A Humble Heart (Hollywood Hearts 1)

“Oh great, are you going to harass me now, too?” she asked, teasing him.

“No, I’m just wondering why you turned me down so many times….broke my heart, Dana,” he said, giving her a puppy dog expression that made her laugh.

“I’m sure I did. I’m sure it’s my fault you had to distract yourself with mindless sex and bimbos.”

He put an arm around her. “I’m glad you’re taking responsibility. They say that’s the first step to admitting you have a problem.” He chuckled, taking her helmet from her. “You still have the Interceptor?” he asked, making a face of disgust.

“Hey, don’t make fun of my bike, snob.” she said, elbowing him in the ribs.

Rick stepped into the hall with Eric and Edward behind him. He smiled at Dana. “Someone’s been naughty.” His eyes were shining with humor.

“Oh, what’s this now?” Nick asked, looking down at Dana. His arm still hung around her shoulders.

“Nothing you haven’t done a thousand times I’m sure.”

“Hmm, you’re going to have to narrow it down for me, sweetheart.” Nick said, he looked deep in thought, earning a giggle from Dana.

“Let’s take this in the boardroom so I can catch up with my girlfriend,” Nick said to Rick.

“I figured as much. You have been gone for six months,” Rick said, leading the way to the large boardroom.

Dana felt Edward’s eyes bore into the back of her head and winced. There was no getting out of the doghouse now, especially with Nick here. She knew he was trying to egg Edward on. That was his style, but saying anything would make it a thousand times worse.

A large table with twenty chairs took up the middle of the room. Nick guided her to the table and paused. “Well, I guess there aren’t enough chairs for all five of us. I guess you’ll have to sit on my lap, munchkin.” He sat down and opened his arms for Dana to join him. She gently pushed his head and walked around him to her own seat. Edward sat across from her. She could see he was pissed. His jaw was ground shut and his hands were clenched hard into fists.

Nick turned to face her. “So, you got knocked up. I guess those sex talks we had didn’t work.”

“They weren’t so much sex talks as they were offers if I remember correctly,” Dana said flatly.

“You’re splitting hairs here, Dana.” He chuckled.

Edward’s eyes focused her way. A change in topic was needed. “So, tell me how was Paris and when I ask how Paris was I don’t mean some girl named Paris that you slept with,” she clarified.

“That knocks about an hour off my answer. It was good, it was fun, and you should have come with me when I offered to fly you out for the weekend back in March.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she said, looking past him to Rick. “What are we waiting for?”

“Amy, she had to get a ride.”

“Oops, that’s my fault. I borrowed her car. Sorry, guys.”

“No problem, watching you get caught up with Nick is payment enough,” Rick said, grinning. He loved the fact that Dana was the only woman to ever turn Nick down. It tormented Nick to no end that he couldn’t have her and he loved every minute of their playful banter.

“So helpful, Rick,” Dana shot back.

“I do what I can.” Rick grinned. Eric seemed amused as well.

Nick reached over and flicked her hand, getting her attention. “So, tell me why you said yes to Edward Pierce when you said no to me like a thousand times.”

Dana gestured to Edward. “He’s right there. Stop talking about him like he’s not even in the room.”

“Yes, but clearly he’s either pissed at you or crazy,” Nick pointed out.

“What makes you say that?” she asked cautiously.

“Well,” he turned now to face a very pissed Edward, “besides the fact that he looks like he wants to kill me every time I touch you. He’s sitting across from you, not next to you. So either he’s pissed or he’s an idiot, because I sure as hell wouldn’t do that pissed or not. You’re too cute to stay away from,” he said, turning back to her to squish up his face when he called her cute.

“Is there anything I can say that will make you drop this?” Dana asked.

“Hmm, have dinner with me tonight so we can catch up.”

“Fine. I’m picking the restaurant,” she sighed. “Anything to make you stop.”

“What about the kids?” Nick asked.

“They are both going over friend’s houses for sleepovers tonight,” she said.

Nick’s smile widened. “Sweet, you know what I want to do then.”

“No,” she said, knowing exactly what he was about to offer. Or at least she thought she did.

“Ride Dune’s point,” he said, grinning hugely.

Dana turned in her chair to face him. “Are you serious?”

“Hell yeah. What are you chicken?”

“No, I’ve been dying to go to Dune’s point for months. No one but you will do it,” Dana said excitedly.

“Dana, you’re pregnant,” Edward stressed through clenched teeth.

She waved him off. “I'm only going to watch, don't worry about it.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he mocked.

“Maybe we should start this meeting now,” Eric said nervously.

“Don’t worry about him, sweetheart, I still love you,” Nick said.

“So, not helping,” Dana said dryly.

He grinned wickedly. “I’m not trying to help.”

She groaned, “Guys, let’s get this over with please before one of us kills him.”

“Okay, after talking to Amy and going over the footage of you and Lucas we discovered she’s right. It’s not you in the film. We plan on using it to our advantage, which will help clear your names,” Eric said.

“That’s it?” Dana asked.

Nick was extremely interested now. “What film?”

“Oh, shit.” Dana dropped her face into her hands, knowing this was about to get bad.

“I ask again, people, do not hold back on me, what film?” Nick asked, literally bouncing in his seat with excitement.

“Er….something on the internet,” Rick started to say when Nick jumped from his seat and ran out of the office. “It’s not them!” But it was too late he was off and running.

“Oh shit!” Dana said again when Nick pulled someone into the boardroom a minute later. She recognized the poor kid that was stumbling backwards under Nick’s grip, Derrick the computer guy.