Page 56 of A Star is Scorned

Judy startled her by coming up behind her, wrapping her arms around her stomach, and resting her head on her shoulder.

“Don’t you see that’s the opposite of what I want?

We both survived. There’s no trade to be made here.

You fought for me when I didn’t think I had the strength to fight for myself.

But that’s done now. Our reward is that we both get to live. ”

Livvy leaned back into her sister’s embrace, pondering her words and how much they sounded like what Flynn had tried to tell her that horrible day they’d bailed Judy out. Now, she was holding back tears. “But if I’d been here at the bungalow that night—”

“Nothing would have happened differently. They still would have hauled me off to jail at Devlin’s orders.

Except you would have panicked and possibly done something hasty you’d come to regret.

This way, you had Flynn to help you think straight.

If he hadn’t been with you, hadn’t jumped in to pay my bail, what would you have done? ”

Livvy balled her hands into a fist. “I would have made them let you out.”

Judy scoffed. “You see? That’s exactly what I mean. Then we both would’ve ended up in a jail cell, and what good would that have done?”

Judy let go of her and grabbed her hand, leading Livvy to the couch and wrapping her arm around her shoulder.

Livvy couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt cared for like this.

Like someone else was willing to shoulder the burden with her.

She was beginning to realize it was because she hadn’t let anyone.

She gripped Judy’s hand so hard that her knuckles turned white. “You know that all I’ve ever wanted is to make sure nothing horrible ever happened to you again.”

Judy nodded, and her throat was choked with emotion as she began to speak.

“Of course I know that. But you can’t keep me safe forever.

Neither of us would truly be living. Bad things happen, and there’s nothing either of us can do to prevent them.

Can’t it be enough to know that you’ve taught me to protect myself as best as I can? ”

Livvy closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “I want it to be. But it’s hard.”

Judy hugged her tight. “I know. Things that night could’ve been so much worse. But I protected myself. I fought back. Because that’s what you taught me to do.”

Livvy snorted through her tears, pride flaring in her chest. “You did take a chunk out of that man’s face, didn’t you?”

Judy grabbed her shoulders and pushed Livvy back, studying her closely. Tears swam in her eyes. “I did.” She released a watery giggle. “You should’ve seen the look on his face. He was shocked that a girl would do such a thing.”

Livvy barked out a laugh. “I’ll bet he was. Last time he’ll mess with a Blount sister. Serves him right.” Her tears turned into an uncontrollable fit of snot-filled giggles, and she struggled to regain composure. Judy laughed along with her until they both collapsed on the couch.

“What a fine mess I’ve made for us both.” Livvy gasped, clutching her stomach with one hand and swiping at her eyes with the other.

Judy got serious then. “No, Livvy. No mess. You’ve done the best you could, and it’s more than I could ever have asked for.

Everyone should be so lucky to have a sister as wonderful as you.

But what I want more than anything is just that—for you to be my sister.

Not my caretaker, not my mother, not my protector—my sister. ”

Livvy swallowed and gave Judy a weak smile. “You know, Flynn said the same thing.”

“He did?”

Livvy nodded. “Yes, he told me that I should let you make your own mistakes. That you needed a sister, not a mother hen.”

Judy grinned. “That Flynn Banks, he’s a smart man.”

Livvy bit her lip, holding back a fresh wave of tears. “He is. He really is. Even if he works hard to make the papers think otherwise.”

Judy grabbed Livvy’s upper leg and squeezed. “I knew it! You do still have feelings for him.”

“What? No, it’s just—”

“Olivia Jane Blount, don’t lie to me.” Judy put her hands on her hips and gave her a stern look, but she couldn’t hold it for long. Her frown melted into a beatific smile. “Livvy, just admit that you like him.”

Livvy closed her eyes and exhaled. “Fine.” She scrunched up her face, not wanting to admit the truth. What she’d never allowed herself to tell him—while he was awake, at least. “I more than like him, okay? I, Olivia Blount, am hopelessly, wretchedly in love with Flynn Banks.”

Judy kicked her feet and squealed in delight. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew it.”

“I don’t know what you’re so happy about,” Livvy grumbled. “He’s marrying Rhonda Powers. Tomorrow.”

“Oh, Livvy, you don’t think he actually wants to marry her, do you?”

Livvy thought back to the night at the symphony fundraiser.

The way Flynn had looked at Rhonda like she was a hungry crocodile.

He’d clung to Livvy as if she were a life raft.

But that could have been an act, another part of following Harry’s orders.

Because it was good for the picture and both their careers.

“Flynn always insisted he wasn’t the marrying kind, but—”

Judy didn’t answer, just stood up and ran into the kitchen, returning with the movie magazine that was now permanently stained with tomato sauce. “Did you actually read the article?” She shoved it under Livvy’s nose, and Livvy snatched it away.

“No, the headline was enough.” She studied the text and gasped when she got to the relevant bit of information. “Uncle Stan… Why, he’s—”

Judy crossed her arms and nodded, entirely satisfied with herself. “Yes, he is. When I read that Rhonda’s Uncle Stan was a member of the PCA board, I immediately realized something fishy was happening. That’s why I kept leaving the article out for you. I hoped you would notice too.”

“I had decided to forget about Flynn Banks and anything that ever passed between us.”

Judy rolled her eyes. “Well, you refused to take the bait, so I called up Dash Howard.”

“You what?”

“Hush. I called up Dash Howard because I thought if anyone would know what was happening, he would. He confirmed my fears. Rhonda Powers’s Uncle Stan is none other than Stanley Devlin, the man who attacked me at the party.”

Livvy remembered then why the name Stanley Devlin had been so familiar. She had met him that night at the fundraiser. Rhonda had introduced him to her and Flynn.

“But if Stanley Devlin is her uncle, then that means…that means, what?”

“It means, dear sister, that Flynn Banks doesn’t want to marry Rhonda Powers any more than you’d like to marry Benito Mussolini. Dash told me as much. He was there when Flynn agreed to it. Turns out, Flynn is more like you than we thought.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s a self-sacrificing, well-intentioned idiot.”

“I am not a—”

Judy stuck her tongue out at her, and Livvy couldn’t help but laugh. “You are, but that’s not the point. The point is that Flynn agreed to marry Rhonda because it was the only way to stop Stanley Devlin from trying to ruin both of us in the papers.”

Livvy clutched the movie magazine to her chest. She didn’t know what she’d expected Judy to say, but it wasn’t that. Flynn Banks, a man with so many notches in his bedpost he needed multiple beds for them all, was getting married—to protect her and Judy. It was insane. How could he do such a thing?

She had to stop him. Had to tell him that whatever happened, she and Judy could face it. That he didn’t need to marry Rhonda Powers if he didn’t want to.

But how could she? The wedding was tomorrow.

A knock at the door made Livvy jump. “Are you expecting visitors?”

Judy gave Livvy a sheepish look. “Don’t get mad, but I thought we might need reinforcements.”

Judy opened the door to reveal Dash Howard and Joan Davis on the front step of their shabby bungalow.

Dash gave Judy a quick hug and stepped inside. He surveyed the tiny room, nodding in acknowledgment at Livvy. “Jeez, Flynn wasn’t kidding when he said your living quarters left a lot to be desired.”

Joan followed behind Dash, rolling her eyes. “Forgive my husband. We’re still working on teaching him basic tact.”

“What are you doing here?” Livvy gaped, still not processing the fact that two of the biggest movie stars in the world were standing in her entryway.

Dash gave her a wicked, megawatt smile. “We’re here to help you break up a wedding.”