CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
MEL
Taylor had left Mel's room ten minutes ago. Now dressed in a robe, she sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. She guessed she could have at least been respectful enough to the hotel to attempt to clean up as much of the room as possible, but really, what was the point? The television was shattered all over the floor, the lamp had exploded into a million pieces all over the floor and bed. And what hotel still had lamps
anyway? Most of them nowadays had the lights affixed to the walls. Seriously. She had absolutely no idea where the alarm clock was or how they managed to completely trash both beds. What she did know was that she just couldn't sleep there.
For a moment she considered bunking with Drew, but then that would mean that she would have to explain why and she wasn't really in the mood to kiss and tell. So she did the one thing she could do that was probably best for all parties involved. She showered, packed her bags, and decided to catch the first flight out of LA right at that very moment.
As she started down the hallway toward the elevators, suitcase behind her, dress bag in hand, she was met
halfway by Natalie who was on her way back from the benefit. "Mel," she said surprised, spying Mel's luggage. "I had no idea you were on this floor. Where are you off to at this time of night?"
Jesus Christ. Natalie was the LAST person she wanted to see right now. Or ever, for that matter. "Um, I couldn't sleep. I just decided to go ahead and head home. No point in laying awake to go home tomorrow when I can just do it now, right?"
"Um, I guess...oh my god, what happened to your lip?"
Mel froze where she stood, frantically searching for answer. If she were feeling as vindictive as she wanted to be, she would have told Natalie right there to her face that she had just finished fucking her husband like it was their last day on earth. Instead she said, "Um, there was a little bit of an embarrassing episode in the
bathroom involving a wet floor and a counter top?"
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, I'm glad I found you. I just wanted to congratulate you on a fantastic evening. You and Zac really pulled this off, I was impressed. I know this may sound a little...strange to ask...but I was wondering if maybe you'd be interested in helping to pull together mine and Taylor's vow renewal ceremony. I mean, you did such a great job here and all and he really values your opinion on things..."
Mel stared at Natalie, desperately searching for a motive. Was there a motive? Did she know about her and Tay at all? About ANY of it? It dawned on Mel in that moment that she really had no idea WHAT Natalie knew about anything, if anything at all. That scared Mel more than she realized. And what was the point in keeping anything a secret anymore? Natalie already had Tay. She was pregnant with his child and soon they would be renewing their entire marriage. What did Natalie have to lose?
THAT was what was going on here, Mel realized. Natalie no longer felt threatened by her. If Natalie hadn't been pregnant, Mel would have likely hit her right then.
"Um, I--I'm flattered that you thought of me. Um, I'll actually have to get back to you on that, I have a
plane to catch."
Mel flew to the elevator and couldn't get on fast enough.
_____________________________________________________
TAYLOR
Taylor had just stepped out of the shower and pulled on boxers and a t-shirt when Natalie came in the
room. He couldn't have been more thankful for covering up in the nick of time, seeing as Mel's claw marks were still extremely visible all over his shoulders.
"Hey," he said. "Did you have fun?"
Natalie smiled. "I did, actually. I hate that you left early, you would have enjoyed yourself. Are you feeling better?"
"A little, yeah. I think I was dehydrated or something. I'm okay now, though."
"Well good, I'm glad." She put her purse down and began to take off her blazer. "Did you know Mel's room was on our floor?"
Tay froze. How did she know?? "Uh, no. I had no idea."
"Yeah...I met her in the hallway..."
His heart pounded and he was completely confused. "The hallway?"
"Yeah...she was acting a little strange...um, I hope you don't mind but I asked her if she would possibly do
some planning with our vow renewal. After seeing what she could do tonight, I think she has a little talent in the party planning department."
Taylor's blood boiled. How could his wife be so goddamn stupid? Why in the fuck would she ask someone like Mel a question like that? Was she trying to kill him??
"Uh, what did she say?"
"She didn't, really. She was in a rush, said she had a plane to catch."
"A plane? She's leaving?"
"I know, I thought it was odd, too."
The blood that had just boiled was now draining from his face. "Uh, she can't leave." Suddenly, he scrambled to find a pair of pants, pulling on the first pair of wrinkly jeans he could find.
"What do you mean, she can't? She already is. Where are you going?"
From telling one lie to the next, he said in a rush. "Uh, well she can't leave. We have some things to finish up tomorrow regarding the label and the foundation and...her presence is required. She may have forgotten."
"How could she forget a thing like that?"
Frustrated and frantic to get out the door, he said, "I don't know, we all had a long day!"
Never been enough to be standing still
Always had a taste for another thrill
When I hit a wall, and I’m put to the test
Always find it hard to ignore it
When I feel the heat I’ll know I’m on my way
Just a little spark that burns so bright
I’ll be on my feet ‘til I reach the day
I’ll be searching, searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
I never feared the fire, never pined for rest
Never had a need for an empty test
There is still a light that no man has touched
I’ve got to see for myself how it’s burning
When I feel the heat, I’ll know I’m on my way
Just a little spark that burns so bright
I’ll be on my feet ‘til I reach the day
I’ll be searching, searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
I gotta hear it for you to know
‘Cause I just can’t tell what I’m searching for
With no time to pull on anything else, he flew out the door in his jeans, white t-shirt, and bare feet. He tore down the hallway and frantically pushed the button on the elevator, not having the patience to wait. He then opted to take the stairs and flew down them, two at a time. Finally at the bottom, severely out of breath, he ran into the lobby and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Mel sitting on one of the lobby sofas.
_________________________________________________________
MEL
Mel blushed at the front desk clerk as she checked out of the hotel. "I'm going to go ahead and let you
know now, there's been some damage in my room."
The clerk raised an eyebrow. "How much damage?"
"Um, enough. I'll pay for every single bit of it, I promise."
"I'm sure you will."
Mel smiled sheepishly. "Okay, well I think that's it. Thank you for a lovely stay otherwise. And thank you for hosting this benefit."
"I'm glad your stay was enjoyable."
As Mel turned away from the counter with her luggage, the clerk then called out, "Oh, Ms. Banks!"
Mel turned around at the sound of her name. "Yes?"
"You forgot your items from the hotel safe."
Confused, she narrowed her eyes at the clerk. "Um, I don't have any items in the safe."
"Your name is Melody Banks, is it not?"
"Yes..."
"Room 414?"
"Yes..."
"Then, yes. You do have a couple of items here. It's okay, people forget all the time."
Except Mel hadn't forgotten. She didn't have anything in that safe because she hadn't brought any valuables on the trip with her. She slowly approached the desk again and gasped as the clerk laid two small boxes out in front of her, along with a slip of paper. "Just sign here and here and we'll be all done."
In a daze, Mel signed her name and then stared at the boxes, not sure what to do with them. Collecting
them, she found a sofa in the lobby and sat down.
Shaking, she saw the edge of the paper peeking out of the smallest box and proceeded to pull it out. Opening it, tears sprang to her eyes.
"I know you don't like gifts, but you deserve to be given beautiful things. Sorry I rigged your bids. Forgive me. I love you."
Taylor never had to sign anything. She would recognize his handwriting till the day she died.
She opened the first box and gasped. Inside was the very first thing she had bid on. It was an antique brooch in the shape of what looked like a beta fish. It was an Oscar Heyman, made of 18k gold and platinum with a sapphire body, diamond head, and emerald eye. She knew the value was at least $8,000 and her stomach
turned into knots at the thought of what he may have really paid for it. She couldn't help but giggle a little as she let her finger brush over it. Taylor probably didn't even know why she loved it. Hell, he probably didn't even know his own zodiac sign.
The second box was bigger and if she had to judge by the brooch, she knew what this would be and the
butterflies in her stomach went on a rampage. Inside was the replica of Queen Victoria's Godman emerald necklace and Mel had placed a bid on this one almost as a joke. She had absolutely no use for something this
extravagant, gorgeous as it was, and had absolutely no intention to win the bid at all. The necklace was intricately lined with diamonds and seven emerald pendants dropped down from it. Three more small emeralds sat above the three pendants in the middle. There was no part of this necklace that didn't sparkle. She didn't want to know what his final bid was. She knew what her own bid was and that was bad enough.
"That would have looked amazing with your dress tonight."
Mel looked up and Taylor stood over her, his hands in his pockets.
"I can't believe you did this," she said in a small voice. "This isn't like you."
He sat down beside her, resting his elbows on his knees. "What isn't like me?"
"This," she said, motioning with the now closed jewelry box. "You don't do expensive jewelry and material things like this."
"It was for a good cause."
"Well...yeah, I guess you're right..."
"I wanted you to have them."
She smiled over at him shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I do love them..."
"I love YOU. And whatever you love, I love."
"This isn't fair. You can't do that."
"I can do anything I want."
"No. You can't. You can't buy me expensive jewelry and tell me that you love me when you know you have a family to look after. It's wrong. I feel like a cheap whore."
"Mel, I can't do this anymore," he said quietly. "I can't live without you. I just can't. There's no rhyme or reason in it. You and I are nothing without each other. You know that."
Mel sniffed and nodded silently. She knew he was right. She completely agreed with him.
"I'm not happy," he continued. "I don't think I've been this unhappy in my entire life. I am going to be a father. Yes. Do I want to create the perfect family? Yes. But real life isn't as cookie cutter as I sometimes
like to think it is. I'll have to find a way to make it work for the baby. Natalie will likely hate me and I'll have to deal with her for the next 18 years, but the baby won't grow up without a father. I won't allow that to happen."
Mel didn't look at him the entire time he talked. She couldn't. She could only listen. But this time she had to see his face. "What are you telling me?"
"I'm swearing to you, right here and now, that I'm going to make this happen. I belong with you. Period. And I'm going to make it happen. I swear to you, on everything that is holy, I will make it happen."
"You've said this before..."
"I meant it before. This time will be different. I've had a lot of time to think. I've made my decision. I'm not turning back this time."
"Please don't leave her for me."
"What?"
"Don't leave her on account of me. I may not like her, and she may not like me, but she loves you and she
doesn't deserve that."
"What about what *I* want? Why do I always have to tiptoe around everyone else? For once, why can't it be about what *I* want?"
Mel couldn't answer him. He had a point.
"Mel," he said. "If I do this, are you gonna be there?"
"What if I'm not? Are you going to stay with her? Lead her on for another ten years?"
Taylor sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "Honestly? I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life if I couldn't be with you."
"So you would leave her regardless."
"I need to be happy. I need to look out for myself for once. It's time."
"Okay."
"What does that mean?"
"It just means okay."
What Mel couldn't say was that it really meant that she didn't actually believe him.
Get Out Of My Heart
Get out of my mind
Get out of my bedroom
I don't want you tonight
You're making me smile
You're making me try
You're making me hope and wish that we could be together
All over again
You can just take a look at yourself
Maybe then you'd see you should leave me in hell
Get Out Of My Heart
Come down from my window
Cause you're giving me everything I ever wanted
And it's making me sick
Tell me, baby
What do you want?
What do you want?
What do you want?
Cause I just want you to
Get Out Of My Heart
Get Out Of My Heart
Just leave me in my misery
You should just take a look at yourself
And then you'd see you should leave me in hell
You got into my heart
You got into my soul
Now all the walls I built around myself
Are all covered in holes
I can't get you out of my heart
__________________________________________________
DREW
Voiceovers were a pain in the ass. Drew decided she hated them. She almost missed the stage. She felt silly standing in a studio with a pair of headphones, speaking the lines she had just acted in costume weeks earlier. The whole thing was just weird.
Equally weird was how her emotions were out of whack. She hadn't realized how much she missed Zac
until she saw him at the benefit. And when he trapped her in the bathroom. She could have had him right there if she wanted him and she knew it. But something in her stopped her. She was changing and she
could feel it. And now what scared her was how Zac never once crossed her mind any time Gerard Cline was around.
Speaking of Gerard, it was date night. The week went by faster than she expected it to. She was partly glad for it because she was ready to get back home to Tulsa. But right now she was stressing over what to wear. After what seemed like hours, she finally decided on a basic little black dress with basic black pumps. You couldn't go wrong with black. She let her blonde hair fall loosely down her back. Her hair was no longer the golden blonde it was before she began filming. It was now a light, almost platinum blonde. She liked the shade, surprisingly.
Drew met Gerard in the downstairs lobby of the hotel they were staying in. They had switched hotels after the benefit to be closer to the studio. Drew smiled as she approached him, looking debonair in his tie-less black suit. "You're looking just beautiful, as always," Gerard said to her, placing a quick peck on her cheek. "You always seem to have impeccable style." He then pulled a single red rose from behind his back. "For you."
Drew blushed as she smiled, taking the rose from him and holding it to her nose. "Thank you, it's beautiful. You know, you're pretty good at this dating thing."
Gerard smiled and winked at her. "I admit, I've been on a date or two in my old age."
Giggling, Drew took his arm and walked out of the hotel doors with him.
Their limo pulled up outside of The Bazaar in Beverly Hills. She had just ridden to dinner in a limo. Inside she was squealing. She had never ridden to a simple dinner in a limo before.
When they walked into The Bazaar, it was all Drew could do to contain her touristy tendencies. It was obvious that Gerard was used to having the finer things in life and it just so happened that Drew aspired to have the finer things in life. However, she had wanted to acquire them on her own, which she could now that she had
gotten paid her healthy paycheck for the movie and royalties and percentages to come later. She just hadn't had time to spend any of it!
The Bazaar was an interesting restaurant. It wasn't your typical dining experience, to say the least. At first it only looked like a lounge. And then it looked like an upscale furniture store. Yet every inch of the restaurant was functional.
"Mr. Cline, always a pleasure," the host said to Gerard as they walked in.
Expecting to be led to a table, Drew was completely surprised to be walking into the kitchen door. The host led them to a private counter set with small glasses of wine and silverware. "Appetizers courtesy of Chef Andres himself. Enjoy." The host then left them alone.
Drew looked at Gerard, wide-eyed. "What is this?"
Gerard winked. "The Bazaar is the finest restaurant in Beverly Hills, in my opinion. It would be remiss not to expose you to Chef Jose Andres's many delectable dishes. He has been gracious enough to take time out of his
busy schedule to treat us to a personal tasting from his latest menu."
"Oh, wow. Okay..."
The tasting was wonderful. The food was absolutely amazing and Drew swore that she wouldn't be able to eat dinner afterward, but surprisingly, she was starved by the time they actually got to their table and ordered. Gerard ordered for Drew once more and this time she didn't argue with him. His judgment had been spot on every other time so she decided that this time she would just go with it.
Dinner was magnificent and just when Drew, again, swore she couldn't eat another bite, Gerard insisted on
dessert. He ordered them a sampling of desserts and there was nothing there that Drew didn't like. If she kept this up with Gerard she would gain twenty pounds by the end of the week!
As they finished up, Drew realized that she'd had a great time with him. She was completely comfortable with him and he was so hilarious. She had never realized how funny he was before.
Suddenly the conversation took a more serious turn. "Drew. How would you feel about starring in another movie I'm working on?"
The pastry she was chewing suddenly lodged in her throat and she grasped her wine glass to help save her life. When she'd calmed herself down, her hackles automatically raised on her. She wasn't very comfortable anymore. "Another one of your movies?"
"Yes. The role is perfect for you."
Drew wiped her mouth and placed her napkin back in her lap. "Is this a business meeting?"
"Pardon?"
"Did you ask me to dinner to spend time with me or give me a business proposal?"
"Whatever would make you think that?"
"You just asked me to be in a movie."
"So I did. I think you would be fabulous in it."
Drew stared hard across the table at Gerard. "What did you think was going to happen here tonight?"
"Uh, I'm not following."
"I'm not going to sleep with you for that role. I've never slept my way through anything and I'm not about to start now."
Gerard scoffed. "That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire life."
He looked completely shocked at her and she didn't care. She lay her napkin down on the table and stood
up. "Thank you for a lovely dinner but I think this night is over."
She calmly and swiftly made her way through the restaurant and out the door. Within seconds, Gerard caught
up to her. "Drew, look. I understand you're having trust issues lately and that's something you'll have to get through. But I want you to know that I truly enjoy spending time with you. The script just came to me this morning, it didn't even exist when I asked you out. Regardless of what you may think of me, I'm not a womanizer. To be honest, I haven't been on a date with a woman in over a year."
Drew's eyes fell and she glanced at the ground below her. She instantly felt bad for jumping to conclusions. She liked Gerard. She really did. And now she was ashamed of herself.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I just assumed--I mean--please don't let my behavior put a bad taste in your mouth or anything. I'm really not normally this complicated."
To her surprise, Gerard smiled at her. "Nonsense. You're just unpredictable. It's one of the things I like about you. I told you before you keep me on my toes. And in my place. I've never had anyone put me in my place before. And sometimes I think I need it."
Drew smiled at him.
"Hey, I have an idea," he said. "Let's go and get out of all these fussy clothes, put on some jeans, and go get sloshed at some local dive?"
Drew laughed at him in relief. While she enjoyed the sophisticated lifestyle she was being exposed to, nothing quite beat a comfortable night where inhibitions were nonexistent. "Yes, please," she said. "I thought you would never ask!"
And then he kissed her. Soft and gentle. Her entire body gave in and she was pretty sure her foot popped behind her. Her head spun. The magic was unmistakable.
Breaking their kiss, he smiled at her as the limo pulled up. As they got in, Drew's phone vibrated.
It was Zac.
___________________________________________________________
MEL
Taylor had left Mel's room ten minutes ago. Now dressed in a robe, she sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the room. She guessed she could have at least been respectful enough to the hotel to attempt to clean up as much of the room as possible, but really, what was the point? The television was shattered all over the floor, the lamp had exploded into a million pieces all over the floor and bed. And what hotel still had lamps
anyway? Most of them nowadays had the lights affixed to the walls. Seriously. She had absolutely no idea where the alarm clock was or how they managed to completely trash both beds. What she did know was that she just couldn't sleep there.
For a moment she considered bunking with Drew, but then that would mean that she would have to explain why and she wasn't really in the mood to kiss and tell. So she did the one thing she could do that was probably best for all parties involved. She showered, packed her bags, and decided to catch the first flight out of LA right at that very moment.
As she started down the hallway toward the elevators, suitcase behind her, dress bag in hand, she was met
halfway by Natalie who was on her way back from the benefit. "Mel," she said surprised, spying Mel's luggage. "I had no idea you were on this floor. Where are you off to at this time of night?"
Jesus Christ. Natalie was the LAST person she wanted to see right now. Or ever, for that matter. "Um, I couldn't sleep. I just decided to go ahead and head home. No point in laying awake to go home tomorrow when I can just do it now, right?"
"Um, I guess...oh my god, what happened to your lip?"
Mel froze where she stood, frantically searching for answer. If she were feeling as vindictive as she wanted to be, she would have told Natalie right there to her face that she had just finished fucking her husband like it was their last day on earth. Instead she said, "Um, there was a little bit of an embarrassing episode in the
bathroom involving a wet floor and a counter top?"
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, I'm glad I found you. I just wanted to congratulate you on a fantastic evening. You and Zac really pulled this off, I was impressed. I know this may sound a little...strange to ask...but I was wondering if maybe you'd be interested in helping to pull together mine and Taylor's vow renewal ceremony. I mean, you did such a great job here and all and he really values your opinion on things..."
Mel stared at Natalie, desperately searching for a motive. Was there a motive? Did she know about her and Tay at all? About ANY of it? It dawned on Mel in that moment that she really had no idea WHAT Natalie knew about anything, if anything at all. That scared Mel more than she realized. And what was the point in keeping anything a secret anymore? Natalie already had Tay. She was pregnant with his child and soon they would be renewing their entire marriage. What did Natalie have to lose?
THAT was what was going on here, Mel realized. Natalie no longer felt threatened by her. If Natalie hadn't been pregnant, Mel would have likely hit her right then.
"Um, I--I'm flattered that you thought of me. Um, I'll actually have to get back to you on that, I have a
plane to catch."
Mel flew to the elevator and couldn't get on fast enough.
_____________________________________________________
TAYLOR
Taylor had just stepped out of the shower and pulled on boxers and a t-shirt when Natalie came in the
room. He couldn't have been more thankful for covering up in the nick of time, seeing as Mel's claw marks were still extremely visible all over his shoulders.
"Hey," he said. "Did you have fun?"
Natalie smiled. "I did, actually. I hate that you left early, you would have enjoyed yourself. Are you feeling better?"
"A little, yeah. I think I was dehydrated or something. I'm okay now, though."
"Well good, I'm glad." She put her purse down and began to take off her blazer. "Did you know Mel's room was on our floor?"
Tay froze. How did she know?? "Uh, no. I had no idea."
"Yeah...I met her in the hallway..."
His heart pounded and he was completely confused. "The hallway?"
"Yeah...she was acting a little strange...um, I hope you don't mind but I asked her if she would possibly do
some planning with our vow renewal. After seeing what she could do tonight, I think she has a little talent in the party planning department."
Taylor's blood boiled. How could his wife be so goddamn stupid? Why in the fuck would she ask someone like Mel a question like that? Was she trying to kill him??
"Uh, what did she say?"
"She didn't, really. She was in a rush, said she had a plane to catch."
"A plane? She's leaving?"
"I know, I thought it was odd, too."
The blood that had just boiled was now draining from his face. "Uh, she can't leave." Suddenly, he scrambled to find a pair of pants, pulling on the first pair of wrinkly jeans he could find.
"What do you mean, she can't? She already is. Where are you going?"
From telling one lie to the next, he said in a rush. "Uh, well she can't leave. We have some things to finish up tomorrow regarding the label and the foundation and...her presence is required. She may have forgotten."
"How could she forget a thing like that?"
Frustrated and frantic to get out the door, he said, "I don't know, we all had a long day!"
Never been enough to be standing still
Always had a taste for another thrill
When I hit a wall, and I’m put to the test
Always find it hard to ignore it
When I feel the heat I’ll know I’m on my way
Just a little spark that burns so bright
I’ll be on my feet ‘til I reach the day
I’ll be searching, searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
I never feared the fire, never pined for rest
Never had a need for an empty test
There is still a light that no man has touched
I’ve got to see for myself how it’s burning
When I feel the heat, I’ll know I’m on my way
Just a little spark that burns so bright
I’ll be on my feet ‘til I reach the day
I’ll be searching, searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
Searching for the Sound of Light
I gotta hear it for you to know
‘Cause I just can’t tell what I’m searching for
With no time to pull on anything else, he flew out the door in his jeans, white t-shirt, and bare feet. He tore down the hallway and frantically pushed the button on the elevator, not having the patience to wait. He then opted to take the stairs and flew down them, two at a time. Finally at the bottom, severely out of breath, he ran into the lobby and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Mel sitting on one of the lobby sofas.
_________________________________________________________
MEL
Mel blushed at the front desk clerk as she checked out of the hotel. "I'm going to go ahead and let you
know now, there's been some damage in my room."
The clerk raised an eyebrow. "How much damage?"
"Um, enough. I'll pay for every single bit of it, I promise."
"I'm sure you will."
Mel smiled sheepishly. "Okay, well I think that's it. Thank you for a lovely stay otherwise. And thank you for hosting this benefit."
"I'm glad your stay was enjoyable."
As Mel turned away from the counter with her luggage, the clerk then called out, "Oh, Ms. Banks!"
Mel turned around at the sound of her name. "Yes?"
"You forgot your items from the hotel safe."
Confused, she narrowed her eyes at the clerk. "Um, I don't have any items in the safe."
"Your name is Melody Banks, is it not?"
"Yes..."
"Room 414?"
"Yes..."
"Then, yes. You do have a couple of items here. It's okay, people forget all the time."
Except Mel hadn't forgotten. She didn't have anything in that safe because she hadn't brought any valuables on the trip with her. She slowly approached the desk again and gasped as the clerk laid two small boxes out in front of her, along with a slip of paper. "Just sign here and here and we'll be all done."
In a daze, Mel signed her name and then stared at the boxes, not sure what to do with them. Collecting
them, she found a sofa in the lobby and sat down.
Shaking, she saw the edge of the paper peeking out of the smallest box and proceeded to pull it out. Opening it, tears sprang to her eyes.
"I know you don't like gifts, but you deserve to be given beautiful things. Sorry I rigged your bids. Forgive me. I love you."
Taylor never had to sign anything. She would recognize his handwriting till the day she died.
She opened the first box and gasped. Inside was the very first thing she had bid on. It was an antique brooch in the shape of what looked like a beta fish. It was an Oscar Heyman, made of 18k gold and platinum with a sapphire body, diamond head, and emerald eye. She knew the value was at least $8,000 and her stomach
turned into knots at the thought of what he may have really paid for it. She couldn't help but giggle a little as she let her finger brush over it. Taylor probably didn't even know why she loved it. Hell, he probably didn't even know his own zodiac sign.
The second box was bigger and if she had to judge by the brooch, she knew what this would be and the
butterflies in her stomach went on a rampage. Inside was the replica of Queen Victoria's Godman emerald necklace and Mel had placed a bid on this one almost as a joke. She had absolutely no use for something this
extravagant, gorgeous as it was, and had absolutely no intention to win the bid at all. The necklace was intricately lined with diamonds and seven emerald pendants dropped down from it. Three more small emeralds sat above the three pendants in the middle. There was no part of this necklace that didn't sparkle. She didn't want to know what his final bid was. She knew what her own bid was and that was bad enough.
"That would have looked amazing with your dress tonight."
Mel looked up and Taylor stood over her, his hands in his pockets.
"I can't believe you did this," she said in a small voice. "This isn't like you."
He sat down beside her, resting his elbows on his knees. "What isn't like me?"
"This," she said, motioning with the now closed jewelry box. "You don't do expensive jewelry and material things like this."
"It was for a good cause."
"Well...yeah, I guess you're right..."
"I wanted you to have them."
She smiled over at him shyly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I do love them..."
"I love YOU. And whatever you love, I love."
"This isn't fair. You can't do that."
"I can do anything I want."
"No. You can't. You can't buy me expensive jewelry and tell me that you love me when you know you have a family to look after. It's wrong. I feel like a cheap whore."
"Mel, I can't do this anymore," he said quietly. "I can't live without you. I just can't. There's no rhyme or reason in it. You and I are nothing without each other. You know that."
Mel sniffed and nodded silently. She knew he was right. She completely agreed with him.
"I'm not happy," he continued. "I don't think I've been this unhappy in my entire life. I am going to be a father. Yes. Do I want to create the perfect family? Yes. But real life isn't as cookie cutter as I sometimes
like to think it is. I'll have to find a way to make it work for the baby. Natalie will likely hate me and I'll have to deal with her for the next 18 years, but the baby won't grow up without a father. I won't allow that to happen."
Mel didn't look at him the entire time he talked. She couldn't. She could only listen. But this time she had to see his face. "What are you telling me?"
"I'm swearing to you, right here and now, that I'm going to make this happen. I belong with you. Period. And I'm going to make it happen. I swear to you, on everything that is holy, I will make it happen."
"You've said this before..."
"I meant it before. This time will be different. I've had a lot of time to think. I've made my decision. I'm not turning back this time."
"Please don't leave her for me."
"What?"
"Don't leave her on account of me. I may not like her, and she may not like me, but she loves you and she
doesn't deserve that."
"What about what *I* want? Why do I always have to tiptoe around everyone else? For once, why can't it be about what *I* want?"
Mel couldn't answer him. He had a point.
"Mel," he said. "If I do this, are you gonna be there?"
"What if I'm not? Are you going to stay with her? Lead her on for another ten years?"
Taylor sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. "Honestly? I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life if I couldn't be with you."
"So you would leave her regardless."
"I need to be happy. I need to look out for myself for once. It's time."
"Okay."
"What does that mean?"
"It just means okay."
What Mel couldn't say was that it really meant that she didn't actually believe him.
Get Out Of My Heart
Get out of my mind
Get out of my bedroom
I don't want you tonight
You're making me smile
You're making me try
You're making me hope and wish that we could be together
All over again
You can just take a look at yourself
Maybe then you'd see you should leave me in hell
Get Out Of My Heart
Come down from my window
Cause you're giving me everything I ever wanted
And it's making me sick
Tell me, baby
What do you want?
What do you want?
What do you want?
Cause I just want you to
Get Out Of My Heart
Get Out Of My Heart
Just leave me in my misery
You should just take a look at yourself
And then you'd see you should leave me in hell
You got into my heart
You got into my soul
Now all the walls I built around myself
Are all covered in holes
I can't get you out of my heart
__________________________________________________
DREW
Voiceovers were a pain in the ass. Drew decided she hated them. She almost missed the stage. She felt silly standing in a studio with a pair of headphones, speaking the lines she had just acted in costume weeks earlier. The whole thing was just weird.
Equally weird was how her emotions were out of whack. She hadn't realized how much she missed Zac
until she saw him at the benefit. And when he trapped her in the bathroom. She could have had him right there if she wanted him and she knew it. But something in her stopped her. She was changing and she
could feel it. And now what scared her was how Zac never once crossed her mind any time Gerard Cline was around.
Speaking of Gerard, it was date night. The week went by faster than she expected it to. She was partly glad for it because she was ready to get back home to Tulsa. But right now she was stressing over what to wear. After what seemed like hours, she finally decided on a basic little black dress with basic black pumps. You couldn't go wrong with black. She let her blonde hair fall loosely down her back. Her hair was no longer the golden blonde it was before she began filming. It was now a light, almost platinum blonde. She liked the shade, surprisingly.
Drew met Gerard in the downstairs lobby of the hotel they were staying in. They had switched hotels after the benefit to be closer to the studio. Drew smiled as she approached him, looking debonair in his tie-less black suit. "You're looking just beautiful, as always," Gerard said to her, placing a quick peck on her cheek. "You always seem to have impeccable style." He then pulled a single red rose from behind his back. "For you."
Drew blushed as she smiled, taking the rose from him and holding it to her nose. "Thank you, it's beautiful. You know, you're pretty good at this dating thing."
Gerard smiled and winked at her. "I admit, I've been on a date or two in my old age."
Giggling, Drew took his arm and walked out of the hotel doors with him.
Their limo pulled up outside of The Bazaar in Beverly Hills. She had just ridden to dinner in a limo. Inside she was squealing. She had never ridden to a simple dinner in a limo before.
When they walked into The Bazaar, it was all Drew could do to contain her touristy tendencies. It was obvious that Gerard was used to having the finer things in life and it just so happened that Drew aspired to have the finer things in life. However, she had wanted to acquire them on her own, which she could now that she had
gotten paid her healthy paycheck for the movie and royalties and percentages to come later. She just hadn't had time to spend any of it!
The Bazaar was an interesting restaurant. It wasn't your typical dining experience, to say the least. At first it only looked like a lounge. And then it looked like an upscale furniture store. Yet every inch of the restaurant was functional.
"Mr. Cline, always a pleasure," the host said to Gerard as they walked in.
Expecting to be led to a table, Drew was completely surprised to be walking into the kitchen door. The host led them to a private counter set with small glasses of wine and silverware. "Appetizers courtesy of Chef Andres himself. Enjoy." The host then left them alone.
Drew looked at Gerard, wide-eyed. "What is this?"
Gerard winked. "The Bazaar is the finest restaurant in Beverly Hills, in my opinion. It would be remiss not to expose you to Chef Jose Andres's many delectable dishes. He has been gracious enough to take time out of his
busy schedule to treat us to a personal tasting from his latest menu."
"Oh, wow. Okay..."
The tasting was wonderful. The food was absolutely amazing and Drew swore that she wouldn't be able to eat dinner afterward, but surprisingly, she was starved by the time they actually got to their table and ordered. Gerard ordered for Drew once more and this time she didn't argue with him. His judgment had been spot on every other time so she decided that this time she would just go with it.
Dinner was magnificent and just when Drew, again, swore she couldn't eat another bite, Gerard insisted on
dessert. He ordered them a sampling of desserts and there was nothing there that Drew didn't like. If she kept this up with Gerard she would gain twenty pounds by the end of the week!
As they finished up, Drew realized that she'd had a great time with him. She was completely comfortable with him and he was so hilarious. She had never realized how funny he was before.
Suddenly the conversation took a more serious turn. "Drew. How would you feel about starring in another movie I'm working on?"
The pastry she was chewing suddenly lodged in her throat and she grasped her wine glass to help save her life. When she'd calmed herself down, her hackles automatically raised on her. She wasn't very comfortable anymore. "Another one of your movies?"
"Yes. The role is perfect for you."
Drew wiped her mouth and placed her napkin back in her lap. "Is this a business meeting?"
"Pardon?"
"Did you ask me to dinner to spend time with me or give me a business proposal?"
"Whatever would make you think that?"
"You just asked me to be in a movie."
"So I did. I think you would be fabulous in it."
Drew stared hard across the table at Gerard. "What did you think was going to happen here tonight?"
"Uh, I'm not following."
"I'm not going to sleep with you for that role. I've never slept my way through anything and I'm not about to start now."
Gerard scoffed. "That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard in my entire life."
He looked completely shocked at her and she didn't care. She lay her napkin down on the table and stood
up. "Thank you for a lovely dinner but I think this night is over."
She calmly and swiftly made her way through the restaurant and out the door. Within seconds, Gerard caught
up to her. "Drew, look. I understand you're having trust issues lately and that's something you'll have to get through. But I want you to know that I truly enjoy spending time with you. The script just came to me this morning, it didn't even exist when I asked you out. Regardless of what you may think of me, I'm not a womanizer. To be honest, I haven't been on a date with a woman in over a year."
Drew's eyes fell and she glanced at the ground below her. She instantly felt bad for jumping to conclusions. She liked Gerard. She really did. And now she was ashamed of herself.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I'm sorry I just assumed--I mean--please don't let my behavior put a bad taste in your mouth or anything. I'm really not normally this complicated."
To her surprise, Gerard smiled at her. "Nonsense. You're just unpredictable. It's one of the things I like about you. I told you before you keep me on my toes. And in my place. I've never had anyone put me in my place before. And sometimes I think I need it."
Drew smiled at him.
"Hey, I have an idea," he said. "Let's go and get out of all these fussy clothes, put on some jeans, and go get sloshed at some local dive?"
Drew laughed at him in relief. While she enjoyed the sophisticated lifestyle she was being exposed to, nothing quite beat a comfortable night where inhibitions were nonexistent. "Yes, please," she said. "I thought you would never ask!"
And then he kissed her. Soft and gentle. Her entire body gave in and she was pretty sure her foot popped behind her. Her head spun. The magic was unmistakable.
Breaking their kiss, he smiled at her as the limo pulled up. As they got in, Drew's phone vibrated.
It was Zac.
___________________________________________________________