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The main one was, Don’t, for pity’s sake, believe anything that ambitious young actresses do or say to you. Sleep with them, by all means, but don’t fall for their flattery or their brilliant fakery. And never marry one. Lord, no.
In truth, marriage was not for him—even with a non-ambitious non-actress. Not yet, anyway. Aside from his scepticism over the lasting power of romantic love, he wasn’t good husband material. He was way too obsessed with making movies, working seven days a week, often twenty hours a day. What time did that leave for a wife, let alone children?
Maybe when he was forty he might consider both. But he was only just thirty-two. Plenty of years left to think about such things.
Meanwhile, his attention returned to the attractive but bleak-looking bridesmaid.
Damn. She looked as if she was going to cry now. Her bottom lip was definitely quivering, accompanied by a flash of true panic in her eyes. Clearly she didn’t want to cry. Just in time she got control of herself, her nostrils flaring as she sucked in another deep, desperate breath.
Blake wondered what on earth was going on in that girl’s mind. He knew that women often cried at weddings, but they were usually tears of happiness. He could be wrong, he supposed, but he was absolutely certain that whatever she was thinking they weren’t happy thoughts!
Maybe this Kate knew what sort of man her kid sister was marrying—knew that he was a player. Maybe she feared for Maddie’s future happiness. Well, she had a right to be scared on that particular score! Not that he could be a hundred percent positive that was the reason behind her grim face. He could only guess.
In actual fact Blake often found himself speculating on the various emotions he noted on the faces of perfect strangers. He was a people-watcher—an essential talent for a writer-cum-movie-maker. After all, motivations and emotional conflicts were the backbone of all storytelling.
His gaze returned to Kate’s stiffly held face and robotic walk. At last she reached the end of the aisle, flashing him a frowning glance before moving sideways to her left, where no one could see her face except the celebrant. And he was busy ogling the bride. Now all Blake could see was her profile. Her head and shoulders drooped for a split second, then lifted abruptly, the muscles in her throat standing out as she once again took rigid control of herself.
His heart went out to her. As did his admiration. Whatever was bothering the bride’s sister, she was a brave soul. Brave, but still rather fragile.
When the posy of flowers she was holding began to shake Blake determined not to let the evening end before he found out what was upsetting her so much. He could be charming when he wanted to be. And quite good at getting people to open up. Yes, he would worm the truth out of her. Women did love to confide. And hopefully, sooner rather than later, he would bring a smile to her face.
He imagined she would be quite lovely if she smiled. Already Blake found her attractive. And intriguing. And extremely desirable.
Much more desirable than the Barbie doll bride.
CHAPTER TWO (#uf50f8d74-993a-53b8-865b-a75d9e9aafc4)
KATE GRITTED HER TEETH, still stunned at how much she was hating this, how sick she felt to her stomach. Yet she’d known for ages that this day was coming. She’d had plenty of time to prepare herself mentally. All to no avail, it seemed.
She clasped her bouquet even tighter and willed her mind to go blank. But her mind refused to obey. It whirled on and on, tormenting her. Torturing her.
Because today was the end of the line, wasn’t it?
The end of all her hopes and dreams where Lachlan was concerned. Today the man she loved would marry her sister. And that would be that. No more stupidly hoping that he might wake up one morning and realise Maddie wasn’t right for him and that she was a much more suitable wife. No more fantasising—as she had during their three years studying together at NIDA—that he might finally see her as a potential girlfriend and not just as his good mate and acting buddy.
There was nothing worse, she realised, than the death of hope.
Kate sighed, stiffening when she realised just how loud that sigh had been. As much as she was wretched to her core, she’d determined earlier today not to let anyone—particularly Maddie—suspect the truth. And she’d managed—’til the moment that sickening music had started up and she’d had to step into the spotlight on those stairs. At which point she’d frozen, the sheer futility of her feelings washing through her.
She knew she should have smiled but she simply hadn’t been able to. Not that it had mattered. No one had been looking at her. No one except the man standing next to Lachlan. Blake Randall, the best man.
He had kept on looking at her. And frowning at her. Wondering, probably, why she looked so forlorn.
Kate would have liked to tell him why—would have liked to scream that if it hadn’t been for him all their lives would have taken a different course and she wouldn’t be standing here today, having her heart broken.
A slight exaggeration, Kate. Your heart was broken last Christmas, when you optimistically brought Lachlan home for dinner.
They’d both just graduated from NIDA, and Lachlan’s parents had gone away on a Christmas cruise. Plus he’d been between girlfriends at the time. Which hadn’t happened too often. She’d thought it was her chance to snare his sexual interest. And it had seemed at first that she had. Lachlan had actually flirted with her in the car during their drive from his flat at Bondi to her parents’ home at Strathfield.
But all that had changed the moment he’d met her very beautiful and very vivacious blonde sister.
Something had died in Kate when she’d seen how quickly and easily Maddie had captured Lachlan’s sexual interest. By the end of Christmas dinner Maddie’s almost-fiancé had been firmly dispensed with and she’d gone off with Lachlan, moving in with him the very next day.
So, in reality, Kate had had ten months to get over her broken heart. Ten long, soul-destroying months during which her own acting career had stalled and she’d been reduced to working weekends in a local deli whilst going to endless auditions during the week.
If she hadn’t been living at home she wouldn’t have survived. The only acting job she’d managed to snare in that time had been a part in a play. It had been quite a good part, too. But the play hadn’t proved commercial or popular at the box office. Despite garnering reasonable reviews, it had closed after six weeks.
She’d tried out for various movies and television shows, but had so far been unsuccessful, usually being told that she wasn’t ‘quite right’ for that particular part; didn’t have the ‘right look’—or the right height, or the right something. Sometimes she wasn’t given a reason at all. Her agent said she needed to be more positive when meeting producers and directors, but any positivity she’d possessed seemed to have disintegrated.
In truth, Kate had always been on the shy side, with social skills not her strong point. The only time she felt truly confident was when she was in character, playing an outgoing role. Then she exuded confidence. If only she could be more like Maddie, whose social skills were second to none and whose confidence was out of this world.
A nudge at her elbow snapped her out of her thoughts, and Kate turned to see Maddie glaring at her before shoving her bouquet into her hands. The glare disappeared once she’d turned back to beam at the male celebrant. Kate felt a sudden urge to throw the bridal bouquet onto the floor and stamp on it.
She didn’t, of course. But the unexpected burst of anger did achieve something, shoving aside her self-pity and replacing it with a determination to stop letting unrequited love ruin her life. It was way past time for her to get over Lachlan and move on.
Steeling herself, Kate turned her body to the right in order to watch the ceremony, seeing immediately that Blake Randall had done the same and was looking straight at her. No, he was staring at her, as if he was trying to work out what was going on in her head.
If she told him he would probably laugh. Whilst she’d never actually met the man, she’d seen him interviewed on television several times. Despite having made a career—and loads of money—making movies about love and romance, he’d come across as a cynic about both, stating bluntly on one occasion that he was just giving the audience what they wanted.
Of course he had been a popular topic of conversation amongst the students at NIDA—especially after making Lachlan into a star. Kate knew Blake Randall had been married once to Claudia Jay, an Australian actress who’d starred in one of his early films. The marriage hadn’t lasted long, and Claudia had claimed her new husband had neglected her shamefully once the honeymoon was over. Kate suspected there was more to their divorce than met the eye, Claudia having moved to Hollywood soon after the breakup.
She didn’t feel sorry for either of them. They were both tarred with the same brush, in her opinion. Both of them ruthlessly ambitious, leaving little room to really love anyone other than themselves. Blake had gone from strength to strength after his divorce, whilst Claudia had gone on to have a successful career in Hollywood, her name linked with a succession of high-flying producers and directors.
Kate herself didn’t dream of Hollywood success. Or necessarily of being in movies. She loved acting on the stage most of all. But she wouldn’t knock back a decent role in a movie or a television series. If she was ever offered one.
Kate was about to sigh again when she remembered her agent’s advice to be more positive. And a little more proactive. It occurred to her that any other aspiring actor would take advantage of being in a wedding party opposite a brilliant movie-maker like Blake Randall. She shouldn’t be ignoring his interested glances. She certainly shouldn’t be standing around looking like a wet weekend and sighing all the time. She should be making the most of this rather amazing opportunity by smiling and flirting and projecting Little Miss Confident and Available, not Little Miss Miserable and Vulnerable.
All she had to do was pretend. No, act. She was an actor, wasn’t she?
But it was no use. She simply couldn’t summon up a smile. Maybe if he’d been more pleasant and approachable-looking she might have managed it. But his looks matched his reputation as a demanding tyrant to work for. He had gleaming black hair—worn unfashionably long. Thick black brows. Deeply set piercing blue eyes. An arrogant aquiline nose. Slightly hollow cheeks. And a rather cruel-looking mouth.
The press described him as ‘handsome’. Kate thought him scary-looking. And very intimidating.
She was in the process of abandoning any idea of even talking to him later when he smiled at her. Just a small smile, really—a slight lifting of the corners of his mouth—but it was accompanied by a wicked twinkle in his eyes. They did strange things to her, that smile and that twinkle. Made her feel more confident. And quite sexy. Which was astonishing given her libido seemed to have died ten months ago, along with her heart.
Before she could think better of it she smiled back. A small smile and possibly without any accompanying twinkle. But it was a start. His smile widened, his eyebrows lifting, taking away his scariness and making him look quite handsome. Not handsome the way Lachlan was handsome—but then, no man Kate had ever met was that handsome.
He mouthed something at her and she frowned, not sure what he was saying. He repeated it more slowly and she finally understood the words.
You...look...lovely.
Kate honestly didn’t know how to react, blinking her surprise before looking away. She wasn’t used to men of Blake Randall’s ilk coming on to her. They went for the Maddies of this world. Or for stunning actresses like Claudia Jay. Admittedly she looked the very best she could today—thanks to Maddie and her mother bullying her into hours of work at the beauty salon—but she doubted she could compete with the sort of women who usually vied for this man’s attention.
Kate was still trying to work out how to respond when there was a burst of applause behind her. Kate was taken aback to realise that the ceremony was over, and Lachlan and her sister were now legally man and wife.
She waited for a jab of devastation to overwhelm her but it didn’t come. Instead all she could think about was Blake Randall flirting with her.
How odd.
There was Maddie in Lachlan’s arms, being kissed very thoroughly, and even whilst she couldn’t bear to watch at the same time it made her wonder what it would be like to be kissed by that hard, cruel mouth which was once again smiling at her. No, grinning at her.
It was infectious, that grin, as was the wry gleam in his eyes as he nodded his head towards the couple who were still locked together in an exhibitionist kiss.
Without thinking this time, she grinned back, and suddenly lightness lifted her previously heavy soul, making her see that there was definitely life after Lachlan.
How silly she’d been to imagine that the world had stopped turning simply because the man she loved did not love her back. There was still plenty to live for. Her career, for starters. Kate adored acting—loved inhabiting another character’s skin and making her audience believe that she really was that person. It was the ultimate high when she pulled that off. The ultimate adrenaline rush.
The besotted couple finally wrenched themselves apart, and a flushed Maddie turned to Kate to retrieve her bouquet.
‘What a pity Lachlan and I can’t leave right now,’ her sister grumbled. ‘I can hardly wait I’m so turned on. Oh, God, don’t look at me like that, Katie,’ she hissed impatiently. ‘You know how much I like sex. And my Lachlan is just the best at it.’
Kate smothered a groan of despair. Or was it disgust? Whatever it was, that feeling of devastation she’d so valiantly pushed aside was back with a vengeance.
CHAPTER THREE (#uf50f8d74-993a-53b8-865b-a75d9e9aafc4)
OH-OH.
Disappointment swamped Blake as he caught sight of Kate again, her face having been obscured by the bride turning to collect her bouquet. Gone was her lovely smile, and in its place her former bleak expression.
What the hell had happened in the last few seconds? What had the Barbie doll said to her? Something not very nice, judging by the unhappiness in Kate’s eyes.
Blake knew from first-hand experience that siblings were not always the best of friends—especially those of the same sex. Rivalry and jealousy often raised their ugly heads, making true friendship impossible. His own brother was a case in point. James had always been jealous of him, despite there being absolutely no need. James was the firstborn son, after all, and his parents’ favourite—especially since he’d followed in his mother and father’s footsteps to become a doctor, like them.
On the other hand Blake had been regarded as the black sheep of the family since he hadn’t even gone to university, since he’d done something considered very left field by embracing the entertainment world—first as a DJ, then shooting music videos for a couple of years before finally plunging full-time into making low-budget independent movies.
Both his parents and his brother had given him dire warnings about his future. And Blake found it telling that now he’d made it big they were all hurtfully silent on the subject of his success. Blake had used to let it bother him, but he no longer cared. Or so he told himself. They all had small minds, in his opinion, James the smallest of them all.
Blake rarely saw his family these days, only visiting at Christmas and on special occasions. Now that he’d moved to Los Angeles to live and work he suspected he might not even do that. Just send the occasional card. He no longer kept in contact through social media or email, nor with phone calls, having resolved not to give them any further opportunity to deliver snide remarks about his lifestyle or his movies. Which they did, if given the opportunity.
Blake had no evidence that Kate’s sister had just made some kind of nasty remark to her except for the look on her face. But that wasn’t jealousy he was seeing in her expressive blue eyes. It was hurt. And dismay.
Why her unhappiness bothered him so much he could not fathom. He’d never been a particularly empathetic soul. Perhaps it was because he found her attractive and didn’t like the idea of there being some hidden impediment which would hinder his pursuing his interest in her. Whatever the reason, Blake resolved not to rest until he’d solved the mystery of that unhappiness.
And it was a mystery. Because on the surface of things Kate had nothing to be unhappy about. She was gorgeous! Okay, she didn’t have the in-your-face blonde beauty of her sister. But she was still highly desirable.
Of course being physically attractive was no guarantee of happiness. Maybe she was unhappy because she was still unmarried, despite being the older sister. Though not much older, surely. Blake knew Lachlan’s bride was only twenty-three, which made Kate what? Twenty-five? Twenty-six, maybe? Hardly a marital use-by date in this day and age.
‘Get with the programme, Blake,’ Lachlan said, grabbing his nearest elbow. ‘We have to sign the marriage certificate.’
As the groom ushered him over to where the paperwork had been set up on a side table Blake cast a surreptitious glance back at Kate. She seemed to have gathered herself, and her expression was not wretched any longer. It was, however, utterly devoid of emotion once more—a totally blank mask. How on earth did she manage that? When he was upset everyone knew about it. He didn’t throw tantrums, exactly, but his face always reflected his feelings—as did his voice.
He watched her watching the happy couple sign the register, but her eyes betrayed nothing now. Which was telling in itself.
When it was their turn to step forward as witnesses, he waved for her to go first. After throwing him a closed look, she picked up one of the provided pens and signed quickly, with only the slightest tremor in her hand. He glanced at her signature before he signed his own name.
Kate Holiday, he read, and realised that until that moment he hadn’t known the bride’s surname. So of course he hadn’t known Kate’s. He’d never met the bride’s parents either, or anyone else in her family. Strange, really, given he was the best man.
Blake wondered all of a sudden why Lachlan had asked him to be his best man. He would have thought a young Aussie male with his looks and personality would have had at least one best mate—a pal he’d gone to school with or studied at NIDA with.
Obviously not. Either that or he preferred someone famous to stand by his side at his wedding. A celebrity. Lachlan was very much into celebrity.
It hadn’t occurred to Blake until that moment that he was being used—that this wedding was little more than a publicity stunt, with a trophy bride, a glamorous Sydney setting and a rich and famous best man. Lachlan was no better than Claudia, really.
Whilst the thought did bring a sour note to the proceedings Blake knew he would have the last laugh. Because in actual fact Lachlan wasn’t so great an actor, and his range was decidedly limited. Once he was seduced by the big boys in Hollywood and started making movies that weren’t tailored to his specific brand of looks and charm his career might very well sink like a stone. Major studios were very unforgiving once the box office results rolled in. Lachlan’s past successes in Blake’s movies would not carry him for ever.
A slight smirk curved his top lip as he put his signature to the marriage certificate. It was still there when he put the pen down and turned to face his intriguing partner.
‘So, Kate Holiday,’ he said, doing his best to hide his underlying irritation, ‘we haven’t been properly introduced. But I dare say you know who I am.’
‘Yes, of course I do,’ Kate said. ‘Lachlan has spoken of you a lot.’
‘Well, you have one up on me, then—because he’s told me nothing about you.’
She seemed quite taken aback. ‘You mean he’s never mentioned that we were students together at NIDA? We were in the same class,’ she went on, obviously peeved. ‘We graduated together last year.’
‘Sorry. He’s never mentioned it,’ he told her, doing his best to get his head around this news.
Kate was an actress! Who would have believed it? Still, it went some way to explaining her ability to hide her emotions. Though she wasn’t hiding them at the moment. She was looking decidedly upset. On his part, he was just perplexed.
Why hadn’t Lachlan told him that his future sister-in-law had been at NIDA with him? He knew Blake held an enormous respect for their graduates. On top of that, he was always on the lookout for fresh talent—especially actors with Kate’s unique and very interesting face.
He wondered if Lachlan was jealous of her acting talent. That would be just like him. He would hate anyone to steal his thunder. Narcissistic devil!
‘All I know is that you’re Maddie’s older sister,’ he admitted. ‘I don’t even know how much older.’
‘I’m twenty-five,’ she confessed, almost as if it was a crime.
Twenty-five was a good age for an actress, he thought. And for other things...
Finding out that Kate was an actress didn’t dampen his desire for her in any way. If anything, it increased it—along with his sudden resolve to help her career in any way he could. Blake suspected it might not have taken off, since he’d never heard of Kate Holiday. And he would have if she’d done anything of note. Blake had his finger on the pulse where rising stars were concerned.
Just then they were shepherded outside by the photographer—a rather officious fellow who was very full of himself.
‘So, what have you been in lately?’ he asked her as they trailed past the huge marquee which had been set up in the gorgeous grounds of Byron’s home. ‘Anything I might have seen?’
‘I doubt it,’ she said. ‘I was in a play earlier this year, but it closed rather quickly. I was brilliant, of course,’ Kate added, throwing a self-deprecating smile his way. ‘But not brilliant enough, apparently. One of the reviews said I was “very decorative”.’
Blake laughed. ‘Which you are,’ he said. ‘Very.’
She looked startled, her high cheekbones pinkening a little. Acting? he wondered. Or was she genuinely taken aback by his compliment? Blake decided he didn’t care either way. She enchanted him. And intrigued him. He was going to enjoy finding out more about her this evening, and at the same time putting a spoke in Lachlan’s ego by giving her career a boost.
He would offer her a part in one of his upcoming movies. Nothing too large. She was an unknown, after all.
Of course Blake anticipated that his offer to help her out would come with the bonus of taking her to bed in the foreseeable future. Which he very much wanted to do. More so than he had in a long while. Whilst sex was something he enjoyed, he wasn’t a sex addict. He could do without—especially when he was working long hours. Which he had been for several weeks now, finishing up Lachlan’s latest movie and getting it ready for distribution.
Possibly this longish stint of celibacy was responsible for the rather urgent wave of desire he was currently experiencing. Hopefully there wasn’t any extraneous reason why Kate shouldn’t respond to his pursuit. The only hurdle he could think of was a boyfriend in the wings. Or, worse, a fiancé.
A swift glance at her left hand detected a total absence of rings.
