The Replacement Girlfriend

Chapter 1

1. Engagement Starts with an E

Los Angeles has always been a city of magic to many, but Chase Evans has never found any of it remotely close to magical. In fact, he had always thought L.A's biggest attraction was himself. His striking sexy looks and frivolous ways were almost as well known as his amazing directing skills---which were without a doubt legendary.

He was only twenty six. Yet after running away from home when he graduated, he had made a big name for himself in L.A from scratch, showing everyone who hadn't believed in him to suck it. He was even often photographed flipping the bird. He was always displeased with something or someone---like every other psycho art creating prodigy. He was like the L.A West Hollywood version of the Christmas Scrooge and was even often referred to as one by low rating magazines out for his bloody head.

After a weekend long of nonstop partying and drinking, Chase had woken up Monday morning expecting the same everyday routine happening. He had just finished editing his last movie and was waiting for his special effects artists to add their input before reviewing the next edit with the entire staff. They were always slow on the job so he figured it would be at least a couple of days before they would be ready.

Rolling off his king sized bed, he decided to get dressed and go to work---except today, unlike many others, two unexpected things happened before he reached his downtown office studio. The first one was a phone call from his best friend Seth Meyers, Hollywood's newest hot acting sensation.

He had called and practically begged Chase to have lunch with him which Chase had reluctantly agreed. It wasn't like he didn't want to see Seth. It was more of the fact that whenever Seth practically begged for things, they were never good.

The second unexpected thing also arrived as a phone call and it had caught Chase a lot more off guard than the first one. It was a call from his childhood best friend Jace Waite, who he hadn't seen since he left New York when he turned eighteen. While Chase had spontaneously ditched and moved down to L.A over the summer break with nothing more than five hundred bucks, Jace had left for law school with a full free ride from Harvard. 

It was rather surprising to get a call from Jace considering that they had only spoken to each other twice after they parted ways. Since then, Chase had probably moved several times around L.A and switched phone numbers over two dozen times---home, work and personal. How Jace got a hold of his cellphone number, he had no idea.

At lunch, Chase met up with Seth like they had arranged and they quickly got something to eat before Seth started dragging him to an unknown destination in Beverly Hills. "So guess who called me this morning?" He asked without meaning to give him the time to answer. "Jace Waite."

Seth narrowed his eyes at him, obviously not following. "And that is...?"

"Know what Seth-you're only a dye job blonde. Don't be stupid. I'm talking about Jace Waite. You know, from high school."

Seth's eyebrows wrinkled in frustration before realization hit him. "Oooooh. That Jace."

"Yeah."

"Nerdy Jace, right? You know, thick framed glasses, braces, 'no I can't go party, Friday is homework night' Jace?"