Finding Jordie: Things aren't always what they seem. (The Love Lies Bleeding Series Book 1) (13 page)

“Um, sweetie, I don’t think right now—”

Nathan interrupted me. “Mr. Hopper, do you think we could arrange this for her?” he asked with a grin.

“Well, sure, I don’t see why not if you’re willing, Nathan. It’s close to lunchtime. Are you sure you’re up for this?” He laughed as if he knew something we didn’t.

“Ah yes, quite. Thank you, Cal.”

Emma was jumping up and down, clapping her hands. She dragged me out of the chair. “Hurry!” she squealed.

“We have five minutes. We have to meet Aunt Rachel for lunch,” I informed her.

“Then quit wasting time. Clock’s ticking!” She led the way to her classroom.

I TRIED TO IGNORE THE
group of photogs outside the Mercer as we went in to meet Rachel. She was already sitting in the back away from the door when we got inside.

The minute we sat down she leaned forward. “Oh my god, I don’t know how you live like this, Nathan.”

“You don’t. You stay inside all the time or walk the streets at night like some nut job.” He winked at me.

“No, really, I assure you. This sucks.” She looked over at me and shifted gears. “Okay, I pushed the interview with the bartender to tomorrow at one o’clock and the ones with the other bartender and the barback-slash-bouncer to two.”

“Thank you.” I filled Rachel in about the course of action Emma’s school was taking for her. She wasn’t surprised.

“You know, the Hilton twats went there so I’m sure they’re accustomed to dealing with this shit.” She was busy on her phone but then looked up at Nathan. “Sorry, but it is shit.”

“I’m aware,” he replied dryly.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I said. “Be right back.”

“So, listen,” Rachel said as I walked away. I could hear her snapping her fingers to get Nathan’s attention. I just laughed and shook my head and kept walking. He was a big boy. He could handle her for a few minutes.

After we finished lunch we made our way to the exit to find it was just as packed out there as it was when we came in.

“Bye, love you bitch.” Rachel hugged me before she opened the door. “Truck’s parked across the way in the parking garage. I didn’t want to park it on the street and have something happen.”

Nathan and I were mostly silent on the ride back to my place. He was driving and humming along to whatever was playing on the radio, holding my hand.

“How you doing?” he asked, breaking the long silence as he lifted my hand to kiss it.

“I’m okay. I’m just trying to let it all sink in.” I turned my body towards him. “Did Rachel give you the mother of all lectures while I was in the restroom?”

“Ah, you caught that? And you didn’t come to my rescue?” He looked at me, pretending to be wounded, but I picked up a serious undertone to it.

“I figured you had your big boy pants on today.”

His eyes shifted back to the road as we laughed, but he looked uncomfortable.

When we approached my building, there were still so many of them camped out.

“How do they do that? How is there so many of them at once at different places?” I was amazed and confused all in one.

“They’re like cockroaches, Jordan. They’re everywhere—even when you don’t see them they’re there.” He parallel parked across the street about six buildings down from mine. We hadn’t been spotted yet.

“I don’t want to run, Nathan. I don’t want to seem like I’m annoyed at all this, annoyed at your life. I mean, yeah, it
is
a bit annoying, but I think running and hiding gives the impression...” I let out a frustrated sigh. “I can’t explain it correctly.” I put a hand on my chin. “It makes me seem stuck up, or like I’m too good for this bullshit. Am I making any sense?”

“None, Jordie.” He laughed. “Breathe, baby.”

There went my stomach again. I forced myself to focus.

“I don’t want to come off as a bitch. There, that’s what I mean.” A sigh of relief left my lips.

He kissed my hand. “Then we walk,” he said simply. He leaned over and kissed me quick and soft on my lips. “Wait for me to open your door, please?” His tone hinted that it was more of a demand than a request. He hopped out and quickly walked around to my side. The second my feet hit the ground I heard the stampede. Nathan quickly moved me to the side and shut the door. He put his arm around my shoulder, pulled me close to him, and kissed the top of my head. The crowd became a mass of moving bodies that formed a circle around us as we walked to my apartment. I managed a few closed lip smiles but said nothing. The sound of cameras clicking and the questions, one after another, each louder than the next, became one continuous stream of noise. We got to the door and Nathan shoved the key into the lock, guiding me in first with his hand on my back. I waited for him to get inside before closing the door and locking it.

“That wasn’t so bad.” I flashed a smile.

He pulled me in to him, leaning down, an awe-struck look in his intense blue eyes. “Does anything faze you? A man three times your size punches you in the face and what do you do? Stand up like it was a bug bite and go after him. Oh hey, my first relationship since my husband was tragically killed at war eight years ago happens to be with one of today’s most stalked after celebrities. You’re unaffected.” He looked at me, baffled.

“You, sir, are not a celebrity to me,” I whispered, burying my head in his chest. “You’re just Nathan.” I smiled.

Once upstairs, I plopped on the couch. He sat down next to me, and I leaned over and laid my head in his lap. He put one hand on my head, playing with my hair. With the other hand he was running a finger up and down my arm.

“How did this happen?” I asked, staring at the flat screen even though it wasn’t on. I felt his body tense slightly as he stopped rubbing my arm to lean over and look at my face.

“How did what happen, Jordie?”

I shifted so I was on my back looking up at him, and draped my legs over the end of the couch. “All of this, so fast?”

Blue eyes to green, we stared at each other intensely.

“I’ve known you four days, Nathan. How... is it that...” I paused. “I don’t have the words right now.” I closed my eyes tight.

“I understand.” His voice was quiet.

“You can’t possibly know what I’m trying to say when I don’t even know what I’m trying to say. Nathan, what happens in ten days when you go back to Sacramento? Remember you don’t live here?” I opened my eyes. I knew they were filled with hurt. “Four days is not nearly enough time to... to feel...”

“To feel the way you do.” He finished my sentence.

“Who’s the nut job now?” I felt myself fold inward. I took his hand and he pulled me up onto his lap.

“I guess we were meant for each other, two nut jobs.” He pressed his forehead to mine.

“Miraculously, though, after my breakout film, everyone wanted to be my friend, date me, invite me here and there. So who could I trust?” He shook his head. “Even my co-stars didn’t take to me very well while filming, but after the film made every teenage girl and their mothers go absolutely bat-shit crazy for me, it all changed, and I shut down emotionally. It’s a shitty thing to know that everyone only wants you because you’re famous. You can’t trust anyone, except your family, of course.

“Then there
you
were Friday night—beautiful, feisty, and oblivious to the world. You only cared about what was important, life’s essentials. When you first turned around and looked at me, I was waiting for the screams and
oh my gods
and
holy shit! Nate Harper,
waiting for you to pull out your cell phone and take a picture, start tweeting and making phone calls. You didn’t, though. You stood there not knowing who I was and looking right through me, into my eyes, and for one second you made me feel like Nathan again. Something opened up. So do you get it? I’ve been an emotional mute—as you so appropriately described it—too. You... you are... so you! And I live in Los Angeles,” he added with a big, bright smile.

My heart melted. “You said you lived in Sacramento.” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“No, you asked where I was from. I’m
from
Sacramento.” He grinned.

“All right, you got me there.” I laughed and leaned in to kiss him, and we got lost in each other.

I woke up in my bed and glanced at the clock. “Five-fifteen?” I shouted and sprang to my feet, disorientated. I heard Emma and Nathan downstairs.

“I told you she’d lose it. Pay up.” Emma laughed.

I hurried down the steps. They were sitting on the couch eating out of white take-out containers and watching a tabloid show.

“Hi, Mom.” Emma waved over her shoulder without turning to look at me.

Nathan placed his container of food on the coffee table and stood up.

“What the hell, Nathan? Why did you let me sleep?” I leaned over and kissed Emma on the head.

“Chill out, drama queen, it’s under control,” she managed to garble out with a mouth full of sushi.

Nathan smiled his irresistible smile, making his blue eyes even brighter. He came around the end of the couch, grabbed me around my waist, and kissed my forehead.

“Yeah, drama queen, it’s under control.” He smirked at Emma.

“Oh, look!” she squealed and turned the volume on the television up too loud for me.

“Emma, lower that, please.”

“Shhhh, please!” she begged.

I walked around and sat down on the couch, laughing at her reaction. Nathan went into the kitchen and came back holding a container of take-out and handed it to me.

“I heard you’re a sucker for shrimp tempura.” He winked and sat down next to me.

“Nate Harper, Hollywood’s hottest and until now most private celebrity, has found love in the Big Apple with local hot spot bar owner Jordie Spagnato. Pictures surfaced yesterday of the two of them packing on the PDA outside of Ms. Spagnato’s East Village apartment. Our sources tell us that the two met Friday night after Jordie was assaulted by an intoxicated patron and Nate broke up the scuffle, coming to her rescue,” the show’s host said.

“Pfft, to my rescue? And what sources?” I rolled my eyes and opened the box of sushi.

“Her bar, The Post, is located next door to her home, where these snapshots were taken of the two kissing and hugging,” she continued.

“And what does that have to do with anything? Thanks for handing out my address to the world, lady! Is that even legal?” I screeched at the TV.

“Do I have to rescue you again, Ms. Spagnato?” Nathan teased with an arched eyebrow.

“Shut it.” I shot him a playful dirty look.

“You were assaulted Friday night?” Emma interrupted our banter.

“Uh, yeah, it’s no big deal.” I tried to make it seem like no big deal.

“And you broke it up?” She looked at Nathan wide-eyed.

He smiled big as he began to speak.

“Don’t even!” I jumped in, laughing.

“Nah, not exactly, kid. I had every intention of helping your mother, but instead I ended up having to restrain her from kicking the guy’s ass—er, butt.” He laughed quietly.

“Figures,” she mumbled. “She’s in a fight club, you know.”

She and I burst into laughter. Poor Nathan. He looked so confused.

Our conversation was cut short by the sounds of a key in the lock. “It’s just me,” Rachel announced. “Sorry to barge in, we couldn’t stand out there.” She, Mike, and Carlos came into view. “I think you’re going to have to help tonight, Jordie. There’s a line down the street. Something tells me they’re not here to see us dance.”

“I can get behind the bar, Jordie, but I think you’ll need me at the door,” Carlos chimed in.

“I called and requested four security guards for tonight.” Nathan addressed Mike and Carlos. “They’ll be here at six. I thought it wouldn’t hurt for you two to have back up.”

“Thanks, man.” Mike nodded.

I grabbed my cigs and my sweater. “Everyone stay here.” I turned to the door.

“No way, Jordie. If you’re going down there I’m going with you.” Mike blocked the door.

“Me too.” Carlos came up behind me.

“Guys, really. I’ll be five minutes. Since when can I not handle myself or any situation? Seriously, this coddling bullshit needs to stop,” I hissed through my teeth, pushing Mike to the side, and stormed out the door.