Page 110 of The VIP Doubles Down

“Their divorce must have been quite amicable, if she’s using her connection with you to help him.” Hugh’s fury had dropped to a simmer.

Or it had been transmitted to Gavin. “She said not, but then she clearly lied to me.”

“You shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”

“Why not? You did.”

Hugh lifted a hand in admonition. “Nichols had the whole story down, but it was the Christmas angle that convinced me. How could Nichols come up with that on his own?”

A niggle of unease made Gavin frown. It had also been the Christmas theme that convinced him Allie was involved. She was the only person in the world besides Hugh who knew what he was working on now. But he’d forgotten that others knew about the abandoned holiday novella: Jane and his stepsister Ruth. Had he told anyone else?

“Why would I suddenly turn Julian over to a ghostwriter?” Gavin asked to avoid his uncomfortable line of thought.

“Desperation. Guilt. You haven’t been yourself in a long time,” Hugh said.

The truth of that hit Gavin in the gut. He’d fallen into the black hole that always yawned inside him. Until Allie had leaned over the edge and offered him her hand to pull him up. But this proved once again he couldn’t depend on someone else to haul him out. Especially a woman.

To think that he’d been doing his damnedest to convince Allie to come live with him.

“You have brought me to my senses,” Gavin said. “And I feel the need to get drunk.”

“You can’t do that at a charity ball. Too many reporters here.”

“I’m not a movie star with an image to worry about,” Gavin said.

Hugh sighed and laid his hand on Gavin’s arm. “Consider me your conscience, my friend. No drinking to excess.”

But he needed to drown this sense of betrayal, to numb the slashing pain of it into oblivion, however temporary. “Try to stop me.”

Chapter 28

Tears blurred Allie’s vision as she hurried across the sand, her skirt clutched in her hands. Gavin hadn’t needed to utter a single word. She’d seen it in his face, in the involuntary movement of withdrawal when she’d tried to kiss him. He’d heard Troy’s name and assumed the worst. Although what he thought she had to gain by it was beyond her. In fact, she couldn’t figure out what Troy had to gain by stirring up false rumors, since Gavin swore there could be no movie without him. Why audition for a part that didn’t exist?

She veered out of the tent, shuddering when her feet hit the icy sand and the frigid wind cut through her flimsy dress. Fumbling her cell phone out of her tiny evening purse, she dialed Troy’s number. His voice mail picked up, and she muttered a curse before saying, “Call me. Immediately.”

The cold was so intense that her teeth clicked together as she shivered, and the tears streaking down her cheeks felt as though they were freezing.

How could Gavin ask her to stay with him one minute and believe she had betrayed his trust the next?

For a few joyful moments, she’d allowed herself to hope it might work out between them. She’d tried to point out the gulf between them, but her heart had cartwheeled in her chest when Gavin said he didn’t want to lose her. His lack of eloquence had convinced her he meant it. Although her good sense had asked,For how long?

The answer had come so quickly that it stunned her.

“Allie?” Miranda slipped out of the tent and wrapped her arms around herself. “You’ll catch your death out here. Come back inside and tell me what’s happened.”

Allie wiped the back of her hand across her cheek, hoping she hadn’t smeared the professionally applied makeup. She knew Miranda would stay outside with her and freeze, too, so she turned back into the tent.

Miranda led the way to an empty table far away from the glittering guests and sat Allie down. “How can I help?”

Allie shook her head. “I just needed some fresh air.”

“Calling that air fresh is like calling Everest a bump,” Miranda said, but her face was soft with concern. “I saw Gavin and Hugh Baker together. Did Hugh do something to upset you?”

“Hugh just wanted to talk about a movie.” Allie’s phone buzzed. After checking the caller ID, she looked at Miranda. “I’m sorry, but this call is very important.”

With obvious reluctance, Miranda stood, giving Allie’s free hand a quick squeeze of comfort before she walked away.

Allie answered. “Troy, who told you there was going to be a Julian Best movie set at Christmastime?”