Page 55 of A Star is Scorned

Flynn Banks to Marry Socialite Rhonda Powers in Surprise Change of Heart!

Call it a silver-screen scenario. It seems Hollywood’s favorite swashbuckler is finally tying the knot. After jilting socialite Rhonda Powers, daughter of the late founder of Shasta Peak Pictures, Flynn Banks has had a change of heart.

Of late, he’s been spotted on the town in the company of his new costar, Liv de Lesseps. But the short-lived romance appears to have ended, sending Banks back into the arms of his former fiancée. This time, it seems, it’s for keeps.

Banks and Powers will exchange vows early next month at Blessed Sacrament in Hollywood.

The bride’s uncle, a member of the Production Code Administration’s board, will give the girl away.

“When Flynnie came back to me and told me he wanted to make an honest woman out of me, I simply couldn’t wait to marry him,” the blushing bride tells Screenland.

“I couldn’t bear a long engagement, and Uncle Stan was able to use his pull at Blessed Sacrament to squeeze us into the schedule.

” Barely a month after their engagement, Banks and Powers will become man and wife.

Ladies, get out your hankies, the day we thought would never come has arrived—Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor and notorious rogue is officially off the market!

Judy had left the magazine on Livvy’s pillow, open to the page about Flynn’s impending nuptials.

Livvy had dumped it in the wastebasket next to her bed without even bothering to read it.

Who cared what Flynn Banks did? Hadn’t she known from the beginning that anything real with him was an absurd proposition?

She’d known better—and she’d let herself believe in the fantasy for a few hours anyway.

But Judy’s assault and arrest had been the wake-up call she needed.

Flynn Banks was nothing but an unhealthy distraction.

The two had barely spoken since she’d dismissed him that morning.

Oh, they’d delivered their dialogue on the soundstage, of course.

She wasn’t going to muck up her job. Not when it was the only thing keeping her and Judy from the street.

But there had been no more studio-arranged dates.

Not when the news had broken only a few days later that Flynn planned to marry Rhonda.

So beyond their on-screen interactions and a terse “hello” and “good night,” she had nothing to say to him.

She couldn’t allow herself more. He had charmed her once, convinced her to let her guard down, to taste what it was to be wicked, with no regard for anyone else—and it had ended in disaster.

She could never open the door to that possibility again. Judy was her only priority.

Though her sister was being a pest at the moment.

The first few days, she had been practically catatonic, lying in bed and crying.

Livvy had been distraught seeing Judy that way, but she had let her be, leaving food on her nightstand and taking it away hours later when Judy barely touched it.

Just when Livvy was on the verge of calling a doctor she probably couldn’t afford, she had come home from the studio one day to find Judy up and about, freshly showered after a week of wearing the same pair of pajamas.

The entire bungalow had been cleaned within an inch of its life—and that damn magazine was on Livvy’s pillow.

The next day, Judy had fished the magazine out of the wastebasket and was now making a habit of leaving it places for Livvy to find.

First, it had been slid in between the pages of her script for Livvy to find when she was reviewing lines.

A few days after that, Livvy found it in her underwear drawer.

The following week, Judy had placed it in the linen closet on top of freshly laundered bath towels.

But today, today was the final straw. Flynn was getting married tomorrow, and Livvy had hoped she’d seen the last of Judy’s ridiculous antics.

But when Livvy had gone into the icebox to fish out leftovers for dinner, she discovered that Judy had left the magazine under a piece of aluminum foil on top of the hamburger casserole they had made.

“Judy,” Livvy called. Her sister immediately walked into the kitchen, which made Livvy suspect that Judy had been spying on her to see her reaction.

Livvy held up the offending article, now lightly stained with tomato sauce. “This has to stop.”

If she expected Judy to look sheepish and apologize, she was mistaken. Instead, her sister jutted out her chin in a gesture of defiance. “I won’t stop until we talk about it.”

Livvy sighed. “What is there to talk about? He’s marrying Rhonda Powers. Our relationship was a publicity stunt. Why should I care?”

Judy crossed her arms and harrumphed. “But you do care. I know you do.”

“No, Judy, I don’t. You’re the only person I care about.”

“Damn it, Livvy, that’s my point. I was so happy for you when it seemed like things with Flynn were going well. I know you told me over and over it was all for show, but I could tell you genuinely liked him. Maybe more. Can you honestly say you didn’t have feelings for him?”

Livvy bit her lip. She wanted to vehemently protest, but she couldn’t lie to Judy. “Maybe I did. A little. But I got carried away by the charade. That’s all.” She threw the magazine on the counter and went to take Judy in her arms. “I promise it will never happen again.”

Her sister strained against her embrace. “That’s exactly what I was afraid you’d say.” Livvy was horrified to see tears welling in her sister’s eyes. “Haven’t you denied your happiness for my sake long enough?”

Livvy dodged the question, pretending that she’d never done any such thing. “I’ve never—”

Judy swiped furiously at her eyes. “Ever since the accident, you’ve put me first. You’ve been there for every appointment, every rehab session. You made sure nothing would stop me from dancing again.”

“If you don’t want to dance anymore, you don’t have to. We can leave Hollywood tomorrow. Or next week, after I wrap the picture. We don’t have to stay here. My career doesn’t matter.”

Judy held up her hand. “Stop! Do you even hear yourself? ‘My career doesn’t matter.’ How could you possibly think that’s what I want for you?

You’ve already given up so much for me—college, your dreams of being a writer.

” Livvy tried to protest, but Judy wouldn’t let her.

“No, don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

You haven’t picked up a pen since I came home from the hospital.

And the worst part is, I let you give it all up.

Because I was too weak then to argue with you about it.

That’s something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.

But when that actress left and they bumped you up from an understudy at the Hollywood Bowl, I hoped that this was the universe’s way of giving you a second chance.

Of helping you find a new way to tell the stories that you so loved.

Acting might not have been your dream, but these last few months, I thought that maybe you’d changed your mind.

That you’d found something in it that made you come alive again. Made you happy.”

Livvy scrunched up her face in some twisted mix of guilt and pain.

Judy was right. She had been happy. Somehow, becoming Liv de Lesseps had changed her life for the better.

She was still a storyteller, just like she’d always dreamed she would be.

And she loved it. To give it up now, after she’d already lost Flynn, would be crushing.

But not as devastating as what Judy had been through.

Still, she couldn’t lie to her sister. “Fine. I’ve fallen in love with acting.

Is that what you want me to say? That becoming someone else on-screen, putting myself in the service of someone else’s story, is more rewarding than I ever dreamed it could be.

That I should be thanking you every day for making me take that understudy job. ”

“I knew it!” Judy interrupted. “You can’t just give that up, Livvy.

To do what? Move back to Saratoga? There’s nothing there for us.

We didn’t just come here for me. You’re a talented actress, and I can see how fulfilled your work makes you.

If you decide you truly don’t want to act anymore, you don’t have to.

You can still be a writer, Livvy! Like you told me when you gave up your spot at college, to be a writer all you have to do is write.

So, pick up your pen and do it. I’ll work to support us both.

But we’re not leaving with our tails between our legs.

The last thing I would want is for you to give it up for me, out of some misguided belief that it will keep me safe.

How much have you already sacrificed for me?

I’m grateful, Livvy. Don’t think I’m not.

But it’s been four years. You get to live your own life. ”

Livvy frowned and walked to the doorway that divided their tiny kitchenette from their so-called living room.

She leaned against the wall, her back to Judy.

“No, I don’t. I tried, Judy. I really did.

But I flew too close to the sun. I decided to do what I wanted for once, not what I knew I was supposed to do.

And it brought disaster to our door. You got hurt.

Maybe I couldn’t have prevented it, but I could’ve been there for you when it happened.

That made me realize that I should’ve stuck to the deal I made with God the night of the accident.

Sitting at your bedside, praying you’d pull through, I promised him a life for a life.

But I broke that promise, and you’re the one who paid the price. I won’t break it again.”