Love Me Again, Cowboy

I take the AirPod out of my ear and slide it into my pocket. I pick up my mug of tea and sip it, the warm citrus of bergamot tea mingles with the sweetness of local honey. I think about what JulieAnn said about having the conviction to do what it takes, and that she admires it. I frown. That isn’t what I want to be admired for, or how I wanted to get my movie career started. I want to get roles based on my acting ability, not on how much hype I can get from media. Is it really worth it?

My phone beeps with a text message. It’s Jax. Warmth fills me again but this time from the inside out. At least one thing in my life is real. I read the text:

Jax: Morning beautiful. Lunch at Santiago’s at noon with Audrey and me?

I consider what JulieAnn said about staying away from public places. But then she also said that after today my recovery will be the top headline. Even if paparazzi get shots of me eating with Jax, the pictures won’t get to the media until after tomorrow, and my recovery will be in the news by then anyway. I text Jax back.

Me: Good morning, cowboy. Can’t wait. Miss you.

Jaxon: Miss you more. See you then.

I smile but immediately feel guilty that I’m not going to tell the truth about my fake rehab. Hopefully, he can understand that I just need it to continue a bit longer. I’ll just explain to him that everyone will forget I was even in rehab in a month’s time. That’s like ten years in Hollywood time.

Chapter Twenty

JAXON

I put down the phone, smiling into my mug of coffee.

“You were just texting Malia, weren’t you?” Landon asks. He’s dressed and showered but hasn’t bothered to comb his blond hair yet. It sticks out from his head in a tangle of wet spikes.

I shrug. “Who else would I be texting?”

Landon bobs his head to the side as if to say, true. We’re in the kitchen. I’m leaning against the counter and take a sip of my coffee, allowing the robust flavor to work its caffeine magic.

Landon pours his own cup of coffee, yawning big and loudly. A steer got himself stuck in some fencing, and we were up late as we worked to set the grumpy animal free. Audrey is still sleeping. It’s Saturday, so I usually let her get a few extra Zs in.

Landon scoops sugar into his mug. “Have you talked to Malia about the Brittany thing yet?”

I sigh. The act blows the steam from my coffee. “I already told you, I’m not putting my baby-mama drama on Malia.”

“But you want to marry her someday, right?”

The thought has definitely crossed my mind recently. “I can’t imagine being with anyone else,” I admit.

“Then let me give you a little advice, seeing as I’m in my first year of marriage. You need to open up to Malia about what’s going on with Brittany. Healthy relationships n

eed trust. And that means transparency. Don’t you remember all the trouble Kitty and I had when we started second guessing each other’s motives? It almost broke us up for good. So be up front with Malia. And this stuff with rehab could be detrimental to a custody case. You need to talk about that too.”

I pause, seeing his point, but then imagine Malia having to change how she manages her career just for my and Audrey’s sake. Whether I agree with her Hollywood actress lifestyle or not doesn’t change the fact that it’s what Malia chose to do. Becoming an actress was her dream, and amazingly, she accomplished it. She hasn’t had to think about how that affects anyone else for the past eight years. Raising a daughter and having to make all your decisions based on what’s best for her isn’t easy, and then having to deal with a crazy ex-girlfriend who blackmails and manipulates? Would suddenly coming into all of that be too much for Malia? I set my cup down. “Malia told me that as soon as she gets the role she’s after, she’s going to tell everyone she wasn’t actually in rehab.” I lift my shoulder. “Problem solved.”

“And then you’ll marry her?”

“Maybe. I don’t want to rush things.”

“When you know, you know. No point in putting off the inevitable.” Landon takes a sip of coffee and looks contemplative before speaking again. “And you might have to rush a little before things with Brittany take a turn for the worse. You do realize what will happen once she finds out you’re dating Malia again, don’t you?"

I crease my brows not liking where this is going. “What do you mean?”

“Malia is rich. Brittany will take one look at the two of you in the tabloids and come running back asking for even more money.” He shrugs. “I’m just saying, if you want to stop the extortion for good, marry the woman you love and have her adopt Audrey, who adores her. You’ll be a family and Brittany won’t be able to threaten taking Audrey from you again.”

“It’s not that simple,” I say and set my half-full cup in the sink. I’m feeling a little nauseous.

“Daddy,” Audrey says. I spin and spot her in the doorway. Her dark hair is a tangled mess, and she’s still in her purple PJs, squeezing the stuffed unicorn Malia gave her the other day. How long has she been standing there?

“Morning, baby girl.” I scoop her up into my arms. “Did you have a good night’s sleep?”

Her lower lip sticks out and quivers. “I don’t want anyone to take me away from you. Can Malia be my new mommy so I don’t have to go away?”