She blinked, knowing she needed to pull herself together. Now was not the time or the night for her hormones to remind her how long it had been since she’d enjoyed sex with a man. By her calculations, way too long. Over a year.
Iris’s ears suddenly perked up upon hearing the conversation behind her, and she recognized the voices. Candy Sumlar, the lingerie-model-turned-actress, was conversing with Ruby Osteen, the woman who was both Candy’s PR manager and agent. Ruby was known to be too aggressive for some people’s taste, and often used underhanded tactics to garner attention for her clients. Ruby was telling Candy that to get the acting roles she wanted, she needed to get back in the headlines with a new publicity stunt.
Iris recalled a few years ago that Candy’s name had been linked to movie director Brandon Birmingham after he and his actress wife, Carmen Aikens, had gotten divorced. Rumor had it that Candy’d had her eyes on Brandon Birmingham for years, and before the ink could dry on his divorce papers, she had gone after him with a vengeance.
Carmen and Brandon Birmingham worked things out, remarried and now had two adorable kids—a three-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter. Whenever Iris saw Matthew and Carmen together with their little ones, they appeared to be happy as ever.
Unfortunately, things hadn’t gone so well for Candy since then. Younger actresses like Shauna were taking the acting roles she once coveted, and she was fighting hard to stay relevant.
“What about Matthew Caulder?” Ruby suggested to Candy.
“I honestly don’t want to become involved with another man named Matthew.”
“This one would serve to your advantage,” Ruby replied.
“Who is he?” Candy asked.
“He’s the man who recently discovered his biological father is Sid Roberts. It was in yesterday’s headlines, and he’s here tonight.”
Iris’s ears perked up even more when she heard Matt’s name.
“Interesting. What else can you tell me about him, Ruby?”
“I understand he’s a prominent attorney. Something else of importance is that he’s best friend to Dominic Saxon.”
“Dominic Saxon? The wealthy industrialist?”
“Yes.”
“I heard Saxon has more money than he knows what to do with,” Candy said.
“True. And just so you know, Candy, I also heard that Brandon Birmingham wants to make a movie about Caulder’s father’s life. If that’s true, then Caulder will be news. If you play your cards right, he might persuade Birmingham to give you a part in that movie.”
“A Brandon Birmingham movie? That won’t happen, no matter how well I play my cards. Matthew’s wife wouldn’t allow it,” Candy was saying. “She dislikes me.”
“You are the one who dislikes Carmen Aikens Birmingham because, although you tried, you could not get her husband into your bed. It was only supposed to be a publicity stunt that Birmingham’s manager and I agreed to. You wanted to make it more than that, but failed to do so. Accept that Carmen never saw you as a threat. Brandon Birmingham didn’t want you. He loves his wife. It’s been over five years, Candy.”
“Stop rubbing it in, Ruby.”
“Then stop acting like a besotted fool. You need to get over Birmingham and give Matt Caulder your time and attention. He is making news, and I suggest you make news right along with him as the woman on his arm and in his bed,” Ruby said. “I understand he’s not exclusive with anyone.”
“Okay, that sounds promising,” Candy said. “Point him out to me.”
Iris figured Ruby was doing just that when she heard Candy’s low whistle. “Damn, he’s hot. I can’t wait to take that tux off him. I think I’ll mosey over and introduce myself,” Candy said. “Looks like you might be leaving here by yourself tonight, Ruby, since I intend to go home with him.”
“Not so fast,” Ruby warned. “First, I want to make sure he didn’t bring a date. It could prove embarrassing for you if he did and you made a play for him. That wouldn’t be a good look. If he didn’t bring a date, we need the photographers in place and ready to snap pictures of the two of you cozying up. So, chill for now, and I’ll let you know when to move in.”
Iris frowned. How dare Candy Sumlar and her PR manager–agent assume they could use Matt in some PR stunt? And from the sound of it, Candy intended to take it a little further. Well, she had news for both women. It wouldn’t be happening. Not on her watch. She had no problem throwing a monkey wrench into their plans.
* * *
Matt pretended to be listening to what Sam Skinner was saying. Skinner was an entertainment attorney known to handle high-profile cases. He was telling him about the vacation he and his wife had taken earlier in the year to the Maldives.
Deena had taken off with Charm, and he figured they had gone backstage since it wouldn’t be long before the band came out to play. Others had wandered off, probably thinking Skinner was too long-winded for them. Matt had the ability to appear to hang on to every word, while his mind traveled elsewhere, which was what was happening now.
He took another sip of his drink, nodding every so often at what Skinner was saying, while at the same time wondering how Iris was spending her Saturday night. More than once yesterday, he had reached for his phone to call her, but decided she needed to make the next move. He hoped she made it and that it wouldn’t take her long to do so.
“I read that press release in yesterday’s paper,” Skinner finally stopped discussing his Maldives vacation long enough to say. “I was a huge fan of Sid Roberts while growing up in Oklahoma. Most kids were.”