Page 17 of Undefeated Love
“Not yet.” JJ patted his thigh. “We’re headed to the producer’s house. We simply have to make an appearance there, of course. Showing up at their house without my brand-new fiancé would look absolutely horrible and immediately get tongues wagging and not in a good way.”
Alex called his office. Someone was on duty twenty-four hours a day. “Has Katlin returned by any chance?”
“No, sir. But we did pick up the BMW. She actually left the keys under the mat on the driver’s side.”
Disappointed that she hadn’t returned, he was happy to retrieve the car. “Thanks. If she does come back, call me immediately.”
“Yes, sir.”
Alex glanced at his watch. It was nearly three in the morning. If Katlin wasn’t in his bed, he hoped she had found someplace safe to stay. It wouldn’t be easy given that she was traveling with Damnit, but knowing his Kat, she would have found someplace for both of them. Hoping that she was sleeping, he texted her once again:
Kat. I hope you know that I love you and wish I were sleeping beside you. Holding you through the night. I’m so sorry that we are both victims of JJ’s impromptu cover-up on the red carpet tonight. Please, I hope you know in your heart that you are the only woman for me. Please. Please call me and let me explain what happened tonight.
Alex had fucked up bad. He should have told her right away that he was escorting JJ that night. Attending this event with his old friend was important, but nowhere near as essential as having Katlin in his life. He loved her to the bottom of his soul, where he was sure they were always meant to be together. He’d tell her exactly that as soon as she answered the phone or responded to one of his text messages.
“After this party, I’m leaving,” Alex announced, frowning at his silent phone. He checked Katlin’s tracker, which was still bouncing all over the world. He needed to make it home to his penthouse apartment above Guardian Security. He hoped to walk in the door and find her in their bed. The longer she went without responding, the more he doubted that would happen.
JJ nuzzled into his neck and kissed him under his ear before biting his lobe. “Can you please look a little more excited about our engagement?”
Alex frowned as he moved a few inches away from her. He despised deceiving the world, but JJ had begged him to continue with the engagement farce. “Can we publicly break up at this next party?”
Meredith squealed. “You can’t break up. You two are the hottest couple in Hollywood right now. I have requests for your appearancestogetherfor a month. The premiere proved that the movie is going to be a hit. They’re already talking Oscar nominations. With the two of you hitting the talk show circuit, it will be even bigger at the box office.”
“I am absolutely never going on television and talking about our non-engagement. Not happening.” He glared at JJ. “You can do all the publicity you want about the movie but leave me out of it. If you mention my name or claim we’re engaged, I’m going to do my own talk show circuit and I’ll tell them exactly why you’re wearing that ring and call you by your real name.”
JJ’s slightly drunk eyes became very sober. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.” They stared at each other for several long seconds. “Maybe if I explained on national television, my real fiancée will take my fucking phone call.”
“Alex,” JJ pleaded and whined at the same time. “Don’t do this to me. Not right now.”
“I want an exact date when we’re going to break off this ridiculous farce.” Alex was hoping it would be tomorrow.
“We need to milk this for as much publicity as we can,” insisted Meredith. “You two are gorgeous together. Your story is so dripping with sweetness. Everybody is already eating it up.” She then looked right at JJ. “You have just solidified your position as one of America’s current leading ladies. You are one of the hottest women in Hollywood right now.”
“From time to time, even I thought there was something going on between the two of you,” JJ’s agent, Stanley, confessed.
“Right now, the world thinks you’re going to marry Alex. We need to keep this up at least until the Oscars.” Meredith glared at the two of them.
“No fucking way,” Alex growled through clenched teeth. “The Oscars aren’t until the end of February or into March. There’s no way in hell I’m going to continue this travesty for another six months.”
Stanley grinned and leaned in toward JJ and Alex who sat side by side. “Just before the Academy votes, you need to get married.”
“We can ask the producers if you can get married on the beach in front of their house.” Meredith bounced in her seat. “A huge bash with all the Hollywood A-listers.”
“Listen to me very carefully.” Alex spoke in a low voice trying to contain his anger. “I am not going to marry JJ. I am already engaged.” He held up his left hand to show them the gold band with channel diamonds. “See. This is my engagement ring.”
“So, who’s this guy you’re engaged to?” the agent asked.
“I’m going to marry Katlin Callahan and she is very much a woman.” Alex thought about all the ways she was very female. Given the current situation, he wondered if she was still going to marry him.
Meredith cocked her head and looked at Alex. “I’m curious. Did she ask you to marry her and give you a diamond ring? It’s kind of an interesting idea.”
“No. Katlin told me that if she has to wear a diamond ring as a symbol that she’s taken then so do I.”
Her publicist looked at JJ with excitement in her eyes. “That’s good.” She dragged out the last word. “We could use that claiming that you gave it to him. You could start a whole new trend; women giving engagement rings to their fiancé. Jewelry companies are going to love you.”
“I could get you a contract for diamond commercials,” Stanley offered.
