Read Online Guardian Cougar (Finding Fatherhood Book 2) by Kit Tunstall, Kit Fawkes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kit Tunstall, Kit Fawkes
Ads: Link
trying not to worry about how she had found herself in that state.
She had mostly convinced herself she could live in this world she had created, so when it came crashing down on her, it happened quick and hard. Jackson had returned to working in his office on a daily basis, though he often left early and called her several times per day to check on her.
It’d been a little lonely when she’d first been left to her own devices in the apartment, but she soon adapted to a routine. She started to learn how to clean and do laundry, and she was convinced she’d never done those chores before. She had no memory of them. While doing her daily chores, Hannah often turned on the television or music station for background noise.
She was folding towels and not really paying attention to the gossip show playing in the background when she looked up, and a familiar face filled the screen. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and if she hadn’t been sitting on the couch, she would have collapsed to the floor.
As much as she didn’t want to, she recognized the man being interviewed about his newest movie after a year-long hiatus from production. His handsome features and crisp black hair belied his age, making him seem at least a decade younger than his mid-forties. She knew he was forty-four, having been forced to celebrate one of his birthdays with him aboard the yacht.
She let out a whimper, and the clothes she’d been folding tumbled from her fingers to scatter on the floor along with the basket she knocked against in her haste to escape the memories overwhelming her as Theo Cromwell spoke to the camera. She was incapable of hearing what he was saying, but the timbre of his voice was familiar, and she started to tremble.
Acting purely on instinct, she searched for a place to hide. In her panicked mode, only the hall closet seemed safe enough, and she tossed the things inside out of her way so she could burrow into the corner and close the door behind her. She rocked back and forth in the darkness as sobs overtook her. Memories flooded through her mind, though she didn’t want any of them.
“Fake It” had been her first movie, or her first real role anyway. She was going to have a minor speaking part, but suddenly rewrites came in that cast her in a more important role. She still wasn’t an essential actress, but there were more lines to memorize, and it required her to stay several weeks longer on set. At first, she thought it was a lucky break, and that someone had appreciated her acting skills enough to expand her role. She hadn’t understood then that it was the producer, Theo Cromwell, working behind-the-scenes to ensure she was around more often.
At first, he’d been charming and funny, and he’d taken her rejection to his invitations seemingly with aplomb. After two weeks of him persistently asking, growing slightly more demanding each time, she’d started to grow fearful whenever Cromwell managed to corner her on the movie set. She’d been giving serious thought to breaking her contract and walking away, knowing it would be the end of any hopeful career in Hollywood, but seeing no other option.
Then he just stopped. He hadn’t approached her for hours, and then days, and finally a week had could gone by. She started to breathe easier again, assuming he had finally accepted she wasn’t interested in dating a man twice her age. It wasn’t even the age part so much as something about him personally sent alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind. She’d thought Theo was over her and had moved on, so she had relaxed her guard.
She didn’t remember the last night on set very well, but she recalled having a drink with several of the actors and production people, as they all tended to do after a long day of shooting. Hannah was certain she hadn’t drunk too much, having restricted herself to a single glass of wine, but she passed out as soon as she reached her room, already feeling dizzy.
She’d woken to
She had mostly convinced herself she could live in this world she had created, so when it came crashing down on her, it happened quick and hard. Jackson had returned to working in his office on a daily basis, though he often left early and called her several times per day to check on her.
It’d been a little lonely when she’d first been left to her own devices in the apartment, but she soon adapted to a routine. She started to learn how to clean and do laundry, and she was convinced she’d never done those chores before. She had no memory of them. While doing her daily chores, Hannah often turned on the television or music station for background noise.
She was folding towels and not really paying attention to the gossip show playing in the background when she looked up, and a familiar face filled the screen. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and if she hadn’t been sitting on the couch, she would have collapsed to the floor.
As much as she didn’t want to, she recognized the man being interviewed about his newest movie after a year-long hiatus from production. His handsome features and crisp black hair belied his age, making him seem at least a decade younger than his mid-forties. She knew he was forty-four, having been forced to celebrate one of his birthdays with him aboard the yacht.
She let out a whimper, and the clothes she’d been folding tumbled from her fingers to scatter on the floor along with the basket she knocked against in her haste to escape the memories overwhelming her as Theo Cromwell spoke to the camera. She was incapable of hearing what he was saying, but the timbre of his voice was familiar, and she started to tremble.
Acting purely on instinct, she searched for a place to hide. In her panicked mode, only the hall closet seemed safe enough, and she tossed the things inside out of her way so she could burrow into the corner and close the door behind her. She rocked back and forth in the darkness as sobs overtook her. Memories flooded through her mind, though she didn’t want any of them.
“Fake It” had been her first movie, or her first real role anyway. She was going to have a minor speaking part, but suddenly rewrites came in that cast her in a more important role. She still wasn’t an essential actress, but there were more lines to memorize, and it required her to stay several weeks longer on set. At first, she thought it was a lucky break, and that someone had appreciated her acting skills enough to expand her role. She hadn’t understood then that it was the producer, Theo Cromwell, working behind-the-scenes to ensure she was around more often.
At first, he’d been charming and funny, and he’d taken her rejection to his invitations seemingly with aplomb. After two weeks of him persistently asking, growing slightly more demanding each time, she’d started to grow fearful whenever Cromwell managed to corner her on the movie set. She’d been giving serious thought to breaking her contract and walking away, knowing it would be the end of any hopeful career in Hollywood, but seeing no other option.
Then he just stopped. He hadn’t approached her for hours, and then days, and finally a week had could gone by. She started to breathe easier again, assuming he had finally accepted she wasn’t interested in dating a man twice her age. It wasn’t even the age part so much as something about him personally sent alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind. She’d thought Theo was over her and had moved on, so she had relaxed her guard.
She didn’t remember the last night on set very well, but she recalled having a drink with several of the actors and production people, as they all tended to do after a long day of shooting. Hannah was certain she hadn’t drunk too much, having restricted herself to a single glass of wine, but she passed out as soon as she reached her room, already feeling dizzy.
She’d woken to
Similar Books
