Page 13 of Faking the Pass
“Each breach would cost me two hundred fifty thousand dollars.”
He whistled. “Steep. Might be worth it though.”
“No.” I pushed up to my elbows and shook my head. “I literally don’t have it.”
“The movie with Randy was the first time I ever got a significant payday,” I explained. “Two hundred thousand. And the money’s gone already. I was hoping with my next film I could start building a nest egg. Now I’ll probably never get cast in another film.”
Presley gave me a concerned look. “You already spent two hundred thousand dollars? Did you buy a sweet Lamborghini or something?”
His hands came up in the don’t-shoot-me gesture. “I mean no judgment. I’ve had teammates who basically did the same thing after coming into money following a lifetime without it.”
“No. I didn’t buy anything,” I said.
I didn’t like talking about it, but I couldn’t let Presley go on thinking I’d been out splurging on designer bags and shoes instead of paying my bills.
“My mom was sick for the past several years,” I said.
“Before that she was working as a housecleaner, like me. No health insurance. Some of the doctors she needed to see literally wouldn’t take her unless they got paid up front.
I charged up every credit card I could get my hands on to pay the medical bills. ”
A look of sympathy crossed Presley’s face. “I’m sorry to hear that. Was it cancer?”
I nodded. “Yes. She fought it as hard as she could, but her body finally gave out. She died six months ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said again.
After a pause, he said, “No wonder you got engaged so fast.”
His tone said it all made sense now. If so, he understood more than I did. It was hard to explain the whirlwind that had been my “love affair” with Randy.
“Do you love him?” Presley asked.
My shoulders lifted and fell as I blew out a long breath. “I thought I did. But I guess I didn’t really know him. I only knew the parts he wanted me to see… which is the problem with marrying someone you’ve known for five minutes.”
Letting out a frustrated noise, I flopped back onto the bed again and closed my eyes, covering them with both hands.
“Now that I look back on it, I wasn’t really myself either,” I said.
“Mom had just died. I was sad, of course—and lonely. I was probably a little too desperate to fill the emotional hole her passing left in my life. Randy came along and overwhelmed me with attention and gifts and talked about creating a big family, which is something I’ve always wanted.
I just didn’t realize he’d be building it with several different women simultaneously. ”
We both laughed, though it was more pathetic than funny. How was this my life?
“So the super-short engagement was his idea,” Presley said.
He’d shifted on the bed, supporting himself with one hand and looking down at me.
I looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, he claimed to be so in love with me he couldn’t wait for us to get married. Now I know he was just trying to squeeze it in before the movie came out to ignite interest in the film. I don’t know how I didn’t see it.”
“You were sweet and trusting,” Presley said. “You always have been. How did you meet him? At an audition?”
Sitting up, I folded my legs criss-cross and faced him.
“No, I was cleaning his house, actually. He had no idea I was an actress, and he was never home anyway when I was there. We’d never met. But one day he came home early just as I was leaving. He was really friendly—flirty actually.”
Presley arched one brow. His tone was sour.
“I bet he was.”
“He asked where I was going in such a rush, if I had a ‘hot date.’ I laughed. I didn’t have time for dating. Cleaning houses was only one of my jobs. I also pet-sit and tend bar.”
“That’s a lot of jobs for one person,” Presley said.
“I have a lot of debt. I told Randy I was on my way to the theater for opening night of a small production I was starring in. When the curtains opened that night, I was stunned to see him sitting in the audience.”
“That’s when he found out how good you are,” Presley said.
“Well I was nervous, of course, but I did my best,” I said.
“Afterward he came backstage and told me he was looking for an unknown actress to play the lead in a Cinderella-inspired movie he was producing and starring in. He said I was perfect for the part. Of course I was ecstatic. It was the career break I’d been waiting for, and it couldn’t have come at a better time financially.
The entire paycheck went toward the debt and my rent, but I felt like I was finally on my way, you know?
It was just the beginning. And then he started romancing me and saying he couldn’t live without me. It was like I was living a fairytale.”
“He love-bombed you. But then Prince Charming turned into the Big Bad Wolf,” Presley said, prompting me to go on.
“Yeah. I mean, at first things were great. He begged me to move in with him. I couldn’t believe this amazing guy was actually in love with me. Pretty quickly though, his temper started showing. And he’d be very hot and cold.”
Drawing my knees up, I wrapped my arms around them. “I thought it was the whole mercurial creative genius thing, you know? And I was so grateful to him, I didn’t want to complain. Plus he was the producer of our movie, so he wasn’t just my co-star, he was my boss.”
“That’s a tough spot to be in,” Presley said. “How was he able to hide the fact he had a pregnant girlfriend the whole time?”
“Well, he was gone a lot, working, and out of reach. He didn’t keep a phone on him.
He says they disturb his flow state, and he wants to keep his mind clear so ‘sparks of creative genius’ can strike.
Again, I didn’t want to argue. It was his process.
And honestly, he seemed so in love with me, I wasn’t suspicious.
I guess he’s a better actor than I thought he was. ”
“Sounds like your expectations were pretty low,” Presley said, looking perturbed.
He rose and went to the dresser, grabbing a pair of swim trunks before he walked to the door.
“I’m going to do some laps in the lap pool—it’s indoors. Need anything?”
“Some hair dye and a new set of identity papers so I can disappear and start a new life?”
He laughed. “I’m afraid I don’t have any of those on hand. Besides, it would be a shame to cover up your natural blonde locks.”
“They’re not natural,” I said, “But my zillion-dollar Rodeo Drive stylist thanks you.”
Presley’s eyes crinkled at the corners, and he gave me a warm smile. “It’s nice to see fame hasn’t changed you.”
“Don’t you mean infamy?” I quipped. “I didn’t really get a chance at the fame. Besides, you’re the famous one, mister G.O.A.T.”
“Nah, I won’t be the greatest of all time until I win eight Superbowl rings.”
“Sounds like your expectations are pretty high.”
“You could say that,” he admitted. “But I believe we get what we expect. I’ll see you later. You’re welcome to stream a movie or check out my bookshelf in the living room if you want to. Wilder says it’s best not to go outside again, you know, because of the cameras. We’re surrounded on all sides.”
I rolled my eyes and gave him a duh expression. “Really? Cause I was planning to do some naked sunbathing out there.”
Presley’s face broke into a wide grin.
“In that case, I’m gonna go get my camera.”