Page 44 of Hiding Hollywood

“Can I help you?” Ms. Iris met Becky at the door.

Cameron rose from his seat, placing a hand on Addie’s shoulder. His lips brushed her temple. “Are you okay?”

Addie kept her head down but cut her eyes to the side. Brian glanced around the diner, his eyes skimming right past her. How did he not recognize her? She’d been with him for almost three years.

Cameron shifted closer to her. “You need to speak to him, Addie.”

“I don’t want to.” She took a deep breath. “I told you, I broke up with him the last time we talked. I don’t want that life anymore.”

The coldness in his eyes disappeared. His lips parted. “You don’t?”

“No.” What else did she need to tell him? “I’m done with him,” she said, brushing her fingers along the side of his cheek.

“You’re in luck. Cameron,” Ms. Iris called. Cameron didn’t look away from Addie until the last moment before he took a step away from her.

Like facing a firing squad, she shifted in her chair to watch him walk to meet Brian. The difference between them was immediate. Lean and deadly versus big and bulky. Brian didn’t even give Addie a second glance.

She looked at the mirror. She’d transformed back into the girl from college. Her hair, darker from the rain, in a ponytail, no makeup. Her face flushed from her run.

“I’m Brian Wellston. I’m here to see Addison Johnson. She’s staying with a family named Dempsey. Seems there was a misunderstanding about my car.”

Cameron didn’t shake his hand but crossed his arms over his chest, his back still to Addie. “That misunderstanding ended with her in jail, and now she has a court date in another week to face a serious charge.”

Brian rolled his shoulders. “Man, mistakes happen you know. If you’ve ever met Addie, you’d realize that she doesn’t always understand how the world works. Flighty, you know. That’s why I’m here. To take care of her.”

Becky’s cute facade fell as she took a slow step away from Cameron.

A moment later, Ms. Iris did the same thing. “Now, Cameron, no need getting like that. It’s a good thing that this is an easy resolution.” She fluttered her hands in Addie’s direction. That was her cue.

She rose, her thighs screaming after that hard run. She glued her eyes to Brian. One. Two. Three. Four. Five—

“Addie?” Brian stepped in her direction. “I didn’t recognize you. They’ve been treating you that bad?” He straightened to his full height, still an inch shy of Cameron although much wider. “I’ll make sure the judge hears about this.”

“I’m fine, Brian. I went for a run with Cameron this morning.”

“They’re making you run?”

She held her plastic smile in place. “I wanted to run. I do exercise on my own.” Not that he’d ever noticed what she did.

“Oh.” Brian shoved his hands in his pockets. “We need to talk, but I’ll let you get cleaned up. You look like you need a shower.”

She motioned to a far table. “I’m fine for right now. We can talk here.”

Another look of disgust passed over his features, and he swallowed. “How about I take you back to get your things? After you’ve had a chance to”—he waved his hand at her—“you know, get back to the old Addie, we can go out and get something nice to eat.”

This was the old Addie. Or the new Addie. Who knew at this point.

Cameron shifted near Becky, whispering something before Becky handed him a set of keys from her pocket. He held open the diner door. “You can follow us to where she’s staying.”

“I’ll drive Addie,” Brian announced, standing as tall as possible. Probably to intimidate Cameron. The drive would give her the time she needed to break-up with him. Again. Since he apparently had trouble remembering.

He popped her on her backside. “Hurry along, sweet cheeks, I’ve missed seeing my girlfriend.”

Cameron took a step, fists balled tight, but Becky stepped in front of him, both hands smacking against his chest.

Addie saw it. Cameron’s murderous expression. Not only cold and unfeeling, but dangerous, too. No muscle in the world would defend Brian against him if he lost control.

The thought of him defending her shouldn’t excite her. But it did.

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