“It’s cost me my friendship with Cassie, something I can never get back.”
“She’ll forgive you,” Breck said. “It’ll take time but The General will know you weren’t being malicious.” He glanced to Rhett, asking with his eyes what was left unsaid.
Rhett knew how much Breck cared for this woman. Breck was a constant in Rhett’s life. That meant Jolene would always be around. No sense in burning bridges he’d only have to rebuild.
“I won’t sue you, Jolene,” he said. “I’m not happy with you but I’m not kicking you to the curb. You’ll have to repair the damage you’ve done to your friendship with Cassie.”
She burst into fresh tears. “I told her you were too fucking nice.”
He leaned forward, hands gripping his knees. “The important thing is to find Cassie. She has to be hurting. Badly.”
“She’s gone,” Breck said. “Jo doesn’t know where she went.”
“I’ll find her,” Rhett promised, determination filling him. “And when I do, I will never let her go.”
CHAPTER 18
“Turn on Today’s Hollywood,” Rhett’s mother said when he picked up the phone. “Randi is about to crucify you after this commercial break.”
“I knew it would happen, Mom. Thanks.”
Rhett picked up the TV remote and flipped around. The program returned from commercial with the teaser “Randi Fights Back”. As Randi began to speak, Rhett thought it was like passing by a massive car wreck on the 405. He couldn’t look away. He couldn’t get away. He simply sat in a stupor and listened to her brutalize him.
She looked amazing. Sexy without being slutty, which she leaned toward on most occasions. Her publicist must’ve cautioned her about how she’d come across if her dress was cut too low. Her hair and makeup were perfect. Subtle. Almost demure. Randi tended to favor bright reds for her mouth and had a heavy hand with the eyeliner. Today, she could’ve been mistaken for a very attractive third grade teacher instead.
“What was your relationship with Rhett Corrigan, Randi? We barely heard about it before it was over,” the interviewer asked.
Randi sniffed. “Rhett is very secretive. He didn’t want word to get out about us. He’s a little possessive—no, I’ll admit it—he’s insanely jealous in that respect. He doesn’t want another man looking at his woman. Obviously, I never knew about the tawdry affair with his assistant.”
Randi frowned, as if she’d gotten off her prepared script. Before the interviewer could ask about Cassie, she pressed on.
“Rhett was always very controlling. He never let us go anywhere. He told me what to wear and what to say.” She pouted prettily for the close-up. “I realize now how restrictive that was.”
Randi sulked as only she could. If he didn’t know her like he did, Rhett would’ve been turned on by it.
“I learned to handle it. What really hurt is how cheap he was.”
The interviewer looked shocked. “How so, Randi? I would think Rhett Corrigan would’ve dazzled a woman like you with gifts.”
She laughed. “Not in a million years. Rhett is a tightwad. To make as much as he does per film, he hoards it all. I constantly lavished gifts on him but he never gave me anything in return.” She paused dramatically, unshed tears glistening in her eyes.
“Not even his love. I understand now that Rhett Corrigan used me, plain and simple. He can’t love anyone but himself.”
Rhett seethed. What did she call those three carat earrings that set him back a pretty penny, much less the purebred Maltipoo he bought her?
“Rhett has a huge ego.” Randi’s eyes grew large. “The focus was always on him and his career.”
The interviewer leaned forward. “Did you ever talk marriage with Rhett, Randi?”
“Yes.” It came out in a whisper as she wiped away a tear with her perfectly manicured fingernail. “I thought of all the beautiful children we might have.” Her lips began to tremble. “Rhett didn’t want any. He said he knew he was being selfish but he needed all my attention. A child would just take away from that.”
“What about your career, Randi? Did Rhett Corrigan expect you to give that up?”
“What career?” Rhett yelled at the TV. “You don’t have one other than posing in Playboy and getting in the tabloids.”
“Rhett insisted I give it up. I had to focus on him. Besides,” she shifted self-consciously in her chair, “my past exposure made him . . . uncomfortable. Posing nude.”
“I’ve heard Rhett is close to his family,” the interviewer pressed. “I’m sure you spent time with them. How are they taking your breakup? Anyone on your