Chapter Two
“This is going to get very sticky,” Gwen whispered in Karen’s ear as the party started to wind down, and many of the guests had left.
The two of them, along with Samantha and Eliza, were nestled in the far end of the courtyard sipping wine, coffee, or in Gwen’s case, tea, and watching the men as they talked around a fire pit.
“Why do you think he’s here?” Eliza asked.
“I have no idea. If there is one topic Michael and I don’t really discuss, it’s his family,” Karen said to her friends, who knew the situation between her and Michael.
The group of men erupted in laughter, making the women frown.
“They act as if they just saw each other last week.” This came from Samantha.
“You’re the one who did the background check. Did I miss something in the file?” Karen asked.
The file referred to the dossier on every client and prospective spouse that hired Alliance to pick a temporary partner for them. In Michael’s case, he needed an agreeable wife for sixteen to eighteen months in order to throw Hollywood, the fans, and the producers off the scent that the leading man of action flicks, fetching multimillions per movie, wasn’t interested in women.
Sadly, though Hollywood was incredibly flexible with sexuality, the public didn’t pay to see films where it was common knowledge the man on the screen would never be interested in the woman in his arms. Michael Wolfe was the hottest action film star of the millennium and had more films lined up than should be legal. Though no definitive rumors circulated about his sexuality, he sought out Alliance to find a temporary wife to circumvent any that might evolve.
Samantha, who had a list of contacts an arm long, had created Alliance and prescreened every client regardless of their wealth or standing in the community. She and Eliza had worked together in the beginning, yet as each of them married and found other activities, such as being a duchess, the first lady of the state, and parenting, they took on lesser roles with Alliance. Gwen had stepped in to help run Alliance along with Karen, who was the only one who had actually been looking for a temporary husband to begin with, and as it turned out, she acquired exactly what she wanted.
A year or so long commitment with a huge financial payoff. Michael had placed five million dollars in an account that would become hers the day they separated. In return, he kept his reputation as Hollywood’s bad boy that every woman wanted, and continued making films.
So Karen had to give up sex for a year. No big deal.
She’d met and partied with Hollywood’s finest and found a best friend in Michael. It had only been in the past month that they’d actually talked about their mutual sexual frustration playing the role of a married couple. Ironically, the itch was never there to scratch with her husband, and if Michael were to make any real moves on Karen it would gross her out.
She glanced over the courtyard to the black jeans gripping the back end of Michael’s brother. Now his brother, Zach…
“Michael grew up in his hometown in Utah. Did the typical high school thing. Starred in the plays and attempted football. But that was his brother’s sport. He never lived up to it. He applied to colleges here in California and fell into the lure of the big screen.”
“No bad blood at home?” Eliza asked.
Samantha shook her head. “None that I found.”
Karen watched Michael and Zach from across the yard and blew out a breath. “This is going to get awkward.”
“Is he staying here?” Eliza asked.
Karen froze. “I-I didn’t ask. He should, right?”
“He’s family. And they don’t seem to be hating on each other,” Eliza stated the obvious.
Karen set her cup of coffee on a table and stood. “I should find out and have Alice make up a room while she’s still here.” Alice was the only domestic help they brought in during the week. She didn’t live in and had only been employed for a few months. Michael refused to have help for any real length of time. Hollywood’s best-kept secret would never keep if the housekeeper stuck around for long.
Karen walked to Michael’s side, and he smiled in acknowledgment. “Sorry to interrupt. But I was wondering if Zach is staying over?”
Zach looked between her and Michael. “It’s OK, I—”
“You’re staying here. Mom would kill me if you stayed at a hotel.” Michael’s tone was genuine.
“Mom’s going to kill you anyway.”
Michael nodded. “You’re right. No need to add to the ammunition. We have plenty of room.”
“I don’t know.”
Karen did what any wife would and took matters upon herself. “I’ll have Alice set up a room before she goes home.” She left their side and walked into the house.
Gwen met up with her in the kitchen. The caterers had left boxed-up food that would all be going to the Boys and Girls Club in the morning. The beauty of Hollywood parties was how well the kids ate once the festivities were over. The kids thought they got the leftovers. Only Karen and Michael knew that wasn’t the case. They always ordered more than they needed and had trays of food to serve to the kids.
“I’m outta here, Karen,” Tony, Michael’s manager, said as he passed through the great room.
Tony was short, Italian, and louder than any man should be.
“Did you pour Tom into a limo?” Karen asked.
Tony chuckled. “His car is parked to the side of the garage along with a few others. You’ll probably have assistants here bright and early to pick them up. Might just wanna keep the gate open.”
Karen shook her head. “Not a chance.” The last thing she’d do was leave the gate to Michael’s estate open for maundering fans or paparazzi to help themselves to a photograph. “Thanks for the warning. I hope you managed to have a good time.”
Tony always seemed to be working when he was in her and Michael’s presence.
“I always do. G’night Karen, Gwen.”
“Good night, Tony.”
Before Tony made it out of the room, he turned and shouted, “Oh, and happy anniversary.”
“Thanks.” Somewhere in all the excitement of the party, the fact that she and Michael had been married for a year escaped her for the past few hours.
Michael loved flashy parties, where Karen was just as happy with a few select friends with honesty flowing between them. Because her friends knew the business of Alliance, they all knew the marriage was coming to an end.