Page 58 of In Love with Lewis Prescott
There’s a brightness behind his eyes at what I’ve said. “My grandpa was the best. My grandma was too, but she died when I was a teenager, so I didn’t get to spend as much time with her. My favorite memories growing up were with both of them.”
He swallows hard, and I scoot closer to him so I can rest my head on his shoulder. Against me I feel his body loosening, and it sends a different kind of ache to my chest.
“I was pretty detached from my parents when I moved out as an adult, but then when I started getting traction as an actor, I thought we turned a corner. They started showing an interest in my life, calling me more, asking me if they could come visit. I was so happy. Especially since my career started to take off after my grandpa passed away. His loss hit hard, because without him, it felt like I didn’t have a support system anymore. But then my parents started to reach out, and I thought we were on our way to having a genuine relationship.”
A sad, weak laugh spills from him as he stares straight ahead. “They were just being opportunists. The reason they were suddenly interested in me was because I was a trophy they could show off to their friends—their famous actor son. I didn’t realize it until I was visiting home and happened to see my dad’s phone on the dining room table. He was in a bidding war with a couple of tabloids to see which one would pay him more for personal family pictures.”
I bite down so hard, I’m going to give myself a tension headache. But I don’t care. A storm of anger, frustration, and pain whirls inside me as I think about just how callous Lewis’s parents must be to betray their own son’s trust like that.
“We got into an argument when I found out what they were trying to do,” Lewis says. “They refused to apologize or even see my point. They didn’t care about having a genuine relationship with me, which is all that I ever wanted from them. All they saw when they looked at me were dollar signs. We haven’t spoken since.”
I lift my head from his shoulder, scoop his massive hand in both of mine, then pivot on my stool to look at him.
“I haven’t told many people that,” he mutters.
It all makes sense now—why he’s intensely private about his personal life, why he refuses to answer questions from reporters and paparazzi about his family. His own parents tried to sell him out—sell his privacy. If that happened to me, I’d be guarded too.
“It means a lot that you told me,” I say. For a few seconds, I’m quiet, trying to figure out the best way to word what I want to say. “What your parents did was awful, Lewis. I’m so, so sorry they hurt you in that way. Every parent I know would trip over themselves to have a son like you—hardworking, generous, full of integrity. It’s your parents’ biggest loss that they chose money over a relationship with you.”
When I lean up and kiss his forehead, I can feel the muscles in his face ease. I pull back and see that pained frown is gone. There’s still a flash of hurt lingering in his eyes, but it fades as the seconds pass.
“Your family would never do that to you.” He says it as he runs a hand through my hair, his eyes focused, his tone soft and distant.
“I’m lucky to have the loving family that I do. We’re loud and emotional and fight like cats and dogs. Everyone is in each other’s business, to the point that it drives me crazy sometimes. But we care about each other above anything. We’d go to battle for each other, no matter what. For that I’m grateful.”
“I’ve always wanted that.”
Emotion takes a hold at the base of my throat. I do my best to swallow it back. I don’t often fall apart, but hearing how callous Lewis’s parents are—and the fact that he lost the only relatives who truly cared about him—breaks me.
When I think back to how he had no one to lean on when he needed it the most—how hiding out with me, a complete stranger, was the best option he had—that urge etches deeper until I can’t swallow back the tears anymore.
I blink, sending tears tumbling down my face.
His expression softens, and he cups my face with both hands. “Hey. It’s okay.”
“It’s not. I’m so mad for you. How awful your own parents were to you. God, they didn’t even care...”
When I sniffle, Lewis grabs a tissue from the box sitting at the edge of the counter and dabs my nose and face. My heart bursts at the sweetness of the gesture.
“You care about me,” he says. “That’s more than enough.”
I kiss him lightly on the lips before we both close our eyes and rest our foreheads against one another.
I bury my face in his chest as I hug him tight. We stay like that, awkwardly hugging while perched on our stools. It’s clear that today isn’t going to end in hot sex, not after the emotionally charged conversation we just had. But in a way, what we just experienced is a million times more intimate than being naked together could ever be. Lewis exposed a part of himself he’s never shared with anyone. We’ve both made it clear that we care about each other. Yeah, this is a bizarre situation. We’ve only known each other a few weeks, and there’s an attraction neither of us can deny anymore. He’s a celebrity; I’m a regular person. He’s due to leave and head back to LA in just over a month, while I’m planning to split my time between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.
But there’s something between us. I feel it; he feels it. And in this moment, that’s all that matters.
Chapter Sixteen
Lewis
My hands are shaking. I don’t realize it until Harper and I break our embrace.
Shit.
I wring them out slightly. Harper frowns. “Are you okay?”
I mutter that I’m fine, but she doesn’t buy it. She immediately reaches out and scoops my right hand in both of hers.
