Page 31 of Heavy Shot

"Kline?"

"Why would Kline call me?"

You've been running into him all over the place since you got here and you’re going to be sharing management maybe? You’re being so cagey about him. Are you going to level with me? If there was nothing between you, then it wouldn't be a big deal if an old friend was ringing you up. On the other hand, if there is more to it than either of you are saying, that would explain why you're being so evasive."

Jill's eyes went wide."I'm sorry?"

"I said you're being evasive. What's going on, Jill?"

"I-- I’m going through a divorce," Jill said after a moment. "My life is very complicated right now. Gary–you remember Gary? We were married. We kept it very quiet to avoid scrutiny, but now we’re getting a divorce so obviously the press found out and it's made life hell. I'm here because I just couldn't handle being under the microscope anymore. If I seem strange, uptight, evasive, or any other negative adjective, that's why. Because I am uptight, on edge, and absolutely not myself. Kline has nothing to do with it.

"I’m sorry I seem evasive. I knew Kline ten years ago. I’m ten years removed from the man he is today, you know? Of course, I had a big crush on him.” She smiled miserably. “He didn’t feel the same way about me, as I did about him. He saw me as a foot in the door to the industry. It’s embarrassing. I’m embarrassed. Every time I see him, I’m embarrassed. All I can think about is how many times I threw myself at him and he didn’t even try to catch me. You know? And now his manager wants to set us up as a publicity couple, and Kline is keen, which is just another reminder that I was never going to be what he wanted, but I am someone who is useful. It’s embarrassing.

“But he’s a wonderful person, or I’d never have tried to catch his eye. I’m sure he really enjoys you and your company!”

Rhiannon blinked at her, momentarily stunned by the outpouring of information. Jill always seemed like an open book, but she was really just giving you the Cliff’s Notes most of the time. You had to get really lucky to get to read the actual novel.

“I didn’t know you and Gary were married,” was all Rhiannon could say. Jill and Gary had always had an odd relationship, but they'd seemed happy. At least, on the surface. They spent a lot of time apart because she was always in a show, and he was always traveling for work. Rhiannon had heard the rumors about the Hilton sister, but she thought it was just gossip rag bunk.

“More embarrassment for me,” Jill said with another strange smile. She was trying not to cry. She let out a breath and said, “I’ve been in therapy forever. I’m finally at a point where I see that I was trying to recreate the kind of love that felt normal for me, instead of the kind of love I wanted, blah blah blah. Now it’s over, and now maybe I can work on getting to what’s good for me.”

"Oh, Jill, I'm sorry," she said. "When did this happen?"

"The unraveling? About six months ago.He told me he wanted out. He'd met someone.So, I filed and that was that.Then his slut gave Page Six her own blind item and Bam!It was everywhere.Things with Devil’s Party going to the big screen were all happening around the same time, so it just made sense for me to come out here, and August is out here--he's my family.He's what I've got. So here I am.And you don't need to worry about my old social circle reforming.At all.That's not going to happen."

"Oh, god. I thought that fling was just a rumor."

"No. He really did it."

"What an asshole," Rhiannon said, going to Jill and hugging her. "I'm so sorry that you're having to go through this, but he never deserved you, anyway. You're destined for better. Just think of all the delights freedom can afford."

Jill forced a smile and nodded. "I keep telling myself that. Anyway, I'm sorry that I've been so--odd." A knock came at the door. "That's the car. I have to get going."

Rhiannon walked her to the door. "Call if you need anything, Jill. I mean it. Even if you just need to be somewhere other than the rental. I have a whole big beach out the back and you're more than welcome to it."

"I'll remember. Thanks for dinner. It was great."

"Sure. We have to work out our schedule to make time for more normalcy."

"Definitely."

They hugged again at the door and Jill was gone.

Rhiannon went back into the kitchen and cleaned up, wrapping the remaining pasta and sauce up to take with her. She and Kline could make a meal of it and spare the need to call out or cook something. After putting the dishes away, shewent into the bedroom and grabbed the bag she'd packed to double-check the contents and add a few things to it to allow for the extra night she was spending with him.

She took a shower, her mind wandering beneath the spray. The evening's conversation was echoing in her head, and she was trying to shake the nagging feeling that Jill was keeping more than a pending divorce and some embarrassing memories from her. Rhiannon felt bad for her friend (friend?) and was sorry that she was going through such a tough time. Of course, if Gary was the jerk, he'd shown himself to be, then Jill was much better off now.

The thing that was eating at Rhiannon was the fact that she was sure that Kline and Jill had been more than friends back in New York. What she couldn't understand was why neither of them would just say so. Even if things had gone badly between them, there was no reason to conceal the relationship in the first place. She could understand why Kline might have glossed it over, considering they were on a date when the issue came up, but Jill was her friend. Or was she?

Rhiannon got out of the shower, dressed, and dried her hair, then grabbed her bag and the food and headed out to her rented convertible to make the drive to Kline's place.

She drove into the Hollywood hills filled with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and trepidation. The realization that she was going to his house had begun to seep in slowly. It wasn't the fancy house that gave her pause.

She'd already been to Thad's gated Malibu mansion and attended two rather large beach parties at one of the producer's houses since her arrival in LA. But this wasKline's house. She found the hidden driveway and made her way down the street, past a few rather expansive properties, all tucked securely behind sturdy gates, privacy walls, and shrubberies.

There were three stray girls at the front of Kline's drive, and they hurried to the edge of the street, camera flashes popping as Rhiannon made the turn. There was a moment of abject disappointment when they realized she wasn't Kline, then excitement when her car rolled up to the speaker box and pressed the number Kline had given her. Kline's voice came over the system, Rhiannon announced herself, and the gates started to roll open as Kline welcomed her inside.

"Are there fans out there?" he asked.

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