Chapter 15

“It has been a nice break from reality,” Melissa muttered closing her bag and taking one last look at her room. She was feeling so frustrated. “Good times are over and now I have to go back to my chains. At least we’ll be able to attend Malcom Powers’ party.”

Mel looked at her sister who was standing at her side. She looked completely dejected.

“Sadly, we have to go back. We have to set things right before they get out of hand. I’ll write a statement in my Twitter account denying the rumors and indicating that I was dealing with a personal matter.”

Lindsey nodded over at her older sister, absentmindedly.

“Linds?”

Reality had hit Lindsey’s stomach like a boulder crashing off a cliff.

“That sounds good, Mel. What do you want to do about Spencer?”

“Do you think he would agree to come to LA with us?”

“No. I don’t think so. Even if he had forgiven you for what you did, and that’s a huge ‘if’, I don’t think Spencer would agree to move to LA.” Lindsey said softly, unable to hide the deep sadness in her words. “Our lifestyle is too different from his. Besides, he’ll never give up his furniture business.”

“I make enough for both of us. He doesn’t need to work.”

“Does she know Spencer at all? He’ll never accept that. He loves building furniture. He loves his work,” Lindsey’s thoughts were screaming in her mind now. She pressed her lips together and took a deep breath.

“You like him.” Mel’s voice had taken on a coolness that made Lindsey shiver. “You like my boyfriend.”

With a shaky laugh that wouldn’t fool anyone, Lindsey replied, “Everybody likes Spence. He has a good heart. Children and dogs love him,”

“But everybody didn’t go on a date with him.” Mel’s eyes were locked on her sister’s. “This is Middletown, Linds. People here are worse than paparazzi. They saw you climb into his truck and head out of town. You lied to me.”

Lindsey’s chest tightened. She was barely able to draw breath enough to defend herself.

“He wanted to talk with me in private. He was disappointed I wasn’t here the other day for dinner.”

“Talk with you? What about?”

“That’s personal. I know the notion might sound strange to you, but I do have a personal life,” Lindsey crossed her arms on her chest and waited with her chin thrust out, daring her sister to disagree.

“Are you trying to steal my boyfriend from me, Sister?”

“I wouldn’t call it stealing,” Lindsey thought.

Instead, she said, “He hasn’t been your boyfriend since you cheated on him. Hell, for the last ten years he hasn’t even been your friend. And for what I saw and heard the last days he never will.”

“Well, he won’t be yours either. I’m trying really hard to make up to him for what I did, but nothing makes him look at me the way he was looking at you when you came into the house.”

How did Spence look at her?

“We’re friends,” Lindsey said. “Nothing else. I was the one who was there for him when you betrayed him.”

“Which side are you on, Linds?”

“For once in my life, I’m on my own side,” Lindsey replied with a defiant look in her eyes. “I’m your sister and I love you, but you don’t own me.”

“You say you love me?” Mel snorted, “You call dating Spencer behind my back, love?”

“Don’t you dare blame me for all the bad choices you’ve made! I didn’t steal Spencer from you. You lost him! Of course, blaming me is easier than blaming yourself.”

Mel took a deep breath, “I’m sorry ... I don’t know what to say anymore ... I wish I could go back in time. A normal life doesn’t sound too bad right now.”

Lindsey shook her head in disbelief. “For how long, Mel? How long do you think you’ll be able to stay away from the fame, the money, the love of your fans?”

Melissa sighed, “It gets old. Trust me. Sometimes all I want is to be invisible.”

“Being invisible is overrated. I know it pretty well. Besides, if you feel this way, why don’t you quit?” Though Lindsey asked the question, she already knew the answer.

“You think it’s because I love all the money and fame,” Mel said in a small voice.

“Isn’t it? Ever since we were kids you always needed to be the center of attention.” She turned around and, with her back turned to her sister, she added, “We have to go back to work, we have deadlines, previous commitments, and people are depending on you. Vacations are over.”