“God.”

I look up and smile as she comes out onto the terrace.  “Feel better?”

She runs her hands through her hair and shakes it out a little bit as she walks toward me.  “Now that I’m out of that stuffy dress.”

I pat the spot beside me on the small patio lounger.  “C’mon.  Sun’s about to set.  It’s our last chance.”

She shuffles over quickly, giggling as she reaches me and plops down beside me.  I don’t hesitate to pull her close and circle my arm around her waist as she leans her whole body into me.

I wish every night could be this way.

But I know once we wake up tomorrow, life will become as hectic as always again, with one small exception.

That we’ll be together.

I never thought I could become attached to her so fast.  It’s only been a few days, and already I can feel it.  That I’m just...deep.  Deep into this thing with her, and I don’t know...it’s good. In my heart, I know it’s good, that she’s good for me, and I’m good for her.  Part of me is still afraid I guess. Just...afraid that something will get screwed up like everything else in my personal life, and I’ll lose her.

I can’t think like that though.  I have to stop.  I have to because...

Because I can’t remember the last time I was this happy.

“I wish we could stay.” She says it softly, as she leans her head against my chest and I run my free hand through her long wavy brown hair.  “Just for one more day.”

I kiss the top of her head, breathe her in for a long moment before I smile.  “We’ll come back.  Together, just us.  It’ll be for fun and not for work.”

“Hmm, promise?”

“Of course.”

She looks up at me, smiles, and then presses her lips against mine.  We get lost in the kiss for a long time, before we’re finally able to stop and take in the view.  The sun is setting over the Eiffel Tower.  We just made it.  Her interviews ran longer today, and we got delayed by the media after dinner.  Sarah didn’t lose her cool though.  She just held my hand, and allowed me to calm her down while Roy and a few police officers figured out the best way to get us all out of there safely.  It was the new her, the one I liked, and knew everybody else would too once we got back home.  I’m looking forward to that new start with her.  It’ll be different, a change, and maybe...I’ll be better off because of it.  Maybe it will help me to forget some things, and overcome a lot of shit that’s been burdening me for years.

“So your sister is coming right when we get home?”

Shit like that.

“Uh...Tuesday.”

She nods a little.  “Well I can get myself to the set...”

“No, it’s fine.  I can still do my job while she’s here.”

“I don’t want her to think I’m some kind of slave driving bitch.”

I laugh.  “She won’t think that.”

“Well she’ll be the first.”  She rolls her eyes and runs her fingers up and down my chest.  “I mean, I can only imagine what you’ve told her about me in the past.”

I suck in a breath.  “I wouldn’t have said anything bad about you to my family.  It’s unprofessional.”

“I deserved it.”

I brush my lips against hers.  “It’s done, okay?”

She nods a little.  “So..what does your sister think about me?”

She’s nervous about this visit, but that makes two of us.  The truth is, I have no idea what Charlotte thinks about London Pierce, or what she’s going to say when she finds out I’m the one that’s been working for her all these years.  Then, when she realizes we’re dating, I know it’s going to be a whole other story.  “To be honest?”

“Well...I don’t want you to lie, Justin.”

“She doesn’t know I work for you.”

Her eyes widen a little.  “Are you kidding me?”

I shake my head slowly.  She seems annoyed, but I guess I knew she would be.  “I didn’t want to involve my family in all of this.  It was easier.”

“So she’s just walking into this blind! Justin...”

“Calm down.” I smile calmly, but when her expression doesn’t change, I sigh.  “Look, Charlotte is...understanding.  Sure, she’ll be a little surprised, but she’ll get over it once you get introduced and show her what a sweet...” I trail off and kiss her again.  “Loveable person you are.”r32;

“Oh please.”

“Well it’s true.”

“When did you get so sappy, Justin,” she laughs.  

“I’ve always been a romantic,” I wink.

She nudges me in the ribs.  “Well, I’ll be surprised if your sister doesn’t head for the hills once she realizes you’re holed up with London Pierce.”

“I was hoping I could introduce you as Sarah.  Not London.” I say it seriously as I look into her eyes.  One thing I don’t want, is to show my sister the fake side of my girlfriend.  Not when I’m trying to make a good impression.  One thing Charlotte can’t stand is fake people, and with good reason.  “I want her to see you for who you are.”

She huffs.  “Justin...”

“C’mon.” I flash her my best smile.  “For me, huh?”

“God, fine,” she groans.  “But I’m taking her out for a girls day, just me and her.  I want to get to know her and everybody knows...girls bond better when they’re alone.”

“What’re you gonna do? Brainwash her?”

“Yes, I’m going to force her to wear my perfume and buy my line of hand bags.” She rolls her eyes.  “God, I just want to spend time with your sister.  The way you’ve talked about her, it’s like she’s the best friend you have.”

“We’re close,” I shrug.  “My best friend lives in LA, though.  I barely see him, but it is what it is.”

“Jesus.  I really like...have no idea about what goes on in your personal life.”

“You were never supposed to.”
r32;

“Still, I mean...if we’re going to make this work, I need to start catering to your interests too.  I know...” she perks up and smiles, her eyes growing wide with excitement.  “We can have a party at the house! Oh my gosh it would be so much fun! We could plan it out and invite like...everybody!  I can meet your friends, and you can network to the people I introduce you to, you know?”

“Network?”

A sly smile creeps onto her face.  “You’re my boyfriend now,” she whispers.  “You don’t really think I’m going to let you be my assistant forever do you?  I want to see what you can do.  Maybe I can get you a couple of auditions.  You can start reading for producers and see where it goes.”

“I um...”

“What? Don’t you want to act? I thought that was why you came out here.”

“It was...but right now I have some things I have to take care of.  I need guaranteed income, you know?”

“Are you having problems with money?”

I hesitate only slightly before I lie to her yet again.  I’m not ready.  Not ready to divulge my real personal issues to her.  That’s bad, I know, but I can’t help myself.  “No.  It’s just that job security is important.”

She stares at me, a perplexed look on her face.  “Are you sure?”

“Yeah I’m sure,” I scoff.

She rolls her eyes.  “Well, whatever.  You might think that way, but you can’t stop me from putting in a good word for you where I can.”

“Fine.”  I force a smile and rub her shoulders as she curls up against me.  “One thing at at time though, okay? You have a movie to film first, and it’s important you know? Even if that jerk is your co star.”

“That jerk is going to get the right directors to notice me,” she sighs.  “I just might get the role I’ve been after this fall, so until then, I’ll deal with him.”

“Let’s hope so.”  I kiss the top of her head, and our conversation falls silent as we watch the sun begin it’s decent over picturesque Paris.  I’m not a jealous person.  I never was.  I guess I just saw something in that guy...Chet, that I really didn’t like.  He came off as a manipulator who was very interested in getting Sarah naked.  Now that we’re together, that doesn’t fly with me even more.  I feel like I have to watch him closely when he’s around her now, and I don’t want to.  I don’t want to come off as a jealous boyfriend to Sarah, but I just don’t think I have a choice.  

She’s smart, and I love her, I do...but I know, and I think the entire world knows, that her common sense is lacking, and if that guy gets her alone, I have no idea what could happen.

It scares me, because we just got together.  I just admitted that I care about her too, that I love her, and if I lost her...

If I lost her I know it would destroy me.

Eventually the twilight fades to black, and I nudge her gently so we can go inside.  We change, get in bed, and have a playful round of intimacy before passing out in each others arms.  When the alarm blares in my ear, she’s the first thing I see, and I smile, thankful that she’s by my side, her arms around me and mine around hers.  

“Ready to go home?” She whispers, her eyes slowly sliding open as she smiles at me tiredly.

I’m not really sure, because I know the minute we step off that plane both of our lives will be completely different.  “I’m trying to be.”

She smirks like she gets it.  Like she doesn’t have to ask me what my problem is, because she knows.  She knows how busy she’ll be once we’re home, and what that could do to our new relationship.  “Me too.”
***********
“Justin!”

I clear my throat and shift my weight nervously as I finally make eye contact with her.  She’s jumping up and down, waving her arms like crazy over the mass of people in front of her.  The best I can do is smile.  It’s great to see her, I can’t deny that.  I’ve been waiting for this moment, probably since I left home.

At the same time though, I’m terrified.  Terrified to expose her to my life, terrified of what she’ll think, what she’ll say.  Most of all though, I’m terrified of what she’ll tell me about mom, about how bad she’s gotten.

I’m terrified that she’ll beg me to come home, despite what Harvey thinks.

And I can’t go home.  Not to him.  Not this way.

“Hey!”  

She literally throws herself into me when she’s able to break through the crowd.  Her arms encircle me and pull me close to her tiny body, like she’ll never let me go.  I still tower over her, even though it’s been five years, but I knew I would.  Charlotte stopped growing when she was about fifteen.  She’s so lightweight and short that she made the perfect top to the cheerleading pyramid during football games.  “Hey.”  I close my eyes, breathe her in.

It’s a great feeling. It’s great to see her.

“You...you look amazing, J.”  She finally pulls back from me and reveals her bright smile.  “It’s great to see you.  I’m so excited! I want you to show me everything okay? I’ve always wanted to see the Hollywood sign! Oh and that Chinese Theater! Do you know any good restaurants? Oh my gosh...this airport is huge!”

She carries on and on as we walk through LAX and down to baggage claim.  I don’t say much, just nod and promise her that I’ll show her all the things she’s been fantasizing about as we collect her suitcases and head out to the car.  Unfortunately, the only car I had at my disposal today was my usual...Sarah’s work Mercedes, and I know my sister isn’t prepared.  Back home, cars like this don’t show up much, and when they do, they’re always being driven by a prominent business owner, never people like us.

“You hungry?”  I click the button on the key and the lights on the car flash, telling me the doors are open, and I click it again so the trunk will pop open.  “There’s this great little place not too far from here.  I...”

I stop talking when I reach the open trunk, because I realize that Charlotte has stopped following me all together.  I look back at her and can’t help but laugh.  She’s standing there, mouth open, her eyes wide as she takes in the car.  Little does she know...this is only the tip of the iceberg.  When we get home, Sarah will be waiting for us.  She assured me that she was going to set up a little welcoming party for my sister, even though I told her it wasn’t necessary.  She was so excited though, telling me how much she wanted to get to know a member of my family, that I couldn’t tell her no.

It’s just going to be hard...getting my sister acclimated to all of this.  She’s not used to luxury and she’s certainly not used to being in the presence of a national celebrity.  That’s not who we are, not where we’re from.  I’m praying to God that it all works out.

“Is...is that your car?”  

“Not exactly,” I smirk.  “It’s kind of a loaner.”  I walk forward slightly and take her luggage so I can get it into the trunk.  “C’mon, get in.  We can get some food or I can just take you back home to get settled first.”

She crosses her arms, narrows her eyes at me, and it’s only then that I’m reminded of my mother.  I force myself to swallow back my emotions for her, because I can’t afford to break down right now. She just got here.

“What aren’t you telling me, J?”

“Nothing...”  I take in a long breath and open the passenger side door.  “Let’s just go, okay?”

She eyes me suspiciously, but when I motion her into the car again with a smile, she doesn’t ask any more questions.  Thank goodness, because I still have to come up with an explanation about Sarah before we get to the house.  I know my sister.  She’ll be pissed that I never told her about my job, and now...about my current relationship with my boss.  

“So hows dad?”  I practically blurt it out when we’re out of the airport vicinity and on the main stretch of road that leads into downtown Los Angeles.  “I meant to call him before you came out I just...I was out of town and I didn’t get the chance to.”

“He’s...good I guess.  He’s been really busy with everything, you know?”

I grip the steering wheel a little tighter.  “Like mom?”

“Harvey said he told you.”

I laugh, bitterly.  “He sure did.”

“I tried to talk him out of it.  It’s not right...him expecting you to pay for all of it.”

“It doesn’t matter.  I expect that from him at this point.  It’s been too long.”

“Still, you guys were close.  I hate what...what mom’s disease has done to the family.  I wish you could just come home and talk to him.  I’m sure he’d snap out of his funk if he saw you make the effort.”

“No.” I shake my head roughly.  “That’s the last thing he wants.”

“Justin...”

“Can we not talk about it?”  I say it to her gently, and force a small smile.  “You’re here now, and...and it’s a really great thing, you know? I’ve really missed you, and I want this trip to be positive and about you and me.  Harvey has nothing to do with it, and neither do the rest of the boys.”

She sighs, but starts to back down.  “I guess.”

I nod, pat her knee and focus back on the road.

“So what...I mean...you said this car is a loner? Jesus.  You must have some great friends.”

I laugh slightly.  “It’s actually for work.  My boss loans it out to me.”

“Your boss?  What kind of work did you find out here?”

“Well...I sort of fell into the entertainment industry, but not in the way I planned to,” I smile.  “You’ll meet my boss today. I actually live with her right now, and you’ll be staying with us for the week, but I want you to promise me you won’t get all weirded out.  She wants to meet you, and I want it to be as normal as possible, okay?”

“Justin...” She gasps.  “I mean, is it like...Britney Spears?”

“Give me a little more credit than that, sis.”

She rolls her eyes.  “Well you should tell me before we get there you know.  It’s only fair.”

I chuckle.

“Justin!”

“C’mon, I’m enjoying this.”

Really, I’m trying to buy myself some more time, but she doesn’t need to know that.

“I don’t want to walk into this blind.  I mean, if she’s really that famous, I could be a huge fan.  I don’t want to walk into the house all star struck.  Is she...that famous?”

I sigh a little.  “Her name is Sarah.”

“Sarah what?  Sarah Jessica Parker?”

“No.”

“I’ll kill you in your sleep.  I mean it.”

“She goes by London,” I finally say, giving in because there’s no other option.  I’ve never been able to lie to my sister, and I’m not about to try.  “But I call her Sarah.”

“London Pierce?”

She says it with disgust in her voice, and I glance over at her slightly before focusing back on the busy road.  “Right, yeah.”

“Seriously?”

It’s the last reaction I expected.  It’s almost like...she can’t stand her, even though she doesn’t know her at all.  “Dead serious.  Why? What’s the matter?”

“I just...I never thought you would ever work for somebody like that.”

“Read one too many tabloid magazines Char?”

“I didn’t need to.  I can just tell how fake she is by the movies I’ve seen and the interviews I’ve watched on TV.  No wonder you haven’t had any free time.  She’s probably run you into the ground.”

It’s been the complete truth, up until now, and I hate that.  What’s worse, Sarah is home waiting for us, having the notion in her mind that my sister will be more than happy to meet her, and find out that that we’ve been dating for a couple of weeks.  Things are going in the opposite direction so fast that I can’t keep up.

This is bad.

“It’s been...hectic...”

“What was all that about her going into rehab anyway? I was looking to see when she was going to show up on Celebrity Rehab, but it never happened.”

“I’d never let that happen,” I say quickly.  “Look, she’s not...she’s not all what the media makes her out to be.  She’s different when she’s not working.”

“What are you, her boyfriend or something?”

I clench my jaw.  “Just do me a favor and get to know her before you judge her.”

She sinks back into her seat, and gazes straight ahead.

“Charlotte.”

“I don’t know how I feel,” she mutters.  “It’s hard for me not to judge the person that’s prevented me from seeing you for five years, Justin.  I mean, did you ever get a vacation?”

“It’s a hard business.  I couldn’t manage to take one until now.”

“Even Harvey takes vacations, and you know what a work-a-holic he is when it comes to the garage.”

I can’t argue with her.  I know how fucked up everything has been for the past five years, and yeah, Sarah was a heinous bitch until recently.  Now we’re in love, but I’m not ready to reveal that to my sister, even though she’ll probably figure it out the minute we set foot inside the house.  

Maybe this was a mistake.  Maybe I should have taken Trace up on his offer and stayed with him for a week, let Sarah figure shit out on her own.

But I can’t help myself.  I’m in love, and that...that takes priority above everything else, even if my sister isn’t ready to handle it.

“I can’t tell you that you’re wrong, Char.  It is what it is.  But...just try to be understanding when you meet her.  I know she’s excited to meet you.”

“Why?”

“She just is.”

“You’re dating her aren’t you?”

I glance at her quickly.  “I...”

“Jesus,” she laughs.  “No wonder Harvey expects you to pay for mom.”

“He doesn’t know about this.  Nobody does.  You’re the first person I’ve told.”

“What could you possibly have in common with a woman like her?”

“More than you’d think.”

It’s silent the rest of the way back to Sarah’s.  I know how uncomfortable Charlotte is about all of this, and I wish I could have sprung it on her accidentally, but would there have been a point? Probably not.  She’d just be angry that I didn’t tell her the truth from the beginning and after five years, I really didn’t want to start our visit off that way.

Even though, it’s still not off to the best start.

We pull up to the gate and I glance at my sister as I type in the code on the keypad built into the bars.  Her eyes are wide as she stares back at the property and I already know she’s more than overwhelmed.  “Just relax.  It’s not so overwhelming once you get inside.”

She just nods, the gates part, and I drive inside of them.