Finding Jordie: Things aren't always what they seem. (The Love Lies Bleeding Series Book 1) (11 page)

“Jordie, are you okay? What’s going on?” He grilled me, shouting over the mob. “Lizette is taking Brandon to school. Let me get Emma out of here for you.”

All I could do was nod. Lizette had made it up to the steps and started to guide Emma down. I stopped them and leaned in so I was face to face with my daughter.

“It’s fine, baby. I promise. As soon as I know what this is about I’ll tell you, but right now I want you out of here. Go to school with Brandon. Don’t worry. I’ll pick you up later.”

She hugged me. “I love you, Mommy.”

Ted and Lizette kept her close in between them as they pushed their way back through the mass of...
what is this? Paparazzi? Here?
The crowd was thunderous by then, and I still had no idea what any of it was about.

Rachel held up Page Six of the
New York Post
and shoved it in my face, oblivious to the crowd snapping pictures and shouting over one another.

“Page Six, Jordie! I
knew
he looked familiar! Jesus effing Christ, you vultures, get out of here!” she screamed at the horde, still trying to get my attention.

I heard the door open and Nathan stepped out, shirtless, jeans on, top button undone, and barefoot. He grabbed each of us by an arm and pulled us inside, slamming the door behind him.

“Get upstairs,” he barked, running both his hands through his hair.

Rachel and I gave each other an “oh shit” face and simultaneously ran up the stairs, Nathan right behind us. I busted through the door to my apartment and snatched the paper from Rachel’s hand.

“Hey!” she yelled at me, but I shot her a look and she shut her mouth.

“Coffee,” she declared with her pointer fingers in the air as she went to the kitchen.

I opened the paper to Page Six and there it was. A picture of Nathan and me kissing, another of us hugging, one of him looking right at the camera, then the last one of his head buried in my shoulder.

Rachel came back in with two cups of coffee. “Close your mouth, sweetie. You’re beginning to drool.” She handed me one of them. “He’s from that handicapped zombie movie. I
knew
I’d seen him before.” She was glaring over her shoulder at Nathan, who was still standing there shirtless, his eyes fixated on me.

“What? A handicapped zombie movie, Rachel? What are you talking about? Aren’t all zombies handicapped?” I shook my head, confused and amused at her description. “Of course they’re handicapped. They’re dead!” I managed a small laugh, still staring at the paper. “Wait. Stop, before we get off track here.” I looked up at Nathan, then back down again at the paper. I rubbed my face with one hand trying to take in everything that had just happened.

“Rooftop, now, both of you.” I grabbed my keys deciding to use the hallway door to get to the roof.

“Ohhhh, she’s pissed. She’s using the door,” Rachel taunted Nathan.

“Shut up and come on,” I hissed at her loudly. “Lock the bottom lock, please,” I yelled down to her.

“I need to grab my hoodie. I’ll be up in a second,” Nathan said.

“Nate Harper finds love in the Big Apple.” I read the headline out loud. He must have heard me as he climbed off the fire escape. He sat next to me.

“I-I-I planned on telling you today. Those women promised not to sell them, and I saw her erase them. She must have sent them to someone or something before I caught up with them. I begged them not to, that it was... that
you
were important to me, and I needed time to explain it to you.” He struggled with his words, quietly, shaking his head.

“Oh, you have some explaining to do!” Rachel chimed in, of course.

I looked up at her, pursing my lips, and narrowed my eyes.

“What the fuck, Jordie? You were just ambushed by a shit show of paps, and he saunters out of your apart—”

“Just stop with the mouth for five minutes,
please,
Rachel,” I interrupted her. “I love you, I know you have the best intentions, but this is just too overwhelming.”

I shifted my body towards Nathan. His hands were in his hair and his face was between his forearms, looking down.

“Hey, look at me.”

“I can’t... I am so sorry, Jordan.”

Rachel waved her hand to get my attention and mouthed, “Jordan?” She was shocked. I didn’t normally tell people my real name.

I waved my hand at her, dismissing what she said.

“I was such an idiot to think I could keep this... contained... and normal for you and Emma. I am
so
sorry,” he moaned.

I felt terrible. He sounded so defeated, and I could feel the desperation swell in the pit of my stomach.
This isn’t
that
bad, is it?

“Seriously, look at me.” I tugged at his forearm.

He peeked up. His blue eyes were so sad.

Rachel gasped and got to her feet. “I’m going home. Where are the keys to the truck? I’ll pick up Emma and bring her to my place for tonight so you can get this sorted out. I’ll pack her a bag. It’s Tuesday—Carlos should be able to handle my shift tonight. I’ll call him. Don’t worry.”

“She has cheer practice until four forty-five. Pick her up near the gym. Maybe I’ll send her to Kelly’s for a week,” I mused. “Thanks, Rach.” I gave her a hug. “I’ll bring dinner over to your place around six.”

“You need to figure this shit out.” She glared down at Nathan. “Because she—” she pointed to me “is a package deal, and the shit that just went down is in no way cool.” Then she muttered something about his friend Tyler as well, but I couldn’t understand what exactly.

“It’s my
life,
Rachel. What could I have done to change that?” he snapped at her.

“Well, for starters a little warning would have been nice,” she hissed back at him.

He was sitting with his arms folded on the table. He buried his head in them.

“I love you, Jords. Call me if you need me to come here with a bat for those shit-bags out front.”

The crowd noise began to escalate again. “What now?” Nathan sighed.

The three of us went over to the wall and peered over. Mike and Carlos were down there shoulder to shoulder, arms extended, driving the herd into the street. “Everyone back the fuck up or I will start kicking asses not caring one bit if you have a penis or a vajayjay! I mean it!” Mike’s booming voice carried above the chaos of the paps. Naturally they came right back at him, asking question after question.

“Mike! Carlos!” I yelled down. “Rachel’s coming down in a minute. Make a path for her, please.” I paused. When I had their attention, I mouthed to them, “Thank you.” They both waved, and Mike winked at me. I guess Nathan didn’t like that very much because he went to sit back down in a huff. I watched him for a second, then turned my attention to Rachel.

“Please make sure the door is locked when you leave. The truck keys are in my top drawer. It has gas in it.”

“That’s a first.” She hugged me again. When she was leaving she stopped in front of Nathan and put her hand on his back. “Sorry I was rude. It’s just that woman is very important to me and has been through a lot.”

“I understand that, and she’s important to me as well.”

She bent down and gave him a half hug before leaving. “You guys will figure it out, I’m sure.” She turned and disappeared down the steps.

We were silent for a few minutes. I was still leaning against the wall, my back turned to the crowd.

“This is a lot to take in before nine in the morning,” I said finally, breaking the silence.

He shook his head and stood up, clearly still rattled. He motioned for me to get away from the wall as he walked towards me. When I wrapped my arms around him and listened to his heartbeat, he let out a loud sigh.

“She is right though,” I croaked out. “A little warning would have been nice.”

“I know. I had every intention of telling you today when you came back from getting Emma off to school. That’s why I stayed.” Suddenly he busted into laughter. I glanced up at him confused, still in his embrace.

“Care to fill me in on the joke?”

“Something Rachel said. The handicapped zombie thing.”

“Oh, I don’t know what that was about.” I smiled because his smile was so infectious.

“My last movie,
Dead of Night
, a zombie flick,” he informed me.

“I haven’t watched a movie in years, Nathan. I had no idea about any of this. I don’t—”

“I know. Don’t worry, I have no idea about any of this either,” he joked, squeezing me a little tighter.

“So I guess I understand what you meant by you had problems trusting people’s intentions.” My head was buried in his chest.

“Yeah.”

“But you know my intentions... they have... they aren’t about that. Right?” I snuck a quick look up at him.

He smiled the smile that turned my insides into mush. “You, Jordan Marie Spagnato, are the first person in many years whose intentions I am one hundred percent sure of. I trust you completely.” He kissed the top of my head. “I knew I couldn’t put off telling you for much longer. Thank god I had a crazy cabbie last night that lost the circus following me on my way here from Tyler’s show.”

I pulled away from his hold and walked over to the table to light up a cigarette. When I returned to the wall I took a peek back over. The camera clicking began immediately so I quickly leaned back out of view.

“Is it always like this for you?” I turned to him.

“Yup.” He was lighting a smoke. “This is my life. I’m an A-list cash cow who has no privacy and no means of getting any. The only
reason I even made it to New York undetected was because we arranged for a double to leave my building in my car and get followed to the airport. By the time paparazzi figured out it wasn’t me, I was on my way here in a private jet.” He faced me and exhaled loudly. “Jordie, I understand how this all looks and sounds—like a movie.” He chuckled, at the irony I assume. “But it’s been years since I’ve been able to put complete trust in someone. Trust someone who didn’t want me for money or fame or social status... years. Before I did my first film, I had my small group of close friends, Tyler being one of them. My entire dating career consists of three women, all three of them prior to my stardom. I’m a quirky guy. Nobody really understood me or gave a shit enough to get past the strange stuff, so I never really got close to anyone.” When he finished I just sat there and watched his hands fumble around as he played with his cigarette pack.

We were quiet again. I don’t think my brain was registering all of this mess. This time he broke the silence.

“So, how do you want to handle this?” He stood before me and grabbed my free hand. “I... I’ll understand if you want to stage some dramatic fight so they’ll leave you alone.” His eyes filled with sadness, pierced right through mine and straight to my heart. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never spoke to me again. I handled this all wrong.”

“No!” I blurted it out so loud I must have startled him because his eyes widened and he jerked back slightly. I let out a small laugh and apologized. “I just need a few days to make sure Emma is okay with this, and maybe get her work from school for the week and send her to my sister’s until things calm down here. I don’t know.”

Rachel’s voice floated up from below, cursing at the crowd while she battled her way to the bar. I had no back exit in my place except the fire escape, and the truck was parked in the alleyway behind the building, so she had to go out through the back of the bar. I leaned over to see and they were following her.

Nathan leaned over and yelled down. “Aw, come on, guys. Give it a rest. Haven’t you caused enough damage for one morning?” I guessed he was trying to create a diversion so she could make it to the door in peace.

“Come down, Nate!” someone screamed up.

“Bring her down. We just want to meet her,” someone else called out. It looked as if the crowd had doubled, not just paps now but a few fans as well.

Nathan turned back to me. “You know, I knew you were the woman for me when I saw your cell phone.” He laughed.

My stomach did a triple lindy at
the woman for me
part.

“My cell phone?” I crinkled my nose and forehead, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

“Yeah, that thing is so old, I knew you didn’t tweet or Facebook or anything from it.”

“Uh, what the hell is ‘tweet’?”

He chuckled and put his arm around me. “You don’t need to worry about it. Can we go in now? I know just the thing to take our minds off all this.” He grinned, raising an eyebrow.

I smacked his arm playfully.

“Breakfast, of course!” He sounded like a kid. “You, Ms. Spagnato, have a dirty, dirty mind.” His eyes were light and happy. “But could you please do me a favor?” His expression got serious again.

I bit my lip. “I’ll try.”

“Just try to work through this with me. I’ll do whatever you need to keep us as private as possible. I can hire round-the-clock security for you and Emma. Someone to take her to and from school safely so she isn’t hassled by anyone.”