8. The Pitcher

“Are you okay?”Buddy turned to me after Edward left with the security guard. With his palms touching my arms, more heat and tingles worked through me.

In my personal space, the intensity of his eyes pierced me, shaking my core, rendering me speechless for a moment. The way he jumped in, willing to stand up for me, was a reaction I hadn’t imagined possible on the first day together.

“You appeared at the right time. I don’t know how I could ever thank you enough for that, Buddy.”

“I suppose it’s what any fiancé would do,” he said with a quick twitch of his lips.

“I guess we should talk?” I asked, and he let me go.

“Yeah. Especially since I don’t recall proposing to you.”

I led him down another hall to my corner office. Once there, I closed the door and leaned my back on it, taking in a ragged breath. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe he did that to me.”

Buddy glided across the room to my bar cart and poured a glass of water. The antique crystal glass set was Mom’s, and this had been her office. “Here, drink.” He held the rim to my lips, and I sipped, wondering if she had ever been so lucky to have a handsome man fight for her honor, then serve her a drink.

Unfortunately, other than her marriage to Cal, I didn’t think Mom had ever been lucky in love.

“Thank you. I’m sorry you had to walk into such a despicable display from Edward.” I took the glass, my hand shaky.

“Don’t apologize for the asshole. You were right to throw him off the property. If a man can’t respect a woman, he shouldn’t be in the company of one at all.”

“If only Cal shared your beliefs.” I scoffed and sauntered to my desk. Buddy proved far from the typical man in L.A. From my drawer, I retrieved a dainty silver-plated mirror and a tube of red lipstick. While I applied a fresh coat, Buddy came closer.

“What does that mean?”

“It means Cal is old school. He recently announced that if I don’t marry Edward, then I don’t get to take over the studio. He thinks I need a man by my side.” I lamented and fidgeted with Mom’s ring around and around on my finger. The huge pave diamond had a slight yellow tint, and looked ostentatious on me, but I adored it anyway.

“Dream Waves Studio is all I’ve ever wanted, Buddy. It belonged to my mother, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone take it from me.”

I sniffled and reached for a tissue from my drawer, bringing it to my nose and dabbing my eyes. It had the effect I desired, judging by Buddy’s softened glance.

“Shit,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes. “Edward hardly seems like an appropriate husband for you. How can Cal make such a demand?”

“Because he sees only the money and the power that a connection with the Kings would bring. Fairy tales are only in the movies, as he likes to remind me.”

“That’s absurd.”

I shrug. “It’s something I’ve seen my entire life, the way woman are used and abused in this industry by men who think they hold all the cards.”

“You should tell Cal about what happened. Or better yet, call the police. Press charges against Edward. That’d show him.”

“Right, then Edward’s father would rain holy hell upon Cal and ruin this studio for good,” I sarcastically remarked, and left my desk, coming around to his side.

“I’m not part of the establishment. I’ll call it in.”

“Sweet of you to offer, but he’ll know you did it, and make things ten times worse for me. Don’t you see? Beneath all the glitz and glamour of this town lies a mess of power hungry people.”

“Like the asshole said, I’m a newbie. I don’t live by the same rules you do here.”

I burst out in a chuckle, but with more tears, crying at the same time. “Oh God, Buddy. I just need a-a…”

“You need a hug? Come here.” He pulled me closer, and I didn’t fight it, even though I was about to say I needed someone to play my the role of my husband and save me from a life with the Kings.

Right into his arms I went, fitting perfectly under his chin. My ear warmed against his chest. His ocean clean scent soothed me like aromatherapy, and his honest way-too-good-for-Hollywood-heart beat strong enough for two.

Enveloped in his arms, his fingertips drifted along my back. Tingles radiated from there, throughout every limb, and my nipples hardened. I could lose myself in his hold. “You give way too nice of hugs, Buddy.” I pulled away and sauntered over to the window.

“I’ve never heard complaints about them before. Then again, I’ve never had a fiancé before. I was just a convenient scapegoat to warn off the asshole, right?”

“Yeah, about that. You see, I’d been putting off Cal and his plan for the past few months by telling him I had a long-distance boyfriend.”

He joined me at the window. “Didn’t seem like it deterred Edward much today.”

“No. Cal either. I can’t marry Edward. I hate him. This wasn’t the first time he’s tried to—” I swallowed and put on a brave face. “He once cornered me at a conference in Vegas, and groped me.”

“What the fuck? And you didn’t press charges then either?” The vein in Buddy’s forehead looked about to pop.

I shook my head. “For fear of retaliation. So you understand now why I can’t marry him? I’ve told Cal no, and begged him to let this ridiculous idea go. He gave me an ultimatum to marry someone of my choosing instead, or else he’d arrange my marriage to Edward and sell the studio to Kings.”

He scoffed and paced away, running a hand through his hair. “This is some bullshit. Maybe I should talk to Cal on your behalf, man to man, and help him understand.”

“He won’t listen. He’s a stubborn old fool.”

“Hell, for that matter, I’ll just buy the studio for you. I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

“There’s no way he’d sell to someone who doesn’t know the industry.”

“You want to start your own studio? I’ll loan you the money.”

“It’s not about money, and it’s this studio I want. Dream Waves was my mother’s. It should have gone to me, but in her will, she left it to Cal. All I’ve dreamed about and worked toward is the day when I ownit.”

“So you won’t go to the police. And you won’t try to reason with Cal.” He returned to me at the window, his hands shoved into his pockets. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to marry Edward.” I stalked back to my desk and picked up a folder. It contained the legal agreement I had drafted by my lawyers. With a deep breath and a prayer, I took a chance. “But I will marry you.”

Buddy coughed, or maybe choked. “I’m sorry. What?”

I approached him and held out the contract. “I’m simply suggesting that you and I might come to some sort of agreement. A marriage of convenience.”

“Uh…”

“If I have to marry someone to get my mother’s studio, then that’s what I’ll do—to anyone but Edward. And you, Buddy, are the man who can help me pull this off.”

“No.” He headed toward the door.

“Why not?”

“We just met, for one.”

“And we get along great so far, don’t we? Or are you not attracted to me?”

He turned back. “You know you’re gorgeous, and yes, I’m attracted to you. My answer is still no.”

“Buddy, come on. This makes perfect sense. You help me in my situation, and I help you get your film made.”

“I can’t marry.”

“It wouldn’t be a real marriage. Just for show and temporarily.”

“Look, I can’t marry because I took a vow with my best friend long ago. We’re bachelors to the end, never letting a woman tie us down with love and commitment.”

A vow to never marry? I’d thought this plan through, trying to conceive of every possible reaction Buddy might have had, but never once did it occur to me he’d have taken a vow like this.

And why?