Page 43 of Don't Regret Me
She nodded, sensing his confusion. “And you know what happened? I was dropped from two roles. Apparently, getting divorced makes me a poor romantic lead. But you? You only gained more popularity.”
He could believe it. Hollywood was an unfair place for women. He knew what some of them had to do to get ahead. Actors like him could do simple things like demand equal pay for their female co-stars, but that wouldn’t change the attitudes of men who were stuck in their misogyny.
Yet, it didn’t excuse anything that had happened.
“I’m sorry.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah, right. Men like you enjoy the benefits of the system. You’ll never change.”
He looked down at Stephanie, wondering if Sherrie was talking about more than just the men of Hollywood. Franklin was still in Gulf City, which meant he wasn’t at her side as she started raising their daughter. “What happened with Franklin, Sher?”
She folded her arms over her chest. “Nothing happened. And I mean nothing. I haven’t seen him since the day you found me at his place.”
It took a lot for her to admit that, and he took a spot beside her on the bed. She didn’t ask for Stephanie back, didn’t even look at her.
Stephanie rooted into Nick’s chest, searching for milk she wouldn’t find. Yet Sherrie remained oblivious.
“I think she’s hungry.”
Sherrie stood. “She’s fine. It won’t kill her to wait. I’m too upset to feed her right now.”
He sighed, wondering how often Stephanie had to wait for the things she needed. “I’m sorry you’re doing this alone.”
She stared at him, then, really looked at him. At his arms cradling her baby, his eyes that kept going to Stephanie’s face. “You would be a good father.”
“I don’t know the first thing about babies.”
“You know more than me.” She started pacing. “She cries. A lot. I never know what she wants, why I’m not enough for her. My boobs ache when she feedsandwhen she doesn’t. I was in a meeting last week with my new agent and breast milk leaked through my shirt. It was mortifying. They say all women are hard-wired for motherhood, but I think that’s a lie.”
“What are you saying?”
“You want the truth, Nick?” She still couldn’t look at him. “I loved Stephen.”
“How—”
“We met when he stopped by a set I was shooting on to talk to a potential client.”
Stephen had wanted to start his own management firm once he realized how good he was at managing Nick.
But he’d never told his brother about a girl. Shock froze Nick in place. Stephanie’s warmth was a comfort, but it did little to thaw the veins of ice racing through him. “You and?—”
Sherrie nodded, drawing her lip between her teeth. “I thought I was going to marry him one day.”
Nick, I have something to tell you.It was why they’d gone to the lake house that weekend, their last weekend. His brother needed to talk to him.
“And instead, you married me.” He closed his eyes, pain stabbing behind the lids.
“It was the closest I could get.” Yet, they’d hated each other. For almost their entire marriage, there was nothing but scorn, regret, and playing pretend for the cameras. She pushed her hair over one shoulder, the mask sliding back into place. Now that the truth was out there, she returned to the person he’d known.
Completely ignoring the bomb she’d dropped in the middle of his life.
This baby wasn’t Stephen’s, but she might as well have been. She carried his name, and if Stephen was here, he would love her. He’d always been better with kids than Nick.
Sherrie started toward the door.
“Wait.” He jumped to his feet. “Where are you going?”
“It’s probably better if I don’t tell you.” She looked back at him once more. “Tell her about him when she grows up.”
