Unwritten Page 20
They rounded a corner, and Kate’s feet flew out from underneath her. She pitched backward and landed on her ass. Josh tumbled after her. He landed on top of her, knocking her flat onto the ice.
All around, he heard the clicking of cell phone cameras.
“You okay?” he asked, his face only inches from hers.
She nodded, watching him intently, then leaned forward to brush her lips against his. Click click click. The cover shot for next week’s celebrity gossip magazines.
He helped her to her feet and brushed the ice shavings from her clothes. She shoved off across the ice ahead of him, but he noticed she was bearing most of her weight on her left skate. Dammit. He should never have suggested ice skating, especially after she’d already spent a long day on her feet filming. Kate was too stoic to admit she was in pain, so he’d have to get her off the ice another way. He caught up to her and pulled her against him, offering himself as a crutch. She rested her head on his shoulder, a peaceful smile on her face.
“Thanks,” she whispered. “This was the perfect ending to my day.”
“You’re welcome. Ready to call it a night? I’m freezing.”
She nodded. They glided to the exit and climbed back into their shoes. She glanced over her shoulder at the flock of admirers following in their wake, then pulled out her phone and punched in a quick message. While they waited for Anton, she greeted the excited fans crowding around them. It only took three minutes for the silver Mercedes to pull up to the curb, but Kate spent an extra ten making sure she met and took photos with everyone there waiting on the corner.
Finally, she pulled Josh into the car behind her. Her fingers were ice-cold since she’d removed her gloves to sign autographs. “Didn’t miss it, did you?”
“You know, it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Really. How’s your knee?” He’d seen her wince when she bent to enter the car, and though her fingers stilled at his question, she’d been rubbing at it since they pulled away from the curb.
“A little sore.” She shrugged. “I was thinking. I still owe your sister lunch. I have tomorrow and the weekend off from filming. Why don’t you see if she’s around, and we’ll set something up?”
It took him a minute to remember what she was talking about, that night at Madison Square Garden when he and Lily had gone to her dressing room. “I’m sure she’d love that.”
They reached her building, and he walked her inside. They paused in the lobby. Kate reached for him, then stopped. Her eyes fell. Yeah, this was killing him too. He had to figure out the right words to say, and soon.
He wanted her, needed her with an intensity that terrified him. And yet, for all he knew, she was planning to go home to California once she finished filming this movie and never see him again. Hell, he didn’t even know if she’d slept with Ted Wilhelm while she was in LA. One thing he did know: his heart couldn’t handle being broken a second time.
He took her hands in his and pulled her closer for a quick kiss. “Good night.”
She melted against him, warm and soft and delicate. He was overwhelmed by the need to be with her, to hold her and care for her. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
She nodded, her eyes heavy with emotion. Disappointment or relief, he couldn’t be sure. He touched his lips to hers one last time, then pulled away before he lost control.
He turned around and walked out into the cold night, alone.
19
Kate sat on the edge of the tub and turned on the faucets. She wished Josh had come up. He was right not to, of course. It was better to keep things simple. Fewer strings to get tangled when it was time for them to part ways.
But that didn’t stop her from wishing.
Exhausted, she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the hot bath with a notebook and a pen. Her mind was buzzing with music, and she settled in to write as the jets on the tub massaged the pain from her knee. It turned into a fiery song about love, longing, and addiction called “Vice.”
“You are my biggest vice,” she whispered. “I’m addicted to you.”
It was good. Maybe a single on her next album. She wondered if Josh would know it was about him when it hit the airwaves. Any man who dated her ought to know they were going to wind up in a song or two. It was her trademark.
She tossed and turned most of the night, tormented over her feelings for Josh and terrified to fall too deeply asleep where the nightmares could grab her in their vicious embrace. What would it be like to fall asleep without fear? She couldn’t remember the last time she’d woken refreshed, not gasping for breath and quaking with terror.
And the fatigue… It was slowly crushing her. In the wee hours of the night, she battled tears of exhaustion. As sunrise streaked the sky outside her window, she rose to face another day. Her brain felt sluggish, and her eyes stung.
Later that morning, she asked Jenn to make reservations for three at Trinity Café, a swanky place on Broadway with a killer view of Times Square. It ought to properly dazzle Lily, and also, the food was excellent.
They were already waiting in the lobby when she arrived. Josh caught her eye and flashed a smile that sent her stomach into a backflip. Beside him, Lily also grinned. She wore a navy-blue blouse with an empire waist and black slacks, a fairly obvious baby bump rounding out her figure.
That was news to Kate.
Why hadn’t Josh told her he was going to be an uncle? Kate pasted on a smile. The answer was clear enough. It was the same reason he hadn’t introduced her to his parents, the same thing her mother had been telling her since she was a little girl.
“Nice men don’t fall in love with girls like us.”
“Josh, Lily, I’m glad we could set this up on such short notice.” She gave them each a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.
The hostess approached and ushered them upstairs to a table in the far corner of the dining room, as Kate had requested. They were seated by the window, where they could look down on the holiday shoppers choking Broadway. The storefronts below twinkled in all their Christmassy glory.
“Wow, this place is amazing,” Lily said as she sat across from Kate.
Josh took the seat next to Kate, reaching over to squeeze her hand under the table.
“Don’t get any ideas,” he told his sister. “She’s just showing off for you. We don’t usually go to fancy places like this.”
“Hey.” Kate gave his shoulder a playful nudge. “You weren’t supposed to tell her that. Besides, I’ve taken you to plenty of nice places. What about Bóheme?”
He grimaced. “Oh yes, let’s go there again.”
Lily watched in amusement. “Wow, you guys are such a…couple.”
Kate shifted in her seat. She grabbed her menu and studied it.
“Anyway, thanks for inviting me,” Lily continued. “I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the show last month. You were right, what baton thing? All I remember now is you flying through the air on that scarf…and that flamenco number? Phew, that was hot.” Lily glanced from Kate to Josh and fanned herself dramatically.
Kate felt her cheeks heat. “Thank you.”
“Such a bummer about your knee. You were awesome to finish the show like that. I’d probably have just passed out.”
“She babbles when she’s nervous,” Josh said.
Kate laughed. “Can you imagine the gossip if I passed out onstage? They’d be taking close-ups of my stomach for the next nine months.”
Lily rubbed a hand over her own swollen belly. “True, true.”
“So, Lily, what do you do for a living?” she asked.
“I’m a social worker.” Lily’s chin went up as she transformed from Josh’s goofy little sister to the confident professional Kate suspected she usually was. “I work for child protective services in Brooklyn.”
“Oh.” Kate lowered her eyes as if by the very nature of her profession, Lily would be able to see through her facade. “That must be
hard.”
“Hard, yes, but also very rewarding. There are so many children out there who need help. I really couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
“Well, my hat’s off to you, Lily. Really.” She raised her eyes, daring Lily to see through her, but of course, she couldn’t.
Mrs. Pringle. That was the name of the first social worker who came to their house. Kate had giggled in her room, calling her Mrs. Potato Chip, not understanding why she was there.
Mrs. Pringle asked a lot of questions, embarrassing questions.
“Maybe you can help me convince him to stay home next year, Kate,” Lily said, snapping Kate back to the present. “He’s going to miss the whole first year of his nephew’s life, and besides, I’m going to miss him.”
Kate glanced at Josh, but he was looking away. “Oh, I don’t know.”
“He didn’t use to go to Spain every summer, you know,” Lily said. “Not when he had someone waiting for him at home.”
“Lil.” Josh’s expression was pained.
She shrugged. “I’m just sayin’.”
The waitress arrived with their sandwiches.
“Everyone heals in their own way,” Kate said when she’d left, resting her hand on Josh’s leg beneath the table.
“I know. It would just be nice to have him home, that’s all.” Lily bit into her sandwich.
“So when are you due?” Kate asked.
“March first. He’s a future soccer player, I think, if his current efforts are any indication.”
“It’s a boy?”
“Yep. And speaking of his soccer skills, he’s kicking my bladder again. I’ll be right back.” Lily stood, then paused to whisper, “Is this one of those places where they have people handing out paper towels in the bathroom?”
Kate couldn’t contain a giggle. For all her bluntness where her brother was concerned, Lily was sweet, and Kate wished she’d met her sooner. She would have enjoyed getting to know her better. “Yes. And if you think you’ll be making more than one visit, you might want to bring her a tip.”
Kate giggled again as Lily reached for her purse and left with a wave.
* * *
The afternoon went downhill from there. After Josh and Lily returned to work, Kate went home to doodle in her notebook and pray for a scheduling change that would result in a last-minute call to the set. She scrolled through her Twitter mentions, skimming over the weirdos and haters (and boy, were there a lot of those lately). She retweeted a few sweet messages from fans and replied to a handful of questions about her current and upcoming plans.
A phone call from Vero interrupted her.
“What are you doing carrying around bottles of Vicodin and Xanax in your purse?” her publicist demanded. “And what the hell is Amerge?”
Kate’s spine stiffened. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Someone rifled through your purse while you were on set and emailed a photo to the Hollywood Insider. It’s all over the internet.”
Anger exploded like a bomb inside her. “What the fuck, Vero. Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack. They’re saying you have an addiction to prescription drugs after the knee surgery.”
“Shit.” Kate lurched to her feet, slamming her shin into the coffee table. Her hands shook with rage. “This is unbelievable.”
“Believe it. I sent you the link.”
She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “Amerge is for migraines. They’re legitimate prescriptions, Vero. I had surgery a few weeks ago. I’m not addicted.”
“I don’t care, quite frankly. They shouldn’t be in your purse if you’re going to leave it unattended.”
“I don’t leave it unattended. Someone must have broken into my trailer.”
“That’s beside the point. I’ll draft up a statement and call you later.”
Seething, Kate ended the call and clicked on the message Vero had sent. The photo they’d run with the article had been snapped on set, and she wore the ratty, skimpy clothes of Janet the prostitute, with dark circles beneath her eyes courtesy of makeup, not drug addiction.
She hurled her phone across the room and flopped onto the couch.
Goddammit.
This couldn’t be happening. She took Vicodin occasionally when filming caused her knee pain to flare up, and Xanax even less often to calm her nerves when Janet got a little too real. She’d never abused a prescription.
She lagged well behind Marin Starr in the online polls for Celebrity Role Model and Favorite Female Singer, and voting closed in a few short weeks. There would be no record-breaking streak. She was as good as done.
She pounded her fists against the cushions until her rage had subsided.
A knock on the door jolted her upright, but her alarm turned to relief when she peeked through the peephole. Josh.
She opened the door, desperately glad to see him.
“Hey, sorry for just dropping in.” His eyes narrowed. “You okay?”
He was entirely too perceptive where she was concerned.
“Oh, just reading more crap about myself in the tabloids. Apparently now I’ve become addicted to prescription drugs. Did you know?”
“No, I missed those symptoms entirely. I’ll have to keep closer tabs on you.” He stepped her back against the wall and braced his hands on either side of her. Then he leaned in and closed his mouth over hers.
Whoa.
Her eyes fluttered shut. She inhaled his scent as an avalanche of memories shook loose in her mind. Desire boiled inside her, and she yanked him closer, deepening the kiss.
He pulled back, his eyes hot and hungry. “That was for taking my side at lunch today.”
She trailed her fingers down his chest, intoxicated with the freedom to touch him after keeping him at arm’s length for so long. “I should take your side more often.”
He kissed her again, and the closeness of their bodies left little doubt as to Josh’s level of desire. Holy hell. Her body tightened in response, and a throbbing need took hold inside her.
“Is this what you came here for?” she asked breathlessly.
He shook his head. “I have no idea. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you all damn afternoon, and here I am.”
“I’m glad you are.” She wound her arms around his neck to keep him close.
“I need answers, Kate. Answers to a lot of questions I don’t know how to ask.”
She stiffened. “I think I know one of your questions, and it’s something I’ve been meaning to set straight myself.”
“Oh yeah?”
She met his gaze. “Ted Wilhelm.”
His jaw clenched.
“The press blew it way out of proportion. There was no affair. It wasn’t even a real date. My publicist set it up with his to generate some press. It was a stupid idea, and then I had a few too many drinks. The photos made it look like something it wasn’t.”
He frowned. “I see.”
She tightened her arms around him. “I haven’t been with anyone but you.”
Josh nodded, and his shoulders relaxed.
“He’s an asshole.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Excuse me?”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you that night at Bóheme, when he came over and flirted with me right in front of you. Only I can’t say crap like that, especially about someone as popular as Ted. If it ever got printed, I’d be the one who looked like an asshole.”
“And now?”
She cocked her head to the side. “Like you said, I know you well enough to know that won’t happen.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For answering one of my questions. Want to guess at the rest?” He drew her closer, his expression heated.
Her stomach cramped at the mere thought of what else he might want to know. “No.”
“Fair enough.” He brushed his lips against hers, then lifted his head. “Why do you read all the nonsense the tabloids print about you?�
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“Why wouldn’t I? I need to know what they’re saying.”
“But you know it’s all bullshit. So who cares? Why let it bother you?”
To her horror, tears burned her eyes. She blinked them back. “Because my fans read it. They look up to me. I’m supposed to set a good example.”
“And you do.”
“I did until this year.” She thought of the award she wouldn’t receive, the approval of her fans that had been lost. Without them, what was left?
“Give your fans a little credit. I’m sure they can separate fact from fiction.”
“Can they? You actually believed I’d slept with Ted Wilhelm thanks to those headlines, and you know me so much better than they do.”
He drew back and stared at her, then nodded. “Point taken. I’m sorry.”
Then he pressed her against the wall and kissed her until her knees went weak and her heart pounded greedily. She soaked it in, the feel of his lips against hers, the warmth of his breath on her cheek, the way it felt when their bodies touched, heat and friction and liquid longing.
“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” He nibbled his way down her neck. “How much I want you right now?”
She arched into his touch.
“You’re finished filming next week, right?”
“Wednesday.” Sadness slammed into her. Without the movie, there would be nothing keeping her in New York. How could she leave Josh behind? But how could she stay when she still had nothing solid to hold on to with him?
“Let’s talk then. About us, the rest of my questions, all of it.”
He pulled her against him for another heart-stopping kiss, and then walked out the door, leaving her breathless and alone.
20
Tom Randall stepped up to the podium, and the room filled with applause, whistles, and whoops from the crowd. Josh stood against the wall to his left, with his mom, Lily, and Herman, as his dad spoke to the many supporters gathered here to rally him on his campaign for mayor.
There were so many badges in the room, Josh wondered if anyone was out protecting the citizens of Umbridge on this snowy night. But then again, most of the town looked to be here anyway. Josh’s father stood tall before them in a gray suit that complemented his cropped silver hair. Tom Randall spoke to the crowd about his distinguished career in the Umbridge PD, and Josh felt his chest swell with pride.