My Life With The Movie Star (12 page)

I looked out the back windows and gazed at his Olympic-size pool with swim-up bar and waterfall. Somehow, I didn’t think that would make me feel any better or any less out of place. Lisa darted off to get her swimsuit on, and I sat down to take in the events of the morning. Grayson had a beautiful assistant and a house that belongs on Cribs, and
me? How did I ever fit into this equation? I wondered how long Lisa would let me sit and think before she insisted that I go for a swim. I was starting to unpack my things when I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

“Now this is what I like coming home too,” said Grayson as he walked into his room.

“Oh, Gray!” I exclaimed. I rushed over to him and throw my arms around him before I could wake up from this dream. I needed to check and make sure he was real.

“Hi, baby,” he said. He stroked my back and brushed the hair out of my face.

I looked up into his brown eyes, and somehow things started to feel better and safe again. He looked down and gave me a passionate kiss.

“I have missed you so much,” I said

“I have missed you too. What do you think of the house?”

“Do you really need to ask? It’s wonderful. I can go swimming in your tub, and I think I could live in your closet. My house must have seemed so small to you.”

“You could use a bigger closet, but your house is perfect; it suits you,” he said

“
What
’s
, old and boring?”

“No, special and unique,” he replied. He started to kiss me again. “Alone at last!”

“Not for long,” said Melissa, knocking on the door as she entered. “Sorry Grayson, but she needs to pick out a dress now.”

She brought in a rack of trendy designer dresses. They were all a bit edgy, but my guess was that since this was an MTV event, you didn’t wear a ball gown.

“Oh, Abby, I told Lisa to come on up when she was done sunning,” said Melissa.

“Thanks.”

“I will leave you girls to have at it,” said Grayson. He gently kissed the top of my head before heading out the door.

“Grayson mentioned that this was your first red-carpet event,” said Melissa. “You seem so different to the girls he normally brings.”

“What do you mean by that?” I asked.

“Grayson’s type is normally actresses or models – girls who have experience being at events with photographers. I will have to run through the basic red-carpet etiquette with you. The most basic rule is people, Grayson’s fans and photographers are not coming to see you; they are coming to see Grayson and Holly. So when you are on the red carpet, you will stand next to me in the back.”

“O
kay
. What else do I need to know?” I asked, feeling like I should be taking down notes.

“When Grayson is posing for pictures, get out of the way. He has to pose with Holly on the red carpet. She will be by his side until we enter the building, so you will have only a limited amount of time to interact with him before the show starts.”

“Oh,” I said, trying not to sound too disappointed.

“Grayson and Holly are nominated for Best Kiss and Couple,” Melissa went on. “My guess is they will win both. Be prepared for them to kiss on stage. I really need you to keep your jealousy intact; I do not need drama that night.”

“No problem,” I said, hoping that I could stand to see another woman act as Grayson’s date right in front of me.

“You will be sitting with me, behind Grayson and Holly. “

I started to wonder why Grayson had even invited me to this event. It seems like everyone will think he’s with Holly. I wondered who her date was and whether I was expected to hang out with him.

“Once the show is over, we will all be attending the studio after-party. Your friend, Lisa, will meet us at that point. After he’s in the party, he is all yours for the rest of the night.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll keep all that in mind.”

Melissa started to show me all the different dress options. I chose a bright-blue dress with light beading and a bit of a rocker edge to it. It was short and devilishly sexy. My legs looked like they went on for miles. Melissa had some silver strappy sandals for me also.

After we had picked out my dress, Melissa had Gray come up and try on his suit.

“Did you have fun?” he asked after he had changed back into his clothes

“I guess it was fun. Melissa gave me a rundown of all the rules for this event,” I said.

“Rules? What rules?” Gray asked, looking concerned.

“How I should stay in the background because nobody is there to see me, and how you have to take pictures with Holly. Those kind of rules.”

“Well, I hope Melissa wasn’t too harsh with you. The studio is on her back to make sure this is perfect. I am obligated to take pictures with Holly and accept an award if we win, but you’re my date.”

“I didn’t know you were nominated for an award,” I said.

“Don’t you watch MTV? Everyone could vote on who wins,” he replied.

“I guess I don’t,” I said. I didn’t want to tell Grayson that I couldn’t afford basic cable.

“Now we have all the formal things out of the way, I thought it would be fun to stay in tonight and have a couple cast members from
Texas High
over.”

“Sure, who’s coming over?”

“Well, Patrick for one thing, and I also invited Holly.”

“Holly?” I asked, a bit startled to hear him say her name.

“I think it would be good for you two to meet before Saturday. Maybe you guys will hit it off and be friends,” Grayson said hopefully.

I knew it would make his life easier if I did get along with Holly and wasn’t a jealous girlfriend. “Is Holly brining a date to the event?”

“She might; just like Lisa, she always has a few guys who are willing to go with her to events.”

I knew Grayson was right: I should meet Holly. I just wish I had enough guts to tell I wanted to spend that night alone with him. However, since Lisa was also along, I guess we were certainly never going to be all alone. I would have to hold out for my next trip to have his undivided attention.

“It’s almost dinner time,” said Gray. “You must be hungry. I guess you were cooped up in my room most of the day. I hope Melissa didn’t work you too hard. I will need to remind her that you eat. Most girls in LA don’t.”

“I’m fine. I wasn’t really hungry,” I lied. I had been famished for hours, but wasn’t going to leave his house in search of food.

“Do you like Chinese? I can order some takeout?”

“I love Chinese.”

“Great, I’ll go order a few things,” Grayson said.

I listened until I could tell he was down the stairs, and then I ran into Lisa’s room in a panic.

“Hey, Lisa, Patrick and Holly are coming over tonight,” I stammered.

“Tonight? I had hoped we would have one night to relax.” Lisa started throwing clothes out of her suitcase, trying to find something to wear. “What are you going to wear?”

“I have no idea! I was hoping you would.”

Lisa thought for a few seconds. “You have that great silver tank top that shows off your back … and put on the jeans we bought you.”

“Thanks, Lisa; you are hired as my stylist.”

“You couldn’t afford me,” Lisa teased.

I ran back to Gray’s room and decided to jump in the shower, which was easier said than done. His shower was a complicated mess of knobs and facets. I had no idea how to turn it on. Just then there was a knock at the door, and Grayson walked in.

“I thought you might not know how to turn it on,” he said. “All you need to do is turn this knob for the main faucet and these for the wall faucets.”

“Do you want to join me?” I asked with a smile.

“I thought you would never ask.”

Gray turned on the shower, and the room started to get warm and steamy. He quickly removed his clothes and boxer briefs, and I dropped my towel around my feet. At this moment, I was in heaven. I started to run my fingers through his hair. Today could not get any better.

Chapter 16

Once I was out of the shower and drying my hair, I couldn’t believe how happy I was to be  in LA, with Grayson. I had to start enjoying myself – every moment. How often in life would I have people pampering me and helping put my look together? Grayson loved me, and that was all that mattered. He could have had any girl in LA, including Holly, but he chose me – and now he wanted to show me off to his friends, which was why he had invited them over. I truly had to adjust my attitude. I put on my sexy top and jeans, took one last look, and decided I looked hot.

I went downstairs and realized that I had not seen most of the house yet, as I had been stuck in his room the whole day. This house really should be on Cribs, I thought, as I admired the large formal living room and dining room. The dining-room table could easily seat twelve people. It was made from a dark wood, maybe oak? He also had a china cabinet in the dining room, and I wondered who could have picked that out for him. It seemed odd in a bachelor pad.

I walked through the dining room and found a media center with the biggest TV I had ever seen. The seats in the media center were like a movie theater seats. He also had a massive collection of DVDs displayed, along with movie posters from
Texas High
, and
Crystal Caldron
.

I walked past a bar that had been decorated to look like an English pub and entered an immense gourmet kitchen that I would die for. Grayson was in there unpacking the Chinese food that had been delivered. I wondered how much cooking he actually did. I thought back to what
Melissa said about what a waste. She was right. Julia Child would  be jealous of this kitchen.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“No, you are my guest. You can relax, and I will make you a drink. What would you like?”

“Vodka tonic.” That would help calm my nerves down.

J
u
st then, Lisa bounced into the room overcome with excitement. I knew she was wondering where Patrick’s house was and how it compared. In Lisa’s mind, I’m sure she had herself married off to him by now, with us as her best friends and neighbors.

“You look great, Lisa,” I said.

“Just Patrick’s type,” chimed in Grayson. I was glad that he was in on the setup. It would be nice to have a close couple to go to events with.

“What is his type?” Lisa asked carefully. She sat down and started to pick at her food.

“Let me think … beautiful women. To be honest, Patrick doesn’t date much. I’m not really sure what his type is.”

Texas High
was Patrick’s first adult role. He was a few years younger than Gray and had only been in kid’s movies before. I knew from Gray that he barely got the part in
Texas High
and that the studio had almost cut him a few times, but he was the surprise breakout star of the movie. I believe his age played a role in that. Grayson was twenty-four, while Patrick was around eighteen – much closer in age to his teenage fans. Patrick also had a more exotic look, and since he played a football player, he had to tone up more than Grayson did.

“Really? He could have any girl he wanted,” said Lisa.

“That’s the problem. You always have to wonder about people’s motives when you date someone outside the
industry … or inside the industry for that matter,” Gray explained.

“What about Melissa?” Lisa asked. “Would he ever date someone like her?”

I know Lisa thought I wanted to know this, but I honestly didn’t. I would make a mental note to kill her later on.

“Melissa is an employee of the studio. They pay her to run my house and life while I’m working on the project. Melissa also wants to be an actress or model. She’s a great example of everyone in LA: someone trying to be found. I wouldn’t date her because she would get crazy with the attention and try to use me to advance her career. I’m sure that Patrick would feel the same.”

“A simple no, I love Abby would have been
okay
too,” said Lisa.

“Well, that too,” Grayson replied.

I could tell he was blushing. I was flattered by his reaction. “What time are people coming over?” I asked.

“In an hour or so.”

We all finished eating, and I insisted that Lisa and I would clean up. Just as we were finishing up in the kitchen, I heard a strange bell.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The gate bell. Patrick has arrived.” Grayson said. I checked the security monitor a Porsche drive up and park.

“See Lisa, he owns a Porsche,” I teased.

Lisa was studying the screen intensely, trying to make out the car’s model. Grayson walked through the foyer to let Patrick in. Lisa and I just stood looking like goofballs in the door way.

“Hey, Pat! Glad you could come over,” Grayson said.

“Thanks, man,” said Patrick.