When I get back to the house I’m starting to feel a little bad about not telling Gina that I was leaving. She might think that Dex is a great guy, but she’s been nice to me. I should be nice to her. I can refuse to take a limo, ‘cause that’s just crazy, but I should at least tell her when I’m leaving the house.
I walk up to the buzzer and press it.
“Yes?”
“Gina, it’s me, can you open the gate?”
I can hear her sigh before she lets go of the intercom button. The gate opens and I walk through. Gina is standing at the front door when I walk up, with her arms crossed and an irritated look on her face.
I walk toward her, but she doesn’t step aside. She just glares at me and I can see the pure rage in her eyes. I didn’t think she actually had it in her.
“What?” I say.
She doesn’t say anything. I step forward and she widens her stance to block the door.
“Can I please go inside?”
Gina finally stands to the side and I walk by. I turn toward the stairs, but she grabs my arm. Pain shoots up to my shoulder as her fingernails dig into me.
“I thought we talked about you not leaving by yourself.”
I yank my arm free and walk away from her. Is she serious? Who does she think she is? She can’t talk to me like that or grab my arm.
“We’re not done talking about this,” she says, as I run up the stairs and head for my room.
Yes, we are. I’m not going to argue with her and I don’t have to do what she tells me. I slam my bedroom door shut, hoping that she hears it.
I sit down on my bed and pull my new phone and the prepaid card out of my purse. I need to text Logan, he always seems to make me feel better no matter what’s happening.
I activate the phone and create a new contact for Logan’s number.
Hey, it’s Amy. My phone got shut off, so this is my new phone number.
I add Jess to my phone while I wait for Logan to text me back.
Hi, I was wondering why you didn’t text me back this morning. I miss you.
I feel a little bit better about last night and today when I read his text. It’s not quite as good as hearing his voice though.
Do you have time to talk for a few minutes?
When I type on my phone’s keypad I can tell how cheaply it’s made. Ugh. I can’t wait to get a job so I can get a phone that can do more than just text and talk, this is ridiculous.
Actually, I’m about to head to a meeting. Can I text you after?
My heart sinks. I needed to hear his voice and vent a little.
Yeah, that’s fine.
Alright, I’ll text you later.
I set my phone down on my pillow and walk over to the window. The lights for the pool turn on even though it’s not dark yet. I wish I could go for a swim, it would help me think since I’ve been missing my morning run. Jess was right, it was good to run in the morning for several reasons. I always got good thinking done and it made me feel less stressed out. I feel so on edge right now.
A swimsuit. Another thing I want to buy, but can’t afford. I need to get a job tomorrow, that’s all there is to it.
There’s a heavy knock on my door. Gina must be mad, but I don’t bother turning away from the window. She knocks again, harder this time.
“Mr. Baldwin will be here in ten minutes. You need to be downstairs for dinner.”
Great, just what I need. After the last couple of nights I’m starting to think that Dex and my mom are perfect for each other. They’re both out of their minds. They deserve each other.
I grab my phone and text Jess while standing at the window.
Hey, it’s Amy. My phone got shut off, so this is my new number… for now at least.
My phone chimes as I get a response from her almost instantly.
Hey!! I tried texting you last night and never heard back. I thought maybe you went all Hollywood on me or something.
I can’t help but smile. She’s ridiculous. I miss her almost as much as I miss Logan.
Never. How are you?
Good. I was thinking about you this morning when I was on my run. What about you? Have you been running?
Now I feel guilty for not running the past few days. I feel like I earned some time off, given everything that’s happened.
No, but I was just looking out my window at the pool wishing I could go for a swim.
You should! If I had a pool I would totally swim every day.
I don’t have a suit and I can’t really afford to buy one since I still don’t have a job.
The lights in the pool change color and pull my attention back outside. The last few rays of sunlight are reflecting off the pool. It’s beautiful. Not to mention it looks inviting.
And? Do you think me not having a suit would stop me from going swimming?
I laugh. I have a feeling that it wouldn’t slow her down one bit and depending on who was here she might even be in the pool faster.
Yeah, but I’m a little more modest than you.
Booo. Just wear underwear then, if you’re so worried about someone catching a glimpse.
I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I mean, it’s not optimal, but it could work until I can afford a suit. If tomorrow is as hot as today was, I might just have to do that.
There’s a knock on my door. It’s not the angry knock of Gina or her soft touch. It’s almost mellow. It can’t possibly be my mom, can it? I would think there would be a more aggressive knock if it were her.
“Amy?”
It’s Dex.
“Yeah?”
“I brought home a pizza. I would really like it if came down and joined me.”
I want to say no, but there’s something in his voice… he sounds so sincere. I don’t know how to explain it.
“Sure, I’ll be right down.”
I sigh. Hopefully a dinner of pizza won’t last long enough that Dex can be too much of an ass. I grab my phone to text Jess back.
Going to grab dinner, you gonna be around later?
I’m actually just on break at work. I’ll text you tomorrow?
Sounds good.
I set my phone down on the nightstand and head downstairs. When I open the door to the kitchen, Dex is sitting at the table with a slice of pizza in his hand. The box is in the middle of the table and there is a plate and a bottle of water in front of my chair. I look around the kitchen for Gina, wondering where she went.
“Gina isn’t here, I sent her home.”
Weird. I guess I just assumed she was a live-in cook.
“I do let her go home, I’m not that mean to her.”
He smiles and takes another bite of pizza. No, he’s just mean to me. I sit down and reach for a slice. As I pull it free a long string of cheese gets stuck and falls on the table. I glance up at Dex to see if he notices, but he seems lost in his pizza. I scoop the cheese up and put it on the edge of my plate.
I bite into the pizza and burn the crap out of the top of my mouth. I open my mouth and let the pizza fall back to my plate and reach for the bottle of water. It cools it down some, but I can tell at least one layer of skin is gone.
“Are you alright?”
I glare at Dex. Does it look like I’m alright? He looks like he’s trying really hard not to laugh.
I take another drink of water and start to stand up from the table. I don’t need this. I would rather go hungry than sit across from a man who hates me and finds my misfortune funny. I grab my plate and tuck the bottle of water under my arm.
“Wait… don’t leave.”
I look Dex in the eyes. I’m so confused when I look at him. The look on his face says he doesn’t want me to leave, but his behavior says otherwise. I feel so torn when I’m around him. It’s like he’s a nice guy who’s hiding behind being a Hollywood big shot. It’s so strange.
“I’m sorry, but it was kind of funny… you have to admit that.”
I turn and walk toward the door. I hear him push his chair away from the table and footsteps coming toward me. I stop when I feel his arm on my shoulder. It’s not like when Gina grabbed my arm, it’s a softer touch… one that doesn’t have anger or irritation behind it. I turn around and look into his eyes.
“Look… I know this situation isn’t ideal, but I want to make the best of it, and I want you to know that you’re welcome here as long as you want to stay. I really like your mom and I want to get to know you.”
Since the moment I stepped through his front door, I just assumed that he wanted me out of here as soon as possible. Maybe I was wrong. I’m getting a totally different vibe from him now.
“Please? Just sit back down so we can talk.”
I turn around and look into his eyes. I can tell he’s sincere. I nod and he smiles at me. We sit back down at the table.
I blow on my pizza and take a bite. This time it’s cool enough to eat and it actually tastes really good. I can’t even remember the last time I had a pizza this good. That’s one thing I do have to say about here… the food is really good compared to Greenville and Salem. It’s a good thing I’m leaving soon.
“What do you think?” Dex says.
“It’s really good.”
He smiles as I take another bite.
“I’m glad you like it. I probably eat too many of them, usually it’s what I eat when Gina has the night off.”
We both reach for another slice. Dex lets me grab mine first and then gets his. I smile and take a bite.
“So did you do anything exciting today?”
I guess this is his attempt at getting to know me better. I guess he wants to avoid talking about my past, for good reason. I shrug. There isn’t much to say. I’m not going to tell him I sat in bed, feeling depressed all morning before I left to get a phone and pissed off Gina.
“Not really. What about you?”
“It was kind of a boring day, mostly just meetings for the film I start shooting this week.”
Without even realizing it, I grabbed a third slice of pizza while Dex was talking.
“You’re doing another movie already?”
He nods as he finishes chewing.
“Yeah, it’s a little unusual. Typically, I would finish off the movie I shot earlier this year before starting filming on my next project… but this new one is an indie film with Spencer, so we had to do it when both our schedules allowed.”
I’m a little surprised actually. I didn’t think a guy like Dex would direct an indie film… I figured he was all about the money.
“You look shocked,” he says, with a smile on his face.
“I thought… I don’t know… I thought you only made big budget movies.”
Dex wipes his hands on a napkin and takes a drink of water.
“I usually do. I like the money, I’m not gonna lie and people seem to like my movies… but sometimes it’s nice to do something different.”
I finish my third slice and take a drink of water. The pizza was so good, but I’m crazy full now. Dex pushes the box a little closer to me, trying to get me to eat another piece, but I shake my head.
“C’mon, you don’t want one more?”
“I’ll explode.”
He pulls the box toward himself and grabs the last two slices. He looks up and smiles. I smile back. So far this dinner hasn’t been the torturesome night I had imagined it to be.
“So… Gina told me that you keep leaving and that you won’t let her call a limo for you.”
So she did tell him. I figured she wouldn’t say anything because she was afraid of getting in trouble.
“Yeah, I can walk, I don’t need a limo to drive me around.”
Dex just looks at me while he eats. He stares into my eyes and it feels like he can see into my soul and knows my every thought. It’s a strange feeling… not bad… just different. I turn away.
“Huh. Most people your age would love to ride in a limo.”
I shrug and take a sip of water. Maybe he’s finally starting to realize that I’m not like most people my age. I’m trying to get a job… a potential employer would never take me seriously if they saw me pull up in a limo.
“Well… I guess you should get your driver’s license then.”
That would require me learning to drive and then it still doesn’t do much good since I can’t afford a car. I mean… I guess I could get my license and then once I move back to Salem I could get a better job and make enough to afford a car. I know Jess could probably get me a job at her work.
“I really don’t mind paying for driving lessons for you. I know that trapped feeling you get from not being able to drive around and go where you want.”
“Why can’t I just walk? I really don’t mind.”
Dex cringes. It’s as if he doesn’t want to say and he wishes that I already knew.
“I know you come from a small town. Things here are… different. I don’t want you to get in the habit of walking around during the day and creating a false sense of safety for yourself. L.A. is a dangerous place, even Beverly Hills can be dangerous.”
He’s right. I would have never given a second thought to walking around at night here. I don’t know the feeling of being afraid of walking around at night. Greenville was always so safe and Salem didn’t seem that much different, even though it’s considerably larger.
“Normally I would suggest that Ricardo drive you around, but he went with your mom and her friends to Napa so that he could drive them around while they go wine tasting.”
So that’s where she is. I can’t believe she has already made good enough friends here that she’s rushing off and going wine tasting for days at a time. So crazy. I guess she had no problem going from life as a teacher to being a Hollywood socialite. And apparently the death of my dad had no effect on her.
“I don’t want you to have to pay for driving lessons.”
Dex frowns and wipes off his mouth with his napkin.
“Why not?”
“That’s not your responsibility.”
“I know, but I thought it would be nice.”
“Thank you, but it’s not necessary.”
“Let me just do this for you… I really would like that.”
I can feel the anger starting to build inside me. Why does he think that he can just throw his money at things and get what he wants?
“No, I’m not comfortable with that.”
He bites his lower lip and squints at me. He seems so confused by the fact that his money doesn’t tempt me the way it does everyone else. It’s like he’s never seen it before. I barely keep myself from laughing. I can’t believe this guy.
“I’m not trying to replace your dad, don’t get that impression, and I’m not trying to get you to like me by using my money. I promise that’s not what I want.”
I don’t even know what to say.
“I know that you want to get out of here and go back to Salem, I get that, and I would have probably wanted the same thing when I was your age… so let me help you. Your mother wants you here until your eighteenth birthday? Fine, let me help make your time here a little easier.”
Dex stands up from the table, looks at me and shakes his head and turns toward the door.
“Whatever, you don’t want my help. I get it.”
Now I feel bad. Maybe there was a part of me that thought he was acting like he was trying to replace my dad and I just didn’t want to admit it.
“Wait.”
Dex stops, turns around and looks at me. He doesn’t look upset or sad… it’s like he’s disappointed, but I can’t tell if it’s in me or the fact that I refused his help.
“I’m sorry,” I say.
I look into his eyes, those eyes that can see into my soul, and he nods. He knows that I’m sorry and he can tell that even if I’m resistant to his help, it doesn’t mean that I don’t need or want it… it’s just that I’m too afraid to ask for it.
Dex smiles at me briefly, turns and walks out of the kitchen.