there’s a lo ver in the picture.”
Raine gripped the paper when what she really wanted to do was tear it to shreds. “ No, it won’t, because Logan isn’t going to be any part of this . And if you try t o drag him into this, you can start looking for another job. I mean it, Reginald.”
Her manager stared at her in shock. Even Chloe seemed stunned.
“Of course. ” Reginald cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… ”
S he didn’t let him finish. “I’m tired . I’m g oing upstairs to rest. ”
Tears were running down her cheeks by the time she got to the top of the stairs. She wiped them away angrily. Damn that rag of a newspaper for taking what she had with Logan and making it seem as shallow and fake as everything else in her life. And damn Reginald for wanting to use her relationship with Logan as m ore fuel for the publicity fire. And damn her for letting it all happen.
In her bedroom, she curled up on the chaise by the window and morosely stared out at the huge swimming pool below. She didn’t even want to imagine the look on Logan’s face when he saw the photo of the two of them. If he hadn’t hated everything about Hollywood, he would now. She only hoped he didn’t hate her for dragging him into that world. The thou ght brought another rush of hot tears.
A knock sounded on the door before it opened and Chloe poked her head in. “Can I come in?”
Raine wanted to point out that she already had, but didn’t. Instead, she wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded.
Chloe quietly closed the door, then came over to sit on the bottom of the chaise.
“ You’re in love with Logan McBride , aren’t you ?” she asked softly.
Raine’s first instinct was to deny it, but she didn’ t want to. On the contrary, she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Although she supposed the modern-day equivalent thing to do would be to announce it on Twitter. She couldn’t do either of those things, though. But she could confide in her closest friend.
“ Yes, ” she said.
“I thought so. How did you two meet?”
“Remember when I said I went up to the spa at Mountain Ridge?”
Chloe nodded.
“Well, there was this snowstorm…”
Raine told Chloe everything. Well, she didn’t mention the spankings. But she told her about everything else , including the beautiful sketches Logan had done.
“He’s the most amazing artist I’ve ever seen,” she finished. “The painting of the cabin he did makes you feel as if you’re really there.”
Chloe regarded her thoughtfully. “You can’t marry Cameron.”
Raine did a double take at the sudden change in topic . She frowned at the mention of the other actor. “I have to. My career is riding on it.”
“Screw your career. It’s already back on track anyway. ” Chloe sighed. “Raine, don’ t settle for a fake marriage to Cameron when you can have the real thing with Logan.”
Raine didn’t say anything.
Her friend sighed again. “I’ve got to get back to work. Just think about what I said, okay?”
Chloe didn’t wait for an answer . Instead, she gave Raine’s hand a squeeze, then got up and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
Chloe made it sound so simple. But while her career probably wouldn’t completely derail if she dumped Cameron, it would still take a hit. And even if she did c a ll off the wedding, that didn’t mean Logan would want her in his life, especially wh en she came with a pack of raven ous paparazzi.
Raine grabbed the chenille throw from the back of the chaise and wrapped it around her, wishing she was in Logan’s arms instead.
* * * * *
Logan couldn’t get Raine out of his mind . The house was empty without her in it. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t paint. He could barely breathe . Which gave him a hell of a lot of time to think and wonder if he’d made the right decision. Her marriage to this actor wasn’t real. Would being her guy on the side be so bad?
His head said it would, but the
Raine gripped the paper when what she really wanted to do was tear it to shreds. “ No, it won’t, because Logan isn’t going to be any part of this . And if you try t o drag him into this, you can start looking for another job. I mean it, Reginald.”
Her manager stared at her in shock. Even Chloe seemed stunned.
“Of course. ” Reginald cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… ”
S he didn’t let him finish. “I’m tired . I’m g oing upstairs to rest. ”
Tears were running down her cheeks by the time she got to the top of the stairs. She wiped them away angrily. Damn that rag of a newspaper for taking what she had with Logan and making it seem as shallow and fake as everything else in her life. And damn Reginald for wanting to use her relationship with Logan as m ore fuel for the publicity fire. And damn her for letting it all happen.
In her bedroom, she curled up on the chaise by the window and morosely stared out at the huge swimming pool below. She didn’t even want to imagine the look on Logan’s face when he saw the photo of the two of them. If he hadn’t hated everything about Hollywood, he would now. She only hoped he didn’t hate her for dragging him into that world. The thou ght brought another rush of hot tears.
A knock sounded on the door before it opened and Chloe poked her head in. “Can I come in?”
Raine wanted to point out that she already had, but didn’t. Instead, she wiped a tear from her cheek and nodded.
Chloe quietly closed the door, then came over to sit on the bottom of the chaise.
“ You’re in love with Logan McBride , aren’t you ?” she asked softly.
Raine’s first instinct was to deny it, but she didn’ t want to. On the contrary, she wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Although she supposed the modern-day equivalent thing to do would be to announce it on Twitter. She couldn’t do either of those things, though. But she could confide in her closest friend.
“ Yes, ” she said.
“I thought so. How did you two meet?”
“Remember when I said I went up to the spa at Mountain Ridge?”
Chloe nodded.
“Well, there was this snowstorm…”
Raine told Chloe everything. Well, she didn’t mention the spankings. But she told her about everything else , including the beautiful sketches Logan had done.
“He’s the most amazing artist I’ve ever seen,” she finished. “The painting of the cabin he did makes you feel as if you’re really there.”
Chloe regarded her thoughtfully. “You can’t marry Cameron.”
Raine did a double take at the sudden change in topic . She frowned at the mention of the other actor. “I have to. My career is riding on it.”
“Screw your career. It’s already back on track anyway. ” Chloe sighed. “Raine, don’ t settle for a fake marriage to Cameron when you can have the real thing with Logan.”
Raine didn’t say anything.
Her friend sighed again. “I’ve got to get back to work. Just think about what I said, okay?”
Chloe didn’t wait for an answer . Instead, she gave Raine’s hand a squeeze, then got up and left, closing the door quietly behind her.
Chloe made it sound so simple. But while her career probably wouldn’t completely derail if she dumped Cameron, it would still take a hit. And even if she did c a ll off the wedding, that didn’t mean Logan would want her in his life, especially wh en she came with a pack of raven ous paparazzi.
Raine grabbed the chenille throw from the back of the chaise and wrapped it around her, wishing she was in Logan’s arms instead.
* * * * *
Logan couldn’t get Raine out of his mind . The house was empty without her in it. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t paint. He could barely breathe . Which gave him a hell of a lot of time to think and wonder if he’d made the right decision. Her marriage to this actor wasn’t real. Would being her guy on the side be so bad?
His head said it would, but the
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