A New York Love Story (21 page)

So, no new love for the Prince of Hollywood. We wonder if he is still suffering for the beautiful Alice Brown. Is this statement intended to reassure his ex? The actress doesn't seem to have forgotten him yet. Last week she appeared at a charity event in LA, looking seriously skinny and very pale.

Clover's head suddenly felt heavy and her throat was on fire. She stopped reading, her vision blurred. Cade's words were echoing in her mind…
I am trying to have a good time during my holidays, like every other normal young man has the right to do… The shots that show me with that young lady have been artfully chosen to create a scoop – they don't demonstrate anything. I have more compromising photos in my family album than these…

… A good time
? Had she only been this for him? A fleeting moment of fun – like a bachelor party – after his breakup with the beautiful Alice, who was perhaps still waiting for him in LA? She felt overwhelmed by a wave of disturbing thoughts. She recalled her mother's words and those of Eric… and her own conscious and unconscious doubts resurfaced.

Cade was a celebrity, gorgeous and very rich: he was definitely out of her league. His attention and sweetness, his kisses and passionate caresses, had made her forget he was an actor, and in fact a very skilled actor! He had convinced the whole country to view him as a dying soldier… so to convince a silly young woman like her that he was in love should be a piece of cake!

Tears of disappointment, pain, and anger streamed down her face. Now she understood why he hadn't called her all afternoon. He knew that he had released that hateful statement and didn't know how to tell her. He probably hoped to have a little more time for
fun
, but he had been caught in the act and now had to change his plans quickly. His public image was at stake, maybe he even had problems with his ex… He hadn't worried at all about her feelings when reading that statement… his only concern was to make sure the paparazzi wouldn't discover where he lived.

Feeling physically ill, she suddenly stood up and went over the window to check the street. Cade's suspicions were right: someone had followed her. A man was sitting outside on a low wall, and for sure he wasn't there just to get some fresh air in the snow!

“Damn it!” She threw her hat on the floor. Well, if Cade didn't give a shit about her feelings, neither did she about his. She wouldn't remain silent and simply endure this humiliation. She flew out of the house, furious, and knocked on Cade's door with all her might. She looked back and noticed that the reporter was now standing, pretending to be indifferent…

Cade opened the door, but remained in the shadows. “Clover! Damn it! A guy has followed you, didn't you notice him?”

“Yes, I've noticed him, but I don't care, you
butt signing
asshole!”

Cade took her hand, quickly pulling her inside, and closed the door. She thought that this move would confirm the reporter's suspicions.

“What's going on?” Cade asked her, still checking the journalist's movements in the street.

“I have just a couple of things to say to you… and, unlike you, I want to say it to your face!”

“What?”

“Don't pretend you don't know! I read your denial online, and what really bothers me is that it was
my mother
who told me about it… and I, being so naïve, thought
you
might have told me!”

“Tell you what?”

“…that I have been nothing but a quick little fling for you! A bit of fun! A rebound to recover after your stressful breakup with your ex, a worthless Christmas afterthought!” Clover felt a lump in her throat, but she didn't allow herself to cry. She didn't want to give him that satisfaction too.

Cade seemed sincerely confused, but now that she knew his actor's talent so well – he couldn't fool her any more. “Is this one of those moments when you get totally carried away, and there's no chance of stopping you?” he asked, trying to win her over with a smile.

“Don't dare use your charm with me!” Clover continued, getting more furious and shaking her finger at him. “After your official statement, you don't need to make any useless effort… it's too late, now that you went public!”

“What's the matter, Clover? Are you angry because of my denial? What did you want? Would you really want me to confirm everything?” Cade looked more and more perplexed.

“Confirming
what
… That you're seeing a
stranger
? Oh no! Your ex is still waiting for you, skinny and pale; so you can't spoil everything by saying that you're dating another woman!”

“Listen, Alice has nothing to do with us, and you know it very well.”

“I know just one thing very well: you did a lot for me for the pure purpose of getting me into bed! You didn't have to work too hard, right? Who knows? Maybe this whole story may be good for me too, eventually. To fuck a movie star… it doesn't happen so often, right?” Clover smiled, resentfully. “I will tell this story for years to come… and if people don't believe me, I can always show them the sleazy tabloid pictures – in fact, why don't I just frame them for future generations!”

Cade's hurt and sad gaze seemed authentic. “Seriously, is
this
all you're getting at?”

Clover was puzzled. He didn't understand anything. To take the time to wonder about his reaction could have changed her mind, but instead she was feeling even more embittered and disappointed. “You wanted to act the role of Prince Charming and I let you do it. It's evident now that even on holiday you need to be an actor… you need people to remind you who you are! You told me this, and I didn't forget it.” She squeezed her fist until she felt her finger nails sticking painfully into her palms. “You could have spared yourself all that mushy, corny stuff! You could have gotten straight to the point. Just a good fuck and we wouldn't even end up on a tabloid's cover. Too late.” She gave him an icy look and moved towards the door. Her rage was leaving her, making way for a growing sense of sadness and a strong desire to cry. She needed to leave that house, immediately.

“I can't believe what you just said.” Cade said with husky voice.

Clover stared at him. He looked hurt, angry, sad, and incredulous, but she was too upset and confused to understand whether or not he was being sincere. She shrugged. “It's not important. Also I don't believe anything a consummate actor says.”

“You couldn't be more wrong, Clover.”

Clover gave him a half smile. “Let's be serious, Cade. Even if it were all true, it wouldn't last anyway.”

“How can you know that?”

“Listen, you and I are worlds apart, literally. Why would you want a
young lady
who is normal anyway? My mother is right, you're out of my league! For a moment she was afraid that she would have to congratulate me, but after your
very
public denial, she breathed a sigh of relief.”

“What the hell should I have done?” Cade moved towards her. “I suppose I could have confirmed everything… and then what?”

“Oh – do you mean after your return to LA? Well, I would be written off as Cade Harrison's Christmas' love affair – I guess that's still better than being described as less compromising than a family photograph!”

“If it's so important to you, I can still give you some notoriety. It would be enough if I were to kiss when you leave, in front of that reporter outside. But do you know what will be written on the papers tomorrow? That I was giving a farewell kiss to my secret mistress before returning home. Yes, because now going back to LA is the only rational thing I can do, since you showed that journalist where I live!” He passed a hand through his hair, his eyes suddenly expressionless. “Sorry if I didn't give you more coverage in the tabloids. I'm so stupid to think that I was doing you a favor!”

“You're doing me a favor now.” Clover backed towards the door, “I don't give a damn about missing the chance to bask in your bright reflection!”

She ran home, her sight blurry. Yes, he should go back to LA! It was the best solution, so she wouldn't be forced to see him around. It should serve as a lesson for her! Just in case she might be so stupid another time, deluding herself about the possibility of living a fairy tale.

Cade believed that she was looking for fame, anxious to let the whole world know she made love to a movie star – he obviously had a very low opinion of her!

She began sobbing as soon as she got back home. The Christmas paraphernalia inside made her feel even worse. The lights, the decorations, the mistletoe, all seemed to mock her and emphasize her sense of loneliness and failure. She had made that stupid wish during the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree under the illusion that it would be heard – such a silly girl!

To tell the truth, even though she actually
had been
desired
by a man like him – this wasn't what she really wanted. The wish she was granted lasted for only a fleeting moment – it wasn't going to last for life.

Her fleeting moment with Cade Harrison had already gone.

He had forgotten how hot the blazing sun could be in California, even in December. It was strange to wear just a t-shirt instead of a heavy sweater… strange to hear the sound of ocean waves instead of the muffled silence of the snow. It felt odd to be in the huge villa, that he once considered his refuge and which now seemed so empty.

The Christmas songs on the radio seemed out of place in a city without snow and a holiday atmosphere. This music sounded wrong in a place without Clover. He hadn't seen her for two weeks, and he missed her as if he hadn't seen her for years! He kept thinking of the few intense days they spent together, full of passion, sweetness and cheerfulness. He was touching the snow globe that she gave him, repeating to himself how foolish he had been.

He had been unable to deal with the whole situation. When he gave the statement to his press office, he didn't realize how cold and impersonal it might sound. Actually, he was used to ignoring gossip and rumors, both true and false. In this case, with his denial, he wanted to protect Clover, and the intimacy that was beginning to grow between them. Instead, the result had been a disaster.

He had left New York that same evening, with bruised feelings and heartache at the thought of never seeing her again. Instead, he saw her on TV only two days later! Apparently, the paparazzi had been lurking outside her house, trying to figure out how she was dealing with his sudden departure for LA. They didn't get very far. The brief video clip showed only a young woman, walking alone, apparently quite calm, her face partially hidden by a scarf. But for him to see her like this had been like an awful punch to the gut. His sweet, bubbly Clover seemed like a ghost in those images. She walked with her head down, dressed all in black. The only note of color was her red hair peeking out from under her hat. Cade would give anything to see her smile with those adorable dimples again… even more to know what she must be thinking.

The doubt that she had just been using him for publicity and ambition had tormented him for a while. But deep down he knew that Clover, behind her mischievous elf mask, was incredibly honest and not a social climber at all.

Let's be serious, Cade. Even if it were all true, it wouldn't last anyway
…
Listen, you and I are worlds apart, literally
. Her words were haunting him, and he couldn't stand the thought that she might have considered him to be a liar the whole time.

Was Clover truly convinced that a future for them together wasn't possible? Hadn't she really understood how important she had become for him in such a short time?

He didn't know how to show her that he was crazy about her. He wanted her to believe that he didn't
act
, although he was an actor… he had thought hundreds of times to write, or to call her. He had even thought of mailing her the check for her work as his personal shopper, a thing that probably would make her angry. Given her explosive temper, she would probably take a flight to LA just to give him a piece of her mind – right to his face! Actually, it would be wonderful to open the door and find her right there…

At that moment he heard the doorbell and almost laughed.
Something like this doesn't happen even in a B movie
, he thought, opening the door. Yet, his heart was beating fast and he felt a deep disappointment when he saw his mother. His face must have betrayed his feelings, since Grace Harrison said with an ironic tone, “You seem disappointed, sweetie. Were you waiting for someone else?”

“Mom, did you come to lecture me?” Cade sighed, letting her in.

“I did!” she exclaimed, smoothing her long blonde hair with her hand. “Your brother told me you're not sure if you want to come to New York with us. Is this true?”

“His status of favorite son has sure made Jake a real big mouth…” Cade mumbled, perching on the arm of the sofa.

“… and this really helps a mother who has become too old to deal with her children's tantrums a lot.” Grace shook her head with a tired air, “Cade, I didn't think you were such a coward. I find your behavior truly disappointing.”

“What are you talking about?”

“First you run away from LA to avoid a confrontation with Alice, instead of facing her and telling her directly everything she deserved to hear, especially after all her lies and the mess she created for you with the media. You decide to hide in New York and force whole your family to go there for Christmas, so you wouldn't be alone. Then you fall for a girl, the paparazzi catch you in the act, and what do you do? You run away again and return home with your tail between your legs!”

“As far as Alice is concerned, you know very well that I simply didn't want to sink to her level. Actually, I even said too much. She didn't deserve an ounce of my consideration!”