Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] Chapter 1 Corporal Dean Miller was used to the dry desert heat of Iraq during his service. He now struggled to adapt to the humidity of the North Carolina summer as walked from one side of Fort Bragg to the other. As he opened the door to a small out building, he felt an uncomfortably cold blast of air from the AC that someone left running too high. Dean adjusted the AC to a more reasonable setting. He sat down and fumbled with the laptop as he connected the call. “So how badly did that bitch screw you?” Keith Brinks asked his long-time friend over the video conference. Dean rubbed the bridge of his nose. Leave it to his former commander to ask such a question bluntly. “Hello to you, too, Sgt. Brinks.” Keith Brinks’ face wrinkled. “None of that 'Sargent' crap. My marching and saluting days are over.” “And, yet, you're still barking orders.” Dean said with a smile to lighten the mood as he reminded himself that it wasn’t his fault that Keith lost his foot during one of their missions while protecting him. The sacrifice ultimately ended his military career. Dean took off his sweaty hat and wiped the moisture from his brow. “I don't need my stripes to boss you around, kiddo.” Keith grumbled back with a smirk. Dean raised an eyebrow “'Kiddo?’ I'm five minutes younger than you. Your old lady is really turning you into an old man, you know that?” “Well, I see you're not in prison, so I take it the court martial went well?” He turned the
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] conversation around as he sensed the real reason for the call. Dean looked down for a moment as his expression turned heavy. “I'm free all right. I guess that's good news, but it still doesn't change what happened out there.” “What about Alexandria?” He leaned back against the chair and ran his hand over his crew cut. “Last I heard, she was being prosecuted by the FBI. She hasn't tried to contact me at all. No calls, no letters, not a damn text message.” “I'd count that as good news. I told you from the beginning to stay clear of her. Those Shep Ops people are just mercenaries with their own agenda. Just because regs didn't ban it doesn't mean it was a good idea, Dean.” Keith really knew how to not hold back and show that he was still right. Part of him would always be his commanding officer. “She had me fooled, Keith. I thought she was different, but it turns out I was wrong and I got stabbed in the back.” Dean said as his cool demeanor broke briefly with the painful memory. “So what are you going to do now? Your tour is up in couple of weeks right? Are you staying on or getting out?” Keith asked as he took a swig of his coffee. “It's up next month. There's a whole lot of ugly out here that really needs fixing. There aren't too many Marines that can do what we do.” It was true that the Marines could get the job done but both Dean and Keith had special powers that made them more unique in the team. Dean’s ability to tag people and track them along with his uncanny knack to open any kind of locked door made him an
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] incredible asset on his team. Keith’s interrogation skills and astral projection talents came in handy on more than one occasion. “It's hard to walk away.” He had wrestled with his decision on what to do once the trial was over. He was a Marine to the core and it would be hard to pull out knowing that he could do a lot of good out there. Still, he dedicated years of his life to the service and after this trial it made him rethink his path for the next few years. He was out on all sorts of missions halfway around the world while his sister dealt with one crisis after another. Fortunately, Keith moved into the same city as Jeri when he came back to the States and was able to help her during what was the most horrible time of her life. Dean couldn’t understand how she was able to deal with the death of their grandmother, the person who raised them after their parents’ deaths. He and his older brother both had issues coping with that while overseas. On top of that, Jeri had infertility issues, and the mounting debt from failed treatments followed by a bitter divorce and spiteful ex-husband who almost exposed her gift of helping vegetation grow. Somehow Dean knew that Keith had something to do with keeping Jake’s mouth shut. Any one of these events would have sunk anyone into a dark depression. Yet, from what she and Keith told him, she was doing fine. Still, he felt guilty she had to deal with all that by herself. “Dean, we all went in with good intentions.” Keith’s voice broke his thoughts. “We all thought we were fighting for our freedom. We all thought we were doing something worth our lives, but look what's happened. We tore that damn country apart. All we are doing now is making some rich assholes in D.C. even richer. Besides, the team has taken a lot of heat with this whole court martial. You might be spending the next few years stuck behind a desk anyway.” Dean felt his stomach churn at the thought. That was the last thing he wanted to do. “What Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] would I do after I get out? The economy isn't exactly booming.” Keith held up his hand and counted his fingers. “Security, law enforcement, private investigation, self-defense instruction…” “Maybe those jobs are in the city where you are, but if I came back I’ll be living with Jeri for a while, and I don’t think there are a lot of those jobs out in the country where she lives.” “What about General Green? Do you want to keep dealing with him? You know he's not the only one interested in our special team. Our secret is out, Dean. We've all started drawing the wrong kind of attention. I've told everyone on the team that asked my opinion. Get out and get off the radar ASAP.” Keith’s statement was so absurd that it made Dean want to laugh. “I also think it’s too coincidental that most of us on ended up on the same team.” “Ease up on the conspiracy theories, will ya, Keith? We've had plenty of folks looking out for us. No one has been all that interested in us before. I am sure it's not that bad.” “That was before Ramadi. What we pulled off there grabbed a lot of attention. I really think we are about to be victims of our own success. A lot more people have been taking interest in how we handled that situation and want to know more about us. This incident with Alexandria is bound to take that to a whole new level.” Pointing at the desk, he leaned closer to the screen. “Look, I don't have that many contacts on the inside, but those that I do are telling me that now would be a great time to get out and disappear.” Over the years, Dean learned to read Keith pretty well and his tone and expression told him that he didn’t just make this shit up. His friend always looked out for the interest and safety of everyone on
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] his team, both in the field and even back at home. “I need to think about it.” “Look, you don't need to settle for a boring life.” Keith spoke as if he could picture the doubt in Dean’s mind. “There are plenty of bad guys here at home that need a good ass kicking. There are also plenty of women that won't frame you for murder like your ex did. Plus, you can finally spend some time with Jeri. She misses you a lot and she’s a hell of a cook.” He smirked. Dean couldn’t help but smile. He also felt that he’d made up his mind about his future. He just hoped that it was the right decision. * The black sports car zipped down the normally calm highway and growled as he hugged the curves of the road. There was not a cloud in the sky and the sun’s rays gave a gentle warmth, making the day perfect. Anne Stevens savored the feel of the wind as it blew through her hair, her hands on Hawk’s steering wheel. Today was a great day to remove Hawk’s t-top windows and savor the warmth. It would have been easy to just turn on the air conditioning, but she wanted to feel and smell the country air that she grew up in. Her brown sun-kissed hair danced as the wind threaded its way in and moved it like a puppeteer. As she glanced at the rear view mirror through her tinted sunglasses, she saw that her police escort was still behind her. Too bad. It would have been fun to show them how her “old” sports car could lose them. Maybe another day she’d give them a good chase that they would be able to talk about for years afterwards.
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] Letting go of the wheel, she closed her eyes and reached out to Hawk and entwined her energy with his. They became one, and Anne could see the road from his perspective and guided him towards the town. As they approached another curve, they slowed down as they came closer to the town. Anne opened her eyes and took hold of the wheel, even though Hawk was really the one who was in control. There were crowds on both sides that screamed and shouted as the caravan drove by. Anne waved at them as they approached the bridge that led them to town. As she drove over the bridge, the scent of fresh water penetrated her senses. How many times did she swim in that wonderful water? Even in June the water could sometimes still be cold but it always refreshed her when she took a dip. At the end of the bridge, they slowed down even more as the police escort in front of her moved over to the right lane and she followed. There were hordes of people everywhere behind a police barricade. Everyone cheered and waved as they saw the black sports car. “Got to love being popular.” Anne muttered as her lips curved when she read some of the signs that people held up. Hawk’s engine roared in annoyance as they inched closer to town. “Hey, it’s okay, they won’t jump on you.” she reassured him. When they reached Port Street, the police escort turned down the road. The police stationed at the street moved the blockade out of the caravan’s way and they drove down to State Street, which led them to the beach.
The wave of crowds continued down the street as they inched their way to the
FreshSand Ballroom. The roar of screams overpowered Hawk’s monstrous engine and Anne smiled as she felt a bit of jealousy from her longtime friend. Hawk always had her all to himself and ever since her rise to fame, he had problems adjusting to that. Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] “I know you don’t like it, Hawk, but this is who I am now.” She rubbed the wheel gently as if he were her pet. “Remember, you have to behave. Don’t cause any trouble, okay?” The engine roared in reluctant agreement as they drove beside the river. It felt like forever since the last time that she was here. The last five years of her life just flew by, and it was hard to believe how much things changed for her since she left her quiet little town. Her tiny little race stunt turned into a huge acting career and made her a blockbuster actress. In her last movie, she was cast as a superhero who inherited special powers from outer space. Fans worldwide loved it and in turn loved her even more. Scripts fell into her lap almost every day, and one in particular made her take notice and piqued her interest. The location was not set when she first read the script, but she was able to convince the producer and director to film in her home of St. Joe. It just seemed like a perfect place for a mother to run and hide her child away from the world. She always felt like she was safe there—invisible to the outside world. Her family was ecstatic that she was coming home again and that their little town would be featured in a big film. The whole town was buzzed with the news that their hometown girl was coming back and staring in the leading role. Businesses anticipated a larger crowd in town and stocked up to fill the needs of all the additional visitors. Restaurants created new drinks and named them after the movie and her as well. Her heart swelled when she thought of all the new income that would come to everyone who lived there and how it would help the town tremendously. Even though she left to go pursue her career in acting and lived in LA, her heart still belonged in St Joe. Maybe that was why she bought a house in town, even though she didn't actually stay there since she bought it.
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] A pit fell in her stomach when she thought of what she would say when she saw her father, Kenneth Stevens. Since their gifts were an inherited trait that was passed on to him from his father, he was fiercely protective of his children and did everything he could to keep their “gifts” a secret so they could lead a normal life like he did. When they probed him to find out from where their grandfather inherited his powers, he told them he had no idea and his father never wanted to talk about it. “Just keep it a secret.” he would constantly tell Kenneth. That he did, and his children had no idea that Kenneth could travel through time until Anne started to exhibit her power to control cars. They all wanted him to take them into the past, but he refused, saying that he no longer used his time traveling powers and his children learned to just accept that and move on. It was no surprise to Anne that he didn’t take it very well when she told him she was moving to LA to pursue a career in acting. He was even more furious when Anne pulled her younger sister Missy into modeling, which made her an instant success because of her visual persuasion power. Just one look and she could make anyone do anything even through a photograph--the person just had to look into her eyes and they were her puppets. They turned another corner and Hawk stopped in front of the Ballroom. “Be good.” The wipers went on and off as she threw her sunglasses on the seat and grabbed her clutch purse. Hawk’s door was opened by a valet who looked like he just got his license. The suit was at least two sizes too big and his dirty blond hair was gelled so much that Anne swore it would catch on fire if he passed by an open flame. He probably was the son of some local politician and won the opportunity Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] to valet her car and maybe even get a joy ride out of it. Boy, did he pick the wrong car for that. Her long, sculpted legs slid out from the slit of her satin teal dress as she got out of Hawk. “Take care of my baby.” she purred to the valet. “He’s a very special car.” The valet nodded his head and slightly quivered as she walked towards the crowd. The warm breeze off the lake pressed her dress tightly against her body, making her feel like a goddess. In an instant, two bodyguards flanked her and scanned the area She remembered her agent Jacob Metes told her that he hired one to be her personal bodyguard and the other one was hired by the studio. What did Jacob say his name was? Dave? Dan? The crowd behind the barricades waved to her as she approached them. The sound was more deafening than a sonic boom. Camera shutters moved faster than an express train and Anne was sure that the internet bandwidth dropped as everyone uploaded the photos on their social media accounts. Young and old alike screamed out her name, which made her heart swell. This was where she grew up, her hometown and everyone she knew her whole life was there cheering her on. Anne finally achieved her dream, to be known around the world and to make people happy by just seeing her. Out of all the events she attended, this welcome home party meant the most to her. A small blonde girl in a wheelchair caught her attention. She clutched her action figure doll. As she walked over to her both of the body guards followed her close behind. The girl’s mouth opened as Anne crouched down in front of her. “Hi, what’s your name?” The girl’s mouth opened but she couldn’t muster up a word. Her mother rubbed her shoulder
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] and nudged her. “Maddie.” she croaked out. “That’s a very pretty name for such a sweet girl.” “Can she get a picture with you?” Maddie’s mother asked as she took out her smartphone. “Sure.” She wrapped her arm around her and smiled as the mom took the picture. “Thank you.” Maddie said as she let go of her. Another girl next to her shoved a picture in front of her to sign. She grabbed the pen she autographed the picture. The sound of cheers and camera clicks never died down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the body guards glance through the crowd for possible threats. One of them caught her eye and she quickly looked back at him and felt her breath hitch in her throat. Good-looking was definitely an understatement. His pristinely-pressed black suit hung perfectly on his body. His face must have been chiseled by God himself and his lips just screamed temptation. Anne wondered how they would taste if she grabbed hold of his perfectly cut dark brown hair and brought his lips down to hers. With the sun out in full force, he wore dark sunglasses, which made her wonder what his eyes looked like. Why would someone that attractive want to have a job where they put themselves in possible danger? Another photo popped in front of her, and she was brought back to reality. She smiled and kept autographing items and posed for so many selfies, she lost count. A gentle tap on her shoulder made her swing around and see her publicist, Cindy Stans, looking Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] aggravated. Anne knew that look. She wasted too much time with the fans and she had to move on. With one last wave to them, she moved back towards the Ballroom. “Nice touch. That will definitely get more people viewing this next movie. Good for your image, too.” “I really wasn’t going for that, Cindy.” “I know that.” She patted her arm in reassurance, “Still, keep it up. It will get you far.” As Anne walked towards the building that housed the Ballroom she could see the lights of the indoor carousel blink as the carousel awaited her arrival. Her mother told her about the new attraction which housed a ballroom, kid’s museum and an indoor carousel and helped bring in tons of new tourists every year. The carousel and ballroom were part of the town’s history, which dated back to the start of the 1900s and was the ideal place to welcome home the town’s grand star. The security guard opened the door for her as she approached, and Cindy and the bodyguards followed. As she glided in she was engulfed in a bombardment of flashes and camera clicks as the mayor walked over to her and shook her hand to welcome her back. “Welcome back, Anne, to your hometown!” his voice boomed over the voices and camera clicks. With that, he led her to the double doors on the right and the smell of fresh popcorn made her mouth begin to water. The mayor took her around and showed her the whole carousel, which showed the history of the town, major landmarks, and companies. Anne was amazed at how beautifully built it
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] was and how the horses and animals seemed to look alive. After she posed for more pictures, she was greeted more city council members and other committees, groups and business owners, most of whom she remembered. Her facial muscles groaned as she kept her smile plastered on her face for all the pictures and autographs. There were so many people she greeted that she felt like she personally said hello to everyone in the town. While she shook another councilman’s hand, her eyes glanced around the room to see where the rest of her family was. Helen Stevens would never miss this event and Anne had a hunch that she was probably somewhere in the background making sure that everything was perfect. Her father hated events like this, so she wouldn’t be surprised if he stayed home to get the barbeque ready for the family and friends party her mother planned for the evening. Her brother, Daniel, texted her the night before that he would be there as long as there wasn’t any IT emergency that he had to fix. Elle, her close cousin who grew up with them, was part of the event committee and made sure that nothing was missed. Missy, her supermodel sister, should have been there by now. As the camera flash went off, Anne caught a glance of her mother in the background. Helen was a striking woman even for being in her fifties. Her fiery red hair still held its vibrant color and her gentle smile welcomed everyone as she walked and greeted each person she met. Even though Helen did not grow up in the town, she still knew everything and everyone. She talked to Don the baker one minute and the next minute she mingled with the school principal. She enjoyed all the attention as much as Anne did. The pride she felt for Anne could clearly be seen on her face and she didn't try to hide it. As she finished her conversation with another business owner, she excused herself and moved Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] in her mother’s direction, only to be stopped by her father’s good friend and Chief of Police Stan Whitman. A moment later, her mother walked up and placed her arm around Anne, and gently squeezed her. "Stan, didn't I tell you that my little Anne would put this town on the map?" "Mom..." "Yes, you did, Helen! I was just telling her how we all are happy with the extra business this movie is bringing in." Helen squeezed her daughter even tighter and then stopped and looked at her attractive bodyguard. "Oh, hello, Dean!” Anne spun around to face him, her neck craned so she could look. “You know him?” “Of course I know him! Dean is Jeri’s brother. I told you that your wonderful agent Jacob was going to hire him as your personal bodyguard, remember?” Anne vaguely remembered that conversion. She knew one of them was her personal bodyguard but Jacob didn’t mention that he was connected to her family. How did her mother convince Jacob to hire him? Missy. She must have persuaded Jacob to hire him. Anne knew that Missy would not normally do things like that, but if her mother asked her to, she would have done it. “Mom, I don’t need any extra protection while I'm here." Helen shook her head. "You never know, honey. There are a lot of crazy people out there.” Her Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] head nodded in the direction of the crowds outside. Anne turned towards him and his hazel green eyes pierced into her and she felt her breath catch in her throat. “I, uh… I don’t know why I need extra security. I grew up here. Everyone knows me. No one would want to hurt me." "That’s the point. Your agent feels that you’ll let your guard down and get mobbed by a bunch of people or get stalked. He doesn’t want to take any chances especially since you are the star." Dean placed his hands behind his back in a clear military stance. "Don't worry. I’ll try and give you as much space as possible." Why did her heart sag at that thought? With her worldwide popularity it was easy for her to date anyone she wanted, so why did she wonder how those strong arms would feel around her? "Dean is not a babysitter, honey. With his military background, he’s the perfect candidate for the position. And he's a good family friend and not a stranger, so be nice to him. Now, I have to go and find Gina Parker. She promised me that she'd give me the recipe for her apple strudel cake." She spun around and weaved through the crowd of people like an elegant ballerina. "She loves you very much, Anne," Stan told her. "She is so proud of you that she can't stop talking about you and your sister." On cue, her phone rang and buzzed inside her purse. Taking it out, she looked around the area for someplace to check her phone without being interrupted. “We have a room reserved if you need a break,” Dean told her as he motioned to the other side of the building.
Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] “Yes, I do. Excuse me, Mr. Whitman.” “Sure. If you need anything while you are town just let me know.” With that he stepped away as Dean escorted Anne to the private room behind the carousel. When they slid inside the room, Anne looked at her phone. It was a text from Missy. Evan and I are on our way. Shock filled her every vein. Evan? Why was Missy with Evan? She dated him years ago in high school and left him with a broken heart when she went to LA to start modeling. The shock turned to guilt as she remembered that it was her connection that got Missy that modeling job which turned her into an overnight success. They knew Evan and his family from the time they were little kids. He truly was a good guy, one of the few that were left on planet Earth and she couldn’t bear to see him hurt again by her sister. Evan!? A few seconds later another message popped up. Yeah, he’s sweet. Brought red roses. Anne stared at the message as guilt took hold of her. She hoped that Missy wouldn’t hurt him again as she typed in: !?? Her phone came back with another message: I will fill you in later. :-) Anne almost snorted. What was going on with her and Evan? If Missy was just using him then Anne needed to really smack her. Don’t hurt him. Trust me. Came back almost instantly. Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] She definitely needed to corner her and get details as to what was going on. Not only was Missy her sister but she was one of her closest friends and shared everything with each other. Deep down inside she knew that Missy was not the kind of person that would manipulate people just for her own entertainment. Still, fame changes people the wrong way sometimes and she hoped that it didn’t change Missy. As she waited for Missy’s response, she noticed that Dean gave her some space but yet still kept an eye on her. With his six-foot height and the dark suit he wore, he looked like a younger version of James Bond. Did he also carry a gun under that suit? A buzz from her phone pulled her attention away from her hunky bodyguard. Still there? The door of the room opened up and a dark wavy-haired woman in her late twenties walked in. "Anne!" she called out as she closed the door behind her. Anne smiled as she realized it was Jerilind Miller, her parent’s good friend and Dean’s younger sister. Quickly she typed in BRB. Even though she didn’t talk very much to Jeri, she owed her a great deal for helping her parents deal with the emptiness Anne and Missy left behind when they jetted out to the west coast. Every time she spoke to her mother, Jeri was always mentioned and Anne knew that her mother viewed her as another daughter. They embraced each other in a fierce hug. "You look wonderful!" Jeri told her as they released each other.
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Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] "You look great yourself. Not bad for a farmer!" "I can't take all the credit. Your mom and dad help me out a lot. I think I would have been lost without them." The sincerity in her voice just made Anne’s heart swell. Even with the heartache of an empty nest, they still managed to go out and help people. Others would have just stayed home and kept watched TV all day. "They just love helping people." “Speaking of helping people.” Jeri motioned to Dean who hovered about two feet away, “How’s my big brother treating you?” “So far, okay. Doesn’t talk much.” She gave him a slight frown. “That will change after two beers,” Jeri told her as she smirked at her older brother. “You have to come over to my house while you’re here. I make a wonderful blueberry wine and the blueberries will be ripe in a few weeks.” Anne’s mouth started to water at the thought of the ripe, sweet, delicious berries that literally melted in her mouth when she ate them. “You don’t have to pull my arm. Blueberries don’t taste the same as they do from here. I know that Missy would agree with me on that.” "Speaking of Missy, where is she?" Jeri asked her as she looked around the crowd. "She will be here. Evan's driving her." "Oh, your mom told me.” “Why am I not surprised that’s she’s involved in this?” Helen was just as heartbroken as Evan when Missy broke up with him. She hoped and planned that they would get married, since it was so Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] obvious that they loved each other. They dated for years ever since they met back in high school. They shared the greatest moments of their lives from homecoming to senior prom and graduation. Yet, when fame called to Missy, she couldn’t resist it and flew to L.A. to start her modeling career. Evan couldn’t leave his father and sister behind to struggle to pay all their bills. Instead of wallowing around in his sorrows, he studied nights to become a paramedic and later on took care of his father when he became ill. Helen and Kenneth admired Evan in so many ways. Anne knew that her mother still had hope that Evan would bring Missy back to reality and settle down with her. It was no surprise that any chance there was to get them back together would have Helen involved. “I honestly don’t think she’s in the middle. I heard that Evan just wanted to thank Missy for all the money she sent him while he was taking care of his dad.” Jeri grabbed two glasses of champagne from the small table that was by the wall and offered one to Anne. Anne nodded her thanks as she took the glass. “I remember Mom mentioned that she sent him money since he had to take so much time off of work to take care of his dad. I’m happy that at least she did that much for him.” “Yes and this visit has just gotten your mom’s hopes up just a little. I think she already has made baby clothes for the grandkids." "I wouldn’t doubt if she already had names picked out too." Jeri stifled a laugh. "No!" Anne exclaimed as her eyes widened.
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[email protected] "Yes. She's got all the grandkids picked out. Let's see…" Jeri balanced the glass in one hand and started counted out the names on her other. "There's Evan Jr., then Amanda, Emily, and Tony." "Four kids?" Jeri smiled. "Yup, but that's just Missy." Anne sighed. "How many did she pick out for me?" She took a sip of the sweet liquid. "Five." Anne nearly spit out her champagne. “Why five?!" "Your mom has high hopes." She glanced at her brother, standing nearby.
"They got
higher when Dean showed up," Anne saw Dean slightly stiffen and she wondered if he overheard their conversation. What was her mother thinking? She could never marry anyone like him. A move like that could damage her career. If she was to marry again, she needed to marry another A-list star or some top executive of a Fortune 500 company. She wouldn’t marry for love because there was no way she would fall in love. As much as she secretly wished to have a love-filled marriage like her parents, it just wasn’t in her future since every man viewed her for her Hollywood status and money, not who she truly was. "I'm going to go catch up with some other people. It was so good to finally see you." Jeri told Anne as she gave her another hug. “Keep my brother on his toes,” she said with a smile as she headed out the door. “Oh, I will.” Anne smirked as she took another sip and walked up to Dean. She needed a break from all the flashes and photos to finish her drink. Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] "So what made you decide to go join the army?" "It was the Marines, actually," he corrected her gently as he looked into her eyes. "My father was a Marine and so is my brother and I followed in their footsteps to serve our country." "That is really a wonderful thing. I'm sure that you're glad to be back at home." A buzz interrupted Dean before he could speak. Anne she looked at her cell phone. Her sister sent her a half text. Did you Did I what? she texted back to her. Boy, her head was definitely in the clouds when she was with Evan. The door to the room opened and an older man stepped in. He wore a dark business suit and his gray receding hairline, mustache and potbelly made him look like and old politician. Behind him stood a younger man, around her age with striking blue eyes that matched his suit. They looked familiar to her. Didn’t she just take some pictures with them? The older man smiled and yelled “There you are Anne! You walked away before I had a chance to introduce my son.” the men walked right in. Dean stepped in front of her, hand extended, “I’m sorry, sir do you have a pass?” The man’s head tilted. “Pass? Of course I have one.” He pulled out a plastic card from his pocket and waved it at him. “I don’t know why I need to show you this since everyone knows who I am.” “Um, I’m sorry. You are…?” Anne’s confusion was clearly heard as she stood behind Dean. Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] She peeked around him to look at the men. His face looked familiar, but she just couldn’t think of name that belonged to it. So much for a break, Anne thought as she plastered on her world famous smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t recognize you. What did you say your name is?” The older man frowned. “Councilman Dennis Sanders. I’ve spoken to your mother on numerous occasions. She considers us family friends!” he said with a chuckle. I doubt it. “Oh, well I haven’t had much time to speak to her today,” she began. “But it was nice of you to stop by.” He didn’t take the hint and stepped aside to push the younger man towards her. “I wanted to introduce you to my son Edward. He is running for the Senate seat next year.” There it is. She smiled and shook his extended hand. “Nice to meet you.” Edward’s smile was typically political. “It is such a pleasure to meet you, Anne. You truly are a gem to this town!” “Thank you very much.” “You know it would be wonderful if we all could get together for dinner while you are in town.” Councilman Sanders blurted. Not going to happen. “Unfortunately my schedule is pretty packed.” She frowned. Councilman Sanders squeezed past Dean and wrapped his arm around her. “Nonsense! We’re family friends I’m sure you can squeeze us in to one of the family dinners.”
Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] “I’m not sure…” “Dad, don’t be so pushy.” Edward chimed in. “Anne, I know that you are very busy so why don’t you just call me when something opens up?” He grabbed a business card and handed it to her. “I would love to take you out to dinner.” The political smile was back again. Seriously? She took the card and smiled back at him. “Thank you for the offer.” “I won’t take no for an answer.” Edward smiled. “I’ll talk to my publicist about my schedule.” And make sure it’s totally booked solid. “You do that.” He turned to his father. “I think Anne needs to rest a while and I thought I saw Judge Falker here.” His father beamed. “Yes, he was. Let’s go talk to him about my new proposal.” They both turned back to Anne. Edward extended his hand again. “It was so nice to see you Anne.” She shook both their hands and they exited the room. “Is there a way to barricade that door?” she mumbled as she looked at her phone again. No response. Dean noticed her worried glance towards her phone. "Is something wrong?" Anne started to worry. It wasn’t like Missy to just end a conversation mid-sentence. There was a loud bang at the door. "Dean!" a yell came from the other side.
Copyright 2016
Driven By Love by D. Anne Paris
[email protected] Dean opened the door. Stan stood on the other side with a grim look on his face. "We need your help. There's been a pile up of cars on the 190. I know that you have a lot of training in situations like this and from the sound of it, we’re going to need it." “I can’t leave, Stan. I’ve been assigned to watch over Anne.” Stan looked at Anne. "I'm sorry to take him away, Anne, but this sounds really bad." "Don't apologize, just go. It's an emergency. I’ll be fine." The concern in Dean’s eyes wasn’t hard to miss. “Stay here until I get back. If you have to leave, ask one of the police officers to escort you home.” “I’ve dealt with crowds before. I’ll be fine.” “I mean it.” Anne felt the ice in his voice and knew not to push it, “Okay, fine. Go!” With that, he and Stan moved out the door, through the crowd and disappeared. She couldn't help but wonder if Missy was all right. She glanced at her phone again but no new texts came from her.
Copyright 2016
Pdf Entry Information Exhibitor Name: D. Anne Paris WEN: 112BE0 Division: FA - 351 - Genre Novelist First Ch Class: 01 Genre Novelist First Chapter Title: Driven By Love Description:
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