Chapter Five

Damn it was a sweet-ass ride. When Mike had suggested they go to the dealership for exotic cars in Beverly Hills, Zach thought it was to window shop, maybe score a test drive. At first, he thought maybe Mike was showing off his clout to his big brother. When they’d driven off the lot with little more than a handshake and a signature, Zach was all kinds of impressed.

He and Mike had left the Boys and Girls Club after an hour. The kids took turns taking pictures of the car, the celebrity, and themselves pretending to drive. All the while Karen stood aside with a half smile on her lips as she watched. He couldn’t believe that she’d instantly said no to the car. Who did that? Michael told Zach at the dealership that he would figure out a way for her to accept it, but that if he knew her, she’d nix it outright.

“You were right about Karen,” Zach said as they pulled onto the street leading to Mike’s home.

Mike shifted around the curve and the whole car hummed. Sweet. “I’m sure I haven’t heard the end of it.”

No, Zach didn’t think so either. “It’s obvious she didn’t marry you for your money.”

Mike laughed. Instead of professing her love for him, he said, “Lotta good that would do. There’s a prenup.”

“Really? She agreed to that?” Seemed prenuptial agreements were a sign of doubt on the end of the person who had something to lose.

“She insisted on it.”

Mike slowed the car at the gated entry to his house and pressed a remote opening.

“She doesn’t seem to be the kind of woman you’d have to worry about taking you to the cleaners.”

Mike revved the engine, which didn’t do well idling. “I don’t think so either, but this is Hollywood, and nothing is ever as it seems.”

“Wow, Mike, that’s cold.”

He pulled into the drive. “And true.”

Without more discussion, Mike jumped out of the car, and at the same time, a short dark-haired man stepped out of house. “I thought that would be you. Damn, Michael, you’re already trending on Twitter.”

Trending on Twitter?

“Leave it to the kids to jump on social media. Tony, have you met my brother, Zach?”

Tony…ah, the manager. Zach shook hands with the man.

“Noticed you last night at the party, but couldn’t get over to you,” Tony said. “How long are you in town?”

“Leaving tomorrow.”

Mike narrowed his eyes. “You just got here.”

“And there’s work piling up at home. Besides, you’ll be there soon enough.”

“You will?” Tony asked.

Before anyone could elaborate, the gate opened and in drove Karen.

Tony lowered his voice. “She looks pissed.”

“How can anyone be pissed about a car like this?” Zach asked.

“Karen doesn’t do extravagant.”

She damn near kissed the bumper of the McLaren before pulling the Cadillac to a stop.

Tony sucked in a breath and shot his hands in the air as if to tell her to stop before she ruined a machine worth over a quarter million dollars. Even Mike cringed.

“What was that about?” Karen came out swinging.

“What, a man can’t buy a wife a present?”

Karen exchanged a look with Tony, and skimmed over Zach, before resting on Mike.

“We’ve had the car discussion.”

Tony stepped forward, surprising Zach as he jumped in the middle of the discussion. “Michael, your agent already called me; Paramount has put in a call thanks to those kids posting all over the net.”

Karen swiveled her anger toward Tony. “What are you talking about?”

“The producers at Paramount?”

She offered a blank stare.

“You met them last night at the party.” Tony switched his discussion to Mike. “Lavine wants to talk to you tonight. They loved the YouTube splash and want to secure your name.”

Zach’s head spun. He had no idea what they were talking about and how it played into this discussion about the car. Apparently, he was the only one in the dark.

“Wait.” Karen shoved in front of Tony. “Are you saying today’s display was about securing a role?”

Zach was about to tell her she was wrong, but realized no one was talking.

“I wanted to buy you a car,” Mike said, but at this point even Zach doubted him, and he’d been at the dealership during the transaction. Never once did Mike say anything about a part in a movie.

“Really?”

“What could be better than my wife driving the car featured in my next film?”

Zach watched as the two of them argued. Mike’s words swam in his head: this is Hollywood, and nothing is ever as it seems.

“Look at it this way. Do you want the guy selling you your Ford to be driving a Toyota? No, you want the guy to drive a Ford.”

“Nobody cares what I drive, Michael. No one even recognizes me unless I’m with you.”

“That’s not true,” Tony muttered. “You’re all over the tabloids today, both with and without Michael.”

“You don’t have to drive it daily.”

She glanced over at the car. “I don’t even know how to drive it.”

Mike tossed an arm over Karen’s shoulders. “That’s my girl.”

“I didn’t say I’d keep it.”

“You didn’t say you wouldn’t.”

She opened the gull-wing door on the driver’s side and peeked inside. “How long do you have before you can’t take it back?”

“Five days or two hundred miles.”

Karen placed two fingers in the air. “Only on two conditions will I keep this car.”

Mike crossed his arms over his chest. “OK.”

“One, if I can’t figure out how to drive it without looking like an idiot in two days, it goes back.”

“You’re a good driver.”

She rolled her eyes. “And two, you agree to leave your agent, your manager, and your producers at home when we’re visiting your family.”

“They’re not coming with us.”

“I’m talking cell phones, Internet…everything. Tony can call me every forty-eight hours, and I’ll relay the time-sensitive information. I’m talking a real vacation.”

Mike glanced over at Zach. “See what I live with?”

“Those are the conditions, Michael.”

Mike tossed the keys at her again.