Could This Be Love? Read online

  “Sure I did. Okay, I think I just became Sijan Cates’s number-one fan. I’m going to ride his coattails to my fifteen minutes of fame. You’ll have to come with me and point him out since I don’t think I could pick him out of a lineup if he has his shirt on.”

  Pia looked up from ogling the front page of the tabloid. “Sorry, I got distracted. If you think I’d miss a chance to see you act again, you’re crazy.”

  “With this plan, I might be certifiable. But it’s the only plan I’ve got.”

  ***

  “All right, let me see if I have the latest scandal straight.”

  Sijan Cates sat with his older brother in Dave’s Diner, a former passenger train car turned restaurant. There were two main entrances, one at each end of the car. Booths snaked around the front of the diner next to the front windows while a sit-down counter sat in front of a cramped but ruthlessly clean kitchen. Dave, the owner and cook, was known for his biscuits and homemade blackberry jam, and his burgers. That’s it. Ordering anything else on the menu was like playing Russian roulette with your stomach. But if you wanted biscuits and jam, a burger, or all the most up-to-date gossip, the diner was the place to eat.

  “Hell, Ty, I came home to get a break from it.” He frowned across at his brother, but of course, it had no effect.

  “It says here in The Tattler you got a sweet young thing pregnant and then dumped her.”

  “I did not get a sweet young thing pregnant. I’ve never even met that sweet young thing. Hell, if I slept with even half the women the tabloids claim I do, I wouldn’t have time to get out of bed, let alone make movies.”

  “According to them you’ve got a revolving door on your bedroom with a ‘Now Serving’ ticket machine attached to the wall next to it.”

  Sijan leaned back as their waitress, Renee, slid steaming mugs of coffee in front of them both. “Renee, run away with me and save me from all this.”

  “Sijan, if I weren’t having hot flashes, I’d be just another crazy woman trying to get a piece of you.” Renee tucked her serving tray under her arm and wagged a finger at him. “Now, your latest scandal’s got the Grapevine stirred up. I don’t think the Simon sisters can take the excitement.”

  “Those ladies can handle anything. Besides, they’ve seen this before. Remember four years ago when an ex-girlfriend tried the same thing?”

  “Thank goodness for DNA tests and poor math skills.” Tynan grinned. “She sure didn’t account for your six months of filming in Prague. You do attract the crazy.”

  “It’s Hollywood.” Sijan’s muscles tensed at the memory. “Too many people can make money off you. I’m just an ‘opportunity.’ An opportunity to get a script read, a part in a movie, or free publicity.”

  “Or generous child support payments for the next twenty years.”

  “Hey, I’ve dated some nice, normal women. Once I learned to steer clear of actresses.”

  Tynan nodded. “That would explain all those models, politician’s daughters, and savvy career women.”

  He’d be the first to admit he’d enjoyed the benefits of his movie-star status over the years, but he’d always shied away from serious commitment like it was a box of rattlesnakes. Lately though, the serial dating felt . . . empty. Especially after coming home and seeing how happy his brother Quinn and his fiancée Delaney were. “I need a hiatus from women.”

  “Bite your tongue. Life is a smorgasbord and you are too young to go on a diet. Seriously, Si, I joke, but this”—he rattled the tabloid before tossing it down in disgust—“just pisses me off.”

  “Every job has its downside, right?” Sijan shrugged tense shoulders. He leaned back against the booth, consciously willing his muscles to relax. “I’ve decided I’m just going to lay low and focus on my work while the studio’s lawyers deal with that.”

  “You decided?”

  “Yup. About five seconds after the president of Majestic Studios called me into his office three days ago and explained loudly and in a few choice phrases that my next two films need to exceed box office predictions.” Or else.

  “One year ago, this same man couldn’t wine and dine you fast enough after your Oscar nomination.” Tynan sat back, muttering a graphic although physically impossible suggestion for the president of Majestic Studios. “Fame sure is a fickle bitch.”

  “Yep, but the cool kids still want to hang out with her. It’s her cousin, infamy, you have to avoid. She can tank box-office revenue. Between my last costar’s drug problem and the new tabloid fodder the lawyers are dealing with, my box office stands to take a big hit.”

  Which was why he needed to put out some of these fires before his next movie was released in three months. Lying low in Climax for a few weeks would help. It would give him time to re-focus on plan B, something he’d been working on between films. He wasn’t planning to quit making movies yet, but he was taking this latest speed bump as a sign to get plan B ready.

  “It’s time to get serious about plan B, which a lot of people are going to hate. Starting with Jerry.”

  Jerry Vickers, his agent, walked through the door of the diner and slid onto the bench across from him just as Sijan arrived at this conclusion. Time to drop the reality bomb on Jerry.

  “Sijan.” Jerry nodded. Tynan scooted into the middle of the U-shaped booth but maintained his territory with a narrow-eyed warning glance. “How have you managed to give me the runaround in this pokey little town?”

  “Pokey? We prefer the word quaint. Did the studio send you out to babysit?”

  “You might say that. They want this scandal to disappear pronto. With the premiere coming up and the PR ready to roll out, they don’t want to see your name in a single headline unless it’s because you saved a little old man with CPR or landed an airplane during a mid-flight emergency.”

  “Got it.” Not that he had too much control over it. The tabloids had papers to sell, and his name sold papers. The more salacious the headline, the faster the papers flew off the stands.

  Renee stopped by for Jerry’s drink order before rushing off to seat some newcomers.

  Tynan speared Jerry with his locked and loaded gaze. “Everyone who knows Sijan knows that woman is lying through her bleached and capped teeth.”

  Sijan sat back and enjoyed his coffee, happy to let Ty go to bat for him. Hell, no matter what happened, he knew he’d be able to count on his family. He and his brothers were close. You took on one, you took on all five. They had each other’s backs.

  “He may sleep around, but he would never abandon his child.”

  Sijan coughed on his swallow of coffee and grimaced. “Gee thanks, Ty. For the record, I only slept around my first few months in Hollywood when I was young and stupid. And even then I was always careful. And I never took advantage of sweet young things. Ever.”

  “We know that, Sijan, but the studio wants to make sure the ticket-buying public knows that too. Just stay below the radar and we’ll all be happy.”

  “Not a problem, since I’ve decided to hang out here in Climax for a while.”

  “What? You can’t. I’ve scheduled meetings out in L.A. next week. We’ve got to make some decisions about your next couple of projects.”

  Tynan leaned forward into Jerry’s space. “Actually, he can, Jerry.”

  “Whoa. I forgot how much you and your brothers look alike.” Jerry stared back and forth between Sijan and Tynan. “Tynan, have you ever thought about act—”

  “Hell no. That’s Sijan’s gig, although, looking at him, I’m not sure why he does it. Why do you, Si?”

  Jerry all but sputtered. “What are you talking about? Look at him. Your brother is the hottest actor in Hollywood right now. He commands millions per film. Gets his pick of directors and actors to work with. He’s living the American dream, man.”

  Renee slid Jerry’s soda on the table. “My American dream is full of big tippers from L.A. Just saying.” She turned a shining smile on Jerry before refilling the coffee cups and moving on.

&nbs
p; “Then why doesn’t he look happy?” Tynan asked.

  Sijan sat waiting for the response. Jerry knew the pressure he was under. He’d been talking to Jerry about making some changes, only his agent kept tuning out what he didn’t want to hear. He didn’t want to hear his biggest client was considering a career change.

  Jerry glanced at him, doing a quick double take, finally noticing he didn’t look particularly happy. “Huh. What’s going on with you, Sijan?”

  “Well, I don’t think he’s PMSing,” Tynan said.

  Sijan shook his head. “I warned you a year ago that things need to change.”

  “What?” Jerry choked on his zero-calorie cola, looking like he was about to have a heart attack. “You were serious about that?”

  “Did you read the screenplay I passed along to you six months ago?”

  “Did some hot actress give it to you to read? Or your best friend from high school? I said I’d read it. Anything for you, Sijan.” Jerry started scanning the plastic menu as he read Dave’s specials. “Huh, don’t they have anything organic?”

  “Let’s just say this screenplay is important to me.” His voice was sharp with a jagged edge. “Have you listened to a thing I’ve said over the past year?”

  “You want me to make him disappear, Si? I can make it so even his own mother won’t remember him.” Tynan’s voice held just enough menace to shrink Jerry’s balls up in fear. “Why do you even bother with this bozo?”

  “I’m beginning to wonder myself, but the reality is he has a good eye for scripts. A few times I’ve passed on a script after reading it through, but Jerry gets a feeling or a vision or something and we go with it. Jerry’s gut feelings almost always pay off.”

  “Read the script already, Jerry,” Tynan said, turning his gaze on him.

  “Oh, hell. Is this the brother who used to do the Special Ops stuff?” Jerry’s face paled as his eyes darted to Tynan. “Look, we have two scripts in the queue with the hottest directors in Hollywood willing to sign on as soon as you do. We have to get back to Hollywood and sign those contracts.”

  “I don’t have to do anything until you read the script.” Sijan sat back in the booth, looking at Jerry. He was a great agent, but he was fighting any change to the status quo. And Sijan could out-stubborn Jerry any day. “I’m going to stay here in Climax until you’ve read the script and given it serious consideration.”

  “Sijan, I told Spielberg and Ridley we’d meet with them when we got back.” Jerry’s voice cracked. “And Angelina.”

  “Then you’ll have to read fast,” Sijan said, totally unconcerned. “Won’t you?”

  “Damn it, I threw the script away, all right? Six months ago, you were deep into what might be an Oscar-winning performance. You knew the studio was strongly suggesting the one Spielberg and Bruckheimer were both drooling over, so I didn’t see the point.”

  “The point was, Jerry, he asked you to,” Tynan said.

  Jerry looked out the diner window and grinned as if playing his last card of a winning hand. “Looks like the paparazzi finally tracked you down. And you know they’re like killer bees. They don’t attack one at a time, but in a swarm. You’ll have to head back to L.A. to escape.”

  Sijan glanced outside the windows with a frown. “What did you do, call them and give them my location?”

  “I never liked this guy.” Tynan looked over at Sijan. “I could make him vapor. No one would ask any questions.”

  Jerry’s face paled as his eyes darted to Tynan.

  “I express mailed a copy to your office this morning,” Sijan told him. “Go back to L.A. and read the damn script, Jerry. I’m not leaving Climax until you’re done.”

  Jerry looked like he was going to argue until his eyes locked with Sijan’s stubborn stare. He pulled some bills out of his wallet to cover his drink and a tip. “Fine. I’ll fly back, push back the meetings with all the interested parties, and read the script.”

  “I will know every time you turn a page or take a piss,” Tynan said in a cold-as-sharp-steel voice.

  “I’m out. I’ll call as soon as I’ve finished it,” Jerry said, backing out of the side door of the restaurant. “And you, sta—”

  “Stay out of the headlines. I got it.”

  Sijan and Tynan watched him rush past the paparazzi to his rental car. He laid down rubber on his way out of the parking lot.

  The brothers stayed silent for a minute.

  “Well, that was fun. Thanks for letting me play with your agent,” Tynan said.

  “You’re welcome. Normally, I wouldn’t, because you can seriously be one scary dude,” Sijan said. “But he deserved it.”

  “So, you wrote a screenplay, huh? You can tell me all about it over a beer at the VFW tonight. You’re buying.” Tynan got up from the table, rubbing his hands together. “But right now, let’s go and have some fun with your paparazzi.”

  Chapter Two

  A very had to admit, from the moment she saw him in the flesh: Sijan Cates was one very hot man. And having spent a few years acting in Hollywood, she’d been up close to some very fine male specimens. She was surprised to admit she couldn’t pull her gaze away from his tall, muscled body, strong jaw, and bad-boy smile, complete with slashing dimples. Something in his smile swirled heat low in her belly. Her breath snagged when his silver gray eyes flashed over the crowd.

  She ripped her gaze away to the almost carbon copy standing next to him. That had to be his brother, although his eyes were a different color. She’d never seen anyone actually look dangerous. Until Carbon Copy. Together, these men gave off enough pheromones and testosterone to alter the DNA of everyone around them.

  And looking around, Avery could see plenty of women anxious to let them alter anything they wanted to. Cripes, she had forgotten what this was like.

  “Not used to seeing it from the other side, are you?” Pia said. “Exciting, huh?”

  “That’s one word for it. So, just to be clear, I’m in love with the guy on the right, yes? Not the edgy one?”

  “Yes. The edgy one is one of his four brothers,” Pia said. “Not the cop. You talked to him when we were scoping the town out yesterday. I’m not sure which one, but I’ll happily research that if you need me to. I mean a ‘true’ fan would probably know, right?”

  “Pia, one photo, that’s all I need. We don’t need to turn this into a method acting session. It’s bad enough you made me put on these clothes. Has anyone ever told you you’d make a very good pimp?” Avery said without taking her focus off Sijan Cates. She was looking for her best entrance, kind of like finding the best place to jump into a double-dutch jump rope game.

  “Hey, you needed to look like a true groupie. And the extra cleavage is to help you get the photographer’s attention, so stop complaining.” Pia looked Avery over. “People always underestimate what we wardrobe people can do. Not everyone can pull off a Marilyn Monroe–meets–Daisy Duke look. You’ve got a very nice ‘I’m hot and willing to put out’ vibe going on.”

  “Yeah, I probably just single-handedly set the feminist movement back ten years.” In Hollywood, beauty was a commodity. Avery treated hers like a weapon in her arsenal that she usually just ignored. Today, though, she used it to her tactical advantage.

  “They’re walking this way. I’ve got my Sharpie and—darn, I forgot something for his autograph. Quick, peek through my purse and grab out a piece of paper.” Avery stayed cool and focused while Sijan worked his way down the line of screaming female fans, signing autographs and avoiding hands like a pro.

  “Here.” Pia shoved a paper in her hand.

  Avery glanced down, checking both sides of the paper. “Ack! No, that’s the annual company expense report for our accountant. Never mind, I’m up.”

  While she might agree with Pia that this could end up in a train wreck, Avery still had to try. Matching wits and acting skills with movie star Sijan Cates? Dangerous. Watching Tansy waste away before her eyes? Heartbreaking. She’d take danger over heartbreak a
ny day.

  ***

  Sijan kept the smile on his face as he worked his way down the long line of screaming fans. And at this point in his career, it was work. He didn’t mind the autographs, but the hands that shoved phone numbers, love notes, hotel room keys, and panties anywhere they would fit on his person got old years ago. The hands that reached out to grab him were worse, feeling like a true invasion of his privacy.

  These weren’t Climax locals, that was for sure. He didn’t recognize these women, and Climax was one of those small towns where everyone knew everybody. It was a sure bet Jerry had released his location to a radio station in nearby Greensboro or Raleigh to flush him back out to L.A. Fine. He’d meet and greet with his fans, let the paparazzi take their pictures, and then head to his parents’ house or his farm, where he could relax with friends and family. He and Jerry might be stuck in a Mexican standoff, but he sure as heck would enjoy his end of it.

  “Holy Christ,” Tynan said from beside him.

  “Yeah, you get used to it. Just part of the job,” Sijan said, moving on to the next teenage girl and her mother in line.

  “No,” Tynan said, shaking his head and nudging Sijan’s attention further up the line. “Yeah, there. You do not get used to that.”

  “Sweet Baby Jesus.” Sijan stopped moving, his attention frozen, so that Tynan, also staring up ahead, ran into him.

  Sijan and Tynan looked at each other and said, “The hot blonde.”

  Yesterday the Climax Grapevine had been on fire about a “hot blonde” seen talking to his brother Quinn. Looking at her, it was no wonder Delaney, Sijan’s future sister-in-law, had been knocked for a loop. Hell, he was around beautiful women all the time and he was knocked for a loop.

  “I’m not getting enough blood to my brain,” Tynan said. “If you know what I mean.”

  “She’s still a groupie,” Sijan reminded both of them.

  “That does not seem to bother me one iota,” Tynan said.