Just One Chance, page 2
But Cassidy pursed her lips, studying Sasha intently. “You didn’t mention Xander in your reasons, and I don’t believe for a minute that seeing him again didn’t factor into your decision.”
Sasha clenched her hands. “So what if it did?” She’d never forgotten him and had always wanted the chance to make things right.
“There’ll be more Steele movies. This character is a long-term commitment,” Cassidy reminded her.
Sasha’s stomach clenched. “I’m aware.”
“So you wanted to see him again. And again and again?”
Sasha picked up a pillow and tossed it at her friend. “Stop. I just need to know he doesn’t hate me.” And maybe she still wanted him to have feelings for her, too.
She didn’t know and wouldn’t until she saw him face-to-face. Not that it mattered. He wouldn’t want anything to do with her beyond the movie. She’d hurt him badly in so many ways.
The truth was, she’d been all of nineteen, new to Hollywood, wanting to make it big, and had both her agent and her co-star pushing her to do things that would keep the media focus on them. Make them look important. Help them become hot commodities.
It’d been so hard to say no to their ideas and plans. They’d kept her so busy she didn’t have time to overthink her choices or even see Xander often enough to make a relationship work. And she’d also had her mother’s voice in her head, telling her not to make the mistakes she had. Reminding her to follow her dreams, that love was fleeting. And then she’d point out all Sasha’s father’s misdeeds.
And her life wasn’t much different now. Her days were hectic, busy, and she was constantly on the go.
“Hey. What’s going on?” Cassidy asked, interrupting Sasha’s thoughts. “Is it just that Xander stirred up old memories that’s got you thrown?”
Sasha rose to her feet and paced her bedroom. “No. I mean that’s some of it, but I just wrapped up one movie and I expected to have some time off, then this role came up and I jumped at the opportunity.” The chance to see Xander, to work near him, had been impossible to resist. “But if it had been anything else?” She glanced up and shook her head. “I’m tired, Cass.”
Going from one film to the next, moving countries, cities, rarely being here in the home she’d bought and decorated. Her mother lived in a guesthouse on the property, which let Sasha see her when she was around, but it wasn’t often.
Cassidy was in tune with her feelings and obviously sensed Sasha needed to talk, so she remained silent and listened. When the time came for her opinion, Cass never had trouble giving it, even if it was something Sasha wouldn’t want to hear.
“It’s like I’m living a life most people would envy, yet as much as I hate to admit it, I feel … empty. And that makes me feel guilty and ungrateful because look how much I have.” She gestured around to her big bedroom with the most comfortable bed she could own and the décor of her dreams in cream and white with touches of pale pink. She wasn’t living her dreams, she’d exceeded them.
Cassidy rose and stepped over to her. “You set up a charity for kids in the downtown areas. You provide computers to schools and clothes for people who can’t afford it when their children outgrow what they own. You’re doing good with what you have. Stop it with the guilt. But I am concerned about everything you’re saying. If you’re not happy…”
Sasha shrugged and pulled in a deep breath of air. “I’m excited about this role. Whatever happens next, let’s just say we’ll see. Maybe I’ll slow down, take a break, reevaluate.”
“Your agent is not going to take you slowing down well. Neither will your mother.”
Cassidy was correct. Sasha’s mom had already lit into her for accepting a role that brought Xander back into her life, warning her not to get involved with him again, not to let a man derail her career and all she’d worked for. And Rebecca Burton, her agent, was all about keeping up momentum while Sasha was hot.
Sasha groaned, not wanting to deal with their pressure, either. “I’ll worry about them later. How about you? Would you have a problem if I didn’t jump into another movie right away?”
“Hell no. I’m team Sasha all the way.” Cassidy gave her a bright smile. “Now let’s talk about you seeing Xander. What’s your plan?”
Sasha laid out her agenda. “Filming starts next week.”
She only had two weeks on set because this movie was her character’s introduction to the franchise. She’d have more screen time with each consecutive movie. At least, that was how the role had been pitched to her.
She glanced at Cassidy, who was waiting for her to continue. “We’re getting in early, like I always do before shooting, to get a feel for the city we’re in, the people we’re working with on set. And in this case, with so little time, I’d like the man who created the character to give me insight into how she thinks and who she is.”
A smile lifted Cassidy’s lips. “Xander.”
Sasha nodded. “Xander. But I have to break the ice first. We have to talk and get to a point where we can work together. So I’m going to have to surprise him and hope he doesn’t throw me out.” Nerves assaulted her at the mere thought of approaching him again for the first time in years.
“Do you have his address?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She and Xander didn’t share an agent because they weren’t in the same line of work. But they shared a talent agency, and it hadn’t been difficult to pull some strings and find out where Xander lived and in which of his residences he was currently staying.
Now she just needed to gather her courage and show up on his doorstep.
Chapter Two
Sasha’s plane landed at 6:10 p.m. at JFK International Airport, and from there, she and Cassidy waited for their luggage. In a pair of jeans and a man-style shirt with a baseball cap on her head and sunglasses over her eyes, Sasha did her best not to meet anyone’s gaze and hoped she could remain anonymous.
She’d flown under her legal name, Alexandra Keaton. Sasha had been her Russian mother’s nickname for her, and she’d taken it as her stage name. Using an Uber with Cassidy’s account and staying under an alias at the hotel protected her even more.
She hated the idea of having a bodyguard around twenty-four seven nor did she think it necessary. Plenty of A-list celebrities flew without an entourage, and that was the way Sasha wanted to live. It was enough she boarded via a special terminal that had a separate door from which to enter the plane. Some perks were worth it and necessary.
Beside her, Cassidy dressed similarly, and with her blond hair, she and Sasha looked like sisters. They grabbed their bags and took an Uber to the hotel in the Meatpacking District in New York City, remaining under the radar almost the entire time.
As they walked outside to their Uber, hot, humid, New York air surrounded her. Although it was late June, the weather had that mid-summer, sticky feel.
They stepped toward the sidewalk and Sasha felt the weight of someone’s stare. She turned to see a brown haired man in a baseball cap a few feet from her. She thought he’d ducked his head and focused on his phone as she glanced over but couldn’t be certain he’d ever seen her. Paranoia at its finest, she mused, still not used to the stares even after a couple of years.
Once settled in the suite, Sasha relaxed, tossing her hat onto the couch in the main lounge area.
“Long flights are a bitch,” Cassidy muttered, doing the same.
“Amen.” Sasha flopped onto the sofa beside their caps, kicked off her Chucks, and groaned. “Let’s order in dinner.”
After they decided on their meals and Cassidy placed an order, they talked until the food arrived. It wasn’t until Sasha was alone in her room, washing up, that she allowed herself to face her plans for tomorrow.
Seeing Xander wouldn’t be easy but it was necessary. Both for her professional sense of comfort when portraying his character and for her to make things right.
* * *
Xander woke up to blessed silence. The band had obviously stayed at Dash’s house this morning. After his normal a.m. routine, he and Bella made their daily run into town, circled around, and headed back home.
Nearing the end, Xander slowed to a walk and whistled to Bella, who’d gotten ahead of him, to do the same. The humidity was high and sweat poured down his body. Lifting his shirt, he wiped his face and looked forward to stepping inside and feeling the air conditioner cooling him off.
As he approached his house, he saw a car in the driveway and someone sitting on his front porch. His eyes weren’t what they used to be, not since the severe concussion he’d received from being too close to an IED blast in Afghanistan. His glasses, which he only wore when his eyes hurt from exhaustion, usually after too much writing, were inside.
He didn’t recognize the car but kept to a walk, not wanting to push Bella too hard in this heat. As he drew closer, whoever sat on the wicker chair rose, and he realized a woman stood waiting for him. A slender woman with blond hair pulled back in a ponytail, sunglasses covering her eyes, and a sleeveless dress that hugged familiar curves walked down the three steps to the path leading to the driveway.
Sasha.
Fuck.
She looked beautiful. The black dress was cute and fitted, with sunflowers on the skirt and a small one on the tight top, ending just above the knee. With her hair back, she appeared young and as vulnerable as she had the night they’d met. His heart, already beating hard from his run, picked up speed, and he damned the effect she had on him.
He had no intention of rushing and giving her the wrong impression, but his dog hadn’t gotten the memo and she took off at a run. Traitor.
Bella had failed at becoming an emotional service dog because she hadn’t been able to ignore distractions, as proven by her run and now jump on Sasha. Since Xander’s issues weren’t serious in comparison to many who’d enlisted and come home, Xander had chosen Bella and her quirks, leaving the trained dogs to those who might need them more.
“Bella, down!”
At the sound of his voice and command, his girl placed all four paws on the ground and sat, but she quivered with the need to jump on their guest again.
“Sorry,” Xander said to Sasha. “She’s a little exuberant, even with strangers.”
She treated him to a soft smile. “It’s okay. She’s sweet.” She reached out and petted his dog’s head. “What’s her name?”
“Bella.”
“Meaning beautiful in any language,” Sasha murmured, obviously aware that the name was Latin and related in some way to that word in all the Romance languages.
She was beautiful. Not just his dog but Sasha herself. The woman who didn’t care if a dog with dusty paws, dirty from a run, jumped on her designer dress. Because she could now afford to upgrade her clothes, and this outfit looked high quality, unlike the Target outfits she’d attempted to dress up once upon a time.
And he didn’t want to notice anything about her. Not the good similarities to the past or the changes in the present. “What are you doing here?” he asked in a gruffer voice than he’d used before.
She folded her arms across her chest, running her palms over her bare skin on her forearms. “I thought we should talk.” She lifted one delicate shoulder as if that explained everything. “You know, because we’ll be working together.”
Not if he could help it. He intended to stay far away. “A little warning before showing up would have been nice.”
To her credit, she didn’t flinch. But then she was an actress. It was easy to pretend.
“Why? So you could make sure you weren’t home? Or make certain you didn’t come back?” Her gaze traveled over him, her eyes darkening at the sight of him in his running shorts, tank, and sneakers.
She clearly liked what she saw. So did he, but sexual attraction meant nothing in the wake of hurt and fundamental differences.
At the reminder, he let out a groan. The sooner they talked, the sooner she’d get in her rental car and leave. Buying time, he glanced over to the lush green lawn where Bella was sniffing the grass. He had no doubt he was going to wind up with another brown spot, because another thing about Bella, she squatted where it suited her.
Women, he thought to himself, frustrated. They always got their way.
“What did you want to discuss?” he asked coldly. Because he couldn’t imagine he and Sasha had much to say to each other.
She met his gaze and lifted her glasses, revealing those stunning blue eyes he’d always been able to get lost in.
“I can’t get into character if I’m on edge because you’re being an ass and glaring at me.” The first glimmer of insecurity flashed in her eyes. “I thought we could…”
“I’m not rehashing the past,” he said, cutting her off.
She swallowed hard. “Fine. Then can we call a truce? Look,” she said, reaching out as if to touch him and immediately snatching her hand back. “I need your input on Amanda’s character. It’s something I like to do when I’m in a movie based on a novel and the author is going to be on set. It’s important I meet everyone’s expectations. Including yours.”
Goddammit. Xander might be able to put up a wall between them personally, but he was being a dick professionally and that wasn’t acceptable. If she couldn’t play the part because of him, the movie based on his novel would suffer. She probably knew she had him on that point but was smart enough not to show it with a smirk or knowing look.
“So can I come in?” she asked, gesturing to the front of his house.
His Hamptons retreat that, unlike his Manhattan apartment, city crowds, and noise, didn’t trigger his lingering anxiety from combat. He wouldn’t call it PTSD exactly. He just needed peace, quiet, and solitude. And Sasha, the woman who’d broken his heart, now wanted to invade his sanctuary, ensuring she’d leave her presence and scent behind.
* * *
Well, that went worse than she’d thought it would. Sasha followed Xander and his obedient, sweet dog up the couple of stairs to the porch, waiting while he unlocked his door and let them inside.
He tossed the keys into a bowl on a credenza and turned. “I’m going to take a quick shower. I’ll be right back.”
Nodding, she glanced around as he walked into the house and toward what she presumed was the master bedroom. The interior was furnished with what she’d call man-style Hamptons’ flair. An open-concept first floor took her from the entry area to the massive living/family room with windows overlooking the beach.
Bella stepped across the floor, her nails tapping as she moved, and she disappeared into what Sasha assumed was the kitchen. The loud sound of lapping water followed and she knew she was right. Bella was drinking in the other room.
Continuing to appraise Xander’s house, Sasha took in the smooth dark-stained wood floors that ran through every room. A white sofa and chairs made the open area feel cozy, the warm atmosphere helped by white antique-styled leather trunk end and coffee tables with brass buckles, locks, and hinges.
She doubted Xander had decorated himself and assumed his sister, Chloe, or his mother had given him a hand. Sasha much preferred that thought to considering another woman helping him make this place a home.
Bella’s clicking nails announced her arrival. Xander hadn’t had a dog when he was in LA, and Sasha wondered how long after coming back he’d gotten the pup. A cold nose nudged her bare legs, and Bella leaned her warm body against Sasha’s legs. Bending down, Sasha petted the soft fur before turning her attention to the framed family photos set around the room.
With so many siblings, Xander had plenty of pictures. To keep busy and not overthink the cool welcome he’d given her, she glanced at the photos, recognizing Xander’s mother, brothers, and sister she’d met when they’d traveled to LA to visit him. As an only child, Sasha had been overwhelmed by his big family and envied him at the same time.
Her gaze fell to an unfamiliar younger woman in one of the frames. Long blond hair fell to the bottom of her back, big blue eyes stared at the camera, and a wide smile was on her pretty face. In another picture, the same woman held an infant in her arms, Xander by her side with an arm around her waist.
Sasha picked up the photo, studying it, shocked and confused because she didn’t recognize the woman as anyone in his family. She had the momentary thought that Xander might have a wife and a baby, a possibility she’d never allowed herself to consider. Xander moving on hadn’t crossed her mind and it should have.
A pang twisted inside her, and she braced one palm against her abdomen.
“You okay?” Xander’s voice sounded as he walked into the room, and Bella’s tail began to wag as she greeted him, rubbing her body against his legs the same way she’d done to Sasha.
He glanced at the photo in her hand. “What are you doing?”
She ran her tongue over her dry lips. “I … ummm … I was just looking around.” She tipped her head to the side. “Is that, I mean, is the baby yours?”
He stared at her in shock. “No,” he said at last. “Aurora is my half sister. We found out about her this past year. The baby is hers.”
Oh, God. A sister. She felt so stupid. And relieved.
He plucked the frame out of her hand and set it back on the shelf.
She finally let herself look at him and wished she hadn’t. He’d been sexy as hell in his running gear, but now, shirtless in a pair of track pants, his body muscled and tanned, his hair damp from the shower, heat slammed into her hard.
Along with desire, memories of their time together came flooding back. The good times, not the bad ones at the end. Waking up late to see him working on his laptop, the sun streaming in from the apartment window. His big hand gripping her neck, those delicious lips on hers, and his naked body covering her, blanketing her in heat.
“Can I get you something to drink?” His gruff voice interrupted her thoughts.
She shook her head. “No, thanks.”
“Then what can I do for you, Sasha? Seriously. What do you want?”
