Untouchable ~ A Jared Leto/MARS Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Two

Once we're seated, with David and Gene at a nearby table with their own coffees and keeping a watchful eye on our surroundings, Flora leans forward and grins conspiratorially. "Okay, Lanie," she says, "Out with it. It's been almost a month since we had lunch. What's happening with you and Jared? And don't tell me nothing. I know better."

I study my cup and take a long, quivering breath that ends with a shrug. "You were right. He's in love with me."

Flora's grin is huge, but as she studies me, it begins to falter. "So then...what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that he doesn't want to be in love with me." I gaze across the food court at nothing in particular. "There's no happiness in it for him. It's like this—this burden or something, and he won't discuss it."

Flora's hand covers mine. "Listen, Lanie. Jared is—he's probably afraid you can't deal with the kind of life he lives. He's a celebrity, getting pulled every which way and living twenty-four-seven in a fishbowl. It isn't easy to maintain a relationship when you're a public figure, especially not a guy like Jared with...well, with his reputation, and things he feels he has to...commit to. I imagine he's afraid he'll screw it up and he'll lose you."

I look straight back at her. "That makes two of us," I say softly. "He's been with an awful lot of beautiful women. Rich, famous, successful women. I keep asking myself why me? Is it love borne from gratitude, or is it real love?"

Flora sighs. "I don't know if this helps or not, but you're not alone in how you feel."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There's this actor I know who fell in love with a waitress from Ohio, and in the beginning she felt the exact same way as you do right now. I think Chris was worried about Emily handling his lifestyle, too. But they got through it and they're doing great. Still together—in fact, they recently got married—and still crazy in love." She smiles gently. "Jared's a different breed than Chris, but I'm certain his love is just as much the real thing. He needs to let go of the fear and just be. I think with your help, he will get there."

***

As I let myself in the front door, a skinny girl with short-cropped black hair strides into the foyer from the direction of the hall that leads to the bedrooms and the tower. She has startling green eyes, sharp features, whiter-than-white skin which is on display with the crop top and very low-slung skinny jeans she's wearing. A sparkling jewel in her belly button ring catches the afternoon light beaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows as she comes toward me. "Can I help you?" she demands, squinting at me.

I blink several times. "I could ask you the same question."

"If you're the new housekeeper, the servants' entrance is in the back," the girl informs me.

New housekeeper? I clutch the bag containing the cell phones. Jared never said anything about hiring a new housekeeper. Did he let Ana or Carmen go for some reason? What's going on here, and who is this woman? Not a woman, but a girl. She looks like she's barely out of her teens. "My name is Lanie, and I'm—"

The girl's eyes widen. "You're Lanie?" She steps closer, shielding her eyes from the sun glaring in through the window beside me. "Oh, my God. I'm so sorry. I'm Carrie Walsh, one of the assistants. With this sun glare and these new contacts I just got, I couldn't see you very well, and I didn't recognize you at first."

"It's okay," I mumble and shake the girl's offered hand. "But why would you recognize me at all? We've never met."

Carrie tilts her head to the side. "Are you not aware of the pap photos of you and Jared all over the tabloids and social media?" When I don't answer, she says, "Oh, God. You're not!" She reaches into her back pocket—how she does it, as tight as her pants are, I'm not sure—and produces her phone. I set my bag down on the dining room table and look over Carrie's shoulder as she pulls up a website. The headline catches my eye instantly.