Chapter 15
Gage wasn’t sure it’d be possible to enjoy the evening ahead with all of the chaos surrounding the night, but once they got back to his place and drew the sun-proof blinds, the weight of Hollywood seemed to fall off his shoulders.
The weight of his father’s teetering approval had too.
Perhaps it was the idea of losing Carly that had shifted things into perspective.
Whatever the matter, he only hoped he could help ease Carly’s worries too.
Most likely she was still affected by the whole Star Chat episode.
Stuff like that would take some getting used to, but he hoped it wouldn’t scare her away.
The fact was, his family would attract attention for years to come.
Gage tugged the bill of Christian’s hat lower and lifted the lid to the grill.
Perfect. With a pair of tongs, he shifted each polish dog onto the platter.
A quick twist of the nozzle, and the burner went out.
He pushed open the door and stepped back into the kitchen. Carly stood there, her hands cupping her elbows as she looked blankly across the room. The vision seemed to validate his concern; she’d been thrown off by the episode.
He sighed. Dinner was hot and ready. The dogs were grilled just right, the buns steamed to chewy perfection, and the onions he’d caramelized were just seconds away from being overdone.
The only thing that wasn’t ready was Carly.
Gage slid the plate onto the counter and met her on the other side. He wrapped his arms around her and sank his face into the silky strands of her fragrant hair. “What’s going through your mind right now?”
“First of all,” she said, pulling back to meet his gaze.
“I never even finished telling you about the TV show. Your dad ...they had him on the show for a second. I mean, he was in his car but they were asking him about me and he said something like, I don’t know his exact words, but it he was basically saying that he spoke to you the other night and that America had nothing to worry about.
You’d still be available when you hit the silver screen. ”
An ache stabbed at his chest, igniting sparks of fury along the way. “He’s just saying that, of course. It’s not true. My dad has no idea what’s going on between us. It’s ridiculous that they hunted him down to get a quote on my love life. I’m not even a popular name yet.”
Gage regretted saying that final word the moment it slipped out of his mouth. Yet. He knew how much Carly worried about him becoming one of Hollywood’s elite. “I’m going to be a flash in the pan,” he assured. “That’s all.”
He’d planned to tell her about his run-in outside the market, but he didn’t want to upset her further. Not if it would make her second guess their relationship. Then again, he didn’t want to hide things from her either. His mom always said that concealing the truth was just another form of lying.
“They tracked me down outside the market today,” he said. “A small group of paparazzi. They were asking about you.”
Carly spun around in his arms and looked him in the face. “What did you tell them?”
Gage shrugged. “Nothing, of course. It’s none of their business.”
She chewed on her lip and looked around the room, as if she might find the solution to their problem. Suddenly she set her eyes back on him. “Why are you doing the movie?”
Gage shrugged. “What do you mean?”
She wiped at her nose and sniffed, a familiar light shining in her eyes. It was that I-found-a-way-out-of this-mess look. “You don’t want to act for a living. You’re putting your whole life on hold over it, and it’s causing a bunch of unwanted attention. Just quit.”
Quit? It felt like a jackhammer had fired up in his chest. Gage gulped, ran a hand through his hair, and scrambled for a way out of the horrible scenario. From an outsider’s perspective, her suggestion might make perfect sense. But Carly wasn’t an outsider.
“It’s not that simple,” he said. “I thought I already explained this to you, the situation with my dad. I just think it’d be nice to finally have his approval for one thing I do in life. Besides, I’ve signed the contracts already. Backing out isn’t an option.”
Carly nodded, but for the life of him, Gage couldn’t read her expression.
She looked so…conflicted. “Did you hear yourself just then?” she finally asked.
“You said you’re doing this for his approval.
You went right back to the one thing you’ll never be able to keep unless you continue to give up what you want. ”
Gage stifled a groan. He might have liked the way she’d challenged him on the topic before, but now it was starting to hit too close to home.
He didn’t want to think so hard about why he was doing the stupid movie.
He was doing it, and then he was heading back to school no matter what his old man said.
“Tell me what bothers you most about me doing the film. We can at least talk about it.”
Carly shook her head as her cheeks flushed red. “I don’t know. I just…I didn’t like hearing your dad say that, okay? That’s what it comes down to. I don’t want to be part of that equation.”
Now she was losing him again. Frustrated heat pulsed through him. “Part of what equation, Carly?”
“I don’t want to be a step you have to take—or a person you have to hide—in order to keep your dad’s approval. Being careful for the sake of my job is one thing. But I can tell that’s not your only concern. It’s like you step off the resort for a minute and suddenly you’re, like, ashamed of me.”
“I’m not ashamed of you, Carly. That’s the farthest thing from the truth.” He looked at her with pleading eyes. “I’m trying to protect you. I’ve seen the way they exploit people, and trust me—it isn’t pretty.”
Carly took a few steps back and folded her arms. “Do I look worried about that to you, Gage? I’m not, so stop using that as an excuse.”
Her comment struck a nerve in him, but Gage wasn’t ready to give in. He had enough reasons for keeping things under wraps without admitting the one thing she was referring to—his desire to keep his father ignorant of the relationship for a little while longer.
“Listen,” he said, recalling the other reasons with ease.
“A few weeks from now, I’m going to be on a plane and you’ll be left here on your own.
I don’t want the paparazzi to harass you the whole time.
All I’m suggesting is that we wait until we’re both back in California.
As soon as I’m done filming and you’re finished up here, we can go out in public all we want. ”
Carly had been poised to speak, but at his words stopped short. “You mean you’re not trying to hide it until the movie comes out?”
The question was a spark of hope. A spark that shot through his entire body in a blink.
“No, of course not. I don’t care if women out there know I’m already taken.
” He took a few steps to close the gap. Slowly then, testing almost, he reached out and cupped his hands around her hips.
“I want people to know you’re mine. Just…
not until I can actually be here with you, not halfway across the country. ”
She nodded in understanding. “So we keep it quiet while we finish out the summer. That’s it.”
“That’s it,” he confirmed, hoping to douse the chaotic explosion in his chest.
Carly wrapped her arms around his waist in return.
With a small, delicate-sounding sigh, she rested her cheek against his chest. This.
This is what he needed. Something about having Carly in his arms soothed all the upset stirring within him just moments ago.
He did want to keep her safe, but more than that, he wanted Carly to know that she was loved.
As he tuned into the smooth rhythm of her breaths, her small ribcage expanding with each inhale, Gage’s muscles went from tight and rigid to lax. He rubbed a hand up her back, cherishing the feel of her in his arms, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
Carly pulled back to meet his eye once more. “You know, I guess I don’t care if the media thinks you’re single as much as I care that…that you know how to own your decisions whether your dad approves of them or not.”
“And you think that he doesn’t approve of you?”
“Yes. I don’t like that he sees me as some messy little fling. It’d be nice if he knew that you do actually care about me.”
A flame of fear sparked up at the thought of telling him, but as Gage studied Carly’s face, considered everything she’d been through with Jimmy, his concern shifted off himself and his need to keep his father happy.
First and foremost, he wanted Carly to realize how important she was to him. He pictured navigating the old video game, bubbling lava pots ahead, the key in his hand, and the princess in the tower. Suddenly Gage realized he wanted her more than all of it.
“You’re right,” he said, an idea coming to mind. Forget about Dad and his rules for success, forget about the fact that he might not get another approving word from the man as long as he lived. Carly was more important than all of that.
Gage tugged his phone from his pocket, swiped and tapped until his father’s name came up, and opened a new text box. He spoke each word as he tapped them out with his thumbs.
“Hey, just so you know, I’ve asked Carly, my incredible surf instructor, to be my girlfriend. I’m completely in love with her, and I can’t wait for you and Mom to meet her.”
Carly leaned over the phone, the warmth of her face close to his, and looked up at him, a shocked expression on her face.
“Send,” he said as he tapped the proper icon. The phone gave out a swish. Gage held the power button down before sliding the device onto the counter. No need to have the night ruined with an entourage of calls and texts from his parents. What he’d sent was the truth.
“You said you loved me.”
He looked at her for a blink. “Yeah, but I already told you that.”
Carly shook her head, closed the gap she’d created between them with two, short steps. “You said you were falling in love with me.”
A grin pulled at Gage’s lips. “Carly,” he said, drawing her into him. “I love you.” The jackhammer was at it again in his chest. This time for an entirely different reason.
He focused in on the way she bit at her lip. It constrained her smile, but not a lot. In fact, those dimples of hers were in full form. “I love you too,” she said softly.
Gage leaned in, focused every emotion that had built up over the last few days, and let it guide him.
He didn’t linger on the small kisses this time. Instead, Gage urged her lips to part with the gentle coax of his tongue.
Yes, he loved Carly. Gage mused he would do anything she asked. Quit the movie, quit architecture school, fly to the moon. He was already halfway there with her kiss. Floating among the stars.
Carly pushed him even higher by running a hand up the back of his neck and into his hair, the tips of her fingers teasing his scalp. Gage groaned, so drawn into the passion that he took her by the hips and lifted her onto the counter. Her legs grazed the sides of his waist as he came in for more.
Taking his time now, Gage pressed kisses along her collarbone and over the tempting curve of her slender shoulder, sampling her sweet skin along the way.
He’d never get enough of Carly Bridger, not even if they kissed until morning came, which was exactly what he wanted to do.
“I could kiss you forever,” he admitted, knowing they should take things slow.
He forced his mind back to the details she’d shared with him.
Carly had been hurt once before, and she needed to know that he wouldn’t fail her the way her ex had.
He was a man, after all. It would take discipline on his part, and patience too, but Gage would make sure she understood how cherished she really was.
“So, you ready to eat?” His voice came out raspy and weak.
Carly smoothed her hair behind one ear and sighed.
He took a moment to observe her flustered state.
Cheeks red, breath hitched like his. There was no shortage of passion between them; Gage liked knowing it went both ways.
It would make the moment even more special when their time came. “Yes,” she said with a nod.
Gage steadied her with both hands as she slid off the counter and onto the floor.
“I’m ready,” she assured, “and since this is seriously your one most impressive dinner, I’m expecting it to be really good.”
An errant thought shot to Gage’s mind. Ideas of how his parents were likely reacting to his text in that very moment.
His dad was probably freaking out. He’d likely lose his father’s affections, approval, and even respect.
But Gage couldn’t care about that anymore.
He’d made his choice, and he’d deal with the consequences.
Gage pushed that thought to the back of his mind and focused on Carly’s comment instead. “Don’t worry,” he said. “It will be.”