Hollywood.
You can keep it.
The weather’s okay, the palm trees are nice, but the entire town makes me feel like I’m inThe Truman Show. Everything seems a little too rehearsed and a little too plastic.
I hate it.
As we’re driving to yet another party, we turn onto Hollywood Blvd. The only thing I can think of is all the countless hopefuls who got off a bus here and then realized they were stepping out onto the boulevard of broken dreams.
I will say that Charlie has definitely shown me that he wants to help. In the past couple of days, he’s introduced me to several people who have genuinely expressed interest in the ranch. There’s been some promising leads, but so far, no one willing to really commit to partnering with us.
Roxanne and I have only connected once since I’ve been here. She called me the other night, but I was in a nightclub and didn’t hear the phone. When I called her back the next day, she was interviewing Millie and Stedman after a bulldogging demo. We’vetexted each other good night and sent emojis in the mornings, but it’s not the same. I can’t wait to get home.
The feeling only gets worse after tonight’s dinner at Jolene Fox’s mansion. What was supposed to be a conversation about funding turned into something else entirely—something I don’t ever want to relive. Charlie’s just as rattled on the drive home, and neither of us says much. Back at the house, I try to head upstairs, but he stops me.
“Grab two beers from the fridge and I’ll meet you on the patio.”
“I’m tired,” I protest.
“Just have one beer with me.”
I roll my eyes but do what he says. The cool breeze floating by helps to blow off the last bits of frustrated steam coming off me. I set Charlie’s beer down on the patio table and take a swig of mine as I unbutton some of my shirt. The city stretches forever beneath me. It’s all gold and glitter. Spotlights sweep the sky over some premiere while traffic weaves like blood through arteries.
Charlie finally joins me. “Sorry, man. Shit, what a night, huh?” I turn and lean against the deck railing. “Swear to me you didn’t set that up.”
“Fuck off.” He takes a long pull of his beer. “Of course not. Swear you weren’t about to pounce on that minx?”
“I think you know the answer.”
He sinks into a chair, elbows on his knees. “You scared the hell out of me back there. For a second, I thought I was about to catch my brotheren flagrantewith Jolene.” He shudders. “I nearly had a heart attack right there by the pool—and I’m too young for that kind of trauma.”
I huff out a laugh. “I know my heart stopped when her dress hit the pool deck.”
Charlie shoots me a grin—the boyish one I haven’t seen inyears. “Glad you proved me wrong. Most guys in this town would’ve caved.”
“Not my style.”
He raises his bottle in a mock toast. “Guess some things don’t change. You were the only one I knew who could walk past a plate of Mom’s cookies without sneaking one.”
I smile, walk over, and clink my bottle against his. “That’s because I knew you’d steal enough for both of us.”
The laugh we share lands easy, familiar. I admit to myself that maybe this trip has done what I never expected—it’s helped me restore a little faith in my brother.
“I knew you were strong, but I think this is more about Roxanne than anything. You miss her, don’t you?”
“Yep. I was hoping to get on a flight home tonight, actually. Think you can make it happen?”
Charlie checks his watch. “Uh, I can’t arrange one this late, but I can get you out first thing in the morning.”
“Fine.”
“Good, that means I have more time with you. Tell me about Roxanne.”
“What?”
“You know. The woman you’re crushing on and the main reason why you didn’t want to jump that Fox tonight.”
“There aremanyreasons I wasn’t interested in Jolene, but yes, Roxanne being the main one.”
