Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) (25 page)

The sound of laughter drifted over him. Sweet and sexy at
the same time. The happy sound reached into Nate’s heart. It was difficult to
hold onto any resentment when Irene was responsible for putting a smile like
that on Paige’s face.

“Nate.” Paige beckoned him over. “Come see the picture of
the foal Irene delivered.”

“Starlight’s Promise. His mother was a champion in her day.”

Irene beamed like a proud parent as she passed her phone to
Nate. The gangly newborn stood by his mother. If a horse could look arrogant,
this one found a way. He seemed to know his place was rarefied. He would be
pampered and catered to. And if his genes held true, he would run like the
wind. In time, he would be put out to stud. The circle of life.

“Is your father around?”

Irene looked around, feeling a bit nervous. After their last
encounter, she wasn’t sure what to expect. On the drive from the airport, she
tried to give herself a pep talk. Yes, she had put her cards on the table. Yes,
when she drove off after suggesting that she and Chuck become lovers, his
expression had been one of shock, not pleasure. And yes, she knew it had been
the right thing to do.

Irene wondered if being right was worth the risk of losing a
good friend.

“Dad should be back soon,” Paige said, blissfully unaware of
what was going on in Irene’s head. “Come in and tell me about the Sheik. What
was your room like? Did he pay you a midnight visit?”

“That’s a good question. Did he?”

“Hello, Chuck.” Irene was amazed that her voice sounded so
normal. Her mouth was so dry the words should have stuck to her tongue on the
way out.

“I didn’t know you were back,” Paige said with a smile.
“Isn’t this a wonderful surprise? The foal didn’t want to wait. He arrived only
a few hours after Irene got there so her trip took less time than expected.”

“I…” Irene swallowed, trying to find the right words. There
weren’t any that seemed to fit the situation, so she winged it. “Basic made the
national news.”

“According to Lottie, there has been an influx of new
blood.” Paige understood that Nate’s last name drew a lot of attention.
He
drew attention. Still, it was hard to imagine why anyone would travel so far
out of their way on the off chance they might catch a glimpse of a celebrity.

“Reporters and looky-loos from what I hear,” Chuck said.

“They want a statement. I have a satellite interview
scheduled for tomorrow morning. I’ll give a statement and answer a few
questions. Hopefully, that will be enough to dampen the interest.”

Nate frowned. He hated this part of being in the public eye.
Hopefully, it would soon die down and his life, and the lives of everyone connected
with him, would return to normal.

“All that security,” Irene had counted seven men, including
the one who stopped her as she drove up to the Double C. “Is it necessary?”

“Come in for a cup of coffee. I’ll fill you in.”

“Okay.”

Puzzled, Paige watched her father and Irene disappear into
the house.

“Something seemed off between them. Now that I think about
it, there was some tension at dinner the other night. I wonder what’s going
on.”

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.” Paige turned to Nate. “Of course I want to know
what’s bothering my father and one of my dearest friends. The question is how
do you know? Did he say something?”

“I have keen powers of observation.”

“So? Spill.”

“It’s sexual tension. If you weren’t Chuck’s daughter, you
could have noticed. It’s obvious.”

Paige stared at Nate for a second, her mouth opening, and
then closing. She blinked before releasing a burst of laughter.

“Get out of here. Dad? And Irene? That’s crazy.”

“Why?” Nate asked, crossing his arms.

“Because they — I don’t know. Because they’re friends.”

“Friends who have realized there could be more.” Nate rested
a comforting hand on her shoulder. “I know this is difficult, Paige. Remember,
no matter what happens Chuck will never stop loving your mother.”

“I’m an idiot.” Paige slapped her hand against her forehead.
“For months I’ve been racking my brain, trying to think of a woman to fix him
up with. And there she was, right under my nose.”

With a laugh, Paige twirled in a circle.

“You aren’t upset?” Nate took her into his arms.

“I’m thrilled.” She laid her head on Nate’s chest, snuggling
close. “Best of all,
Mom
would be thrilled. She loved them both. I hope
she can see this. I hope she’s smiling.”

“CHUCK,” IRENE NERVOUSLY walked across the floor, stopping with
her back to him. “About what I said the other day. I don’t want to lose you as
a friend.”

“Why would you?”

Irene jumped at the nearness of his voice. She turned to
find him less than a foot away.

“We can be both, can’t we? Friends and lovers.” Chuck lightly
kissed Irene’s cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut.

“Yes,” she breathed. “Please.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Chuck.” Irene sighed his name. “You don’t have to worry. I
know how much you loved Erin. How much you still love her.”

“Yes.”

Irene’s smile was a little sad. What was it like to be loved
that much? By a man as wonderful as Chuck? She sighed. It didn’t seem to be in
the cards for her to find out.

“I have enough love to go around, Irene.”

“What?” Her eyes grew round, not sure what he was saying.

“Love.” Chuck cupped her chin, his thumb wiping away the
tears she hadn’t realized she had shed. “I have loved you as a friend for a
long time.”

“Friends.” Irene nodded. “Of course.”

“I think I could love you the way a man loves a woman.”

“You do?”

“I thought if I moved on — if I opened myself up to someone
else, it would mean leaving Erin behind. Now I realize. Love doesn’t get cut in
half if you share it — it multiplies.” Smiling, Chuck looked deep into Irene’s
eyes. “I will always love Erin. I wouldn’t want to stop.”

“I would hate it if you did.” The emotion Irene felt was so
new, so big. “Would you mind sharing that love?”

“With Erin? Never.”

“AFTER YEARS OF being the
anonymous
Landis brother, how
does it feel to be the hottest thing going?”

Nate smiled at the woman doing the live interview. The only
saving grace was that she was in a studio in Los Angeles and he was in Chuck’s
office, hundreds of miles away. The second she made air quotes around the word
anonymous, Nate almost lost it. This was the most watched entertainment
reporter on the internet? He would have to trust Wyatt on that one.

Anyone watching would see exactly what Nate wanted them to
see. He seemed relaxed. His demeanor was gracious — personable.

Inside was a different matter. He wanted this over.
Interviews were a pain in the ass he avoided like the plague. The attention it
garnered was bad enough. Why was this woman treating him like God’s latest gift
to the entertainment world? It was embarrassing and irritating.

Just a few more minutes, Nate reminded himself. His smile
widened.
Did it
look as fake as it felt
? At this point, he
couldn’t have cared less.

“I’m riding the wave. When it dies down, as it is bound to
do, I will be happy to return to being a stuntman. You know how it is, Amanda.”
Nate deliberately used the reporter’s name. He could see her eyes soften. When
he wanted, Nate knew how to pour on the Landis charm.

“Tell me about this movie you’re directing. It’s a small,
intimate project. How did it come to your attention?”

When the subject switched from him to the movie, Nate felt
himself relax. He enthusiastically shared the story of Erin’s screenplay and
her husband’s dream of honoring her by getting it produced.

By the time he was finished, Amanda was close to tears.

“That is beautiful, Nate. You sound passionate about this
project.”

“I am. I can honestly say this has been one of the greatest
experiences of my life. Everyone involved has put their blood and sweat into
it. The lead actors, Edith Potter, and Wilt Adair are giving two of the most
honest performances I have ever seen.”

“Are you predicting Oscar nominations, Nate?”

“From your mouth to the Academy’s ears, Amanda.” Nate waited
for her to finish giggling. He had hoped for a laugh, but it wasn’t that funny.
“Naturally, this isn’t about awards. This is a labor of love.”

“Is it true that the cast and crew are volunteers? Including
yourself?”

“Basic is a close-knit community, Amanda. When they found
out what Chuck Chamberlin needed, they came out to help. I was amazed at the
turnout.”

“That’s wonderful.” Amanda put on her serious reporter face.
“However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing all the way, has it, Nate? The
entertainment world was shocked when we heard the reports of an explosion. On
the heels of the accident you had on the set of your last movie, I have to ask.
How are you doing? And are the incidents related?”

“Thank you for your concern, Amanda.” Nate’s smile was grim.
“I’m happy to report that no one was injured by the explosion. My cast,” he
held up his arm so the audience could see, “will be coming off next week. That
accident, and the explosion, are ongoing investigations. I can’t say anything
more.”

“Well,” Amanda sighed dramatically. “I think I speak for
everyone when I say how relieved I am that you, and your friends in Basic,
Montana, are doing well.”

“Thank you, Amanda. I appreciate your good wishes.”

“Before I let you go, I know I’m not alone in wondering.
Have you caught the directing bug? After years of claiming you had no ambitions
past being a stuntman, are we going to see a shift in careers?”

It was all Nate could do not to roll his eyes over the way
she said stuntman like it was a dirty word.

“There is only one director in the Landis family, Amanda.
When I finish this project, I will happily hand the mantle back to my brother
Garrett.”

“No sibling rivalry?” Amanda prodded. “Garrett Landis isn’t
just your brother. You’re twins. That must make for a unique professional — and
personal — dynamic.”

Nate almost laughed. He knew what Amanda was doing. She
wanted him to give her something. A morsel of a soundbite that she could run
with. The backbiting Landis twins. Wouldn’t that be a scoop?

Sorry, lady. Not going to happen
.

“The only problem I have with Garrett is when he grabs the
last drumstick at Thanksgiving.”

Disappointed but resigned, Amanda smiled good-naturedly and
quickly wrapped things up. Nate made the obligatory post-interview chitchat
before shutting down the Skype feed.

From start to finish, about an hour and a half. Not bad.
Nate stood, stretching his back. When his phone rang, he answered immediately.

“What did you think?” he asked Wyatt. He knew his brother
would call as soon as the interview concluded.

“You looked good. Who did your makeup?”

“Fuck you, too.”

“Nice mouth. Apologize to your mother.”

Shit
. Nate hadn’t realized his mother would be
watching with Wyatt. A head’s up would have been nice.

“Sorry, Mom.”

“Please tell me you aren’t using language like that around
Chuck and his daughter.”

“Absolutely not.”

Nate searched his memory. Chances were good he had slipped
once or twice around Paige. Then there was the dirty talk. But what was said in
the throes of passion, that didn’t count. And you certainly didn’t mention it
to your mother.

“That’s my sweet boy,” Callie laughed. “You looked so
handsome, Nathaniel. I’ve missed seeing you.”

“I’ve missed you too. I was going to fly back to get my cast
taken off, but with everything that’s happening here, I’ve decided to drive
over to Missoula instead.”

“I don’t want you taking any chances, Nate. Dr. Gunderson is
the best orthopedic specialist in the country. He put the cast on; he should be
the one to take it off.”

Callie Flynn was not a worrier. With four sons, she had
learned early on to let boys be boys. That meant a lot of scrapes, bruises, and
bloody noses. However, she made certain her men were well cared for. A broken
bone was nothing to take chances with.

“I love you, Mom.” Nate never took for granted how lucky he
was to have this woman as his mother. “I spoke with Dr. Gunderson. He’s the one
who recommended the woman I’m going to see.”

“Stop fussing, Callie.”

“Hey, Dad.” Nate loved speakerphones. Especially when his
family gathered around. “Who else is there?”

“Colton is the only M.I.A.”

“Please tell me Jade is there. She is so much prettier than
the man she’s saddled herself with.”

“That’s what you should have said to the reporter. It would
have made her day.” Garrett chimed in. “And stop hitting on my woman.”

“You have one job. Keep Jade happy. I’m in Montana, dipshit.
Sorry, Mom. If my charm reaches her from this distance, you must be slacking
off.”

“Kiss my—”

“Enough,” Callie cried out, laughing in spite of herself. “I
want to know the truth, Nate. What is going on? Your father keeps telling me
not to worry. Like that’s going to happen.”

“I wish I had something new to tell you, Mom.”

“If the broken camera and the explosion are connected, that
seems like a huge escalation.”

Nate agreed with his father. “At this point, all we can do
is wait and hope the aftermath scared the bomber off. Between the local police
and the security we have set up here, no one will be able to sneeze or move
without getting noticed.”

“Promise me you won’t take any chances.”

“I promise, Mom. I won’t risk myself, or anyone here.”

“Tell me about Paige.”

Nate swore he heard laughter in the background. His mother’s
next words confirmed his suspicions.

“Go away, Garrett. And you too, Wyatt.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You egg your brother on. All of you leave so I can talk to
Nate alone.”

The sound of bodies exiting the room filled the next few
seconds. The next time his mother spoke, she was alone.

“There’s nothing to tell you, Mom.” Nate decided to get out
ahead of her. He should have known better.

“Paige Chamberlin. Is she the one?”

“You weren’t this blunt with Garrett. If I recall, you let
nature take its course, so to speak.”

“Garrett and Jade were in my backyard. Literally. I can’t
see you, sweetheart. And I’ve never met Paige. Is she good enough for my boy?”

Nate couldn’t hold out against his mother. It was foolish to
try. Besides, he felt the need for some motherly advice. And
his
mother
gave the best.

“I’m not sure I’m good enough for her.”

“Oh, baby.” Callie caught her breath. “She
is
the
one. When can I meet her? You have to bring her home as soon as you wrap the
picture. We’ll get the whole family together and…”

“Yes?” Nate waited patiently for her to wind down.

“I may have gotten a little ahead of myself. And you.”

“Just a little.” He loved her enthusiasm. It made Callie,
Callie. “It’s so much, so soon, Mom. I’ve been at full speed ahead from the
moment I saw Paige. I think she is going at a slower pace. She might never
catch up.”

It was a terrifying thought. One that made his stomach roll.

“Not love my Nate? You have me worrying about this young
woman’s intelligence.”

“After you, Paige is the smartest woman I’ve ever met.”

Callie felt ready to cry. Of all her boys, Nate had the
tenderest heart. People didn’t realize it because he hid it well.
And
when they looked at him, all they saw was the outer shell. Big. Strong.
Indestructible. She had always known that when it finally happened — when he
fell — Nate would fall hard.

Paige Chamberlin was a very lucky woman. Callie hoped she
knew just how lucky.

“I wish I could tell you that love is easy.”

“You and Dad have made it work.”

“We’ve had our bumps.”

“Really?” Nate frowned. He thought of his parents as rock
solid. He couldn’t remember any serious fights. Arguments, yes. But bumps? “You
made it through.”

“Because we never forgot the love. I’ve never told anyone
this. Not even your father. Every day when I get up, I ask myself a question.”

“What’s that?” Unconsciously, Nate leaned forward, as though
his mother was in the room with him.

“Am I still in love with him? The answer has always been yes,
Nathaniel. At my angriest, the answer has always been the same. I saw my mother
and father drift apart.” Callie’s voice was tinged with sadness. “They stayed
married but they began leading separate lives. They became roommates instead of
lovers. I swore that would never happen to me.”

“Thank you.”

“For what, baby?”

“For having an infinite capacity for love.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?” Callie wiped the tears from
her face. Happy tears.

“Never.” Nate knew she enjoyed a good cry now and then, so
he didn’t feel too guilty. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you. Take care of yourself. And take care of Paige.
If she’s half as smart as you say, her heart will soon catch up with yours.”

Nate hung up, his mind on his mother’s words. Paige’s heart.
Was she falling in love with him? Time wasn’t on his side. There was only one
thing to do. He had to spend as much time with her as possible.

Paige would fall in love with him. Or become so sick of his
face, she would be ready to toss him on the next plane south.

“NO. WILT, I understand that hitting a woman goes against
everything you are. But right now, you aren’t yourself. This man, at this time,
slaps his wife across the face. If you don’t make it convincing, the scene
won’t work.”

“Can’t I give her a hard push instead?”

“Wilt—”

“Let me, Nate.” Edith stood, hands on hips. “Damn it, Wilton
Montauk Adair.”

“Montauk?”

Wilt shot Nate an embarrassed look. “It’s where I was, you
know, conceived.” Wilt whispered the last word.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake.” Edith threw her hands up in the air.
“You are the father of five. I hope you didn’t blush when you told them the
facts of life.”

“Denise took care of that.”

“Seriously?”

“Well, I—”

“I don’t care!” Nate shouted.

That got everyone’s attention. Nate didn’t raise his voice.
Not when things went bad. Not when he had every reason to be frustrated. He
kept his cool and managed to inspire and lead. To hear him lose it — even
briefly — raised some eyebrows.

“Can you do this, Wilt? Or do I need to change the tone of
the scene?”

“It’s powerful, isn’t it?”

“Yes.” Taking the edge off his voice, Nate gripped Wilt’s
shoulder. “This is the turning point in the story — in the relationship. You
slap your wife. Not because you hate her, but because you feel how close she is
to slipping away for good. This is frustration, Wilt. We’ve all felt it. Add on
desperation. And a bone-deep fear that you are about to lose the only woman you
have ever loved.”

“When you put it like that,
I
want to slap me.”

Wilt laughed and Nate knew he had him. Edith broke the
tension with her quip. He could feel that his leading man was ready.

The scene wasn’t smooth. Nate didn’t want it to be. He
wanted one take — beginning to end. The words exchanged were raw. Hurtful.
Passionate. The crack of his hand against her cheek. The shock. The tears. And
finally, the embrace.

Nate chose to film the last scene when he felt the energy
and confidence of his actors were at their peak. This was the moment the
audience would be waiting for. The build. It had to be right or the moviegoers
would be left feeling flat. He needed everything Wilt and Edith had.

Holding his breath, Nate watched the scene unfold. When the
slap came, Wilt didn’t hesitate. Neither did Edith. Nate knew he witnessed
something special.