Chapter 6

�Let�s see, who�s here,� Bridget said, under her breath.

�What,� asked Nick.

�I�m just seeing if I know anyone.�

�Oh.�

�Bridget! Nick! Can we get a picture?�

�Of course, boys,� she replied, turning both her and Nick to face the paparazzi. Draping herself over Nick, the pretty blonde posed for all the photographers.

�Excuse Miss Goldsmith, but your table is ready.�

�Gotta go boys,� she said, blowing the photographers a kiss. As she turned toward the hostess, someone caught her eye. �I don�t believe it.�

�What,� asked Nick.

�Winslow Ralston is here.�

�Who?�

�Winslow Ralston, Daddy says he�s on the rise and he�s over there at on of the center tables.� She directed the hostess, �Please take us by his table on the way to ours.�

Nick tried to figure out why the name sounded familiar. It wasn�t until he saw Bear that it clicked. �You mean Bear?�

Bridget spun around to face him. �You know Winslow Ralston well enough to call him Bear?�

Frowning, Nick said, �yeah.�

�How do you know him so well?�

�Miss Goldsmith,� called the hostess, upon realizing they were no longer following her.

�Just a minute,� hissed Bridget. �So?�

�I spent New Year�s Eve at his place on Hilton Head Island.�

�Well baby, let�s go say hi.�

Bridget led the way. Nick noticed a woman sitting with Bear. Her back was to them, but he could see they were holding hands. As they reached the table, the woman pulled her hand away and sat up straighter.

Bear looked at the three people now standing by the table. The hostess looked irritated. Nick looked confused and the girl, he recognized as Bridget Goldsmith, was giving him her most dazzling smile.

�Hello Nick,� he greeted.

�Hey,� replied Nick. Bridget elbowed him. �Bear, this is Bridget Goldsmith.�

�Hello, Bear. May I call you Bear?� She extended a perfectly manicured hand. �When Nicky saw you, we just had to come over and say hello.�

�Hello,� Bear offered in a neutral tone.

�Miss Goldsmith, your table is this way,� reminded the hostess.

�Shoot! That means you two can�t catch up. I know! Why don�t Nick and I join you?� She didn�t give him a chance to respond, before sitting down. �Thanks! Nick sit down.�

Embarrassment coloring his cheeks, Nick took the seat across from Bridget. He glanced to his left and got a surprise. Doing a double-take, he realized it was Abe. Even though she looked pale, she was still as pretty as he remembered. Finally, she looked at him.

Steeling herself, Abe said, �hello Nick.�

�Hi.� His voice came out much weaker than he intended.

Taking notice of the other woman at the table, Bridget said, �Oh, hello. I�m Bridget Goldsmith and you are?�

�AB Cavett.�

�Did you say AB?�

�Yes,� replied Abe, coolness apparent in her voice and eyes.

�Weird.�

Both men at the table felt the change in the air. Whereas Bear wanted to defuse the situation, Nick wanted to stir things up.

�What are you doing here?�

�Having lunch with Bear,� Abe stated, giving him a smile that made his blood pressure rise.

�I meant LA,� he countered.

A smile fixed in place, she volleyed, �Visiting Bear.�

�Why all the questions, baby,� asked Bridget. This wasn�t working out the way she had planned. �Is there something I should know about?�

Turning the same smile on her, Abe explained, �I was Nick�s personal assistant for the last tour. We haven�t seen each other since the night of the last show�catching up and all. You know how it is.�

�I see. So, Nick introduced you to Bear.�

�No.�

Bridget waited for the girl to go on, but she didn�t. How annoying! This girl was getting on her last nerve. Before things could escalate, Bear stepped in.

�Abe and I grew up together.�

�Who�s Abe?�

�I am,� replied Abe, taking on the look of an adult forced to be very, very patient with a child.

�AB, Abe, I don�t get it?�

�Friends call me Abe. Everyone else knows me as AB.�

�But her real name is Anna Bella,� stated Nick, a smirk firmly in place.

�Yes, but no one calls me that.�

Luckily, the waiter came up to take Nick and Bridget�s orders. Bear watched Abe closely. Bear knew her well enough to know how upset she was to be sitting next her ex-boyfriend.

Nick didn�t like the way Bear watched his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend, he had to remind himself. And why had he been holding her hand when they walked up? Were they dating? Had they always been together? Was Bear in on her scam? All the questions were swirling around in his head and drowning out the conversation.

�Nick.� Bridget couldn�t believe he wasn�t listening. �Nick!�

�What?�

�I was just telling them about your new solo deal.�

�Congratulations,� said Abe. �When do you go into the studio?�

�Next week.�

�It works out perfect.� Bridget took the conversation over again. �I�ll be shooting a movie of the week while he�s in the studio. We will both be busy and the separation won�t be too painful.� She brushed his bangs out of his eyes and smiled. He looked uncomfortable.

Abe surprised herself when she blurted out, �How long have you been dating?�

�We met last month at a party and have been together ever since. What about you two?�

Abe and Bear exchanged a look.

He said, �We�re just friends.�

�Yeah, they�re just friends,� reiterated Nick. His sarcasm was rewarded with a withering look from Abe.

Bridget decided it was time to steer the conversation in a direction more to her liking.

�Bear, I�ve been hearing buzz about a movie you may be doing��

�You have?�

�Stop teasing,� scolded Bridget, lightly smacking his forearm.

�My partners and I optioned a book called, �The Wayward Kind� and the screenwriter is finishing the script.�

�Have you thought about your cast?�

�Have you read the book,� chuckled Bear.

�Caught me. I�ll go out and get a copy when we leave here.�

All conversation ceased when the waiter appeared with their food. As soon as he left, Bridget picked up where she left off. �Back to casting.�

Nick glanced at Abe and could see what she was thinking. She was wondering how he wound up with a girl like Bridget. Since they met, they had been inseparable. He was even living with her.

Bridget Goldsmith was a party girl, he had seen her around, but not talked to her until the party. She was tall, blonde and an aspiring actress. The kicker was her old man was Goldie Goldsmith. He wasn�t just connected in Hollywood; he was the connection for lots of folks in Hollywood. Bridget was cast in two of his projects when she was a teenager. She was now 21 and looking to be a movie star.

Nick didn�t know she existed until he saw her movie, �Sinful Danger.� It was billed as an erotic thriller, but what caught his eye were the nude scenes where Bridget was doing the dirty with several co-stars. Nick had been at a friend�s place a week before the party and they watched it on video. Still hurting from his broken relationship with Abe, Nick nonchalantly mentioned how he would like to �tap that ass.� His friend said he could arrange an introduction at the party and the rest was history.

His gaze drifted from Abe to Bridget, who was still pumping Bear for information. Whereas Abe brought stability and a feeling of home to his life, Bridget had run him ragged over the last month. At least it was on her dime. Daddy�s jet. Daddy�s yacht. All free. Nick had not footed the bill once. Not that Abe ever asked him to pay for her. He stopped that thought. He had paid her salary and the bonus, so yeah he�d paid for her. Looking back over at Abe, he scowled.

Abe just shook her head.

�What?�

�Not a thing, Nick.�

This caught the attention of the other two at the table.

Bridget said, �Oops, have I been monopolizing the conversation?�

�I�m at fault, too. I apologize,� stated Bear.

�It�s fine,� replied Abe.

Nick and Bear exchanged a look.

�Abe is Bear taking you out and showing you the town,� asked Bridget.

�She just got here this morning. I�m taking her out tomorrow night.�

�Where are you going?�

�A party.�

�Deluxe?�

�Exactly.�

�How funny! Nick and I are attending that party too. I guess we will see you there. Oh! This will be fun. Abe you will love this place and Stuff always puts on a great party.�

�Good to know,� replied Abe.

�As a matter of fact, one of your band mates is going with us, Nick,� stated Bear.

�Who,� asked Nick, his eyes narrowing.

�AJ.�

Nick wanted to explode. The traitor! He bit his tongue and only nodded. He suddenly became very interested in his food. Everyone followed suit and began to eat.

After saying goodbye to Nick and Bridget, Bear drove away from the Ivy. Abe was in a daze until he pulled over to the curb and put the car in �park.�

�What�s wrong?�

�How are you doing?�

�I�m fine.�

�Don�t start the fine bullshit. You just saw Nick for the first time since you broke up. Not to mention meeting his new girlfriend.�

�Bitch,� she muttered.

�Ah�the truth comes out.�

�What is he thinking? Never mind I know what he�s thinking with and that negates all thought. Am I being shallow, because I find her repulsive? Sure she�s a beautiful blonde and all, but her personality sucks. Don�t laugh at me.�

�I�m sorry.�

�And the way she acted like I have a weird name. Okay, it�s weird, but so what? And you know what?� �What,� he gently asked.

�I hate him Bear. I really do.�

The tears broke loose then and Bear hugged her as best he could over the console. �No you don�t.�

She sniffled, �Yes, I do.�

�Okay, you do.�

After a moment, she said, �No I don�t and that�s what hurts.�

�I know,� sighed Bear, gently rubbing her back. �I guess shopping is out. We can go tomo��

�No, we�re going shopping,� she interrupted, with determination.

�Yes ma�am.�

Bear put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb.

�So what are you thinking?�

She said, �You remember that old Lorrie Morgan song, �Something in Red�?�

�Yeah.�

�I�m thinking about that song.�

Chapter 7

�This way!�

�Over here!�

�Look to your right!�

Abe thought the Grammy red carpet was bad, but she had expected the chaos. This was so much worse. She had no idea they had red carpets for parties. And, when she would have blended into the background, thanks to her two friends she was momentarily the center of the paparazzi�s attention. They had recognized AJ and, to Abe�s surprise, Bear. One of the photographers asked who she was and AJ said his date. Not to be outdone, Bear said, no she was his date. That�s all it took for the flashes to increase. Blushing, Abe announced neither were her date and they were just three friends going to a party. It didn�t matter, they knew something was up and were going to first to get the picture.

Someone called out asking to get a picture of Abe by herself. AJ and Bear, both stepped out of frame. She wanted to kill them, but didn�t want photographic evidence at her trial. Instead, she pretended to be poised, smiling for the cameras. Thankfully, it was over quickly and they moved inside to the party.

�I suggest neither of you go to sleep around me anytime soon,� she warned, upon taking a seat at their table.

�Chill woman,� chuckled AJ.

She just growled in his ear, causing him to laugh harder. A waitress appeared to take their drink orders. Abe looked around. She recognized several in the crowd. It was overwhelming to be there and she wasn�t sure she fit in.

�Stop it.� AJ was leaning into her.

�What?�

He arched an eyebrow. �You belong here.�

Bear leaned in. �What are we whispering about?�

�Nothing,� replied Abe, still looking at AJ.

�Nothing,� he agreed.

Abe sat back taking it all in as different people stopped by the table. Just as she was beginning to relax, she saw Nick and Bridget coming their way. Her stomach twisted and she tried keeping her breathing under control. Nick locked eyes with her and for a split second, his eyes showed the hurt he felt before all his walls went up. Once again, Bridget was making a beeline for them.

Abe only had enough to time to lean over and whisper into AJ�s ear. �Nick is coming this way. Be good.�

�Fuck,� he muttered.

�I�m serious, AJ.�

�Hello! I wondered if you were here yet.� Bridget turned to the waitress and said, �be a dear and get us another chair.�

The waitress rolled her eyes as she went off to find a chair.

�I hope you don�t mind us joining you.�

�Jet, I think our table is�� Nick attempted.

�Nicky,� whined Bridget. �They don�t mind. Hi AD.�

�AJ.�

�Silly, I know who you are,� she laughed.

�She was talking to me. Hello Bridget,� greeted Abe.

�Hi there Bear.�

�Hello you two.�

�Hello Nick.�

He sat in the chair the waitress brought and finally said, �Hello Abe. Bear. AJ.�

�Nick.� AJ said his voice tight. �Abe let�s dance.�

The surprise of AJ�s request was evident on Abe�s face as she looked at Bear. �Be back in a few.�

As they reached the dance floor, the tempo of the music slowed. AJ pulled her in close and began to sway to the music.

�Damn, he pisses me off.�

�I know.�

�I can�t believe his ass is sitting at our table.�

�I know, but it really isn�t his idea. This is the second time I�ve seen Bridget in action. I�d say she is very use to getting what she wants.�

�So what�s up? When did you meet her?�

�Yesterday. After, we left your place, we dropped my stuff off at Bear�s and went to the Ivy.�

�Look at you! Being all up in the scene,� he teased.

Drawing back to give him a look, she said, �Remember I do have my leg between yours right now.�

AJ immediately tightened his legs and she laughed.

�Anyway, they showed up not too long after us and stopped at our table. Bridget apparently wanted to meet Bear. She decided she wanted them to join us and did want she did tonight.�

�I can�t believe Nick hooked up with her.�

�She�s blonde, beautiful and has a hot body. Why wouldn�t he?�

�He could do much better.�

�Yeah�who.�

�You,� stated AJ.

�Please, even if he didn�t hate me, I could never compete with her.�

�Puh-leeze! She doesn�t hold a candle you.�

�Puh-leeze! AJ, I�m not blonde and will NEVER have that Body. Ow!�

AJ had popped her on the bottom. �I�m gettin� real tired of you puttin� yourself down.�

�Well, ya didn�t have to spank me.�

�Yes I did.� He stopped dancing to make sure she heard him over the music. �You are beautiful and he was damn lucky to have you. Anyone would be. Stop selling yourself short. I mean, you have two dates tonight and one of them is me. That�s like hittin� the freakin� lottery.�

She threw her head back and laughed. Her lips brushed his cheek as she hugged him tight. The music picked back up and took on a Latin beat.

�Let�s show them how it�s done,� he said.

�You lead. I follow.�

Nick watched them dance as he worked on his second double bourbon. He didn�t even try to be inconspicuous. Bridget was too busy talking with Bear to notice. He took in all of Abe. The green satin dress complimented her curves. The pumps accentuated the shape of legs. Her hips swayed seductively as she moved with AJ. He remembered what it was like to dance with her, to be with her. Now AJ was dancing with her.

The thought of AJ reminded him of Abe�s betrayal. He also felt the sting of AJ�s betrayal. His brother...yeah right. He couldn�t believe AJ was there with her. He had been just as upset as Nick when he found out about the bonus.

An arm snaked around his neck, breaking his concentration. �Why do you have the grumpy bear face on? Is my baby feeling neglected?�

�Uh�yeah, I am,� he replied, feeling her lips on his neck.

�Didn�t mean to leave you out. I just wanted to talk to Bear about his new film project. I think I would be perfect for a part.�

�Really. What part?�

�Any of them,� she giggled. �You sure are watching the dance floor. Now I feel neglected.�

He looked over to see her bottom lip stuck out a mile. She really wasn�t upset. This was their form of foreplay.

Dropping a quick kiss on her lips, he said, �excuse us, Bear. We�re goin� dancin�.�

�Excuse...�

Bear merely nodded as he ordered another round of drinks.

�Damn it,� AJ hissed.

�What?�

�Here they come.�

�Great.� The music slowed, she asked, �Are you ready to take a break?�

�Yeah.�

�Where are you going?� Bridget asked. �We were coming out to join you.�

Abe fanned herself. �I�m hot. I need to get some water and take a break.�

�Well don�t stay away too long.�

Bear met them at the edge of the dance floor. �I was just coming out.�

�Why don�t you two go back out,� suggested AJ, choosing to ignore Abe�s grip on his hand getting tighter. �Abe, it�s not fair to only dance with one of your dates.�

�Come on Bear,� she said.

With his hand on the small of her back, Bear guided her back out to the dance floor. It was impossible to ignore Nick and Bridget. They may have been on the dance floor, but they weren�t dancing. Nick was kissing her. Long. Slow. Deep. At least he had the decency to blush when the kiss ended. Abe quickly looked away before he could see the tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks.

�How are you doing with that,� asked Bear, nodding at the other couple. Sensing her unease, Bear held her tighter against him as they danced. �You okay?�

�Nothing I can do about it,� she replied honestly.

He pulled her closer, feeling her relax into him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nick watching. He nuzzled her, then glanced over at Nick and gave him a nod. It was a good thing looks couldn�t kill. Actually, he found he liked holding her. Pissing Nick off was just a bonus.

Abe pulled back when the song morphed again and picked up tempo. �Excuse me, Bear. I�m going to the ladies room.�

�Okay. I�ll meet you back at the table.�

�Thanks.� She kissed his cheek.

�For what?�

�Being a friend.� With a smile, she headed off the dance floor.

Nick didn�t miss a thing and he was seething. It wasn�t rational, but rational didn�t matter. Why was his Bella kissing another guy?

Bear lifted his hand to his cheek as he watched her walk away. Glancing back at Nick, he stood a little straighter and headed for the table.

********

�Woo. Dancing works up a thirst, but I gotta pee before I drink anymore,� announced Bridget upon entering the bathroom. �AG! How�s it goin�, girl?�

�Please call me, Abe.�

�Abe. Got it. So, having fun?�

�I suppose. I�m heading back out,� stated Abe, already walking out of the bathroom.

�See you out there,� called Bridget.

�How long have you been with Bear?�

She spun around. �Nick! You scared me.�

�How long,� he repeated.

�I could ask you the same question.�

�A couple of weeks. Answer me,� he demanded.

�Not that it is any of your business, but we aren�t together. I�m in town for job interviews and he was nice enough to let me stay with him.�

�Moving on to your next victim?�

Something snapped in her. �Listen you asshole, you gave up the right to ask about me the day you decided to fuck Angelica.�

�Yeah well if I did that, it was your fault. You�re the one that fucked me for money. Have you spent it all?�

�I don�t know how I could be so wrong about you.�

�Abe?�

She turned to see AJ.

�Isn�t this great! My friend�my brother�where�s the loyalty man?�

�Take a look in the mirror, Nick, then tell me where the fuck the loyalty.�

�Stop it!� Abe pushed them away from each other. �This is not happening. AJ, let�s go.�

�Abe,� he started to argue.

�Please, don�t.�

�Fine.�

He turned to leave with Abe. Nick started to grab him, but the door opened and Bridget emerged. Abe kept AJ moving.

�Hey baby. Miss me?�

�Hey. You know it.� He kissed her hard. �Let�s go.�

�Are you still a grumpy bear? I don�t want to leave just yet, but I�ll make a deal with you.� She pushed him until his back met the wall. Sliding her hand down to cup him, she caught his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled it. �We will only stay for a little while longer, then we will go home and I will make my grumpy bear very, very happy.�

Bridget led the way back to the table. They arrived in time to see the other three getting ready to leave.

�Everyone is being party poopers.�

�Sorry. It�s my fault. I haven�t adjusted to the change in time zones. Have a good night.�

�You to�Abe,� said Bridget, smiling brightly, because she remember the other woman�s name. �Nice to meet you AJ.�

�Yeah. Night.�

�Now you, Bear. I really hope you keep me in mind. I�m sure I will see you around.�

�Sure Bridget. Night Nick.�

�Night,� said Nick, after tossing back another double.

They were almost to the door when AJ said, �Damn! I forgot my lighter. Be right back.�

�AJ,� cautioned Abe.

�I�ll be good. Meet you outside.�

He quickly crossed the room and slipped up behind Nick before Abe could stop him. He leaned down close to Nick�s ear. �Just so you know, she gave the money to your charity. She did that because Roger wouldn�t take it back. For the record, she�d forgotten all about the bonus. She didn�t want it.�

�So?�

�So you fucked up. The girl loved you. YOU...not what you can do for her. Not because YOU were famous. Think about that while YOU are recording YOUR solo album. See ya� around, dumb fuck.�