smile.There was a reason this man had won the heart of almost every woman in America—he had the rugged good looks to make females swoon.And he was as manly as the roles he played, not like the pretty-boy actors who cried over hangnails.
That morning whenHollywood Gossiphad reported about the two of them, it brought back all the gossip about her and Billy.How many more weeks until the reports were about her breakup with Joel?Or about Joel’s new girlfriend?She couldn’t handle it.Not again.Not with him.Joel was different.What she had with him was different.She could be herself, she could be less than herself—her most vulnerable, child-like self, and he still treated her like the most special girl in the world.How could she live knowing he was giving that to someone else?The thought literally made her cry.And of course he had noticed, because he always seemed in tune with her.
He sauntered over and stood between her knees, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.“How do you feel now?”
She smiled up at him.“Fine.I’m so glad you were here today.Thank you for staying to watch me.”
He lifted her chin.“Of course I stayed to watch you,” he said, a fond smile curling his lips.
A tap at the door sounded and Becky came in with an ice pack and the stem of an aloe plant.She bustled over and split the aloe leaf, applying it to the back of her arm.Marissa held the icepack to her head.
“I’m going to let Antonio know you’re all right.Do you think you can return to filming today or do you want to go home?”
“No, I’m okay to keep filming.”
He gave her a wink.“That’s my girl,” he said and left.
She bit her lip, wondering if that sounded odd to Becky.
“Um, Ms.Sparks, I wanted to apologize for offending you the other day,” the makeup artist said.“I realized it sounded really bad, but I promise I didn’t mean it that way.I’m a huge fan of your work.I mean, you’re the reason I was so excited to get this gig.And…” She stopped and picked a thread off Marissa’s costume.“I was just worried about you.And the way things were going.But I shouldn’t have said anything and I know it sounded critical?—”
“It’s okay,” Marissa cut in.“Thank you.”
“Marissa,”Joel said, kissing down the back of her neck.“Do we need to get you a gown to wear for the opening ofCerebral,my picture that’s releasing this week?”
She twisted around to peer at him with her wide blue eyes.“Do—am I going?You want me to go?I mean, with you?”
He lowered one brow.“Yes, little girl.”He turned her to see her face.“Do you not want to go?”
“No, I do…” she had blushed and appeared flustered.“Aren’t you taking your ex-wife?”
“What?No.Did she say that?Absolutely not.I thought we were clear about her being out of my life.”
Marissa bounced on her heels an impish smile appearing on her face.“So we’re going shopping?”
He smiled indulgently.“Yes, my dear.Go grab a sweater.”
She lifted up on her tiptoes and pecked his cheek, her Little coming out.“I’ll be right back,” she said, skipping off the bedroom.
On the drive to see her stylist, Marissa’s phone buzzed.“It’s Bev,” she said.“Is it passive aggressive if I don’t answer?”
“Yes.”
She hit answer.“Hey Bev.”
He heard her sister’s voice speaking.Marissa sighed.“Well, I don’t know.I can ask.”She lowered the phone and looked at him.“Bev and my mom would like to come to your opening.”
“Of course, no problem.I’ll put their names on the guest lists.”
