At the Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, anticipation battled with frustration inside Brody. He followed an administrator down a hallway with brightly colored walls covered with whimsical images. He kept a smile on his face, even though he wanted to fire Jackson for not being more supportive of this visit.
“I get your concern.” Brody kept his voice low and his posture relaxed. “I understand what might happen.”
“Will happen.” Jackson punctuated each word.
Brody kept walking. Nothing would stop him. He’d been ignoring how the rented boots pinched his feet. He could do the same with Jackson.
Especially with Cara at his side. Jackson had told her to remain at the apartment, but she’d wanted to come to the hospital. Brody had forced the issue. With four bodyguards surrounding them, the hospital’s security staff nearby, and San Francisco’s finest on alert, the necessary precautions had been taken. Plus, Caitlin had no idea what hospital in the Bay Area they’d be visiting so no one could alert the media.
Cara’s green wig bounced with each step. The pink, shimmery makeup on her face—made famous by her twin sister—sparkled due to the overhead lights. She was gorgeous, and he had a hard time not staring. Okay, appreciating with a touch of leering thrown in, but he couldn’t help himself.
She looked that good.
Though she always did.
But the tight costume showed off her luscious curves. Seeing her put her own mark on the character made him realize the appeal of cosplay for the first time. He wouldn’t mind acting out scenes from the movies when they finished.
If only they could.
He’d been trying to keep his distance since she’d cried in his arms on Friday. Pushing his attraction and himself into her life would only complicate an already-messy situation. There would be time for that and more…later.
But it wasn’t easy.
Having her with him, however, was. The bond from their childhood—the one he’d left untended and ignored these past three years—had never been as strong and solid as it was now. For that, he would be ever grateful, despite the other stuff they’d been through over the past week. But whatever else got in their way or went wrong, he wasn’t worried. They would work together to come up with a solution. The way they had to prepare for today’s visit.
No drama or hissy fits.
Like the ones Caitlin threw in private when she wasn’t pretending to be the betrayed and heartbroken ex-girlfriend in front of the press.
Staring at Cara, a buzz of awareness flowed through him. That costume really did make the most of her, um, figure. “Ready for this?”
“Yes.” She patted her bag. “I’m so excited to be here.”
“Good.” The happiness radiating off her pleased him. “We’re free from our jail.”
“Yes, but this is about helping a kid feel better. Nothing else.”
The sincerity in her tone removed the tension from his shoulders. He didn’t know what Cara carried in her large fabric tote bag, but she—like Jackson—was prepared for anything. She’d been sending Rizzo, Lex, and Kai on errands to get everything they needed. Brody appreciated her help, but he was most grateful she’d agreed to dress up and come with him as a character and for moral support.
“Everything will turn out okay.” He said that to everyone, though the words were mainly for her.
Jackson scoffed. “You’ve been out of sight while Caitlin gives multiple daily interviews about being broken-hearted as you and Cara make wedding plans. After which, Caitlin is telling people to go see her new movie to make her feel better. Now you’re in a public place with zero control over who might see you.”
“If threats hadn’t been made, we’d be out in public like Caitlin,” Brody countered.
“But they were made and continue to be posted online. Not to mention the smoothie incident that should have never happened under our watch.” Jackson’s nostrils flared. “This publicity stunt of yours will make things worse.”
Brody balled his hands. “This isn’t a stunt. We’re visiting a sick kid who wants to meet the characters from his favorite movie. No one—not you, Caitlin, or the press—will stop me from doing this.”
A muscle pulsed in Jackson’s jaw.
“If something goes wrong, I trust you and your team to take care of Cara,” Brody added.
Jackson nodded once, but the tension in the air remained, as thick as the fog that rolled off the bay and coated the city.
Two nurses in scrubs passed them at a brisk pace. A smiling orderly pushed a kid in a wheelchair. A noise sounded from a speaker somewhere.
“Okay, guys. Smile. No egos need to be involved. This is for Slayter.” Cara’s cheery voice sounded like a librarian about to read to children during story time, but the green wig and pink-painted face looked sexy on her. She focused her attention on him. “Ready?”
He adjusted the holster that held a beat-up laser gun. He imagined his alter ego, El, aka Eleon, a space cowboy, the defender of the downtrodden, and the leader of a ragtag fugitive group. “Let’s do this.”
“This is going to cost you extra.” Lex wore an eye patch, black leather pants, and a red jacket. He was playing Phemus, a hard-living assassin and rogue. His real tattoos worked perfectly for the part. “Just sayin’.”
That made Brody laugh.
“Before you go into Slayter’s room, you’ll need face masks and gloves.” The hospital administrator, a woman named Susan, passed them out. “He tires easily, but even a few minutes visiting with you will be a dream come true for him.”
Brody wanted more than a few minutes. He put on his face mask, and then he pulled on the gloves. “It’s showtime.”
With an exaggerated swagger, he entered the room. A worried-looking woman with messy blond hair leaned against the far wall by the window. A doctor in a white lab coat stood next to the bed where a boy lay connected to machines that beeped and buzzed.
Whipping out his laser gun, Brody scanned the room. “I hear there’s a smuggler named Slayter hiding in here. Big bounty on his head. Anybody see him?”
Eyes wide and mouth gaping, the thin boy in the bed sat upright. “Eleon!”
The awe in the kid’s voice tugged on Brody’s heart. He took a step toward the bed. “Yeah, I’m El.” He waved his laser gun. “Who wants to know?”
The boy raised his chin. “I’m Slayter.”
“Lyra. Phemus,” Brody called. “We found him.”
As the two came closer to the bed, a smile spread across Slayter’s pale face. “You’re here. You’re really here.”
Brody glanced around. “No one can know. You’re not the only one with a bounty on your head.”
“I won’t tell a soul. Promise.” Slayter stared at Cara with total hero worship. “Lyra.”
“Hello, Slayter,” she said, her tone full of affection. “So happy we found you.”
The boy sighed. “Me, too.”
“Remember, she’s mine.” Brody winked.
“I know.” Slayter pointed to Phemus. “If she wasn’t, she’d be his.”
Cara placed her hands on her hips. “Don’t I have a say in this?”
“No,” Slayter, Brody, and Lex said at the same time.
That brought a round of laughs and more play-acting, followed by a hundred questions from Slayter about the final movie coming out at the end of the year, and a special viewing of the brand-new trailer that hadn’t been released yet.
Brody sat on the edge of Slayter’s bed to watch it. “You must be super special because I haven’t even seen this.”
The clip was only a minute and twenty-three seconds long, but Slayter’s smile grew bigger. His eyes, too.
“Wow.” He stared at the tablet where the trailer had played. “That was the most amazing thing ever. Could I please watch it again?”
“Of course.” Brody hit replay.
He ended up pressing the button twenty-one more times, but he didn’t mind. Cara and Lex didn’t seem to care, either. Soon, they were reciting lines. Cara even sang Lyra’s song, a little off-key, but Slayter clapped enthusiastically.
“You’re full of surprises,” Brody said to her.
She shrugged, but the pleased gleam in her gaze told him she was happy.
Slayter yawned. He leaned against his pillow, but his smile didn’t waver.
The visit needed to end, but Brody knew coming today was the right decision no matter what happened when they left the hospital. “We have a few things for you before we go.”
Lex and Cara handed out movie memorabilia to Slayter. Each item—from buttons to a jacket like the one Eleon wore—brought a bigger wow. Brody could almost see the exclamation points each time Slayter said the word.
“There’s one last thing we have for you.” Cara removed a script from the tote bag. “This is from the first movie. It’s signed by the entire cast.”
Brody’s heart slammed against his chest. That was Cara’s copy, a present from Caitlin, and worth…well, more than anything else they’d given Slayter. But the autographs and being able to read the dialogue were what mattered.
Slayter clutched the screenplay to his chest as if it were the most valuable treasure in the world. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Cara said. “Now you can read along with the movie. Though I’m guessing you have the lines memorized.”
The boy perked up. “Almost all.”
Brody’s affection for Cara deepened. He’d forgotten about a script, but she hadn’t. She was always looking out for others, never herself. So special, smart, and caring. When they were back to their normal lives, he was asking her out on a date. Something romantic and special they would always remember.
Slayter yawned again. His eyelids fluttered as if they wanted to close.
“Time to go.” Brody gave him a gentle hug. “Thanks for letting us hang out with you.”
Cara hugged him, too, and then kissed Slayter’s cheek even though she had on a mask. “Take care of yourself. And watch out for bounty hunters.”
Lex followed his goodbye with a high five and then handed the kid a twenty-dollar bill. “For candy and soda. You can never have too much of either.”
The three left the room and lingered in the hallway. No one spoke. Brody wanted to etch the memory of Slayter permanently into his brain. The kid had made a mark on his heart.
As had Cara.
Brody’s chest tightened as if he were wrapped in chains and pinned to the fortress wall in the first movie. He’d decided to wait to pursue Cara. That had meant no touching or kissing, but holding off no longer felt like the right call. He didn’t want to keep his distance from her, especially after the visit with Slayter.
Why should Brody?
Everyone thought they were engaged. Couples in love kissed, so he lowered his mask and hers before capturing her lips with his.
She inhaled sharply before relaxing inch by inch. Her lips pressed against him, and he felt as if he were being launched into space, autopilot in control, afterburners on.
He’d been trying to act as if they were just friends when all he wanted was to be more than friends. He’d also been afraid once he kissed her that he wouldn’t want to stop. Here, surrounded by others, he wasn’t worried about that.
This kiss wasn’t to distract Cara or to prove to others their relationship was legit. This was for him to thank her, show his gratitude, and get another taste of her sweet lips. A way to tide them over until they could be together for real.
A man cleared his throat. “Must have gone well.”
Jackson.
Slowly, Brody ended the kiss and glanced at Jackson, who’d been waiting outside the room. “It went great.”
Brody wasn’t just talking about the visit but kissing Cara.
“Best thing I’ve done in a long time,” Lex said.
Cara nodded. “Me, too.”
“How did you get that script?” Brody asked.
“Rizzo.” She grinned. “I asked him to grab the screenplay along with Loki’s mice toys last night.”
Lex gave her the thumbs-up sign. “Nice touch.”
She shrugged. “Slayter will get more use out of it than me. Besides, I figured Caitlin would ask for the script back one of these days.”
“She knows how you care for your books and assumed you would keep it safe.”
“The screenplay is safer now.” Cara didn’t miss a beat. “Slayter won’t let anything happen to it.”
“Finished with the self-congratulatory chitchat?” Jackson sounded more annoyed than before. “Someone posted about the visit online. There’s a crowd out front wanting to see El and his crew. We need to get out of here fast.”
Brody swore under his breath, but this was not unexpected. “Gotta be honest, I’m not sorry we did this.”
Both Cara and Lex nodded.
“And I’m not sorry I put a plan in place as soon as you told me what was happening.” Jackson was examining something on his phone. “We’ll exit through the parking lot in the basement. It’s mainly used for service vehicles and staff. Rizzo is meeting us there with one of the SUVs. Kai is by the door.”
“Get Cara out of here. I’m tired of hiding. No more.” Slayter was the definition of bravery given his illness. Time to act like the hero the kid thought Brody was. “I want to speak to the media.”
She touched his arm. “You sure about this?”
“Positive.” He flashed a wickedly charming grin, one of his character Eleon’s trademarks. “Plus, it’ll piss off Caitlin.”
“Go for it.” Cara kissed his cheek. “For luck.”
“Thanks.” But Brody didn’t want luck. He wanted her.
Now to figure out how to make that happen…
♥ ♥ ♥
An hour later, Cara had showered and scrubbed the pink face paint off. The costume had made her feel attractive and desired, but she preferred putting on a pair of leggings and a long T-shirt. Much more comfortable. With a mix of nerves and anticipation, she paced the length of the apartment, eager for Brody to return.
Her lips wanted another kiss, but that was secondary at the moment. First, she wanted to tell him what an amazing difference he’d made to Slayter. Brody had always seemed larger than life, but today, she’d seen how big his heart was, too. She had no doubt he’d be a fantastic husband and father.
Caring, dedicated, and loving.
The kind of man she wanted to date and spend her life with.
“Any news?” she asked.
“No.” Rizzo hunched over the jigsaw puzzle on the coffee table. “Same answer as seven minutes ago.”
She stopped. “That’s all the time that’s gone by?”
Grinning, he nodded. “Sucks when you want something, huh?”
She swallowed a sigh. “Very much.”
“If something went wrong, we’d have heard by now.”
Rizzo had said that seven minutes ago, too.
A text notification sounded. It was from Geoff. He’d attached a photo.
She did a double take.
No. No. No.
Cara reread what was written on the photo of the eviction notice attached to her condo door. It included a slam on her character and a rant about Loki destroying the condo.
Lies, every single one.
Cara’s stomach churned. She plopped onto the couch. “I don’t believe this.”
Rizzo stood. “What?”
“My sister is evicting me.” The back of Cara’s neck knotted. “Caitlin’s giving me until tomorrow night to get my stuff out of the condo, or she’ll have everything thrown away.”
His eyes darkened. “That’s not legal. You have thirty days minimum per your lease agreement.”
“I never signed a lease.” Cara hadn’t thought she needed one since her landlord was her sister. She’d paid rent and the utilities each month. She hadn’t been late with a payment, not even after being laid off. Yet, that hadn’t stopped Caitlin.
Cara buried her face in her hands. What was she going to do?
Loki.
Her sweet, spoiled, chubby Loki would be homeless. Her, too.
She didn’t even own a car they could live in.
Tilting her head up, she blinked back the tears threatening to overflow. She needed to talk to Caitlin. Not cry.
Walking into the bedroom, she pressed Caitlin’s name on the contact list. One ring, two.
“I can’t believe you pretended to be me at the Children’s Hospital.” The words, laced with frustration and anger, poured from Caitlin’s mouth. “How dare you! I should have been included.”
You were asked, but you said no.
Instead of speaking, Cara took a deep breath. And another. This wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with one of Caitlin’s temper tantrums. “The entire crew’s presence was requested, so I dressed up like Lyra after you said you couldn’t make it.”
Caitlin’s harrumph reminded Cara of their late grandmother Mae. “You shouldn’t have done that. Brody gave you way too much credit during his press conference. He made you sound like a saint. We can’t have people thinking you’re nice.”
“But I am nice.”
“No one needs to know that,” Caitlin spat. “Do you know how much the script you gave away is worth?”
“You mean, the script you gave me that I decided to give to the sick child who is one of your biggest fans?” Cara snapped. She was losing her temper and no longer cared. “No, I don’t.”
“Fine. Maybe it was a nice thing to do,” Caitlin admitted. “But you shouldn’t have been there.”
“Why are you evicting me from the condo?” Why are you doing any of this?
“I had no choice. You put me in a bad spot today by showing up at the hospital.”
As if Caitlin hadn’t been doing the same to Cara and Brody every day up until now. “How’s that?”
“I can’t let my cheating, pregnant twin sister continue to live in my condo rent free.”
“This isn’t fair,” Cara yelled. “I’ve been paying rent. And Loki never destroyed anything in the apartment. I can’t believe you dragged an innocent cat into this.”
“I’m sorry, but I won’t be made to look like a fool. That’s what people will call me, or worse, if I let you stay in the condo.”
Cara couldn’t believe the extent of Caitlin’s selfishness. “Except now I’m homeless.”
“You can find another place.”
“I have no money for a deposit. I also have a cat.” Cara’s anger spiraled. “This is unfair and wrong. You said I could live rent free for six months if I pretended to be engaged to Brody.”
“We’ll figure something out later, okay?”
“No, this is not okay. I need to figure out what I’m going to do now.”
“Cara—”
“Tell Mom and Dad the truth about Brody and me like you promised. Make sure they know I’m not pregnant so I can stay with them.”
A gasp sounded. “You’re coming to Los Angeles?”
She couldn’t tell whether Caitlin was excited or shocked. That lack of certainty hurt, but to be honest, it was nothing new. “Thanks to you, I have nowhere else to go.”
“I’ll talk to them after this is over. Until then, Brody will take care of you.”
Unbelievable. Caitlin would never stop unless someone forced her to. “You can’t keep treating Brody like a knight in shining armor who’ll come to the rescue.”
“Why not? He’s always been there for me. He always will be.” Caitlin’s certainty bristled. “Have your stuff out of the condo by tomorrow night. A real estate agent will be listing the place. That will make your engagement and pregnancy more believable.”
“As if what you’ve been saying isn’t enough?” Sarcasm poured from Cara’s voice.
“My film performed better than expected. That’s huge and such a relief, but we need to see this through.”
“Why? You got what you wanted.” Cara gritted her teeth. “But you’re ruining my reputation and my life for your acting career and boyfriend.”
“I’ll make this up to you.” Caitlin sounded calmer than she had at the beginning of the conversation. “You know I’ve never let you down.”
“Are you kidding me?” The condo. Not talking to their parents. Lying to the press. And that was only in the past week. Cara rubbed her throbbing forehead. She’d been nothing more than her sister’s underling and doormat for years. Her fault, yes, but what Caitlin kept asking wasn’t right, either. “Yes, you have.”
“Okay, maybe I have on occasion, but I will make this up to you. I have another interview to do. Gotta go.”
Cara picked up a pillow and hit the bed. Once, twice, three times.
Her sister’s words didn’t match her actions. Worse, if Caitlin kept this up, she would destroy what little Cara had left. Which wasn’t much at this point.
After she dropped the pillow, she returned to Rizzo who had remained in the living room. “Can you help me find a reputable moving company?”