Abbi’s phone buzzed from the nightstand, and when she looked up at me with her wide, terrified eyes, all I wanted to do was run out of the room. She swore under her breath as she picked up the phone with shaky hands and answered. “Paul?”
Who the fuck was this Paul?
“No, I’m not at my apartment. Are you there?” she asked hysterically while looking around the room as if she was looking for an escape. “You’re still in Virginia?” She couldn’t hide her apparent relief that whoever this Paul was, he wasn’t in California. “And you saw the news?”
I continued to stand in the doorway and watch as Abbi nervously talked to this Paul. Why was I dying to know who he was? It wasn’t like this was a real marriage.
“I met Reeves a month ago and . . . ”
I could hear a shout of “Only a month?”
Abbi chewed on the inside of her cheek as tears filled her eyes before she continued. “We hike on the same trail, and one day I twisted my ankle, and he came to help.” Her cheeks turned a dark pink as she pulled at the hem of her dress. “We wanted to keep our relationship quiet.” I heard a shout, but couldn’t make out the words. “I know it wasn’t quiet, and I’m sorry for not thinking of you when he asked me to marry him. I should have known you’d want to be there.” A tear slipped down her cheek as her chin trembled.
“I’m sorry you had to hear about it on the news. I should have called you. Catherine . . . ”
There was more shouting that I tuned out. My sole focus was on Abbi and the heartbreak that was written all over her face. Had she married me when she was in a relationship was some other man? Did she love him? I didn’t envy him when he found out that information.
“I’ll see you next month.” There was a long pause before she quietly spoke. “I love you, too.” Abbi ended her call and then curled up on the bed, turning away from me. After a few moments, Abbi cleared her throat and shakily said. “I’d like a few moments alone if you don’t mind.”
I guess I wouldn’t be finding out who Paul was anytime soon. Turning to walk out, I watched her swipe at a tear before I called over my shoulder.
“I’ll be outside if you need me.”
Chapter Seven
Abbi
When I heard Reeves close the door, a sob broke loose as Paul’s words continued on a loop in my head. Disappointment. I couldn’t get his voice out of my head and how disappointed he was in me. I knew Paul would be mad, but I had no idea he would be that mad. You’ve ruined your life.
While I wasn’t happy with my newfound situation, I hadn’t ruined my life. I knew my life was going to change, although I had no idea how much. I knew women would hate me just like they hated any woman who snagged one of Hollywood’s hottest bachelors. But I still had my dream job, and that’s all that mattered. The worst part was I knew that in a year’s time, I would be disappointing my brother once again when I got divorced. He’d probably tell me he told me so and laugh in my face. No, he wouldn’t go that far, but it would feel like it. I hated that I’d let him down and lied to him.
At least Reeves wasn’t all bad. He’d saved me at the hotel and stood up to his father for me. I hoped that man wouldn’t be making regular appearances around here because I wasn’t sure how I would put up with him.
Once my tears dried up, I went into the bathroom and washed my face. When I spotted the shower, I wanted nothing more than to wash the day off of me and relax, but I’d do that later. My stomach growled, making itself known. I hadn’t eaten all day, and now I was ravenous. Crying did that to a girl. I decided I’d go find Reeves and see if he was hungry, and then I could make us dinner.
I didn’t see Reeves as I walked through the house, so I decided to search for him outside. I definitely wasn’t going to bother him if he was in his bedroom. God only knew what that man would be doing in there.
I wasn’t sure I would have seen him if the back wall wasn’t lit. The place had multiple fire pits throughout the yard, making it feel nice and cozy. Reeves was at the back of the property lying on a couch and looking up at the night sky with the light of the firepit illuminating him. I hated to bother him, but I also wanted to eat, and this didn’t feel like my house yet, not that I was sure it ever would, so I didn’t want to start rummaging through his cabinets until I talked to him.
“Reeves,” I quietly called out as I stopped a few feet away from him.
Slowly turning his head to look at me, Reeves ran his hand over his face. “Yes, Abbi?”
Clasping my hands in front of me, I wrung them together. “I was wondering if you were hungry. I could make something?” I wasn’t sure why I ended it with a question, but I did. Maybe it was because I was nervous after interrupting him when he’d looked so peaceful.
Swinging his legs down, so his feet met the ground, Reeves sat up. His face shone of exhaustion as he looked up at me. “I don’t really feel like going out, so how about we order some takeout?”
“We don’t have to do that. I can make something for us.” If I cooked, it would make the house seem more like home.
Standing to his full height, he towered over me and clutched the back of his neck with his hand. “The thing is, I don’t have any food in the house.”
“What?” My gaze locked on his. “How do you not have any food in your house?”
He shrugged as he started inside. “I normally eat lunch on set and either pick something up or order something for dinner when I’m done for the day.”
“What about breakfast?” I asked as I trailed along behind him until we were standing at the kitchen counter. It was a shame he didn’t use his beautiful kitchen with all its top of the line appliances.
“Coffee” was his one-word answer.
At least we had something in common.
Reeves pulled out a pile of takeout menus and fanned them out on the counter. “Since it’s your first night here, I’ll let you have your pick.”
The number of menus was overwhelming, and most of them were from fancy-ass restaurants that had long descriptions that I didn’t want to read. “Can we just order a pizza or something?”
He looked up suddenly. “You eat carbs?”
Of course, he was used to women who never ate real food.
Throwing the menus back in a drawer, he didn’t bother to look up as he pulled out his phone and started pressing on the screen. “What kind of pizza do you want?”
“Whatever you like. My only request is that it has to have pineapple on it.” I bit my lip as I tried to hold in my laughter at his pinched face. When he could only open and close his mouth, I finally burst out laughing. “I’m only kidding. Pineapple does not belong on pizza.”
He slumped over on the counter as if it was a huge relief. “You had me worried there for a minute. I thought I was going to have to kick you out and then have to deal with Catherine.”
“I wouldn’t blame you for a second. Once I have my car here, I’ll hit up the grocery store so I can make dinner from now on.”
Reeves sat his phone down and scrutinized every inch of me before he opened his mouth. I watched as he slowly licked his kissable lower lip and spoke words that I couldn’t comprehend. I wanted to feel his mouth against mine. Shaking my head, I tried to concentrate on what he was saying.