22. Oliver
OLIVER
Iwent inside and showered at Kassie’s, knowing she wouldn’t mind. Flynn had screamed all the way to his car, shouting curses and promising payback. It amused me.
He had no idea what sort of payback he was about to get.
I dried off and flung myself onto Kassie’s welcoming mattress, burying my face into her pillow and inhaling deeply, her soft scent washing over me, calming me. I was tired. That bone-deep, emotionally depleted sort of tired. I shut my eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.
At some point, I felt the bed dip beside me, and without opening my eyes, I reached out and dragged Kassie nearer, nestling onto her lap—crowding myself onto her completely. I needed to be close, and I needed her.
She ran her fingers over my head and down my back in long, gentle strokes.
“Mine,” I muttered, tightening my arms. “All mine.”
And I was out again.
The next time I woke up, evening was setting. Kassie was beside me, but I was no longer smothering her. She smiled at me. “Hi.”
“Hey,” I replied, then cleared my throat. “Sorry. I sort of helped myself to your shower and bed.”
She ran her fingers through my hair. “I really need you to get up.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, hearing the anxiety in her voice.
“Your agent is in my living room. I had to stop her from coming in here and dragging you out of bed.”
“Shit. Was she rude?”
“Define rude.”
I flung off the blanket and reached for my shirt, pulling it over my head. “I’ll take that as a yes. Did she scare you?”
“No, but she is direct, isn’t she?”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to bring some semblance of order to the mess. “Like a bullet to the brain.”
She nodded. “Sounds about right.”
I pulled her close and kissed her. “I’ll deal with her.”
“She’s getting fidgety.”
I grimaced. “Ah, the vaping thing. I’ll talk to her.”
“Oh, she’s been polite and not used it. I’m thinking she needs it, though.”
“I’ll take her out back. She can have as many hits as she wants.”
“Okay.”
Annie stared at me over a plume of vapor. “Napping now, Oliver?”
“I was exhausted, Annie. It’s been a day, okay?”
She sipped the vodka Kassie had brought her, before muttering an excuse about dinner and leaving us alone. I watched her go, hating to see her leave.
“Quite the speech earlier in Davis’s office.”
“I had nothing to lose, and I was sick of listening to her whine.”
“You’re very protective of your landlady.” She inhaled again, peering at me with one eye open. “But she’s way more than that, isn’t she?”
I leaned close. “Did you know, Annie?”
“Know what?”
“That you rented me a place owned by the girl I’d left behind?”
“At first, no. Then Davis mentioned you were wanting to go elsewhere, and I looked up the lease agreement and checked out her name and realized who she was. But you didn’t say anything, so I left it.” She took a sip of vodka, the ice clinking in the glass. “So, you’re back together?”
I sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to lie to Annie. “It’s a ‘for now’ sort of thing.”
“I see. Is that a fact?”
“Yes,” I replied wearily. “What’s happening with Flynn?”
“Sheri is meeting him tonight. She has her script, and she’ll stick to it.
It’s being filmed. His paper will have it, plus a copy of the lawsuit we’ll launch unless they agree to fire him and kill the article with their deepest apologies.
” She waved her hand in the air. “They’ll spin it.
Say he lied to them, falsified documents, statements. They are horrified, yada yada yada.”
“And that’s it?”
“Oh no. Hush money can go to whatever charity you want.”
“Hmph. Feels like they’re getting off lightly.”
She smiled one of her scariest smiles in my direction. “I have other plans.”
“Ah.” I didn’t need to know what they were. Pissed-off Annie was the most terrifying of them all. Well, that, and out-of-vaping-supplies Annie.
“It will be over by tomorrow. Yesterday’s news by the next day. Forgotten next week.”
“Good,” I grunted, sipping the water Kassie had given me. “So I’ll…”
“…Finish the film. With your full salary.” She glared at me. “You never work for free. Not when I’m getting my cut.”
I chuckled. “I would have paid you anyway, Annie.”
“Damn right you would have.” She paused. “Davis was very impressed with you.”
I wasn’t sure what to say, so I nodded.
“I’m going to stick around for a couple of days. Make sure she stays in line.”
I grinned and leaned forward. “Aw, Annie. You care.”
She snorted. “Not likely, kid. Protecting my investment, is all.” But she winked and looked past me when the gate squeaked. “I want to get to know your girl a bit.”
I turned and saw Kassie coming, carrying a tray. “Not mine for long,” I muttered. “Filming will wrap soon.”
Annie blew out a long plume and grinned. “And you can walk away?”
“I have to. She has no interest in my life in LA.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “I thought you were a smart man.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There’s more to life than LA.”
Then she turned and greeted Kassie, leaving me wondering what she meant.
The next morning, I was up early. Annie hadn’t stayed long, refusing dinner, saying she was meeting Davis. I told Kassie everything that had happened, and she looked relieved.
“So no one will be coming around?” she questioned.
“No. Your identity is safe, and your life is still private. His article didn’t get the attention he hoped for, maybe because no one cares, and neither did the paper that carried it.
Or maybe because it happened so far away, it doesn’t matter.
” I shrugged, unsure. “But after tomorrow, it will be history.” I finished the slice of pizza I was eating, wiping my fingers.
“I didn’t think we could contain this so quickly. I’m glad.”
She reached over and squeezed my hand. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry my presence caused you worry.”
“Stop,” she chided me. “It wasn’t your fault, and I’m not upset. You told me to trust you, and I did. You didn’t let me down.”
Those words felt huge to me. Kassie trusted me.
I picked up another slice of pizza. “Will you come on Friday now?”
“Yes. Quinn needs the help.”
“Good.”
She smiled at me. “Yeah. Good.”
I looked around, trying to stay casual. “You ever think of moving?”
She frowned as she chewed her pizza. “Moving houses or cities?”
“Either.”
“Maybe a different house one day. But I won’t leave Richton. I thought the world out there was exciting and better, but it’s not. I like it here. I like my friends. My job. I’m happy.” She smiled and nudged my foot. “Not all of us thrive under the bright lights and bustle of Hollywood, Olly.”
I had smiled.
And refrained from telling her the truth.
I left Kassie asleep and headed into town, going to the Dill. It was bustling, but I found an empty booth that I sat down in. Quinn came over with a menu, greeting me with a smile. “Oliver.”
“Hey.” I stood and kissed her cheek. I liked her a lot. She was funny and kind. A good friend to Kassie.
“Coffee?”
“Yeah, and whatever you’ve got on special for breakfast.” I was starving again.
She smiled and headed to the kitchen. John walked in, spied me, and came over, sliding into the booth. “Hey, big man,” I greeted him.
“Hi yourself. Mind if I join you?”
“No, that would be great.”
Quinn came from the kitchen and brought us both coffee. She bent and kissed John. “I didn’t expect to see you this morning.”
“I finished my chores and was hungry.” Then he grinned. “And I missed you.”
She smiled at him and cupped his face, the action sweet and intimate. She bent and kissed him again. “I love surprise visits.”
Watching them, I felt a pang of something. Envy? They were a great couple. Happy. Their life together working for them here.
I thought of leaving Richton. Returning to LA. My empty house.
My empty life.
Something I had realized lately was the only time I was ever content in LA was when I was working.
Otherwise, I had nothing there. I spent hours alone.
Reading scripts. Wandering the house. Working out.
The occasional dinner with other actors.
The very rare party, as they weren’t something I enjoyed. I was on my own most of the time.
It made me want more.
It made me want what I saw between John and Quinn.
My free time here was filled with Kassie. I looked forward to seeing her. I loved our dinners. Sitting and talking to her. We’d gone for a few runs, and I found I enjoyed the exercise all the more with her beside me. Her ankle had healed well, and she liked the activity as much as I did.
I liked sharing funny bits of my day and hearing about hers. It felt real. Right. And I really liked sleeping beside her. Waking up to her curled around me. Making love to her in the early morning, late at night, or anytime I wanted. But I knew it was going to end.
Because the woman I was falling for again didn’t want to leave Richton. She had a life here and she was happy. She’d stay happy once I left because of the people in her life. She didn’t need me the way I needed her.
I was going to go to LA and, once again, be on my own. And I hated that idea.
Quinn left, and John grinned at me. “Sorry. I can’t keep my hands off my wife.”
I waved him off. “Nice to see.”
He took a sip of coffee. “You ever think of settling down? Or your love-’em-and-leave-’em lifestyle suits you too well?”
“Don’t believe all you read in the rags, John. I don’t date much.”
“Married to your career, I suppose,” he mused.
“In many ways.”
“There’s more to life than money and fame.” He looked around. “Life here is simple. I like that. I like knowing my town. Knowing my neighbors.”
“Nothing wrong with simple,” I agreed.
“Sometimes simple is perfect. Like love.”
“Sorry?”
“Love can be complicated or simple. Quinn and I had a rocky start, but once we fell, we fell hard. I would have given up everything for her, but she wanted the same things I did.”
“Given up?”
“I would have moved into town if that was what she wanted. Where she lived was far more important than my address. I would have followed her to Toronto if it made her happy. Luckily, it didn’t.” He studied me. “You ever think of leaving LA?”