Chapter 5
Izzy
Of course he had to be just as vapid as the rest of these morons.
I stepped toward the bartender. “Can you make an espresso martini?”
The cutie behind the bar nodded as his hands flew to the martini glasses and the liquors behind him.
Glasses of champagne were literally everywhere, but I couldn’t make myself drink any of it.
Maybe because the last time I drank some, it was with my mother.
And somehow that felt like a betrayal at the moment.
I turned back to the crowd where I’d left my…I still didn’t know what to call him. Despite the rushed paternity test, it felt weird to call him dad. I hadn’t had a dad my entire life. Getting one suddenly at twenty-three hadn’t filled the hole in my soul like I’d long believed.
And having a wicked stepmother didn’t help, either.
Considering she was only five years older than me, she definitely wasn’t going to be a mother figure. It would just be nice if she was civil and not outwardly hostile toward me.
Not that Beau noticed. Her snide little comments earlier about my dress and therefore my body went right over his head.
This night was going to be an eternity.
“I would expect a gorgeous woman like you to be surrounded by gentlemen,” a deep voice rumbled behind me. “Or are you already taken?”
I spun around and gaped at the gorgeous man in front of me now. Eli St James. In the flesh. My mouth gaped open like a total moron.
His eyes glinted in amusement. “Everything okay, darlin’?”
“I-I-I, I’m such a huge fan. I don’t even know what to say.” My heart pounded in my ears, and it took all my willpower to get those words out. I really wasn’t capable of more.
He tilted his head as he smiled wolfishly down at me. “Well, it’s always good to meet a fan.”
I snorted. “Pretty sure you meet fans everywhere you go.”
I slapped a hand over my mouth. I just snorted in front of Eli St James. Oh god.
“One espresso martini,” the bartender murmured behind me. “Would you like a refill, sir?”
Eli St James shook his head. “I’m good, man. Thanks.”
I spun around to grab my drink. I took a big bracing gulp and felt my shoulders relax as the familiar tastes of coffee and vodka hit me. After licking at the foam coating my top lip, I sighed. The only thing that would make this better was if Alexis was here with me.
She’d get it—my evil stepmother, this anxiety about Beau, and the craziness of tonight.
Unlike everyone else here.
“That good, darlin’?” Eli St James rumbled behind me. “Maybe I should order one, too.”
My eyes widened. How had I forgot about him? I guess I’d kinda assumed he’d moved on like the bearded blond guy Beau had tried to introduce me to.
Picking up my drink, I turned and held it out. “Do you want a sip first if you’re on the fence?”
His eyes never left my face, and after a beat he slowly shook his head. “Nah, I’ll wait until I get the chance to sip it from where I really want to taste it.”
It was such a line, but it’d been effective. My cheeks heated as I blinked dazedly back at him. “Okay.”
“Okay,” he echoed. He stepped toward me and reached a hand out. “Maybe now you could tell me your name. Or I could just keep calling you darlin’ if you’d like.”
“I, it’s Izzy. My name, that is. But you can call me whatever you want.” I closed my eyes and winced. “I mean, I like the way you say darlin’.”
I felt so stupid, but it was true. That southern drawl and velvety tone made me all weak in the knees.
And the brain too apparently.
But Eli St James just laughed. “Darlin’ it is.” His lips quirked like he was fighting a smile—no doubt at my expense. “I haven’t seen you around here. Did you come with someone?”
I pressed my lips together and went for the truth—ish. “I’m here with family.”
“So you’re single…?”
“As a Pringle,” came out of my mouth before my brain could catch up, and I winced again. Judging by the muffled laughter behind me at the bar, everyone heard that.
But Eli St James just chuckled lightly. “Just checking. I’d rather not throw down tonight. Need to keep the face pretty for a video shoot this week.” He tilted his head. “I think we’re still looking for a vixen to play my love interest…”
Was he seriously offering me a casting couch ‘opportunity’?
Ick.
I drew back in revulsion, but before I could verbalize my disgust, a slender blonde—different from the one before—appeared out of thin air and wrapped herself around Eli St James.
“There you are, baby. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
Eli St James took a whole step back from me as his eyes cooled dramatically. “Just waiting to get a refill, babe. The bar has been slammed. Did you want anything?”
The blonde’s eye flicked toward me then away. “Hmm, get me a skinny margarita. I have an audition Friday. Can’t show up all bloated and huge.”
I felt myself shrinking, my shoulders rounded and slumped down. She might as well as said ‘not like this elephant here.’
“Gotcha, babe.” Eli St James stepped around me like we hadn’t been flirting a few seconds earlier. “Barkeep! Another for me and a skinny marg for the wife.”
Wife?! What the frick?
Admittedly, I wasn’t up to date on my celebrity gossip, but he’d been flirting with me and married?!
“Sorry.” The blonde bared her teeth at me in a lion-esque snarl. “He’s taken, honey.”
I raised my eyebrows. “You might want to tell him that. Or maybe get him checked for dementia, because he didn’t know that a few minutes ago.”
I don’t know where that fire had come from, but I was proud of myself for finding it.
I just wished I’d tossed the rest of my drink on him before I left.
Especially since it was hitting my stomach like acid suddenly.
I set my glass down on a side table and headed for a bathroom. I needed a minute to get myself together. This was turning into a clusterfuck of a night.
I was questioning why I even came to LA.
Beau had sold it as an opportunity to get to know one another, but I hadn’t spent more than five minutes with him since we’d arrived at his palatial home.
He’d been busy with meetings with lawyers, the step-monster, and whatever else was going on in his life—I wouldn’t know since I never saw him.
I’d spent the past few days wandering his tomb of a house and dodging the step-monster.
But apparently my time was up.
I stepped out of the restroom I’d found on the other side of the house, and she was waiting for me.
“Did you seriously throw yourself at Eli St James?” The step-monster crossed her emaciated arms over her surgically-enhanced and gravity-defying chest. The long nail on her index finger tapped her tanned arm rhythmically.
“Do you know how embarrassing that is to me? To his wife? I’ve been trying to get Clover St James on my socials for months. You just blew up my whole approach.”
“Maybe someone needs to have this talk with Eli because he came onto me. I didn’t even know he was married.”
“Keep dreamin’, Isabella.” She sneered. “Their wedding was the event of the summer last month. It was all over the news and the tabloids. And I’m sorry, but there’s no way he would’ve hit on you. I mean, look at you.” She scoffed.
I shook my head. She’d been snarky so far, but never this overtly hostile. “Are you calling me a liar?”
“And fat, honey. Keep up.”
“Oh my god. You’re a nightmare. I don’t, I can’t…
” Tears burned my eyes. It wasn’t even because she was being so insane.
I just really, really wanted my mom. Missed her.
Didn’t know how I was going to get through the rest of my life without her.
She always knew what to say to me when I’d been faced with bullies.
She’d always held me and loved me and just let me be… me.
And I’d never have that again.
Step-monster was the personification of everything that was wrong with my life. Starting and ending with the loss of my mom.
But I didn’t know how to put all that into words.
Dashing away the tears threatening to fall, it was my turn to scoff. “Yeah. I think we’re done here.”
And by ‘here’ I meant LA.
“Oh, we’re not done until I say so, little girl. Or I guess I should say not-so-little girl.” Her top lip curled in a snarl like what was standing in front of her—AKA me—was so beneath her.
A man cleared his throat.
Phoebe’s eyes widened, and she whirled around. Over her shoulder, I saw the blond guy from earlier standing a few feet away.
“Right.” He rubbed at the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “I think I got turned around looking for a restroom. I’m guessing this isn’t the way.”
Phoebe’s whole persona changed. She smiled coquettishly at him and practically purred. “I’ll be more than happy to show you the way. Follow me, sweetie.”
“Or you could use this one,” I pointed out.
Blond guy’s eyes bounced between me and Phoebe before he took a step toward me. “I’m good with right here.”
I don’t know why, but it felt like a win against the step-monster. And judging by the huff she gave before flouncing down the hall away from us and back to the party, she took it as a loss too.
Shaking my head, I stepped away from the bathroom and gestured to the door magnanimously. “All yours. Do you know the way back or do you need an escort?”
“I wouldn’t turn down an escort. I think we’re in a different area code here. This place is cavernous.”
“I know, right?” I laughed weakly. “I was tempted to leave myself a breadcrumb trail the first few nights.”
His head tilted like he wanted to ask something, but he didn’t say anything and just stepped into the restroom. I shrugged.
Stepping a few feet away from the door to give him some privacy, I leaned my head against the opposite wall and contemplated my existence.
Was it worth staying in LA? Should I book a flight home to Seattle?
I really wanted to get to know Beau, but I’d spent more time with the housekeeper at this point.
Hell, I’d spent more time with the step-monster—all against my will, by the way.
I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but Beau was always busy with something or someone else. He didn’t seem to have much time for me.
The bathroom door opened and blond guy turned off the light before stepping into the hall. “Thanks for waiting.”
I shrugged. “Got nothing else to do. Might leave after I show you back to the party, actually.”
“Oh? You don’t live here?”
I rolled my eyes. “It’s complicated.”
He tipped his head toward the ground and didn’t say anything for a few beats. His presence was oddly comforting, considering I didn’t even know his name. “I’m guessing you and what’s-her-name don’t get along.”
“Got it in one. I call her the step-monster—in my head, I mean. I’m not brave enough to say it to her face.”
“Fitting.” He laughed softly. “I just met her, but I’m not a fan. Especially considering the way she was treating you. You don’t deserve that, Iz. Does your dad know how she talks to you?”
I swallowed and looked away. “No offense, but I’m not comfortable talking about this with you. I mean, I don’t even know your name.”
“Right. Sorry. It’s Hunter, by the way. We didn’t get to really meet earlier.”
“Because your girlfriend jumped in your arms.” I snapped my fingers before shaking my head in disappointment. I don’t know how I’d forgotten about his girlfriend. So typical of my night tonight—and apparently all the assholes I’d met in LA. So stupid. “We should probably get you back to her.”
“Doubt she’s even noticed I’m gone, but sure. Lead the way. Let’s get you another espresso martini. I think we both could use a drink.” He gestured to the hall beyond.
I nodded and fell in step with him as we walked back toward the party.
But as we entered the room, it hit me. I’d got my drink after our failed introduction and left it back in the living room before the whole step-monster debacle.
So how did he know I’d been drinking an espresso martini?