Stand Close 1 Read online

  “I like my home,” I whisper. “I know it’s small… but this was my first place all my own. You were there when I bought most of this stuff. It is a bit ratty...”

  “You can buy all new stuff now. Think of that!” She nudges me with her arm and smiles reassuringly. “You’re a modest chick, Rue, but maybe that’s why this is happening to you. To get you to widen the net a bit.”

  I roll my eyes. “Don’t get all new age-y on me. This is happening because my mother fell for the oldest trick in the book.” We both say, at the same time: “A married man who said he’d leave his wife.” I sigh. “I have to get ready for dinner. You wanna help me?”

  She lays her head on my shoulder. “Like I have something better to do.”

  I rest my cheek on the top of her head. “I hope this doesn’t change me too much.”

  “It’s already changed your hair,” she mutters.

  I snort. “Right?!”

  “Right.” Pushing off from the door, she spins around and lifts one leg elegantly high in the air, then lands with both arms up like there are Olympic judges watching. “You’re too level-headed to ever really change, Ruefus. I promise!”

  Chapter Ten

  SEAN

  “Shit. How’d they find out already?” The reporters go nuts the second they see my Lotus. “Oh crap. Here we go.”

  Jack’s leaned back, one knee higher than the other, his arm languidly lodged in the open window, fingers touching the hood, eyes on the paparazzi mob. Of course some of Rue’s neighbors are standing outside, too. One of them motions for another to look, as we pull up. There is no inflection in Jack’s voice as he says casually, “I’ll get her.”

  I’m wary. His attitude is unreadable. Never a good sign. I can always read him. Without arguing, I pull over and double park. “I’ll get her.”

  He cuts a smirk to me. “You think I’m scary?”

  “I think she doesn’t know what’s about to hit her. This is nothing. And you aren’t helping.” I slide up out of the car and put my sunglasses on, strolling into the throng as I’ve done a million times. I’m instantly recognized, but the glasses shield my disdain. Paparazzi are the vilest creatures on the planet. Making a buck off someone else’s misery and joy is a strange way to pay the rent.

  “Sean!” “SEAN!” “OVER HERE, SEAN!” “Did you know you had a poor half-sister?” “What did you think when you heard she took your inheritance?” “Sean! Did you know your father was unfaithful?” “DID YOU KNOW ABOUT HIS PLANS TO LEAVE HER EVERYTHING?”

  They threw the right bait and caught the fish. “He didn’t leave her everything. She didn’t take our inheritance. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  They go nuts. Fuck. Why’d I have to fall into the trap?

  Jack comes up behind me, shouting, “Alright! You guys want to have a photo of the family?”

  Now they go absolutely fucking bonkers. The worst version of bonkers. I throw him an incredulous look and struggle through the tight cluster that’s by her door so I can knock. She doesn’t open it. “Rue! It’s Sean and Jack. It’s okay. Open up.”

  Through the door, I hear a muffled, “No way!”

  I put both my hands on it and throw Jack a look. “I swear I’ll protect you. Now let’s get out of here. They’ll never leave you alone if you stay.”

  The door opens a crack and she peers out to make sure it’s really me. Then her eyes slide to where Jack’s behind me. He’s got one hand in his pocket and the other scratching his growing stubble. I lean in so she can hear my advice over the noise, saying in a whisper for only her ears, “Come out. Hold your head high like you don’t give a fuck about them. Like you’re above them. And you are. You got it?”

  “My friend is in here,” she informs me quietly. “They think we’re gay lovers.”

  I can’t help but smile. “Have her stay until you’ve left. We’ll meet her another time.”

  Jenna’s head pops up from the side and she smiles and waves and rolls her eyes at the insanity behind us. I jerk my chin up as a form of hello, simultaneously letting her know we’ll have better introductions another time. She seems to get it, which is indicative of her character. It’s only the ones who fall all over themselves that we have to look out for. Well, not only them, but that’s a good indicator of needed caution.

  Behind me, getting irritated by the repeated yelling of our names, Jack urges us, “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” I quickly look over my shoulder, the voices of the crowd deafening. Even Jack’s now showing fear.

  I turn to Rue. “Come on. Do as I told you. Okay?”

  She nods, but her eyes are as big as dinner plates and she looks sixteen instead of twenty-one. Her hand slides through the crack. I look down and realize she wants me to take it. I reach for it, grasp it tight and she comes out wearing a black dress that falls to the middle of her thighs and cuts low. I glance to Jack and see him looking away quickly, averting his eyes from checking out his sister. I guide her out of the apartment and turn to the masses. The explosion of cameras flashing when Jack bows, and takes her other hand, is something to behold. Rue is very surprised he did that, but she does what I told her. Her neck extends, and she smiles at the cameras. Jack and I give our normal smirks and hit a couple of the usual poses we know look good. “Okay, let’s go!” We all start pushing through and the sea parts.

  Chapter Eleven

  RUE

  J ack Stone on one side of me. Sean Stone on the other. If I didn’t feel like I might barf, this would be a good time. And what makes it worse is I saw how Jack looked at me, and it sent confusing goosebumps all down my body. He covered it quickly, but not quick enough.

  “Okay! Great to see you all! Goodnight everyone!” Jack pulls on my hand, cutting a path for us with me sandwiched in between him and Sean. I gasp as someone drops to their knees and takes a close-up of Jack’s and my hand clasped tightly together.

  “Go away!” I bark at the guy.

  Jack looks over his shoulder at me, impressed. “Nicely done.”

  Sean tugs my other hand to make sure I hear him over the noise. People are still calling our names to get us to look into their cameras. It’s insane. “Rue, be nice or they will tear you to shreds.”

  Jack shoots him a look and keeps walking, pulling out sunglasses from his blazer pocket with his free hand and sliding them on like a pro. His swagger is incredible and I’m doing my best not to look at the broadness of his back as the fabric tugs across it with every step he takes. It’s really confusing finding out the men I’ve fantasized about, are now my fucking family. Gross.

  He opens the door for me to get into the back seat, but Sean counters impatiently, “Be a gentleman.”

  A sneer passes over Jack’s face. If I wasn’t paying attention, I wouldn’t have seen it, because he hastily covers with a smile as he climbs in the back, like he doesn’t mind being all squished up like that in the tiny seat. But I saw it. I saw how he really feels in that instant and now I’m convinced he’s playing me like he plays the press.

  I climb into the front seat and watch Sean muscle his way to the driver’s side. He shuts the door and buckles himself in, whisking his long eyelashes my way. “I like your hair. You like it?”

  My hand floats up to it reflexively. “Yeah. Thank you. It was an interesting day.”

  He nods and puts the car in drive, almost running over a reporter who’s taking a picture of us through the windshield. The guy yelps and leaps out of harm’s way. “Five thousand points,” Jack announces from the back seat.

  Sean, still looking ahead, counters, “I almost did it.”

  “I would’ve thought you a better man.”

  Sean smirks and turns on the radio, Kongo’s Come With Me Now blasting out of the best sound system I’ve ever heard.

  Chapter Twelve

  RUE

  Before sliding the juicy bite of filet mignon into his mouth, Sean asks, “Have you looked at your bank account yet?”

  But Jack doesn�
�t give me a chance to answer. “Of course she has. Why do you think she had Jenna over?”

  It’s been a chore to eat anything. I’m so nervous with everyone in the restaurant stealing inquisitive glances, that my appetite is nil. I’m sitting with the famous Stone brothers. The whole room thinks I’m romantically attached to one of them, or both, and if they stare long enough, they’ll figure out which. “How do you know my friend’s name?”

  Jack rips off a crab leg and cracks it. “You think I didn’t have you checked out?”

  I mutter, “Well, that’s not at all creepy,” casting my eyes downward to the barely touched mushroom risotto. Remembering he just accused me of checking the bank account like a greedy little troll, I straighten my back and channel my mother’s dignity, meeting his judgmental sneer head on. “And I haven’t checked it yet, thank you very much. I’m not sure what kind of person you think I am, but you couldn’t be more wrong.” Truth is, it hadn’t occurred to me with all the letter devouring. To have those letters is like getting to spend time with my mom again, and that’s worth more than all the millions in the world.

  Sean’s eyes gleam, but Jack just smirks. “We’ll see.” He leans back and waves to someone behind me. I turn around, my stomach churning with anxiety as I smack eyes with Laney Turner, daytime talk show host.

  “Whoa,” I whisper.

  “How’re you boys doing tonight?” Laney grins, her smile permanently pasted on. To see her up close is to see what painted plastic looks like were it animated by what used to house a human soul.

  “Laney! You’re looking sexy as hell,” Jack lies, giving his head a very small shake like he can’t take how beautiful she is. She’s dynamic, I guess. It’s definitely hard to look away from her; I’ll give her that.

  She poses dramatically. “Can I keep you in my pocket and carry you around with me all day?”

  “You could try,” Jack smirks.

  “Oh, you devil!”

  Sean mumbles, “Is it that obvious?” mostly to me, trying to make a joke. I can’t look away from the talking plastic creature long enough to respond.

  “Who’s this? Only one tonight?” Laney laughs like she’s just said the most hilarious thing, but the way her eyes are peering into me like she simply has to know what’s going on, is really, really unnerving. For the first time, I’m relieved I’m their sister. Thank God I’m not here on a date with one of these guys. The list of women who’ve hung on their arms before being chucked to the side is as huge and gross as looking at a landfill.

  “I’m their half-sister, Rue Calliwell. Nice to meet you.” I smile and hold out my hand. Her eyebrows try to fly up, but fail, frozen by Botox. Instead, her whole forehead goes up and there’s a thin wrinkle at the hairline when the rest of it is flat. It takes a lot not to stare at that skinny, long wrinkle of flesh. I want to stand up so I can poke it with my finger like a science project.

  “Reaaaallly?” She shakes my hand nice and slow.

  I nod, smiling wider. “We just found out about each other. You’re sure to find out soon enough and I wouldn’t want you to feel left out of the juicy gossip. You are Laney Turner, after all. You should know first.”

  She’s trying to figure me out, and definitely likes the props I just gave her. “I should! You’re so right.” The hostess who was trying to lead Ms. Turner to her table is staring at me. She obviously heard what I said and is very excited to be witnessing this. I glance to Sean and Jack. I surprised them. Good.

  “I’ll be calling you,” Laney tells us all as she exits with a flourish, invigorated with the newest gossip in town, but she and the hostess both throw one glance backward like they can’t help it, and I smile and wave my fingers a little too pretentiously. Oops.

  Chapter Thirteen

  JACK

  I’ve only just begun.

  Next thing on the list: Call Alec. Oh man, she is going to be putty in his arms.

  He already knows the deal: Break her heart. Bring her down. Make her pay.

  “Let’s go out tonight,” I announce, motioning to the server as I pull out my phone and text our best friend, the heart-crusher. “Can we have three coffees?”

  “Of course, Mr. Stone.” He turns to go, but Rue stops him.

  “I’m sorry. Make that two. I don’t drink coffee at night.”

  “You do now. Make it three. No arguments.” He nods to me and she bites her lip, her eyes flashing. That’s right, fireball. Keep it coming. Get pissed. To Alec, I text: We’re going out. Secret Sister is coming. Be there.

  Sean pulls out his phone and looks at his row of latest texts. Unimpressed, he puts it on the table and leans back into the chair, throwing an ankle over his knee. “Rue, what would you like to do?”

  She glances from him to me, and back to him on a shrug. “I have the night off, so…”

  “You’re not going back to that shit job,” I chuckle.

  Feathers flying, she sits up straighter and ignores the busboy clearing up our plates. “I am, too.”

  Sean smiles. I look to see what he’s thinking and he glances my way. I know him like I know myself, and I’m satisfied to find out he thinks her showing up to work graveyard at Ralphs is hilarious, too. “You want to tell her?”

  He’s fighting back a grin at her defiant look and inhales deeply, laying his hand on the table in front of her. “Tomorrow your story will be all over the news. All over it. And not just the networks. Millions of Perez Hilton fans will know you’re the illegitimate daughter of Maxwell Stone. In fact, that’s probably already happened. I’m glad you got your hair done today because you look the part now and that’ll soften the blow...” He realizes he’s scaring her, and stops. She looks like she’s about to keel over and die as the reality of his words sinks in.

  So I take over. “You won’t be able to walk anywhere without them taking pictures. If you go into work, there will be people there waiting to see you. A lot of people. There’s no doubt they will find out you work there, if they haven’t already.” I run my hand across the air, an invisible headline suspended between us. “Rags To Riches Rue Calliwell Still Working At Fucking Ralphs. If you ever wanted to give them free publicity, this is how to do it. But you will not be able to finish a shift. Go on. Try it. I dare you.”

  Rue’s eyes are liquid now. “What am I going to do?” Seeing no sympathy coming from me, she looks to Sean. “I need to give them two weeks notice! I can’t just quit!”

  Sean is surprised. Me? It just makes me angry. “Oh come on!” The server, about to place a coffee cup on the table, freezes. I look at him. “Well, go ahead. Put them down.” He hurries as we all wait for him to exit.

  I check the text Alec just sent back: Forgot to ask you earlier. Is she hot?

  My reply: Yes.

  As the server walks away, I lean in and hiss, “Enough with the act. You just won the fucking lottery. You can’t tell me that 1.) You haven’t checked your bank account and 2.) you think you’re going to work at some fucking grocery store in the middle of the night and not look like an idiot. No one is as ‘good’ as you’re pretending to be. Give me a fucking break already. I’ve got some shoes to shine, you want the job?”

  Rue jumps out of her chair and takes off for the front door, heels and tight dress slowing her progress. She’s got a nice ass and nice legs; I’ll give her that. I glance to Sean, who cuts a look to me and shakes his head. “Well played,” he mutters. “Pay the check.” He grabs his blazer and his phone, and takes off after her.

  Blood boiling, I jerk my hand to the server across the room, and watch my brother exit out the front door after our newest family member. When the check lands in front of me, I grab it. “Took you long enough.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  SEAN

  Rue’s halfway up the block. What, did she break into a run as soon as she cleared the door? “Hey! Rue! Wait up!” With no signs of her slowing, I sigh and run after her. She covers her face with her hands as I pass and spin around to walk backwards in front of her
, my hands out helplessly. “I’m sorry about Jack.” Since she can’t see, she starts veering toward a building. I grab her shaking shoulders and stop her. “Hey, stop crying. Please. Come on.”

  “I’m not crying. I’m not!” She wipes her eyes and smears the dripping mascara into horizontal streaks. Raccoon-eyed and adorable, she glares at me, her mouth tight and proud. “I’m not crying.”

  Gently, I correct her, “Well, you’re not anymore.”

  She smiles despite herself. “Okay, I was crying. But I’m not now. I can handle this. I swear I can.” A fresh stream of tears pours out and her little forehead crinkles up. “I just wish my mom was here. Why didn’t she tell me about you guys? Why didn’t she warn me? She had to know it was a possibility I’d find out. When she was sick, why didn’t she leave a letter with someone like your dad did! It hurts so bad! Do you know how badly this hurts? Did you love him?”

  “My dad? I mean… our dad?”

  She nods, looking childlike and lost. Suddenly, I want to punch Jack for being cruel to her. I have to admit, I was having a hard time believing her in there about that dumb job. But now I’m sold. This is Hollywood; people like her aren’t common.

  She’s been thrown into the ocean and doesn’t know how to swim.

  What are we supposed to do, drown her?

  No.

  I won’t let Jack do that to her.

  Bringing her into my arms for a comforting embrace, I quietly tell her, “I loved him, yeah, but not like you loved your mom, I don’t think. We didn’t spend a lot of time with him. He was always traveling and working, overseeing the companies. It didn’t leave a lot of time for father/son bonding.” Holding her at arm’s length, I look into her eyes. “Rue. Hey. I get it. It’s a lot for us to take in, too. Before yesterday, we didn’t know who you were! Jack’s going to take some time, and I’m sorry for his…”