Unforgettable: Book Three (A Hollywood Love Story #3)(51)
“Really?” I choke out the word while The Gooch gives a woof.
My beautiful Zoey cups my face with her hands and then tenderly kisses my lips. “Yes, my darling hero. We’re having a baby.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, I take her in my arms and hold her against my heart, never wanting to let her go. The playroom we were planning to build for ourselves to indulge our lifestyle may be sacrificed for another with a different set of swings.
Brandon
Five Years Later
“Man, did you ever think you’d be thirty-five-years-old sitting on the ledge of a sandbox?”
I’m at the celebrity-filled Beverly Glen Park I frequent regularly. My best bud, Blake Burns, adjusts his shades as we watch our kids play with pails and shovels. He chuckles. “Fuck no.”
“Me neither. It’s a good life though, huh?”
“I wouldn’t trade it in for the world.”
“Where’s Jen?” I ask him, after checking on The Gooch, who’s taking a nap under a nearby tree.
“She’s with the new baby at a Combat Wombats voice recording session.” His talented wife now runs Conquest Broadcasting’s popular children’s network, Peanuts.
“Bella and Teddy both love that show.”
Bella Angel and Teddy Paul are our twins, my beautiful daughter named after my late mentor, who peacefully passed away just before their birth, and Zoey’s mother, and my adorable Teddy, after my father Edward and Zoey’s dad Paul. Twins run in Zoey’s family, and a generation didn’t pass us by. Her parents, Pete and Jo, are the most doting and wonderful grandparents anyone could ask for.
Blake smiles. “Leo loves it too. But his favorite is your show. He goes around the house saying, “Get it! Got it? Good!”
I laugh. In my wildest imagination, I never thought Kurt Kussler would be spun off into a super-successful, pro-social animated series. Kurt Kussler: Bully Buster. In addition to voicing the main character, I do the live-action wraparounds, condemning bullies and giving tools to kids for dealing with them. It was Blake’s wife’s idea. Not only is the show a big hit, Kurt Kussler action toys are flying off the shelves.
While the animated Kurt Kussler will likely be on for years to come, my live action show wrapped up its final season. In the very last episode, Kurt finally destroys his nemesis, The Locust, in an action-packed chase scene that culminates with him going over a cliff, and his wife, Mel, gives birth to twins after years of infertility. I’m sad to see the series end, but I’m moving on to bigger things. I’m going to be the next James Bond! A part I agreed to only if Zoey was cast as Miss Moneypenny. The producers acquiesced and we start filming this summer. We’re both super excited.
A sweet little voice grabs my attention. Teddy. “Daddy, look at my castle!”
My eyes shift to my little boy, who’s a spitting image of me—violet eyes and all. His castle is just a pile of sand, but I give him a thumbs-up. My angelic Bella, with her mane of flaming red hair, faces me and yells she helped. I blow her a kiss, and with a big smile, she blows one back with her little hands. God, my little ones are cute. Too cute. I’m so blessed. Too blessed. Zo and I are working on having more kids. Could I possibly have another as delicious as these two munchkins?
Blake cuts into my thoughts. “What’s Zoey up to?”
“She’s shooting a scene of Perfect 10 at Musso’s today. It’s the only day the restaurant is closed and available.”
“That show is killing it in the ratings. There’s a lot of talk that she’s going to be nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy.”
“No kidding?” An ear-to-ear grin stretches across my face. Wouldn’t that be something if we both won this year!?
“Hi, boys!” A familiar flamboyant voice sounds in my ears.
My eyes flit to the right. Heading our way is Zoey’s brother Jeffrey and his spouse Chaz. They’re pushing a stroller. Seated inside it are their adorable two-year-old twin daughters. Elsa and Anna.
Chaz unstraps them. “Okay, beautiful princesses, go play.” Clutching their sand toys, they toddle into the sandbox. Looks like our little sandcastle builders are about to get some company. The children spot each other and run up to one and other. Hugs all around. It’s so damn cute I take a picture with my cell phone and send it to Zo.
Jeffrey and Chaz squat down next to us. They’re wearing matching lime green shorts and floral-print shirts. According to Blake’s wife Jennifer, the fashionistas are going through a Lilly Pulitzer whoever-the-f*ck-that-is phase. Even their twins are clad in bright floral rompers.
“Did you hear the news?” coos Jeffrey, never one to hold back gossip. “Katrina Moore is being released from prison this week.”
“FUCK!” Blake and I shout out in unison. A nearby mom shoots us a dirty look.
Every muscle in my body clenches. The f*cking psycho bitch almost robbed Blake of his life and his beautiful wife while she almost robbed me of my life, my bank account, and my career. Blake actually thinks she went after me to bring him and Conquest Broadcasting down. Rob the network of its number one star and everything can change. Who knows? He may be right. The psycho bitch is capable of anything.
Before I can say another word, a nanny comes up to me and asks for my autograph. With a forced smile, I sign the Kurt Kussler novel she’s brought along. Jeffrey and Chaz excuse themselves and saunter over to the ice cream truck to buy treats for all the kids. I ask Blake how he feels about Katrina’s release.