Fame (23 page)

. These run-ins with the police had to stop. It was time to do omething about all this, time to confront Dayne and order him come home where he belonged. If anyone tried to stop her— ,dly Parker or some other floozy—Chloe would simply use her nile and do aw, ay with her.

She’ “

!!i’: d used the kmfe before, without ever getting caught. She as good at hiding details very good A surge of excitement ran hrough her veins and made her pulse quicken. Using the knife gain wouldn’t be a problem at all.

It would be a thrill.

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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN …… ……

DAYNE WAS STANDING next tO Mitch Henry when Kelly entered the audition area.

The room was oversized, with a warehouse feel—a typical soundstage. Half of it was dimly lit, and the other half was a few feet, flooded with lights that hung from the black rafters at every angle. The lit area had been set up to look like a sidewalk that led to a few steps, a small porch, and a faux door— to duplicate the entry to the female lead’s Manhattan The point of the scene was to show on-screen chemistry between Dayne and whoever starred opposite him in Dream On.

Okay, Kelly, thanks for coming.” Mitch looked up from his clipboard. “You understand what’s happening in the scene?”

i “The male lead’s walking me home at the end of my first week the job. We come to my apartment door, where we tease and flirt some, and he kisses me. She looked at Dayne, and her eyes spoke volumes. “For a minute I m tempted to ask him inside, but then I catch myself and remember who I am, my upbringing.”

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“Very good.” Mitch looked impressed. “You’ve done your homework.”

“Of course.”

Dayne kept his eyes on her. She was striking, no question. A little too thin, but striking. In her dark jeans and tight white Tshirt she oozed sex appeal. He could feel himself responding to her, and they hadn’t even started the scene yet. It was easy to see why the camera loved her, why she’d become such a hot property in Hollywood.

But none of that mattered.

All he could think about was Katy Hart and the fact that he’d see her again in less than an hour. It wasn’t fair to Kelly, really. But she’d asked for the audition. He’d only agreed because of their friendship. That and the remote possibility that Katy might not work out, or worse, that she would refuse the part for some reason.

“All right, let’s get started.” Mitch clapped twice. “Dayne and Kelly, take your spots.”

“You want us starting stage left, walking a few steps, and then up the stairs to the porch, right?” Kelly pointed to the far side of the stage.

“Exactly.” Mitch walked alongside Dayne and took his spot near the cameraman.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, Kelly.”

“Dayne already knows what I’ve got.” She looked over her shoulder, her brow raised.

“Yes.” Mitch shot a disapproving look at Dayne. “I’m sure he does.”

Dayne ignored the comment. He caught up with Kelly, slipped his hand in hers, and leaned close. “Enough, okay? Mitch is looking for innocent country girl, not sexy siren.”

She leveled her famous eyes at him. “I can do innocent.” She smiled. “Just watch me.”

They weren’t quite to the stage yet. “You doing okay? The paparazzi?”

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Her eyes darkened. “I’m trying my best. I haven’t read a gossip g since we talked last.”

” “Good.” He took the few steps up to the stage and led her to a ,,,,

place next to him. ‘You know the lines?”

“Dayne… do you have to ask?”

They ran through the scene without missing a beat. Kelly was right—she knew her lines and tried her best to be convincing at e whole innocent thing. When it came time for the kiss, Dayne drew his hand up along the side of her face and put his lips to hers. She responded in a way that was as natural as breathing.

Chemistry wasn’t a problem when it came to Kelly Parker. The scene was finished in less than five minutes, and from the

shadows Mitch yelled, “Okay, that’ll do it.”

Dayne still had his arm around Kelly’s waist, and he pulled her close, his lips inches from hers. She smelled of something icy and exotic, and for a moment he forgot where he was or that Katy Hart would be there in half an hour. “You’re good, girl.”

“Thank you, sir.” She brushed his lips with hers. “You too.” Mitch coughed.

“Like I said, that’ll do.”

Dayne squeezed Kelly’s waist once more. “Thanks for coming.”

“I want the part, Dayne.”

“I know.” Images of Katy flashed in his mind. “We’ll see what happpens.”

They held hands as they left the stage and headed for Mitch. He met them halfway and smiled big at Kelly. “That was fantastic. We’ll get back to you as soon as we know something.”

She thanked him, and Dayne walked her to the studio door. Before she left she looked into his eyes. “Come by tonight.

“Not tonight.” He kissed her forehead and hugged her. “I have plans.” He didn’t, but he hoped he would. Never mind his first thought that he and Katy shouldn’t be seen together. Katy

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didn’t know anyone else. The paparazzi wouldn’t bother them, not if they were in her rental car.

“So…” Kelly looked around the dark edges of the room. “Is Miss Newcomer here yet?”

Dayne chuckled. “No. Not for a while.”

“Too bad.” She stepped back and pouted. “I wanted to see my competition.”

It wasn’t until Kelly said goodbye one more time and took off across the studio lot that Dayne thought twice about her comment. She must’ve meant competition for the part. But the way she’d looked at him made him wonder. Was he really that transparent? Could she tell that he’d been in a hurry all morning to get through her audition and move on to Katy’s? that he’d been looking forward to seeing her again since the moment she’d left?

If so, then he needed to be careful. Otherwise it would be obvious to Katy too.

She wouldn’t be impressed that Dayne Matthews couldn’t stop thinking about her.

He had the feeling she didn’t care much for Hollywood or glamour or any of the trappings of his life.

It was why she had stopped going to auditions; at least that was the way he read it. No, Katy Hart wouldn’t be excited if she knew what he was feeling for her.

She’d probably run for her life.

Katy didn’t know about the kiss until she arrived at the studio.

She should’ve expected it; the movie was a love story, and the entire point of coming back for a second audition with Dayne was obviously to see how they related to each other on camera. But when Mitch led her to a small room and told her she had fifteen minutes to study the scene, he said nothing about the kiss.

It wasn’t until she read through it and got to the end that she realized what was about to happen. In front of Mitch Henry, a 193

KAREN KINGSBURY

and whichever other executives from the studio happened to be around, she was about to do an onstage kissing with Dayne Matthews.

Rhonda’s comment from two days earlier came back again: heard it here first.”

Katy dismissed the idea, put it far from mind. She had lines to memorize. The audition was just tt—a chance to act in a movie. Something Katy had dreamed doing all those years through high school and college, and she had the chance.

Alone in her hotel room last night, she’d prayed about the op-If it was from God, a way to get into acting long after loss of Tad Thompson, then she asked Him to give her the But if not, if this would take her away from the kids at CKT

or if it would change her somehow, then she asked for else.

That God would get her out of Hollywood on the first airTime and again as she prayed about this day, this moment, asked God for wisdom.

And always she felt the same an-Wait. Be patient and wait on the Lord. That was fine with

. It meant she didn’t have to have all the answers today. She do the audition, see if they offered her the part, and then it over with Rhonda and the Flanigans, who had been out night so she had no chance to tell the truth about her to California. Wisdom would come one way or another.

She focused on the lines before her. There weren’t many, Some casual banter about work while they walked toward front door, then a few awkward lines on the step, and finally his move to kiss her. Her response was supposed to be surprised then taken. So taken that she considered inviting him in beremembering who she was and what she stood for. The small-town values she was raised with.

Katy had the lines memorized in five minutes. The rest of the 194

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time, she pictured the character, the way she might feel—overwhelmed in the big city, walking alongside a handsome colleague, feeling a chemistry with him.

If it were her, she’d feel shy and excited and nervous all at the same time.

She checked her look as best she could without a mirror. She had on black dress pants, a fitted tan blouse, and low black heels. She wore her long blonde hair in a simple ponytail. She went over the lines once more, and then Mitch knocked on the door. “We’re ready for you, Katy.” He gave her a kind smile. you need more time?”

“No, sir.” Her heart skipped a beat. This was it; she was really about to audition with Dayne for the female lead in a fihn that was bigger than anything she’d ever done or read for. She drew a deep breath and stood up. “I’m ready.”

They walked together to the soundstage. With each step Katy reminded herself to breathe, to be calm and feel relaxed and not make more out of the audition than it was. She was an actress— at least she used to be. Auditions had once been commonplace for her.

But all those thoughts fled when she walked through the door and saw Dayne. He was sitting in a chair, one leg crossed over the other, reading something. The script, maybe. He had a pencil tucked behind his ear, and for the first time she didn’t see him as a famous actor.

She saw him as a friend, someone she was familiar with. The moment they walked in, he took the pencil and stack of papers and set them on a nearby table. Then he came to meet them. “Katy.” He held out his hand and shook hers. “Thanks for coming. I know all this travel’s been sort of hectic for you.”

“No, it’s fine.” Her cheeks felt hot, and she was glad for shadows. “Thanks for asking me.”

Dayne slipped his hands in his pockets, and he looked ten years younger than he was. “Did you get the script?”

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KAREN KINGSBURY

“Yes.” A light laugh came from her. “I think I’ve got it. I’m a little nervous.”

touched her shoulder and smiled. “Don’t be. You’ll do He

,,,.great.

, Mitch was talking to another man, and at that moment he turned and approached them. “Let’s do it.”

Every confident thought Katy had comforted herself with vanished. She was crazy to be here, crazy to think she had the right to read for a major role opposite Dayne Matthews. And i,’ even more crazy to think she’d want it. Especially after what had ihappened with Tad. She didn’t belong in this world, didn’t have ‘.:what it took

” “Katy?” Dayne reached out and took her hand. “Come on. We i= start stage left.”

.’ And just like th,at the thrill was back again. She wanted this : part as badly as she d ever wanted a part in all her life. Her mind .found the place it had created back in the small room, and in a =matter of seconds she wasn’t only acting the part of the lead character.

She was the part.

Dayne’s hand in hers felt comfortable and right, the way it would feel if she’d struck up a friendship with him at work and could sense herself falling for him.

The surroundings were no longer a hollow soundstage but a New York City street, the air cold around her face.

She breathed it in, and when Mitch shouted, “Okay, action!” the scene was vividly real to her.

“You still glad you came to New York?” Dayne kept his pace slow, comfortable, as they set out on the walkway toward the porch. ii “I guess.” She looked up at him, and she could feel the ci’ty i: lights reflecting in her eyes. “It’s busier than I thought it’d be.

Faster.”

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Dayne chuckled. “Yes.” He found her eyes again. “It’s defi. nitely fast.”

“I don’t know.” She looked up, and th-e imaginary buildings towered over her.

“I’ve dreamed of working in the city all my life, but somehow.. 2’ She shrugged.

“I miss my little town, my family.”

They headed up the steps, and Dayne let her take the lead. When she was on the porch and he was on the final step, she stopped and looked at him.

“I bet they miss you too.” He paused. “I would.”

She looked down and then back at him, her eyes big. “How come you’re so nice to me? You’re supposed to be my compmition, right? Isn’t that how we big-time reporters play the game?”

According to the script Mitch had given her, Dayne’s character did indeed have motives. He wanted to steal her sources on what he thought was the biggest stoW

of the year. But at his point in the film, against his better judgment, he was starting to fall for her. A flash of guilt passed over his face. “You’re easy to be nice to.” He stepped up onto the porch beside her. “I’m not sure if I could ever compete with you.”

For a moment she searched his eyes, her feelings shifting from coy and grateful to embarrassed. “Well… I should probably-“

“I guess I should—”

Their words came out at the same time,just the way the script called for them to. They both laughed, and as the moment faded, Dayne brought his fingers to the side of her face and worked them into her hair. With gentle ease, he removed the rubber band from her ponytail and let her hair fall down around her face and shoulders. “You’re beautiful.”

Katy stayed in character. What was he doing? The hair thing wasn’t in the script. Not the part about being beautiful either. She swallowed. “I don’t know if…” Her words died in a breathy blur.

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With that, he drew her close and kissed her. His kiss was and full, and it swept her away on a wave of emotion and passion. Just the way the script called for. She pulled and she could feel the desire in her eyes. “I.. 2’ She put hand on the door. “I need to get inside.” His eyes were filled with questions. “Right now?”