The Scene Stealer: A Hollywood Romance

“Hey, now that you have your phone I can text you.”

Her eyes perk up at my revelation and it’s the first time this morning that I’ve seen a smile cross her lips. “Yeah. Here.” She hands me her phone from her small purse to plug in my number as she steps into the bathroom to gather her few toiletries.

Just as I finish adding in my personal contact information and Tessa’s, an old message pops up on the screen. I’m used to a different operating system so I try to close it out to no avail. Then I see that it’s a message from her uncle.

Uncle Jeff: You got another letter. Gave it to Officer Tawny. Accountant says #s are in red again. Need to have meeting the moment you get back. Travel safe.

“I think I’m all packed. I’ll just grab break-” she begins, but I cut her off by asking, “What letters?”

Larsen’s face blanches until she’s as white as a ghost. If I were closer, I imagine that she would be transparent and I’d see the door through her skin.

“What letters, Larsen?” I repeat as she moves to sit on the edge of the bed. “If you don’t tell me I’ll just call your uncle. I’d rather hear it from you.”

“They’re nothing, Devyn. Just some stupid letters from one of your fans trying to scare me off. Officer Tawny says that the threats aren’t anything to be worried about.”

&nbs

p; “Threats? What kind of threats?”

“It’s nothing, okay? Probably just one of your fans jealous that I got close to you.”

Fear spikes through me so quickly I feel as if I’ve been struck by lightning, the zinging resonates through every inch of my skin.

“I want to see them. When you get home, you send me pictures of them.”

“Okay,” she acquiesces. I’m actually surprised that she agrees so easily.

“Really?”

“Yes. Like I told you, they’re just stupid threats. There isn’t anything to worry about.”

I can’t help my pacing. I’m moving back and forth in the same motion so much that I’m afraid I’m wearing a hole in the carpet. Running my hands through my hair, I explain, “I don’t like you living alone. Especially with this knowledge.”

“I have a security system installed.”

That makes me feel marginally better, but only slightly so.

“You’ll tell me if you get anymore?”

“Of course.”

Standing in front of her, I hold out my hand and she places her own in my grasp. I tug her upward into my arms, relishing in the feel of her in my arms.

Due to the filming schedule, I’m not able to travel with her to the airport. I begged the director, but he wasn’t budging. Instead, Tessa is riding with her.

The room’s phone rings and I know that our time is up.

“I’ll walk you downstairs,” I tell her as I release my embrace, walk over and grab the handle of her suitcase.

“Hey, Devyn?”

I look over at my angel just as she launches herself back into my arms.

“I’m going to miss you,” she cries against my lips, our kiss hungry and desperate.

I take as much as she can give. Once we leave this room, we leave our cocoon. We’ll be back in the real world, my fame the mechanism to tear us apart.

“I’ll miss you too.”