In Young Hollywood, Episode 2: Dear Friend, we explore Zax and Leighann’s friendship.

Their History

In earlier books, Zax was Leighann’s best friend’s older brother, math tutor, first non date-date, and her first crush. Oblivious to her feelings, Zax pairs her with his best friend, Joel, and so began the birth of J-Leigh.

Previously…

In Episode 1, The Tennis Champ. Kristin, Zax’s girlfriend tries to seduce him but his mind is on his family drama. When Zax rejects her, she kicks him out.

In Dear Friend

Zax leans heavily on Leighann to help him deal with his family drama. The bond between them is strong. Is it more or are they both just vulnerable?

Zax hated the way he left things with Kristin but knew that leaving was the right thing to do. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Kristin got tired of him, and as much as he tried to hold it together for the sake of their relationship, part of him felt exhausted and consumed by his own life.

He stood outside the DaCosta mansion, hesitant as to whether he should ring the doorbell. As he turned to walk away, as if sensing him, Stefan DaCosta opened the door.

“Zax?” The handsome man in his mid-fifties stopped him in his tracks.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be here.” Zax said quickly.

“Don’t be silly, you are always welcome here. Come in.” Stefan opened the door wide and took a step to the side. “How have you been holding up?”

“I’m good,” Zax lied.

Stefan led him to the sunken living room.

“Is there anything I do anything for you or your family?” Stefan signaled him to sit.

“We’re good, thanks.” Zax avoided eye contact.

“You know, I went to Westwood Academy with your dad, I graduated the year before him.”

“Everybody in my family attended Westwood Academy … at some point.”

“That’s right, your uncle, Adrian, and your aunt, the gymnast, Roxanne?”

Zax nodded. “My mom went there too.”

“You have quite a lineage at Westwood Academy, your grandfather built the science wing after it was torched in the 90’s. I heard about his passing, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“You know, Zax…” Stefan leaned toward him. “You don’t need to sneak in to see my daughter. I know you and Leighann are close. I know she misses your sister, and it’s okay for you to lean on each other.”

“I’ll never disrespect her.” This time Zax made eye contact.

“I know. She needs people like you in her life.”

“Dad? Who are you talking to?” Leighann entered the living room, a warm smile plastered her face when she saw Zax.

Zax stood and greeted her with a platonic hug.

“Will you stay for dinner, Zax?” Stefan asked.

“I’m not hungry.” Zax replied, and Leighann gave him a shocked look.

“Since when are you not hungry?” She playfully jabbed him in his ribcage. “He’ll eat.” She answered for him.

Stefan smiled proudly at his daughter, “I’ll let the kitchen staff know.”

“Let’s go sit in the garden.” Leighann led the way.

Leighann and Zax sat for what felt like an hour on the garden swing pergola. No words were exchanged, none was needed. Leighann had been his rock since Adriana’s accident. When Zax felt like exploding Leighann was his safe-haven, she calmed his anxiety without saying a word.

Even though Adriana had survived, Zax still felt like he’d lost her because she didn’t remember him, or her life before the accident. It was like having a different person inhabit his sister’s body and the hurt and pain left him restless at night. Many nights he crashed on the floor in Leighann’s bedroom to avoid going home to a house that was cold and quiet.

“Voss was at the hospital.” Zax said wistfully. “You should’ve seen the grin on his stupid face.”

“That’s nice of Warren to go see her.”

“I don’t care about him. Haze is my friend and he is dying inside.”

“It’s not easy for either of them, they both love her,” compassion evident in Leighann’s tone.

“That accident should have never happened. Where the fuck was she going? None of this makes any sense.” Zax had asked himself those questions a million times.

“We have no answers, Zax. The only way we could get any answers is if she remembers. At least Adrian was there to save her, she could have ended up like ­­—” Leighann swallowed hard.

“Don’t even say it, don’t even say her name. I knew she was a bad influence.”

“You didn’t know her, Zax. She was not as bad as you think.”

“Reece Kincaid is the reason my sister can’t remember ninety-eight percent of her life.”

“Adriana lived and Reece didn’t, Zax, she paid the ultimate price.”

“I just wanna wake up from this terrible dream, LD.”

Tears fill his eyes and she placed her hand in his and gave it a little squeeze. Since the accident Zax had become very angry, just the mention of Reece’s name caused him to harden.

“I believe with all my heart that she’ll remember. She’ll come back to us.” Leighann said softly.

“What if she doesn’t? I don’t have your faith.”

“That’s okay, I have enough for both of us.” Leighann paused, “You can’t let this change you, Zax.”

“It’s changed my whole family. My parents don’t talk to each other anymore. It’s like they each blame themselves.”

“Your parents love each other, they’re just trying to cope with the way things are right now.”

“My dad hardly sleeps, and when he does, he sleeps in Adriana’s room. My mom is trying to keep herself busy by driving up to Mendocino every day.”

“That’s good, she’s helping your dad with the winery.”

“She should be at the hospital, trying to help Adriana remember!”

“Didn’t your uncle say not to push her? He’s her doctor, he knows what’s best for her.” Leighann turned his face to hers, “everyone’s coping in their own way. You need to focus on you and let everybody work their stuff out on their own.”

“What if my parents don’t work things out? What if her memory never returns?”

“If her memory doesn’t return, then we’ll make new ones. Life will go on.”

He held her tight and felt strength returning to his body.

“I should go, I have to go to work to relieve Joel.” Zax stood up and physically shook himself as if to shake off the emotions that had welled up within him.

“At least eat first, my dad and Delilah are expecting you to stay for dinner.”

Zax held her gaze, then touched her face, “you’re amazing and there’s no way I could have gone through this without you.”

Their eyes locked and for a moment everything was right with the world.

“You’re right… you should go relieve Joel.” Leighann broke the tension, “I’ll make something up.”

Zax hugged her quickly and walked away.

Look for Episode 3 on July 13. Missed Episode 1? Read it now.

In the meantime, learn more about The Family Portrait series. Or get the box set which contains books 1 through 5.

Copyright ©2018 Gillian Felix. All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without prior written permission of the author, except as provided by United States of America copyright law. For permission requests, email the author Gillianfelix23{AT}Gmail.com