Heavy: A Contemporary Romance (22 page)

California paused here, searching for her next words.

“Jimmy was always a shy kid and I knew he’d only agreed to this kidnapping on the promise that no one would get hurt. Once they knew I recognized him, it changed the whole plan. The third guy, the meanest one of the bunch and the ringleader had obviously already done some time in prison and was determined to not get caught again. So, I sat downstairs for almost two more days while they decided what to do with me. The bottom line was, how could they afford to let me live? Jimmy protested against this, but he was one of three.

“You can’t even imagine what it feels like to be chained and helple
ss while listening to people decide your fate for you. How to kill you and where the best place was to dispose of the body.”

I felt cold and numb listening to California
tell her story. I wanted to pull the car over and hug her close. I also wanted to find this Jimmy and his accomplices and beat the holy crap out of them.

“On day three, they finally came downstairs to kill me
. Jimmy had fought with them about it and had been left upstairs unconscious for his trouble. His brother, Darren, placed the gun against my head, but before he could pull the trigger, Jimmy, who had woken up sooner than expected, ran down the stairs and tackled him. There was a fight, the gun went off, and the third guy, the ringleader, was shot and killed. While his brother was in shock over shooting his friend, Jimmy untied me and told me to run. I did. I’m not sure how long I ran, but I was finally found unconscious on the side of a road, and taken to the nearest hospital.”

“What about the brothers
? I guess they were never caught since no one believed your story? And what about the ransom?”

“The brothers were never caught because I never told anyone about them
. I said I never saw my kidnappers. Jimmy saved my life and I wasn’t going to turn him in. Tallulah, my stepmother, began to insinuate to the press that I’d made the whole thing up as a means to get some attention. They had a field day with it. I was hounded for months and months afterwards.”

“But I don’t understand, Cali,” I said as I came to a stop at some traffic lights
. “Your stepmother or your father had spoken to the kidnappers, hadn’t they? When they made their demands?”

“Yes,” she sighed
. “Tallulah did. My dad was in Russia at the time, filming something in Moscow. Everything he was made aware of about the kidnapping was relayed to him via Tallulah. She probably told him I was just pulling a prank or something; I don’t know. Regardless, he never felt the need to leave the set and come home. The fact that really haunts me to this day though,” she added, her cheeks lined with tears tracks now, “was that it wasn’t just the fact I’d recognized Jimmy that had made the ringleader really angry and decide to kill me. It was the fact my parents refused to pay the ransom at all.”

I was completely speechless
. The numbness I had felt earlier turned into a deep, all-consuming anger.

“What the fuck do you mean they refused to pay it
? A million bucks is pocket change to your father. There was no way they could’ve known for sure if it was or wasn’t a prank. Your dad buys you an apartment, but won’t pay to save your life?”

California gave a small smile for the first time since she’d started her story, but the amusement didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“My dad is a rich and famous actor, Thatch. It doesn’t mean he’s particularly smart or not easy to manipulate. Tallulah is a master when it comes to manipulation, trust me.”

“And
Lake inherited that trait wonderfully,” I added.

“
You got it,” California chuckled.

“Even idiots should love their children unconditionally, California
. Are you worried about Jimmy and his brother ever coming for you again?”

“No
. They probably realize that if I haven’t talked by this point, I’m never going to. As it turned out, both brothers are in jail now anyway for a failed robbery. I saw it in the papers about four months after the kidnapping.”

We pulled up in front
of her house, both of us deep in our own thoughts.

“What happens now, Thatch?” she asked, breaking the silence.

I killed the engine and looked at her. Cupping her face gently, I brushed my thumb across her tear-stained cheeks. She closed her eyes and leaned into my touch, covering my hand with hers.

“I honestly don’t know, Cali,” I answered
. “I think I’m a little obsessed with you, but I don’t want to be and that’s a big problem.”

“
I think I’m beyond obsession. I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you,” she whispered without opening her eyes. “Which is why I’m going to leave.”

Cali

Thatch pulled my face in close to his, and I felt the light brush of his lips
. I sighed and my lips parted as his mouth pressed against mine, his tongue slipping between the opening I offered him and sliding exquisitely against my own. I couldn’t stop the small moan from escaping the back of my throat and I reached up and clutched a handful of his hair to bring him closer and deepen the kiss.

The goodbye kiss.

“I don’t want you to leave,” he whispered against my mouth, as he gently bit down on my lower lip.

I pulled away from him and sat up straight again.

“You say that now, but you’ll start to hate me in a few days when your past becomes headline news.”

“Well, then let’s just get through the next few days
. I have the National Finals next weekend, and then we’ll reevaluate the whole situation afterwards, okay?”

I was hesitant to answer
. The best thing I could do for Thatch and his family was stay away from them. “I
do
have to go back to L.A. tomorrow. My dad’s coming home and I want to talk to him before Tallulah gets her hooks into him.”

Thatch looked at me quietly, his face still and unreadable.

“You’re not going to come back, are you?” he asked.

“
Let’s face it, Thatch, it would be better for you and Thaddeus if I just disappeared for a while. I honestly don’t know what all this attention is going to do to me in terms of my sobriety. Let me try and work things out, and maybe at some point in the future we’ll be able to work something out. No matter what you’re feeling for me right now, the bottom line is three months is just not long enough for you. Come to think of it, three months of being clean is probably not long enough for me to be making life-altering decisions either. I rushed into things and I’m sorry for that.”

“
I’m sorry too, California,” Thatch said in a small voice.

“Can I still call every now and then and chat to Thaddeus
? I won’t do it too often or anything, but just enough for him to realize I didn’t just disappear and abandon him. Is that all right?” I gave him a weak smile. Saying goodbye was hard.

Thatch looked at me but didn’t reply
.

“Sorry
, I won’t be coming in to train the new girl tomorrow,” I added, trying to lighten the mood by changing the topic.

“No one trained you and you did okay.”

“Okay? Only okay? The version of the story that I remember has me being pretty amazing,” I mocked.

“Oh yeah
? Keep telling yourself that,” he teased back, although there was no humor at all in his eyes. “Which reminds me, you still haven’t told me what the whole ‘Heavy’ thing is about yet.”

“That, Mr.
Reston, is a tale for another night,” I replied, opening the door to my side of the car. “Go home and ready yourself for all the media attention tomorrow.”

“Not before I walk you to your door, Miss Huntington,” Thatch said as he exited the car with me.

“Always such a gentleman.”

“Not always,” he chuckled, raising an eyebrow at me, “but I do try my best.”

We stood looking at each other for a few minutes when we reached my front door. The forced mirth we’d been exhibiting when we exited the car was long gone by now.

“Goodbye, Thatch,” I whispered, tracing a finger down his cheek as he stared into my eyes.

“Goodbye, California,” he whispered back, covering my hand with his own and then turning his face to kiss my palm. Then he was gone, and I watched his car drive off down the street and into the night.

Cali

Reporter 1:
Thatch, Thatch, tell us about California Huntington. Has she really been working as a receptionist in your tattoo shop?

Thatch (looking gorgeous despite little sleep):
No comment
.

Reporter 2:
Thatch, are you and California dating
?

Reporter 3:
Is there any truth to the rumor California is pregnant with your child?

Thatch (walking across the road to the gym
, rolling his eyes at the guy who asked the last question):
No comment
.

Reporter 4:
Is it true you guys met when you did a tattoo for Max Rivers?

Thatch (almost at the gym):
No comment
.

Reporter 2:
What does Brock Huntington think of your relationship with his daughter?

Reporter 1:
Is it true California just got out of rehab?

Reporter 3:
Where’s your son, Thatch? Can we meet Thaddeus?

Thatch:
No
. (Stops in the doorway to the gym and turns to face the reporters)
Don’t you guys have any real news to investigate?

Reporter 1:
Is it true your dad is an alcoholic?

Thatch (looking right at the camera):
My dad has been clean and sober for going on four years now. He’s a great father and even greater grandfather, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. Now, get the hell out of my face. I have a competition to train for
(gives a wicked smile just for the camera and walks into the gym where the press is barred from entering).

“That clip is
so
going viral,” Zak said as he pulled his car up next to mine in the MGM parking lot.

I switched off my tablet and gave a sigh.

“It’s the smile at the end, isn’t it?”

“You
betcha it is,” Zak laughed, turning off the engine. “If he thought he was being harassed before due to
Ultimate Ninja Athlete
, he ain’t seen nothing yet. That man is sex on legs! He almost looks like he’s enjoying himself too.”

“Yeah, that’ll change
. They’ll start delving into his past and reopening old wounds and then he’ll start hating me,” I sighed again.

“Not a chance, girlfriend
. That guy is crazy about you – no matter how he tries to fight it. It might not seem like it’s going to work out right now, but I predict little Thatch and Cali look-alike brothers and sisters in Thaddeus’ future, mark my words.”

That’s if I could even have children
. Infertility was another side effect of bulimia, but I didn’t say anything to Zak though.

“Any
way, thanks for the ride, Zak.”

“You’d better be coming back, Cali
. Don’t try and do anything noble like stay away just to protect the Restons. No matter what Thatch says, that family wants you in their lives. From Thaddeus, all the way up to Bellamy. This media thing will blow over eventually.”

Yes, it might, but in order for it to do so I had to stay away from Vegas
. I didn’t have it in me to tell Zak I might be gone for a very long time and might not even make it back at all.

“Thanks, Zak
. I hope you’re right,” I said as I gave him a small wave and exited his car. I waved some more as he backed out of his spot and drove away, tooting his horn a couple of times. I would really miss seeing him, Tony and Hayley every day.

An hour later
, and I was back on the Interstate and headed for ‘home.’ It’s funny how home meant something completely different now after just a few short weeks. It felt more as if I was leaving home.

“Call Bernie,” I said to my
E.P.A.

“Calling Bernie,” the automated voice replied.

“Hey, Bern,” I said as soon as he picked up. “When are you guys getting to L.A.?”

“
Tomorrow night. We touch down at around six, so should be arriving at the house at seven-ish. Are you going to be there?”

“Yeah, on my way now
. I should get to L.A. in about three hours.”

“Great
. Your dad will be happy to see you.”

I rolled my eyes at the phone as if Bernie could see me
. “The same dad who hasn’t called me in over three months? That dad, Bern?”

“Give him a break,
Cal, you were incommunicado for three of those months.”

“And I’ve been out for over two
weeks, Bernie,” I said before quickly changing the subject. I wasn’t in the mood for the ‘your father’s a busy man’ speech. “I need your help with a few things, Bern.”

“Anything for you, Cali-girl
. What do you need?”

“I need you to find me a publicist
. Not dad’s publicist though. I need someone completely unconnected to him and who’ll be working for me and putting me first and not him.”

“Hmm, Cali, I’ll do it, but you never got the recommendation from me, okay
?”

“Don’t worry, Bern
. I know how much you love working for Brock Huntington and I’d never do anything to jeopardize your standing with him. Next, I need a contact name for someone high up in the rankings for the American Bulimia and Anorexia Society. If you can find a publicist that’s worked with ABAS before, even better.”

“I think I know where you’re going with this, and I’m damn proud of you girl.”

“Thanks, Bern. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that the only thing that’ll steer the press away from a story once they’ve sunk their teeth into it is by offering up an even tastier one.”

“
Tallulah is going to go ballistic.”

“Try not to sound too upset about that,” I laughed as I heard the undisguised glee in his voice
. “How do you think my dad is going to react?” I asked, my tone switching to somber.

“I think it will be an eye-opener for him, to tell the truth
. I’ve made him aware of some of your issues, but I don’t think he’s considered them as anything more than a phase you were going through. I mean, I assume you’re going to go no-holds-barred about the entire thing. You’ve only told me bits and pieces and I had to put them together by myself. I don’t think anyone knows the extent of your disorder except you – and maybe your doctors at the Center.”

“That is true, Bern
. I think it’s time I came out of the closet, so to speak.”

“Sounds like you’re going to need a personal assistant too, depending on how deep into this you want to get.”

“Oh, I want to get creating-a-foundation deep, Bernie. I’m going to need more than an assistant; I’m going to need a team.”

“One step at a time, Cali-girl,” he laughed
. “While I admire your enthusiasm, don’t bite off more than you can chew. Give me a couple of hours and I’ll get back to you about the publicist, okay.”

“Sounds good
. One more thing, Bern…”

“Yes?”

“The apartment dad bought me hasn’t sold yet, has it?”

“No, had a couple of interested parties but no serious offers yet
. Why? You don’t want to move back in there, do you? Isn’t it connected to some bad memories, Cali-girl?”

“It’s time I faced those memories, don’t you think
? It will only be temporary while I work out what I’m doing. Can you just make the realtor aware I’m going to be there please?”

“Things didn’t go as planned in Vegas?” Bernie asked softly.

“The timing just wasn’t right, Bernie,” I sighed. “I need to separate myself from Thatch and his family so they can go back to their peaceful life again.”

“But you wanted to stay in Vegas?” He asked.

“Hell yeah, I did. It just wasn’t to be, that’s all.”

“You’re an amazing woman, California Huntington
. Don’t you ever forget that. I’ll contact that realtor and text you with the code to get into the apartment. It will have been changed since last you were there. Talk to you in a bit, Cali.”

“Thanks, Bern
. Bye.”

***

I arrived in L.A. just before two in the afternoon. I didn’t head home immediately, but instead made my way over to Zak’s cousin’s studio. I got the number from Zak before leaving Vegas and had called and made an appointment with Harry on the drive here.

“So how can I help you, California?” Harry asked after he’d ushered me into his small office just off the studio space
. He was a short and dumpy man in his early thirties, dressed all in beatnik black, complete up to the beret on his head.

“Thanks for meeting with me so last minute, Harry.”

“Oh, it’s no problem at all. I kind of owe Zak big time. He went out of his way to help me out when I was in a bind and I’ve never forgotten the favor.”

I
couldn’t stop a small giggle from escaping my lips. “You mean the dog food commercial?”

“He told you about that, did he,” Harry grinned. “God, he was so bad, we had to cut all his lines out of the final product
. Regardless, we would’ve been up shit’s creek without a paddle had he not stood in for my sick actor.”

This made me full out laugh
. “Sorry Harry, it’s just that Zak’s version of events has him turning in a more Pacino-type performance.”

“I know,” Harry laughed
. “I have to hear the story at every big family gathering.”

After we’d both calmed ourselves down from our fit of the giggles, I broached the subject of why I was here.

“I know you’re busy and probably have a full day of bookings to deal with, Harry, but what are the chances you could film a little something for me? Something low-tech… just me talking to the camera. Something that I can have up on the Internet by the end of the day?”

“Well, I have nothing going on after five
. I could film you myself and it would be very private. It won’t be T.V. commercial quality, but perfectly suited to post on a website.”

“Sounds perfect, Harry, thanks
. I’m going to check into that motel across the road just for a few hours – to shower and change and make a few phone calls. See you back here at five then?”

“Make it five-thirty
. Sometimes these things run over and I’ll want to clean the space afterwards. One of the pitfalls of working with animals,” he grimaced.

“Got it,” I laughed
. “See you at five-thirty.

The motel room I checked into was a little seedy, but surprisingly
clean.

My first call was to a Ruby Maddox, a publicist based out of New York that Bernie had recommended.

Once I told the receptionist my name, she put my call straight through. Even if Bernie hadn’t warned Ruby that I’d be calling, the Huntington name always put itself at the top of anyone’s priority list.

“Miss Huntington, Ruby
Maddox here. I’ve been expecting your call.”

“So you spoke to Bernie
. Please call me Cali.”

“Very
nice to meet you, Cali. Call me Ruby. I’ve seen your name cropping up all over the place over the last fourteen hours or so. Can I assume you want some help controlling all this unwanted attention?”

“Yes
and no. In my experiences with the press, it’s not that easy to get rid of them once they’ve sunk their teeth into something. In the past, however, I’ve had the family publicist ‘control’ some bad situations I found myself in, and I need someone who is looking out for me and not concerned about how this is going to reflect on my father or stepmother.”

“I understand completely, Cali
. I’d love to hear your story and then we can decide whether I’m the person who can help you or not. I’m not going to lie, I don’t come cheap, but then again, I assume money isn’t going to be a huge problem for you.”

“Whatever it costs
. I just need to take control of how my life gets spun to the media. Over the last few years, my stepmother and the family publicist steered the press in the direction of my drug and alcohol abuse. While I did abuse drugs and alcohol on and off during that time, it was just a side effect of my real disorder. My stepmother refuses to believe I have a problem and she’s is going to be livid when the media gets ahold of this information.”

“I’m intrigued, Cali
. I can promise you that whatever you say will be kept strictly confidential, whether you retain my services or not.”

“I’m a recovering bulimic
. I’ve had an eating disorder since I was fifteen, but it got extensively worse about a year ago, and I’m lucky enough to have had the resources to address the problem before it became life threatening. Not everyone is as lucky as me. I want to stop hiding the truth and just get it out there.”

“I suspect you’
ll want to corral the press currently hounding your young friend in Las Vegas into a different corner, too, if I’m reading this right.”