Believe Me, It's You Read online

  “You're done, but I think we should wax those eyebrows. What do you think?”

  “Oh god, no,” he said. “Please, Carol. They're okay.”

  “Next time, they're gonna need it,” she said, packing up her things. “Hey Eva, can you put some of this on his hair before he walks out the door tonight? It's paste. Just rub a tiny bit in your hands and then through his hair.”

  “Sure,” Eva took the tube from Carol and put it next to the door where she knew she'd remember.

  “We're leaving separately,” Dylan said. “Better put it in my jacket pocket. I'll forget it there.”

  “We are?” Eva asked.

  “Yeah, that's the deal I made with Calvin,” he said. “He thinks it'll be better that way.”

  “Calvin's such a pain in the ass,” Carol said. “I think you'd look awesome going in together.” Dylan and Eva looked at each other.

  “I don't want to fight with him tonight,” Dylan said. “It's just a little compromise.” He and Jason went back into Dylan's bedroom to find the right shoes.

  “Do you want me to style your hair, Eva?” Carol asked.

  “Oh, if you have time. That would be nice,” she said.

  “What kind of dress are you wearing?” she asked Eva.

  “It's a very dark blue silk, twenties-style dress-short, low neck line,” she said.

  “Ooh, pretty! Do you want it up then, or down and curled a little?” she asked, pulling a curling iron and some other tools from her bag.

  “Down, I think would be nice, and curled,” she said.

  “You got it,” Carol started working on her hair.

  Dylan and Jason came back in from the bedroom. Dylan grabbed the wardrobe bags and carried them back to his room.

  “How long have you known Dylan, Eva?” Carol asked.

  “I think it's three months now,” she said. “We met at Capital T's publisher's party.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Well, I've known him for four years and he's a nice kid. He likes you, that's for sure.”

  “How do you know?” Eva asked.

  “He looks at you all the time. Haven't you noticed?” she laughed.

  “I don't know,” Eva laughed, blushing. “He's 21. Don't they all do that?”

  “No,” Carol said. “Not unless they've got it bad. Otherwise, they try to act cool.”

  Dylan and Jason came back into the room.

  “Wow, you look so pretty,” he said, stopping to look at Eva.

  “Thanks,” Eva said. Carol looked at her and smiled.

  It was almost 5 when Carol finished. Eva went to her room to get dressed. She stood in front of the mirror, putting on some make-up. Carol made her hair look so pretty. It hung in long loose curls. She hadn't remembered to bring any jewelry, so she pulled on her shoes, sprayed a bit of her perfume on her neck and went out to wait for her car. Dylan was dressed and standing by the door with Teddy, ready to go. He looked beautiful, like a very young, 21st century James Dean.

  “I'm supposed to put the stuff in your hair,” Eva said.

  “Okay.” He handed her the tube of styling paste, and bent down so she could reach his hair. She rubbed some of the paste through his hair, as Carol had instructed her. Dylan put his mouth close to her ear and whispered, “You look so beautiful, you make me want to cry.” She smiled and moved away. She could feel herself blush.

  Dylan and Teddy left. She got her bag and stuck her phone in it along with some lip gloss. Jason was going too, but he stayed behind to ride with her.

  “Car's here, Eva,” Jason poked his head out the door and motioned for her.

  “Okay,” she said.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Eva and Jason arrived at the party about 20 minutes after Dylan. There was a lot of activity around the auditorium where the event was being held, and sure enough, paparazzi were milling around the front entrance.

  “Hopefully, they have a basement entrance,” Jason said. “This is the first time I've been here.” Eva felt a little apprehensive, not just about the party and all the people she didn't know, but also the paparazzi and her somewhat different status now that she was becoming more than just a business associate to Dylan. She reminded herself as they went into the pretty carpeted basement entrance to the elevator, to at least act like just a business associate for the evening.

  The elevator opened adjacent to the main doors and the auditorium itself. The huge room was decked out with white tables and gold chairs. It was already in full swing with slow R&B playing and glasses clinking. The chandeliers bathed the room in a soft light, but the sponsors and their dates were dressed like stars for the evening. Thankfully, Jason stayed with Eva and they both looked for Dylan and Calvin. Eva grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Jason.

  “Thanks!” he said, and turned to say hi to two dancers he knew from Dylan's last tour.

  Eva turned in the opposite direction and saw Dylan across the room, talking to a man in a suit and tie. He turned a few seconds later, and seeing her, smiled. She stood still where she was and looked at him. He was tall, thin, young, beautiful, his silk shirt white against the black of his jacket , his face glowing and the light of the chandeliers making his hair a dark gold. He was special. He was a star. And he was smiling at her.

  He walked towards her and her heart skipped in her chest. He came up close to her and bent down, kissing her cheek. Then he stepped back and looked at her. She wanted him to touch her, but he just stood there.

  “You're so beautiful,” he said. “I kept watching for you. I...will you go with me?”

  “Where?” she asked.

  “Just come with me,” he said, looking into her eyes.

  “Okay,” she said. She didn't care where they were going, she only knew she wanted to go with him.

  He grabbed her hand and they went through double doors and down a long corridor.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, walking fast to keep up with him, clutching his hand.

  “Back here,” he said, and turned right and through a set of double doors. A man was standing inside the doors.

  “Talent only, sir. Oh..sorry, Mr. Moore,” the guard said.

  “No problem,” Dylan rushed past him and opened the door to a dressing room. “I've been here before. The Video Awards were here last year.” He closed the door and locked it behind them. The dressing room was dark and he switched the light on at the dressing table. The soft round globes around the mirror glowed. He reached for her and his mouth found hers. He kissed her full force, his tongue parting her lips. She met it with her own, her lips burning against his. She put her arms around him and they traveled down to the opening of his jacket. She touched his back at his waist and moved her hands up feeling the soft silk of his shirt, the sinewy muscles tensing beneath the fabric. Dylan's hand moved up her thigh. He was trying to find the hem of her dress, fumbling between their two bodies, pushing her up against the vanity. He stopped kissing her and stepped back just enough to lift her up onto the vanity. She parted her legs and he moved in close to her. She could feel his hardness between her legs. He found the hem of her dress and she gasped as she felt his hot hands move up her hips and waist, pulling the silky fabric up until he reached her breasts. His mouth was moving over her throat and back up to her lips. She heard his breath catch when he realized she had no bra on. His hands moved slowly, concentrating on the softness of her breasts, moving to find the hardness of her nipples. She felt dizzy and tried to find his soft lips with her own, wanting his kiss again.

  “Dylan,” she said, trying to catch her breath. “Let's make love.” He pulled away from her neck and looked into her eyes.

  “I love you, Eva,” he said. “Please tell me you're sure this time.”

  “I'm sure,” she looked in his eyes, her finger moved across his lips. He put his lips against hers, a soft kiss that grew more and more insistent. He pulled back and looked at her.

  “I...I don't have a condom. I left my wallet at home.
I want to take you home. I want to spend the night in my bed with you. I love you, Eva.”

  “We can't leave now, can we?” she asked.

  “We can do whatever we want,” he said, feeling in his back pocket for his cell phone. He hit two numbers. “Teddy...come get us now. Where are you? Okay. We'll be there.” He hung up. “He's parked two blocks away. He's going to pick us up in front.” They straightened their clothes and Dylan opened the door. They went straight through the corridors of the auditorium, not entering the main room, to the bank of glass doors in the front entrance.

  “Let's just stand here a minute and let them get here,” he said to Eva. “We'll get in the car, and just act like the paps aren't out there. Ignore them. I'll hold your hand and get you in the car.” They stood there for a minute or so, and Dylan looked at her, “Ready?” he asked. She nodded and he pushed the doors open. They moved down the front stairs and the second they hit the sidewalk, a group of about 15 paparazzi surrounded them. The flash was blinding, but Eva could make out that Teddy and the car were not there yet. Dylan held tight to her hand and it didn't go unnoticed by the paparazzi.

  “Dylan!” they were shouting, almost simultaneously.

  “Dylan, where's Vanessa?”

  “Dylan, Dylan-whose the girl?” Eva was getting very nervous now. They were surrounded. One guy in particular was practically touching Dylan. She looked down the street and she saw the reflection of a red light at the next block. She felt certain the black SUV at the light was Teddy and the driver. She turned to tell Dylan and he had a look of disgust and anger on his face, the one pap was getting closer and closer, trying to get him to turn around so he could get a shot of his face.

  “Dylan, is that your new girlfriend, or did you hire her for the evening?” She felt Dylan's hand drop hers just as Teddy pulled up and jumped out of the passenger side of the car. She turned to Dylan in time to see him swing around and land a left hook on the right side of the pap's face, throwing the guy backward and causing him to trip over his own feet and fall back onto the pavement. She heard his head as it hit the edge of the first step of the auditorium.

  Teddy grabbed her shoulders and put her into the backseat of the SUV.

  “Stay there,” he commanded and slammed the door. She put her head down and took a deep breath. Out the window she could see Dylan and Teddy standing over the fallen pap, the others snapping away at the spectacle. Dylan was on a knee, trying to get the guy to come to. Teddy was calling someone on his phone. The guy was trying to sit up and Dylan was holding him by one arm. She heard a siren and saw the reflection of a cop car on the sidewalk. A few seconds later, a police officer was talking to Dylan and Teddy. The paparazzo was sitting on the sidewalk holding something up to his head. Minutes passed and she saw Calvin walking toward them. They were all talking and Eva couldn't hear a word anyone was saying.

  She watched as the other officer walked around the side of the squad car and she felt sick as he took Dylan by the arm and led him to the squad car. Teddy was close behind. The officer cuffed Dylan and put him in the back of the car. Eva sat with her elbows on her knees, feeling sick and scared, not knowing how things had spun out of control so fast.

  Teddy walked up to the SUV and threw the passenger door open.

  “Take her home,” he said to the driver. “Eva, the guy's having Dylan arrested. I've got to go down to the precinct with Calvin. You go home and sit tight. Mark's gonna drive you and he'll be in the gatehouse until I get there. “

  “Okay, Teddy,” she said. What could she do? Nothing. Calvin would have him out soon, she felt certain. She made the trip home alone, thinking about how she should have been with Dylan. Her head hurt and her stomach still felt sick. When they finally got home, Mark helped her into the house and showed her how to call him on the intercom if she needed anything. She thanked him, glad he was nearby, and went into the living room and sat on the sofa. She was worried sick about Dylan, imagining him sitting in jail, hoping Calvin was fixing everything. She thought about how beautiful the night had been before everything went wrong and she started to cry. What was this luck she had? Every time she realized how much she wanted someone—needed someone, they were taken away. She stopped herself, refusing to be selfish like that. She had to think about Dylan, now. Not herself. She lay back on the sofa and waited to hear something.

  Chapter Thirty

  “Eva?” Calvin was shaking her shoulder, “Eva, wake up, Hon.”

  “Hmm? What..Calvin,” she sat up, remembering where she was and the circumstances of her being there. “Where's Dylan?”

  “Well, he's in the L.A. County jail, but we're going to get him out,” he said, sitting down next to her on the sofa. “They're charging him with battery. But you don't have to worry. Between his lawyers and the record company's lawyers, he'll be out in no time.”

  “He spent the night in jail?” she looked at the clock. It was 5 am.

  “Yes, but they've got him separated from the others. He's in his own cell. We go before the judge in two hours, so I've got to get back. Hopefully, the judge will dismiss the charges. Worst case scenario, he'll set bail, I'll pay it and Dylan will be home tonight.”

  She sighed, relieved.

  “But here's the thing, Eva,” Calvin said, his elbows on his knees. “I think it's best if you fly home this morning. I mean, for your own good. The paparazzi are going to be all over the place and you don't want them focusing on you, here, living with Dylan.”

  She didn't feel like putting up a fight. She'd done things Dylan's way, and look where that got them. He wasn't here to consult anyhow.

  “Is that what Dylan thinks, too?” she asked.

  “Yes, he does. He wants you out of here before they descend on the house. He wanted me to charter you a flight back to Chicago, before the hearing. He's sending Teddy with you to make sure you get to your apartment with no problems. He said to tell you he loves you and he'll be in touch as soon as he can.”

  Eva nodded and looked at her hands. “I'll go change and get my things packed.” she said.

  “Okay, Eva. Everything's going to turn out alright,” Calvin said.

  She changed into jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. She took her clothes out of the closet and all the drawers and packed it all. She cleared out the bathroom, and tears were running down her face. She felt like things had all been too good to last.

  Teddy rode to the airport with her. They flew out of a small airport just south of L.A., and there were no crowds, just the pilot, co-pilot and the plane. She and Teddy handed her luggage over to the pilot and he secured it away, under the plane. The interior of the plane was softly lit, with a couple sofas and a few seats around a small table. She sat down at the table with Teddy. The pilot told them to enjoy the flight, and they were off.

  Three and a half hours later, they landed just north of Chicago at executive airport. They had a driver waiting for them and when they got to her apartment, Teddy walked her up.

  “Don't worry about any of this, Eva. Calvin will take care of it,” he gave her a hug. “I better get back. You be careful. Don't talk to anyone you don't know well about any of this. You never know when someone's press.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Teddy,” she said. “Make sure he calls me as soon as he can, okay?”

  “Aw, he will. You can believe that. I'll remind him, though,” he smiled and went out the door.

  She lugged her bags back to her bedroom and went into the bathroom. Her period started. Great. This only added to her anxiety and sadness.

  She spent the first couple days staying busy-sorting through her mail, paying bills, a quick trip to the grocery store for the necessities. She hadn't been hungry since she left L.A. The rest of her time she spent lying on the sofa, surfing through the channels, not paying any attention to any of the shows. Sometimes she didn't even bother to turn the tv on. She tried to read, but found herself realizing after an hour she was reading the same page over and over again, and had no idea what it said.

 
After five days, she had heard nothing from Calvin or Dylan. The news said he was still being held by the county, pending additional hearings on the amount of bail. She left three messages with Calvin, but heard nothing back.

  Sarah called her on her second day back. She'd seen Dylan on the news and was worried.

  “Eva, I thought I was giving you good advice. I'm sorry if I steered you the wrong way,” she said.

  “Oh, it's not your fault, Sarah. It's just the way it is with me. Maybe I'm not supposed to be with anyone. Maybe I need to learn to be happy by myself first,” she said.

  “That's very philosophical of you, Eva, but it's bullshit. You deserve to be happy and in love, and you shouldn't have to prove yourself to the cosmos in order for it to happen,” she said. “You've just had lousy luck. Dylan will call. You just have to sit back and be patient.”

  “You think so?” she asked. She had no fight in her to contradict Sarah.

  “Yes, I know so. There's no reason, based on what you've told me about his guy to think otherwise.” she said. “And his manager? Didn't he tell you Dylan said to tell you he'd call as soon as he got out?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Well, just be patient,” Sarah said. “He'll call.”

  And so the days passed, and on the seventh day, her phone rang while she was lying on the sofa, turned away from the tv, thinking about Dylan.

  She grabbed it and it was Dylan.

  “Hello?” she said, trying not to shout.

  “Eva,” he said. “I just got out.”

  “You're out? Really? What happened? Are you okay?” Hearing his voice still felt unreal to her. She'd imagined he was calling so many times before, just to find out it was someone else.