Jacob Riley is one of Hollywood’s bad boys. Child star turned television and B movie actor, he has a reputation for wildness and difficulty honed by years of close encounters with drugs and alcohol. When his latest brush with the law results in him facing a prison term that could ruin his career, he is offered a choice: either participate in a new kind of rehab program or go to prison…again.
Mac’s is an adult education center located in a part of Los Angeles known for gang violence. They are not a drug rehab program, but Ethan Myers has agreed to oversee Jacob’s community service probation in exchange for a donation from Jacob’s wealthy father.
Ethan is less than impressed with the spoiled and immature actor, but the center – his labor of love – is struggling financially. He figures that he can put up with just about anything for four months in order to keep his program alive.
The two men don’t exactly start on a positive note. Jacob is angry enough to want to sabotage the program, and Ethan sees the young man as more of a hindrance than a help. Over time, however, a truce develops, and soon Jacob finds himself more involved with the center – and with Ethan – than he has ever been with anything in his self-centered life. But is this change in him permanent? Is the enfant terrible actually growing up? Or is he just marking time until his four months are up and he can return to his old life in Hollywood?
***Please note: This is a re-edited book originally published with Silver Publishing. There are no new major scenes, although POV amendments have been made to the story.***
I need to start by simply stating that you will not like Jacob Riley in the beginning. He is the classic, some might say cliche, Hollywood child actor turned bad boy. Whether you see Jacob as classic or cliche, it doesn't matter because it works and that's what makes Moments enjoyable. Despite Ethan's panic attacks he is incredibly patient, more patient than I would be when faced with dealing with Jacob. I don't do spoilers but I will say there was a point in the story that I thought the author might take a certain path with Jacob's character but she didn't and the road Miss Scott took was much better and appreciated. Moments may not be what I would classify as an emotional roller coaster but it definitely pulls at your heartstrings and will stay with you. Moments is another great example why RJ Scott is on my short list of "1-click without the blurb" authors.
RATING:
"Shit, Sam. March? That’s four frigging months."
Jacob Riley, all six-three of pissed-off male, slammed the door to the small conference room behind him and stamped to the window to stare moodily at the bright sunshine-filled day outside. He twisted both hands tight into his hair in frustration, wondering how the fuck this day had just all gone to hell. His lawyers—his fucking well-paid lawyers—had said they’d get him off, not land him with some lame-ass probation community service crap. Jeez, like he was gonna be taught anything by cleaning streets or dealing with people’s trash. Shit.
The TV in the corner was showing some trashy entertainment show, where a very smug presenter was reporting the latest news. Jacob tried to tune it out but it was nigh on impossible—it must have been the tenth time the show had been played in rotation.
The news of the arrest of actor Jacob Riley boosted the audience figures for the half season’s finale of End Game to their highest point for eight months. He’s been offered a lifeline in a county programme of rehab and his spokesperson said he’s concentrating on work and on himself. Well, folks, here’s hoping this is one recovering addict who actually makes it out alive.
"It’s on hiatus," Samantha replied carefully from just inside the door. "I’ve just got off the phone with HBO and they’ll delay your return to ‘Game until you’re free to come back. Remember, with Christmas on the way, we have some room to manoeuvre."
Jacob spun on his heel. His quiet, calm assistant stood holding a clipboard, a cellphone balanced on top of it.
"Fuck," he summarised. HBO would be stupid to lose him, he was convinced of it. ‘Game was his show. Jacob’s character was pivotal, the star of the whole goddamned show.
"You’re lucky you play Zach," Sam snapped. "And that Zach is a drug-taking manic depressive. Otherwise I swear they would have canned you today, no hesitation."
Was she trying to make him feel better? "Sam, do I look like I give a shit?"
"You need—"
"No! I don’t need anything or anyone. They push me off the show and they’ll see their ratings drop overnight. No one loses Jacob Riley and sees their show survive."
Sam stared at him in bewilderment.
Resentment bubbled up inside him. He was fully aware he was coming across as petulant and childish. But how could Sam or anyone understand what was going through his head? Sam, with her to-do lists and her anal outlook on life, sure as hell couldn’t. Who the hell did she think she was? HBO wouldn’t tell his assistant anything of any importance.
"We have four months to get you into a programme and complete your work through the community service," she continued. Her patient tone, measuring every word, talking to him as if he were a small child—he hated every syllable.
"No," Jacob snapped, balling his temper and his dismissal of her into that one word.
She stepped away from him to stand against the door. "Jacob—"
"No. I’m not cleaning streets, I’m not searching for rubbish or any of the usual crap they put celebrities through to humiliate us!"
"Jacob, it’s not meant to be a humiliation. But it is a punishment," Sam said, raising her free hand in an attempt to placate him. Her cellphone slid off the clipboard and tumbled to the floor.
Jacob listened, but what she’d said only served to increase his temper. He could feel the itch of addiction under his skin, and it terrified him. Although he would never admit it, he was out of control and it was eating at the edges of him.
In over a year, he hadn’t wanted a hit as badly as he did at this moment. Frustration and anger burst out of him with uncontrolled force. He reared up and crowded her against the door, his hand circling her wrist and gripping tightly. "Don’t get all sanctimonious on me, Sam, it’s not your style," he snarled.
"Jacob, you’re hurting me," Sam whimpered, visibly pushing as close to the wood as she could. Her words didn’t register, and his grip tightened. "Jacob. Please…" she said, tears in her eyes, pain and real fear in her voice. Something in the simple please reached through his anger. He threw Samantha’s hand back towards her body, but he didn’t move away.
"I’m sorry, but don’t push me, okay?" he said tiredly. Half closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. It was the first time in their relationship he could see fear in Sam’s eyes, and it scared the hell out of him. Was she actually afraid of him? What do I say? How the hell do I…?
"Your father," Sam said. "Your father is waiting for you in the next room."
Jacob flipped from menacing back to petulant instantly.
"Great, another thing to make my day." Jacob stepped back, watching as Samantha rubbed her wrist and blinked back tears.
"Jacob, he wants to help. He knows of this place you can go for the next—"
"He’s the one who got me into this mess, Sam! He freaking turned me in!"
"He’s waiting."
Author Bio:
RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.
As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.
With over sixty titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.
Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.
EMAIL: rj@rjscott.co.uk
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