Page 71 of Doc Hollywood

“Why do I need to hide? Can’t I just walk out? You can tell them I was helping you out with some medical jargon.”

“Devon’s manager used to be my manager. I left him due to some unsavoury practices on his behalf. If he’s here, it means he’s up to something, more than likely nasty. And I don’t want to expose you to someone like that.”

Clara’s eyes were wide as she whispered, “What sort of thing would he be here for?”

“I don’t know. But there’s no legitimate reason that Devon would visit me at ten at night with her manager. The weasel must be up to something. Please just hide. For me,” Taylorpleaded, taking hold of both her arms and staring down into her eyes.

Clara froze in his grip, electricity running up her arms where he touched her. Their eyes locked, and she couldn’t look away, lost in the blue pools. His head moved towards her, and she felt her skin flush. Her breath hitched as he drew nearer, and then a hand slammed against the door again, and they jolted apart.

“Okay. Just let me know when it’s safe for me to come out.” She strode through the door, her head down, trying to cool the flush in her cheeks.

When a bed came into view, she ground to a halt, spinning around and gazing up at Taylor.

“I’ll get rid of them as fast as I can. Make yourself comfortable.” He gestured towards the sofa and the bed. Then his long legs ate up the distance between them. Reaching out, he pushed her hair back behind her ear. “I wanted tonight to go differently.”

Clara merely stared at him, her heart pounding.

“I’ll get rid of them as quick as I can. Okay?” he said as his hand grazed down her arm until he squeezed her fingers before letting go and stepping backwards.

Clara was so stunned that she waved at him, which made him laugh, then throw her a wink over his shoulder before he closed the door.

Standing in Taylor freaking Anderson’s bedroom, she was frozen and didn’t know what to do. She should sit down on the bed or the sofa, but her body was so overwhelmed that she didn’t move at all.

Muted voices filtered through to her, breaking her paralysis, and she realised she wasn’t going to sit on either; she was going to sit as close as she could to the door and listen in to whatever parts of the conversation she could overhear.

“Devon, Brian. Come in, have a seat,” Taylor said, his words ringing through the closed door.

“Taylor, it’s good to see you. It’s been too long.” A man’s voice, which Clara assumed was Brian, answered.

“What do you want?” Taylor growled in return.

Clara chuckled quietly; Taylor wasn’t going to exchange pleasantries with a man he obviously despised.

“I have a proposition for you that will benefit both of your careers,” Brian said smarmily.

“And that is?” Taylor hissed in displeasure.

Clara thought for a second and grabbed her phone from her bag. Pushing it up against the door, she hit record to capture the audio of what was about to happen. If it was nothing, she could always delete it.

“It will be good for Devon’s career to be linked to you romantically,” Brian stated.

“No.” Taylor’s reply was quick and vehement.

“Hear me out before you decline,” Brian chuckled.

“I don’t need to hear you out. Devon, you’re a wonderful actress and a lovely woman, but I won’t fake anything with you, sorry.” Taylor’s voice was firm.

Clara shifted to the floor to get more comfortable and winced when the floor creaked slightly under her. Freezing, she hoped the people sitting in the next-door room hadn’t heard her.

“Taylor, be reasonable. We wouldn’t want the photos to be ‘accidentally leaked’,” Brian said smarmily.

“What photos?” Taylor’s tone was cold as ice, and Clara leaned forward, making sure she didn’t miss anything.

“These.” Brian’s words were followed by a long silence.

Only broken by Devon saying, “I’m sorry.” So quietly that Clara barely caught it.

“What photos?” Clara murmured, unaware she had said anything out loud until she heard Brian.

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