He didn't care that Patsy noticed his eyes on Izzy. Sitting next to her on the uncomfortable wooden bench, he made no attempt to hide it. His dislike for Patsy had grown ever since the boys left. From the point she convinced Corbin to let the boys go, she'd shed her skin and he'd had a look inside at the monster she really was. What bothered him most was, she didn't seem to understand why he was upset with her.

To her, it was all just business. Everyone in her life seemed to be maneuvered around like pawns in her nasty game of chess. He'd spent the last few days wondering how dark a hole he'd need to crawl into, to marry a woman like her. Was it worth the money, the prestige, the fame?

He was miserable. Stuck. Conflicted. If he left her, his career was guaranteed to spiral down the tubes along with Hank and Gene's. Corbin had already promised that. But if he stayed, he'd be giving up the last of his soul.

All too late, he realized he hadn't been in love with her. He'd been in love with her fame and what she'd helped him get—his dream. He'd used her just as much as she'd used him.

Patsy came to the wedding out of obligation. Declining would have felt like a slap in the face to her father, who was a good friend of Warren's. And Patsy was all about appearances.

But, she hadn't been keen on being shoved into the spotlight with Izzy, whom the tabloids still reported as his secret lover. All stars knew that the paparazzi loved to sneak their way into Hollywood weddings, and would drool at a picture of the two women together.

He'd secretly wanted to see Izzy again. He tried to play off his longing as curiosity, or a simple muse to pass the time. But, the moment he'd seen her, every fiber of his body reacted all at the same time, disproving that theory one thousand times.

As the audience stood, he peered through the crowd at the dark haired girl with soft brown eyes. The simple island girl whose kiss seemed to preoccupy his thoughts more and more.

Billy McDonald—what was she doing with that middle-aged greaser? His blood ran so hot, he barely noticed Patsy's hand on his arm.

"You could at least try to hide the fact that you're drooling all over her," she said, hurt in her voice.

He pushed past the crowd, ignoring her. Why Billy of all people? He was a spineless movie producer, known for drugging his actresses and taking advantage of them. Seasoned actresses knew to stay away from him. Only those desperate for their first gig ventured his way and took their chances. Rumor had it, he had some connections to the mob. He knew he was one of Warren's cronies, the two made good company.

With growing consternation, he watched as the old snake brought her a drink.

"I know you're angry with me," Patsy hissed, coming to stand beside him. "But, I won't have you publicly humiliating me over that tramp."

He turned to her, an angry glint in his dark eyes. "You and I are together by contract only." His voice was low enough for only her to hear. "Nothing more."

His anger dissipated a little at her wounded expression, instantly feeling sorry for the cruelty of his words. But, she recovered quickly, hatred lighting up her eyes along with a new look of determination.

"You will not make a fool out of me, Wes Rizzo," she said, her voice low and calculated. "I'm not your average dim witted hussy, fawning over your every move. I've given you everything I have, poured myself out for you. You're making a huge mistake."

A single tear fell down her cheek. She swiped it away and turned, shoulders high, making her way towards the crowd. Wes watched as she joined a group of young actresses and instantly turned on her charm, laughing hysterically at something one of them said.

He frowned as he watched them, his eyes momentarily off Izzy. For months he'd considered these people his friends. He'd lived their life, soaked up all of the tricks of the trade, mastered the life of a star. Standing in the center of the aisle, surrounded by empty wooden chairs, he suddenly felt utterly alone. He'd lost the only true friends he'd had when Hank and Gene walked out of his life.

Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed Izzy heading down the path to the orange groves, arm in arm with Billy. He stiffened, clenching his jaw as he watched them go.

"Trouble in paradise?"

A stunning blonde stood next to him, a drink in her hand. He'd seen her somewhere before.

"Gloria," she said. "Rita and Izzy's friend. I met you at Ciros." She winked. "By the way, you have a great left hook."

He blinked. Ah, Gloria. The cigarette girl. The one who'd infuriated Patsy.

Gloria's green eyes followed the direction he'd been staring. "You, know," she said, shifting her feet. "Izzy's leaving tomorrow. She's going back home."

Wes couldn't help himself. "What is she doing with Billy McDonald?" he asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

She laughed, as if instantly seeing through him. "My guess is, she's trying to distract herself from you. You know, she's just as crazy about you as you are about her."

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her, wondering what her motive was.

She flipped a golden curl back, raising her chin. "I suppose it's better that she's leaving. Izzy's a sensitive girl, she doesn't need her heart broken again."

He frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Gloria looked him directly in the eyes. "She's been through a lot. So, if you go after her, it better be because you're serious about it."

She turned on her heel, strolling back to the crowd—leaving him to stand alone. He watched her, taking in her words. His eyes settled on the wedding party, then to the path where Izzy and Billy were almost out of view.

His throat tightening, he glanced over at Patsy. His thoughts turned to his shiny Cadillac, the hit record on RCA's wall, his penthouse in Hollywood. What the hell was he doing?

She was leaving.

His heart sunk. Shit. If she left he'd never find her again. After a painful moment of indecision, he set off down the path towards the grove, his heart pounding.

A few steps in, a funny thing happened. A huge weight sprung from his chest, leaving him so light he almost laughed out loud. His feet were suddenly leaping from the ground and he had the urge to run. It was as if he'd broken out of prison and was just experiencing the outside world for the first time in years.

Curtailing it, he settled for a fast paced stroll, not wanting to seem too desperate. Halfway down the path, he slowed his pace, a dose of reality hitting him like a brick wall.

He stood, his hands on his hips, surveying the orange grove. A drop of sweat rolled down the back of his three piece suit.

Just what was he going to do when he reached her? Invite her to stay with him in his penthouse that he may not be able to afford in a couple of weeks? No, she wasn't the kind of girl that would do that anyway.

God, he was an idiot. He rubbed the back of his neck, squinting at the sun. He spotted the two between the orange trees. Regardless of what happened next, he needed to save her from that sick bastard.

Picking up a leisurely pace, he rounded the bend as if he'd decided to go for a stroll in the grove on a whim. To help signal his presence, and to support his newly carefree demeanor, he whistled a low Italian diddy he knew from childhood.

The two turned, a look of surprise on Izzy's face. Consternation crossed Billy's.

"Oh, hello there," he said with a wide smile.

"Hello." A blush spread across Izzy's cheeks.

"Evening Wes, beautiful wedding, isn't it?" Billy grabbed Izzy's hand. "I'm looking forward to you and Patsy's. It's coming up soon, right?"

"Actually, I've decided to call it off." His eyes settled on Billy's hand in Izzy's. There, he'd said it. Now, there was no turning back. It was cemented.

Her eyes widened.

Billy coughed. "What!?"

He cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse us, Billy, I'd like to talk to Izzy alone."

Billy grunted, eying him warily. "You've come at a bad time. Izzy and I were having a private moment to ourselves."

Wes' eyes narrowed on the greasy snake in front of him. But, he managed to control himself. Ignoring him, he raised a questioning brow at Izzy.

She sighed, uncertainty on her face. But, he also sensed that she was relieved to free herself from Billy's groping hands.

"Just for a few minutes." She freed her hand from Billy's grip.

Clearly disappointed, Billy waved her off and headed back to the wedding party, no doubt with every intention of spreading the word about the two of them.

The tension was palpable as they stood alone, surrounded by the sweet fragrance of oranges and fresh mountain air. The instant her chestnut eyes met his, he was he was hit with that light, free feeling again, coupled with a warmth in his chest that spread through his body, screaming at him to draw her near.

Swallowing hard, he stepped completely off the cliff, diving into the most vulnerable place he'd ever allowed himself to be. "Judd invited us to his cabin for one reason," he said. "To teach us an important lesson, one he knew we'd need before Hollywood got its grip on us. It wasn't about cranking out number one hits, or selling out shows. No— it was about not losing sight of what matters most in life. At the time, I was so hungry for fame, I completely ignored him. And I did exactly what he warned me not to do. I dove in. I let it consume me. Now, I'm standing here, with everything I ever dreamed of, and I realize—I have nothing that matters. I finally get it. Judd told me that Betsy is his anchor, she's what matters the most." He stepped forward, his heart beating out of control in his chest. "Izzy, you're my anchor. I knew it the first time I saw you on the island. No one else makes me feel the way you do."

Izzy stared at him in disbelief. "This doesn't make any sense. You left Hank and Gene. You quit your group because of Patsy."

"No," said Wes. "Patsy had Corbin get rid of them. When I found out, I tried to leave too. But, he told me he'd blacklist us all." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter anymore. It's over."

"Wes, I'm leaving tomorrow," said Izzy softly. "Don't throw away everything for me. I won't be here."

"Give me a week—one week—then decide," said Wes. "If you leave I might never find you again."

Izzy's eyes shot towards the hill where a band started to play. "This is crazy. No. No, Wes, I can't do this."

She turned to leave. Reflexively, he grabbed her hand. "Izzy—." Her eyes met his, and he pulled her towards him, the world drowning out as the softness of her lips came against his.

She stiffened for a second, but, as he was about to pull away, she pressed herself against him, her arms wrapping around his chest. He felt every nerve ending in his body explode at her touch. His lips traveled down her slender neck and she caught her breath, driving him crazy.

Stepping back, he held her with one hand at the small of her back and traced the line of freckles across her nose. "I promise I'll take care of you if you stay. Just give me one week."

She bit her lip. "I have nowhere to stay, Rita and Warren will be on their honeymoon."

"I have an extra room," he said. Seeing her expression, he quickly changed his mind. "I'll put you up in a nice place near mine."

Izzy looked to the hill. "What about Patsy?"

"I've already broken it off with Patsy. But, I'll do it officially." He laughed. "Although I'm quite sure it's already been done as of a few minutes ago."

Izzy frowned. "The reporters. People will hate me. They'll think I broke the two of you up."

His face turned serious as he took her hands in his. "This is one thing you'll need to deal with if you choose to stay with me. Most paparazzi are blood suckers. It's a price we pay for fame." Running his hand along her chin, he raised her eyes to his. "I promise I'll stand by you. I'll protect you no matter what."

Thanks for reading!