Only One (Ward Sisters Book 2) (3 page)

“Glad to hear it.

**********

Malibu, California, four years ago...

The day before they left for the
Shattered Glass
shoot, Liam had arrived early because they were leaving L.A. for location filming in Mexico. Rick had sent him out for the night, saying that he should get some time off while he could. It would be a long, intense three weeks while they were in Mexico.

He called Reggie, who was Rob's makeup artist. She had propositioned Liam when they first met, at one of Rob's premieres. The two of them had been getting busy whenever they were in the same place – either at a premiere or if Liam happened to be in L.A., where Reggie lived.

He spent the evening having fun between the sheets with Reggie, but he didn't stay with her overnight. He rarely stayed with her anyway, but they had to leave midday the next day and it was just easier to wake up in his own bed. When he got to the Malibu house, he let himself in and saw that there was a fire going out back. He was surprised to find only Rick sitting there.

“Where's Rob?” he asked.

“He's...occupied,” Rick said with a sigh, taking a pull from his beer bottle.

Liam smirked. “Occupied? As in he's got a woman in his bed? Since when?” He went to the outdoor fridge and grabbed his own brew, popped the top and sat down across the fire from his boss.

“You'll have to ask him about it yourself. I don't know how much he wants me to say.”

Liam grimaced. “It's not Lola, is it?”

Rob's last girlfriend, Lola Benedict, was an actress who'd unceremoniously dumped him after one of her movie premieres. She'd sold a story to
Star
magazine, which had smeared Rob's name, implying he'd not only cheated on
her
, but that he'd hooked up with her on the set of the movie where they met, while Rob was still engaged to Rachel.

“No. Absolutely not. I'd never allow that.”

Liam had a horrifying thought. “It's not Rachel?”

“God, no. I'd let Lola in the door before I'd let her in here.”

“You're not going to tell me who it is, are you?”

“Nope.”

“You expecting to see him tonight?”

“I doubt it. I imagine they'll stay up there all night.”

“She's spending the night?”

“She spent the night every night for the last month. I highly doubt she'll go home tonight when it's the last time they'll be together for a while.”

“So this has been going on for a month?”

Rick sighed again. “I don't know. Outside the last month, when she's been around every single day, I can't say.”

“Is that why Lola dumped him?”

“She and Rob said it wasn't, but I don't know if I believe it.”

“Is she his new girlfriend?”

Rick sighed heavily. He wasn't usually like this, so whatever it was he knew, it was bothering him. A lot. “I don't know, Liam. Ask him yourself. Maybe he'll tell you, maybe he won't. I've been instructed to keep it to myself, but you're his best friend. He might say more to you than he would to anyone else.” After that, Liam changed the subject. Rick didn't want to discuss it and he felt like a nosy schoolgirl for continuing to ask.

The next day, Rob wandered out to the deck.

“Look who's finally awake,” Liam joked.

“I've
been
awake. You're the one who slept late today.”

Liam laughed. “From what I heard, there wasn't much sleeping.”

“Did Rick tell you something?” Rob looked worried.

“Nothing specific. Said I should ask you myself. Figured you'd be more inclined to tell me about this girl if I asked, seeing as I'm your best friend.”

“Nothing to tell.”

“So she's not your new girlfriend? Rick said it wasn't Lola or Rachel.”

“Nope.”

“You sound disappointed.”

Rob gave him a smile that didn't meet his eyes. “Like Mick says, 'You can't always get what you want.'”

“You get what you need?”

“No, didn't get that, either.”

Liam laughed. “She bad in bed?”

“Not even close. Just wasn't meant to be, is all.”

“Is she the reason why Lola dumped you on your ass?”

“In a way, yes. But not because we were sleeping together behind Lola's back. You know I'm not like that.”

“Nah. You're not even good at casually dating, let alone keeping multiple women satisfied on a regular basis.” Liam smirked.

“Fuck you.” He seemed upset.

Liam changed his tone. “You really liked this girl.”

“Doesn't matter. It's not happening. From here out, I'm not dating again until I meet
the one
.”

“That's a tall order to fill. You plan to be celibate until then?”

“If need be. It's not worth the hassle to be anything but serious about someone.”

“It could take years. You actually want to go without sex for
years
?” The very idea made Liam shiver in horror.

“I didn't say I
wanted
that. But I'll do what it takes. I'm done with the bullshit. I never much liked casual dating before, and with the way my life is now, it's just too much work for something that won't last. When I meet the right girl, I'll know.”

“Good luck with that, buddy.”

“Your turn will come, too.”

“Still on that train, huh? I told you, I'm no good at that stuff.”

“You've been seeing Reggie and Ally for years. And Dana. What about Dana? Aren't they the only girls you see these days?”

Dana was Liam's high school girlfriend, who lived down the street from his mom's house in Lynnfield. If she was single during his twice-annual trip home to see his family, she liked to get him drunk and then into her bed.

“Dana is a joke at best. I don't know why I still let her get me drunk and take advantage of me. Ally doesn't give a crap about me unless I'm making her scream.”

“You make her scream all the time.”

“Not really, no.”

“You losing your touch?”

“Fuck you. I meant that I don't see her much. She's gone a lot and I've been traveling with you since things ended with Rachel. I think I've only been with Ally a dozen times in the last five years. Which is fine by me. She can be an ice queen.”

“What about Reggie? You like her, don't you? And I know you two knock boots whenever you see her.”

“Reggie's great, but I don't have plans to make permanent ties with her. She's sexy as hell, probably more than you'd imagine because she hides her body. And she's smart and a good person. But she doesn't make me want to give up being single.”

“And if you met a girl who did? What then?”

“If you think a girl like that exists, you introduce us. You'll be looking for that girl longer than you'll look for your own.”

“You never know,” Rob said with a sad smile, “maybe I've already met her.”

“Your perfect girl?”

“No, yours.”

“Right. Don't hold your breath on that one.”

Should've Known Better

Jenna

Chapter 3

Los Angeles, California, seventeen and a half years ago...

She peeked around the corner of the book stacks and found a small nook where a love seat sat alone.

Perfect
, Jenna thought,
I can hide here.

No sooner had she sat on the love seat than a huge black guy careened around the same corner and stopped short. “Oh, shit,” he said, shocked to see her there.

“Sorry, is this your spot?” Jenna asked. She was still pretty new here and she knew very few people at this magnet high school. By virtue of his presence in her school's library, the guy wasn't a thug. Not that she generally feared anyone based on color or race, but in this case, the circumstances dictated that he was unlikely a threat. Besides, he looked like a GQ model.

“Uh, sort of,” he replied. His voice was deep and smooth.

“Oh, well, sorry about that. Sit. There's room for us both. You're not small, but I am.” She scooted over to make space.

“Thanks,” he said. He seemed wary. “Who are you hiding from? You don't seem like the kind of girl who needs to hide.”

“That obvious?” He nodded. “Theresa Solomon.”

“That kitten? She's harmless.” The longer he spoke, the more she could hear a slight tinge of femininity in his voice. He tried to hide it, but it was there if you listened.

Jenna sat stick-straight. “Oh, I'm not afraid of her. Our mothers were boarding school roommates. I've known her my whole life. That's the problem. She thinks it's her job to help me fit in here. Which would be fine, if we were anything alike. Our life goals don't exactly mesh.”

“Not on the 'marry-a-rich-boy' track?” he said with a smirk.

Jenna laughed. “No. Nor the cheerleader track. What about you? Who are you hiding from?”

He sighed. “The football team.”

Jenna's eyebrows shot past her choppy bangs. The guy had to be 6'3" and stacked. Broad shoulders, muscular. He was beautiful, really, and looked like he could easily take the football team.

“Why would you need to hide from them? I bet you could kick half their asses.”

He chuckled. “Thanks. And one-on-one, you're probably right. But as a collective, I don't have a chance.”

“Why would the entire football team be after you? Did you do something to one of them?”

“Not exactly. There's a guy on the team who doesn't really play for the team, if you know what I mean. He knows that I know and he's afraid I'll expose him, so he had his buddies harass me.”

“And you know because your gaydar is pretty sharp?”

He laughed. “How did you know?”

She relaxed her posture automatically, now that she knew he wasn't hitting on her. “Deductive reasoning. Your voice, the fact that you've been harassed by someone in the closet, and because you're the best dressed guy I've seen at this school. Since it's full of Hollywood families, that's saying a lot.”

“Well, fashion is my passion. And yes, you're right. I like men. Not boys. Boys are pathetic. I'm saving myself for a real man.”

“Amen to that!” she agreed.

“So, if you're not vying for head cheerleader or in a rush to snag David Solomon, like all the rest of the girls at this school, what are your plans?”

“First of all, even if I
was
looking to score a hot, rich guy, I'd ignore David Solomon. He put superglue in my hair when I was seven and I had to have my hair chopped to remove it. I don't forget stuff like that, even if he wasn't a douchebag now. Second of all, I'm planning to use my brain. I can't stand the idea of sitting on charitable committees for the rest of my life. And I might look like I should be a cheerleader, but trust me, I'm too snarky for that, even if I was capable of doing a back handspring without falling on my head.”

He laughed heartily. “You're hilarious. What's your name?”

“Jenna Ackerman. What's yours?”

“Chris Pilling,” he said, offering his hand. When she took it, instead of shaking, he kissed it. “Charmed, I'm sure. Well, Miss Jenna, what do you say to commiserating in this little corner together?”

“Hard up for friends?” she teased. She liked him. He seemed like a cool guy.

He chuckled again. “To the point. I like you. I'm pretty new here, too. I could use an ally. Theresa isn't likely to bother you if you've got a friend, right? And if I'm hanging out with a sexy girl, then maybe these fools will think I'm straight and leave me alone. Or at least they'll think I'm trying to pretend to be straight. If they stop bothering me, I don't care which it is.”

Jenna blushed when he said she was sexy. “Uh, sure.”

“Well, don't fall all over yourself.”

She shook her head. “Sorry. I'm not used to being called sexy.”

“You're joking, right? Honey,
I
think you're hot and I'm gay. You've got a perfect body, great boobs, silky hair, pretty eyes. I bet if I looked, you'd have a fabulous ass. Stand up and show me.”

Jenna's eyes grew wide. “What? No!”

“Oh, just do it. As if I'm ogling you.”

She had no idea why, but she acquiesced, stood and turned so he could see her butt.

“Uh huh. Just as I thought. Your body is fantastic. If guys aren't falling all over themselves for you, there has to be an unseen reason. Spill it, rich girl.”

Jenna glanced at her Coach bag. Yeah, that could have given away her financial status.

“I'm maybe a little...nerdy. And standoffish. Girls don't tend to like me much because they think I'm stuck up. They're even less happy for me to be friends with their boyfriends.”

He snorted. “You? More nerdy than the rest of the geeks at this school? I can't believe it. What do you do for fun that makes you nerdy? Watch sci-fi?”

Jenna lowered her eyes. “Um, well, I build computers. And write programs. And maybe hack on occasion.” She looked at him again and his brows were furrowed.

“Hack? Like
Tron
?”

“More like Matthew Broderick in
Wargames.”

“Holy shit. Are you serious?” She nodded. “Aren't you like, worried you'll get arrested?”

A half-smile quirked at her mouth. “That's half the fun of it.”

“Wouldn't it be less dangerous to, say, shoplift on Rodeo?”

Jenna laughed. “I don't need to shoplift on Rodeo. I've got an American Express Gold card of my own. I don't do it because I want to get caught. Shoplifters are either stealing because they need something or because they want attention. I'm an only child, my parents don't ignore me and I've got plenty of money. I hack because it's fun to see how vulnerable sites are. Including the ones who
think
they aren't in danger from attackers. Especially them.”

“Hey, whatever floats your boat. Do you want a cool best friend? One who can show you how to have fun in
other
ways?”

“Like what?”

“Like going to clubs and parties. I don't do drugs or drink. Don't worry. I won't prevent you from getting into the Ivy League.”

“I'd get in anyway if I wanted that. My dad went to Harvard undergrad and Stanford Law and my mom's family is from old money. I could buy my way into that world if necessary.”

“Old money? Like, how old?”

“Like DAR old.”

“Funny, Ackerman doesn't sound very Colonial to me.”

Jenna smiled. “It's not. Mom's family was never impressed that she married a nice Jewish boy from New Hampshire.”

Chris made a noise that said he understood. “How'd you end up here? You should be living on the East Coast or something.”

“My dad is an entertainment lawyer. My mom followed him here when he came for law school and they never left. She'd love for me to go to Harvard and get swallowed into the inevitable social obligations, but I plan to be a computer programmer.”

“Well, nerd girl, I can at least round out your high school experience.
If
you're interested.”

“Okay. What do you get out of it? You're obviously not stupid and in need of a tutor, or else you wouldn't be at a math and science magnet school.”

“No tutoring required. My dad is an engineer. He'd love for me to go to Cal Tech or MIT. I'd like to go to Parsons or FIT. I want to be a Hollywood stylist.”

“Will your parents support that?”

“Daddy won't like it, but Mommy will make him pay one way or another. They went through a nasty divorce last year. My mom is a party planner. She gets me into some
amazing
clubs with her connections, even though I'm underage.”

“Well, then, Chris Pilling, I think you just found yourself a new friend. Maybe we can make your dreams come true.
My
daddy has some very big-name clients at his firm. You'll make the parties at my parents' house
so
much more fun.”

“Then let's make our debut over at The Peach Pit and we can plot our first adventure.”

“Sounds like a great plan to me,” Jenna said with a chuckle at his
Beverly Hills, 9021
0 reference. At least now she had one more friend than she had at her old school. Maybe this transfer in the middle of sophomore year would be a good thing after all.

**********

Boston, Massachusetts, fifteen years ago...

Jenna plopped into a two-person table, ready to be bored senseless. This psychology class was part of her freshman-year core curriculum and she was dreading every second, not because she couldn't handle the material, but because sitting in this lecture three times each week seemed pointless. She sighed and took out her laptop. Might as well get started.

A brown-haired girl, who looked like she belonged in Hollywood and not on the Boston University campus, slid into the seat next to Jenna.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?” she asked. The Boston accent indicated that she was a local and not a transplant like Jenna.

Jenna shook her head. “Nope.”

“I'm Catie,” she said.

“Jenna.” They smiled at each other and Jenna went back to setting up the notes for this class.

“You're taking notes on your computer?” Catie asked as if it was illogical.

“I type much faster than I write. Better set of notes that way.”

“Wow. I guess I know who to ask if I need notes, then!” She laughed.

Jenna smiled, but inwardly, she thought,
Don't count on it. I hate when people use me like that.

“Hey, don't worry. I'm not the type to skip class. I'd have to be at death's door to miss one. I'm on the swim team, and if my grades slip, I lose my scholarship. I can't afford that.”

Jenna bit her lip. She felt like an ass. “Sorry. Was my annoyance that obvious?”

“A little. Don't sweat it.” The professor started speaking then and they were off to the races.

At the end of the lecture, Catie said, “You have class now?”

“Nope. I was going to get some lunch.” Catie looked at her expectantly. Oh. Right. “Want to join me?”

“Sounds great.” She smiled and they left the classroom.

Jenna wasn't one to amble, and she was glad that Catie walked at a decent clip, too.

“What's your major?” Catie asked.

“Computer science.” For a moment, she didn't say anything. Oh, she should return the question. “What about you?”

Catie laughed again. “You're not so good at this making new friends thing, are you?”

Jenna blushed. “Not really, no.”

“Lucky for you, I'm great at it.”

“You're pretty confident.”

“Yep. So, where are you from?”

“California. L.A.”

“Why are you here, then? Couldn't you just go to Cal Tech or something?” They made their way through the food court line and Jenna was glad to see that Catie grabbed a slice of pizza. That meant she didn't need to feel self-conscious when she wanted a burger.

“My mom is here. She grew up in Boston. My parents got divorced almost as soon as I graduated high school, and she moved back east, so I followed her. She's annoyed that I didn't go to Harvard.”

“Could you have gotten into Harvard? Or afforded it? I sure as hell couldn't. I mean, I'm no idiot, but I didn't have the grades to get into Ivy League. Spent a few too many weekends partying with my brother and my friends.”

“You have a brother?” It must have been nice to have siblings.

“A twin. Plus four older sisters. My brother doesn't go to school here. He's at Minnesota State. Plays hockey.”

“What's that like, being a twin?”

“Weird and awesome. We have this freaky sixth sense about each other.”

“Is he as hot as you are?”

Catie guffawed. As she pulled out her wallet, she said, “You're pretty blunt. I like that. And thanks for saying I'm hot. It's always a good ego boost. But no, though Liam is a good-looking guy, he doesn't stand out in a crowd.” She flipped to a photo of a brown-haired guy who, as she said, was attractive, but looked nothing like his sister except for his eyes. They were stunning, a beautiful chocolate brown, with lashes the color of his hair that most women would kill to have.