Page 5 of Don't Forget Me
“Suit yourself.” Nick shed his clothes and walked into the bathroom, turning the shower on to step under the spray.
Sherrie drank quite a bit at the party the night before, but that was always the case despite the fact she weighed almost nothing.
People expected those with fame to be fun, to be the life of every party. It used to be great—when Nick got his first movie role at twenty and it was just him and Stephen taking Hollywood by storm. There was no one he wanted managing him more than his big brother, and together they’d created a career to be proud of.
Until four years ago, when Stephen wasn’t there anymore and Nick no longer had the stars in the sky guiding him.
He’d drifted from movie to movie for years, never making lasting connections. The work was all he had left, and the work was good. It was the only thing he knew anymore.
Even his marriage was like a weight around his neck.
Despite a desire to linger in the shower and let it wash away the past, he stepped out, wrapping a towel around his waist.
He rubbed a hand over the mirror. Dark hair dripped water down into his eyes, eyes he almost didn’t recognize with how tired they looked.
Nothing about this movie had been easy. From the moment it was announced Nick would star in the anticipated romance film alongside his devoted wife, Sherrie Thompson, blogs and gossip sites across the web couldn’t get enough of the royal couple of Hollywood.
Years ago, they started as a fake relationship set up by his agent, Beatrice. She claimed it would soften his image. When the lines between fake and real blurred, he let them. He’d had nothing, no one, and for once, it felt good to be first in someone’s life.
It just hadn’t lasted.
Sherrie was sleeping again as he got dressed and left. Franklin drove him north to the other side of the small nowhere town of Gulf City for their location shoot.
His phone rang, and he leaned his head against the window, holding the phone to his ear. “Bea?”
His agent’s rough voice was a welcome sound. “Darling, how is Florida?”
He grunted.
“That good?” She laughed. “I thought this movie would be fun for you. A bit of a lightweight role, some beach time.”
“The movie is fine.”
“Ah, so Sherrie is the problem. I’m sorry, Nick. After they cast you, the director called me, asking about her. They want to use your romance for publicity, so I sent them to her agent.” Who happened to be from the same agency.
“And how well is that going to work out for them?”
Beatrice was the only person other than Nick and Sherrie who knew about the impending divorce, and how Sherrie had resorted to threats the first time he’d told her.
You’re going to regret this.
You’re willing to hurt both of our careers? She didn’t understand how little he cared about his reputation.
I swear, Nick, I’m going to get you back for this.
Little did the studio know, he was dropping the news about the divorce tomorrow morning.
Beatrice sighed. “So, the charity gala is really the goodbye to Shick?”
“That’s not our name.”
“Of course it is. Came up with it myself.”
They passed a “Beach Club” sign and pulled up in front of a colorful building teeming with life. It was run by the father of rock star Drew Stone, who’d done a number of songs for the movie’s soundtrack. The production had control of the entire property for the next three weeks.
“Bea, can I call you tomorrow? We’re about to get to set, and it’ll be a busy day if I’m going to finish these scenes in enough time to get to the gala.” A gala he wished he could skip.
“Sure thing, honey. Just remember, as you’re telling the world your business tomorrow, you’ve still got me.”
