Chapter 7
It was cold, freezing even. The cool sensation was all Amber could focus on as the stethoscope made contact with her upper chest.
The doctor put the tool back around her neck after listening to Amber’s heartbeat. “Well, everything else seems alright and the medicine has already kicked in, so I think you’re good to go.”
Amber wiped her hand against the plastic cover placed on the bed. Levi had left the waitress a tip large enough to pay the girl’s rent for three months. After doing so, Amber had the honor of riding in his luxury SUV, the latest black Cadillac Escalade, to the nearest hospital. He hadn’t even been the one driving it. Levi had a driver who took him wherever he needed to go.
On their way here, Levi had pulled out a hat and sunglasses from the back of the passenger seat to conceal himself. He and his bodyguards had also provided words of comfort to Amber amid her predicament. To her, the itching and swelling was not too alarming, but it had seemed that they’d viewed it as the end of the world. She was sure it would have faded with time if they had allowed it to.
“Thank you, doctor,” said Levi. He had been so glad when the hospital waiting room had been nearly empty aside from an old couple. It ensured Amber had been treated quickly. And, of course, I didn’t have to worry about getting recognized. He was still surprised the paps hadn’t found him.
“I’ll go ahead and write you your prescription for an EpiPen. Just give me a moment first, okay?” The short-haired woman left the room.
Levi and Amber sat in silence once she was gone.
She tried not to cringe at the stench of bleach and alcohol that filled the observation room. Amber sat on the typical patient’s bed. The room was barren, aside from a built in counter with a stool and a large steel cabinet. She tried to avoid staring at the posters of the human body and possible viruses that could pose a threat. It was strange to think of her body under attack right now.
Levi kicked his leather shoe against the white floor. “So…you look a lot better now.” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“What? Did swollen lips not work for me?” Amber grinned.
Levi smiled a little then walked over and stood in front of her. “This date, huh?”
She managed to laugh. “Started with you thinking I was crying and now we’re at the hospital.”
“Yeah.” Levi shared in her laughter. He eyed her down. “Bet when you imagined dating someone like me you didn’t picture this.”
“Who said I’ve imagined dating a movie star before?” Amber replied smartly.
Levi hated it when she sent his head spinning. Was he being conceited, or did she just enjoy playing around? “You would have had to imagine this before coming here, right? Or did you come in with zero expectations?”
Amber giggled. “Okay, you got me. I did try to picture how this would go before coming.” She looked at her lap then at the examination bed. At least he stuck around. And to her it didn’t seem like an act of politeness. Probably is. “And being rushed to the hospital really wasn’t part of what I envisioned.”
Levi grimaced. “Yeah, but despite that this wasn’t so bad, right?”
Amber buzzed but hid it. “You’re not the one who got stabbed in the thigh with a needle earlier.”
Levi panicked again but her laugh calmed him down. “Why do you keep doing that? Is it fun to watch me freak out? I keep thinking I’m saying all the wrong things.”
“Oh, sorry. Am I stressing you out?” Amber asked genuinely. She didn’t want to make the guy uncomfortable. She just found this amusing. And quips came naturally to her around him. She wasn’t usually the quipping type.
Levi fanned this off. “It’s fine. When you laugh at my freak-outs, it’s kind of funny.”
Amber looked into his eyes.
Levi looked into hers.
The door swung open, and the doctor returned with Amber’s prescription.
Once Amber was released, the two walked to the exit side by side. They trailed the hallway slowly. Levi kept an eye out for fans, but the only people around were nurses and doctors. They were too busy handling medication and rushing about to even cast them a glance.
Amber wasn’t sure what to say. She swerved around a vacant wheelchair, lost in thought. The night was already over. It would be wise to ask for his number, but he might not want to disclose it. They had talked a lot, but Levi had only done this for the show. She was still a stranger to him. He had been sweet, but Amber preferred not to jump to conclusions. Levi Marks was simply fulfilling an obligation.
They walked through the empty waiting room and reached the glass doors. Levi paused.
She stopped when he did. “You okay?” She held the steel door handle.
He hummed while rubbing his neck. This was hands down the quickest night out he’d ever had. Or at least it felt that way. “Yeah. I just…”
Amber’s lashes fluttered.
Levi got tongue-tied. Don’t rush in. “Did you have fun aside from this whole hospital fiasco?”
She looked out at the parking lot beyond the glass. “Yeah. Before it started killing me, the food was good.” She smirked.
Levi laughed again. Had he laughed this much before? “You’re funny. Are you usually this funny around other people?”
“Not really. My friends are much funnier than I am. Maybe they’re rubbing off on me.” Amber swayed from left to right. “Did you have fun?”
Levi nodded. “But it’s getting late, so I’ll drop you home.”
She was relieved that he offered. “Thanks.”
Levi opened the door for her but stopped. “Would you…”
Amber held her breath.
Levi didn’t understand his own hesitation. “Can I have your number?”
Amber’s heart stopped for a second. “S-sure!” How easy was that? He wanted her number? Beca, I did it! She called out the digits with a grin. “Got all that?”
“Yep. Thanks.” Had he really asked? “Yeah, well, um…come on.”
“Right.” Amber walked through the door, and he followed her, both smiling.
* * *
His latest cellphone contact was tempting but Levi knew better than to give it a tap only the day after. Yes, his hectic schedule had left him off the market for a few years but that didn’t make him completely clueless.
Levi started when Oscar dropped a stack of papers in front of him. The script nearly left a dent on his dining room table. He pushed thoughts of last night from his mind then read the front page. “Is this a movie or an updated Bible?” He shifted his plate of eggs and toast and dragged the pages towards him.
Oscar took a seat across the table. As soon as he’d entered the superstar’s penthouse, he’d opened all the curtains by pushing a button near the front door. Now the early morning sky could be seen through Levi’s glass doors and windows. There was a terrace next to his living room with transparent doors leading to it. Out there was the gorgeous city view that Levi never seemed to appreciate.
“It’s the script to part one of your next Captain Evolution movie. It’s going to be split into two parts.” Oscar picked up the saltshaker and poured some crystals into his palm. Levi’s kitchen was simple since the guy lived alone.
“Part one?” Levi breathed. He tightened the belt of his bathrobe. “What does the script for part two look like?”
Oscar didn’t answer. “You’ll be on set for a table read as soon as Monday so I need you to get on this as fast as you can. I know it’s short notice but there were some serious delays with the script. The studio wants to get this started sooner rather than later. ” He perched an arm on the back of the chair and crossed his legs, grinning. “Hope that little date and guest appearance on that cheesy game show did you good. Feeling ready to take on the spotlight again? Because according to your episode’s ratings, the world is ready for you —”
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You and Rachel kept updating me whenever anyone on social media mentioned that whole thing.” Levi flipped open the script and read the first sentence.
As he read, an image of Amber snuck up on him and stole his attention. I wonder what she’s doing now. He lowered his eyes and tried to keep himself from smiling. What the hell is wrong with me?
Oscar clapped once. “Ah, so you know how desirable you are. Ha. Still got it.” He sighed as if dazed. “Oh wait, the date was last night. Did it go okay?”
Amber’s witty remarks filtered through his mind at once. He’d dreamed about them too. Usually, his dreams were filled with images of his first days on the set of Captain Evolution, but for once, things were different. Wow. Had Amber saved him from his recurring nightmare? Can I even call it that?
Oscar found Levi’s silence strange. The megastar wasn’t the most talkative with others outside of interviews, but he would at least open up to him. “Thinking of something, Marks? I asked you a question. Or do you not want to share?”
Levi rubbed his forefinger against the edge of the first page then flipped. Ow. He looked at his cut finger. “Jeez.”
“Are you going to tell me how the date went or…” Oscar clasped his hands on the table. “Was it as much of a waste of time as you feared? Was the girl creepy? I can’t remember her name, but she was trending for a while. Of course, everyone’s moved on by now but at least you got them buzzing. Need those fans on their toes for the next few years.”
Levi sucked the blood off his finger. “The date…” He recalled Amber’s swollen face. “She’s allergic to shellfish,” he said, but not to Oscar. It was like he’d mentioned it to take note himself.
Oscar blinked three times. “She…told you that?”
Levi licked his bottom lip then met Oscar’s eyes. “Did Rachel say it’d look good if I dated Amber Sheridan?”
Oscar’s eyes popped. “Wait a second. Hold up!” He stood, his chair scraping back. “You like this girl? You like her after one date?”
Blood rushed to Levi’s cheeks. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he growled. “Don’t people usually catch feelings on dates? Heck, even before them? Plus, I never said I liked her. I’m just asking.” He plucked a napkin out of his napkin holder to keep his finger from bleeding further. “Now would you sit down and answer me?”
Oscar had thought it would never happen. “Who was the last one? Remember her name? Why did y’all break up? Fan girls were jealous?” He snickered and sat once more.
Levi did not appreciate his laughter. “Don’t joke about what happened back then with my ex, Jenny, okay? And my question has nothing to do with liking Amber.”
“The fact that you keep saying her name!” Oscar barked a laugh at the white ceiling. He smiled at Levi. “Yeah, Rachel got some stats that said being in a relationship helps with keeping you relevant, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be Amber. She was telling you all that to convince you that it was a good idea to be on that show. I mean, I think the appearance has served its purpose but if you want to date her to add—”
Levi couldn’t stand the way he was speaking about this. “Dude, this isn’t about earning points from the public or any of that.”
“Then why’d you ask about Rachel?”
Levi froze. He dug his fingers into his scalp. Am I even a person to these people? “Okay, I guess I did ask because I was thinking of how things would look but I don’t know.” He sat back and folded his arms. He watched his lap, revisiting last night in his thoughts. “It’s probably not a good idea. I mean, for some reason I’m a heartthrob so even if I ‘gain relevance’ or I like her, it’s bound to end up in flames. At least for her, right?”
Oscar sat in complete awe, eyes wide and mouth open. Was he dreaming? “I can’t believe it. You really like her.”
Levi used both hands to cover his face. “I don’t know, okay? I had a good time last night. That’s all.” He breathed a heavy sigh and tried to continue reading the script.
A chuckle escaped Oscar’s mouth. “Well, that’s good. If you weren’t who you are, I’d say to try to reach out and see if something can happen between you two, but you’re Levi Marks and Rachel’s already thought of another way to keep you looking good to your fans and the press.”
Levi raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“There’s a character called Mrs. S in the script. The actress who plays her is going to be Fiona Bazoli.”
Levi jolted forward. “Fiona Bazoli? She’s won like two Oscars already and she just got on the scene. She’s in my next movie?” The spark for acting he’d felt as a kid returned for a second. “Shut up.”
Oscar liked his enthusiasm. This was the Levi he knew. “Yup, and people know she’s been cast. Your fans love her, the public loves her so…Rachel was thinking it’d be nice if you two got close and people started seeing you as a thing. We want this movie to be huge so that’s why she’s going all out.”
Levi was ecstatic. He loved Fiona’s work in her latest film Days On End . She was phenomenal to the point that her movies evoked emotional responses from even the likes of him, someone who had seen almost everything at this point. “Wait, did you say that Rachel wants us to be a couple?” A disc scratched in his mind and his excitement plummeted.
Oscar sighed. “You don’t have to be, but it’d be nice to get the public seeing you that way. For the movie. Your character has a fling with her in the film and in the comics. Your fans will love it. Even the feisty teenage girls.”
Words were failing him. “I… Wait, how are you so sure the girls will like her? Remember what they did to Jenny?” He whispered his last question and looked at his eggs.
Oscar scratched his head. “Yeah, yeah, I do. No girl should have to go through that sort of harassment but it’s different because Fiona’s going to be your on-screen girlfriend, so it’ll feel like fate to everyone.” He kept his hands clasped on the table. “That’s at least what Rachel says anyway.”
Levi hummed. He absently raised his fork and stuck it into his scrambled eggs. “So, if she wants me to be seen with Fiona while we’re filming, it’d be better to stay away from Amber?”
Oscar saw the disappointment in those blue eyes. He pictured Levi as a kid asking to head out with some friends on busy days. “Well, it’d be better if you did keep your distance. Otherwise, it’ll clash with what Rachel wants. What she thinks is best to keep people’s minds on Levi Marks.” He smiled.
Levi shoved some food in his mouth. “Okay.” He chewed blandly, looking at his script again. This was for the best anyway. Rachel knew her stuff. His fans would welcome an actress that his character was written with but torture someone who felt more…real. Amber. Would it hurt to give her one call, though? At least to squelch his curiosity.