Page 126 of Hollywood Undercover
Chapter 49
SEBASTIAN lookeddown into Alexandra’s eyes. “Think you can get back here soon?” heasked.
Her limo was waiting at the curb. It would take her to the airport for her trip back to Los Angeles any minutenow.
“I’m not sure, but I’ll find a way. How about you? Any chance you can come my waysometime?”
He raised the two crutches he walked on out to the side. “As soon as I lose these, get past my physical therapy and have an idea about when I can return to work, I’ll be there…for at least aweekend.”
“Sounds like the best we cando.”
“Yup.”
“I feel bad leaving you like this,” she said, eyeing each crutch. “Are you sure you’ll beokay?”
“Positive. My aunt’s already cleared her schedule. She’ll take me to my appointments and probably baby me a bit with meals andlaundry.”
“Good.”
She buried her head in his chest, and Sebastian kissed the top of her head, just before Alexandra looked up at himagain.
“You should go,” he told her. “Before I keep youhere.”
She smiled and he took in her sunny eyes, her lips that looked like they needed one last kiss before she tore away. “I’ll miss you so much, Bash.” Her voice cracked as she saidit.
Cupping her face, he met her lips with his. A brief kiss. “Metoo.”
Alex backed away from him with a shaky exhale. “Call me. Anytimeokay?”
“Iwill.”
He watched her step into the limo, and waited for it to driveaway.
Now comes the hardpart.
* * *
ALEXANDRA clungto images of Bash as her private plane took off from Tucson. She wished there could be some other way for them to keep seeing each other. Sadly, that fantasy wasn’t in the cards right now. Bash needed to complete his physical therapy here in Tucson, and it was time for her to go back to the life waiting for her in LosAngeles.
Her last four days in town had been like riding a roller coaster. Bash supplied the highs while her label, Wilkes and the media had wholeheartedly provided the lows. The Blaze Entertainment A&R team kept her days busy with image planning for her album release. Wilkes saw it fit to agree to several interviews about his proposal to Alexandra, capitalizing on the horrendously drama-filled clip where he got down on one knee at the hotel. Bash had taken it all in stride, and the only other saving grace was that somehow, his name never entered thefray.
On the plane, her headphones blasted Southern Indie rock in her ears, with haunting harmonies and raw vocals that blended flawlessly with the scrape of her heart just getting by, beat by beat. It was someone else’s music, but the boys in the Tennessee band seemed to be singing the story of her life—a sad refrain with deep bass notes and clashingcymbals.
After stretching out in the spacious airplane seats that fully reclined, Alexandra wanted to wrap herself in the quilt her mother had given her before she passed away. It was waiting for her in Los Angeles, a fixture on her bed that had become a security blanket of sorts. Now she was going back to it, the only thing in Los Angeles that felt like home. She wondered what things would be like if life had taken a differenttrack.
Would Sebastian have told me years ago I was his high schoolcrush?
She closed her eyes and imagined they might’ve dated a handful of months and realized they were all wrong for each other. Maybe they would have remained friends. Another possibility was they might’ve fallen madly in love, gotten married by now, and even had children. She could almost see both sides of the coin toss, both pleasant. Either way, they could have gotten to know each other back then, and would have been better for having done so. The idea of a normal life had its appeal, but at the moment, it didn’t feel like a luxury she couldhave.
I don’t know what would’ve happened if things had beendifferent.
I’ll neverknow.
Before she had learned of Dad’s illness and left Los Angeles, Alexandra had high hopes for what she would find in Tucson. She had been so sure the answers she needed would be there. She was disillusioned after years of playing industry games and dancing to the beat of everybody else’s drum, and this trip was supposed to help her clear her mind and figure out what she wanted. Instead, she was returning to Los Angeles feeling even moreconflicted.
The reality is, I belong to thelabel.
Until my contract expires, I’mowned.
