Page 1 of The Bodyguard

CHAPTER ONE

SAVANNAH

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I pluck a grape from one of the lavish platters and glance around the outdoor wedding reception for Josh and Cassy Hawke.

The place is stunning. There are thousands of white flowers and lanterns scattered around along with hundreds of guests. Many of them are celebrities and rock stars.

This is Los Angeles, after all.

Plus, Cassy’s father is none other than Blaze Cartwright from the famous rock band, Sonic Rebel.

And the reason I’m standing here.

Everything I do these days is a big deal. That sounds so arrogant, but it’s true. It’s a side effect of becoming one of the most famous actresses in the world.

Today I’m dressed head-to-toe in dusky pink and black Dolce & Gabbana and Tiffany diamonds. Images of me are on every social channel by now, talking about who I’m with. Who I spoke to. What I ate—one grape, how exciting—and judging every single inch of my face, body, and hairstyle.

This is what I wanted.

Actually, I wanted to be an actress. I knew fame came with making it to the big time, and I’m okay with it to some degree. It just takes some adjusting.

It’s been two years and I’m still adjusting.

But you can’t undo fame. Not really. Once your face has been in the spotlight as much as mine, it’s in the public psyche and you become a public figure.

Forever.

Memories of Us changed my life. The dramatic second chance romance is based on a novel and was never expected to do as well as it did. Instead, it broke box office records.

The male lead was a war hero and the heroine an everyday widowed mom and resonated with a lot of people. That and the chemistry Nick and I had on screen was amazing.

Now we’ve done it a second time.

Even I can admit, while it’s awkward to watch, some of our scenes are pretty damn hot.

Nick Marciano, or as his fans call him, the Italian stallion, is a much more seasoned actor than me. He helped me a lot during filming, and after two movies together, we became friends.

Something I value.

Becoming rich and famous does change your life, but strangely, not in the way you might expect. Yes, you can afford more things, and it’s wonderful, but the fear of running out of money doesn’t vanish. It’s weird.

Then there’re the people around you.

Everyone wants something.

Even if they say they don’t.

Or they demand it, believing it’s their right because they’re blood related. Before you judge, let me tell you a little more about my family.

My father spent the first twenty-five years of my life telling me I was a joke. A fool. A dreamer. That I’d end up waitressing, as I couldn’t act. I was talentless in his mind, and he told all his friends that visited, and they’d stand laughing at me.

I did waitress so he got that part right.

After Memories of Us began screening and news of its success hit, he ran to me and told me I was obligated to pay his mortgage and medical bills.

And his girlfriend’s boob job.

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