Fame (24 page)

This time she brought her lips to his, and he worked his free around her waist. The kiss lasted longer than the first one, Katy knew there was no mistaking the fact that she wanted to come inside with her. But as she drew back, she remem:d who she was and what she was doing. She ran the back of r hand over her mouth and felt her expression change. “I have go. I’m sorry.” And with that she turned and pushed the door

“Cut.” Mitch Henry sounded happy. “We’ve got it.”

Only then did Katy allow the imaginary world she’d created to away. Dayne still had his arm on her waist, and she faced again. “Well?”

His eyes grew wide. “Katy.. 2’ He backed up, letting her go.

were amazing. Wow.”

“Really?” She wanted to ask him about the hair thing, but she It was probably only his way of adlibbing.

Mitch approached them and waved them off the stage. “Very Katy. I’m impressed.”

She followed Dayne down the porch steps, then the stage to join Mitch. “Thank you.”

“He),…” He shot Dayne a suspicious look. “You sure you’ve dated her? That was pretty convincing.”

Dayne laughed. “I barely know her.” He looked at her. “But it convincing.”

“Yeah.” Katy lowered her gaze and then met Dayne’s eyes. “It didn’t it?”

“You should see what the camera caught.” Mitch led them 198

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back to the monitor. He directed his attention to the camera. man. “Run it again, will you?”

The man hit a few buttons; then the monitor sprang to life. Katy and Dayne stood side by side, so close she could smell his shampoo, feel the heat from his arm.

Now that the scene was over, the nervousness she’d felt before was gone.

As the action played out on the monitor, she was stunned. She and Dayne looked like they’d been friends forever, walking along the city street, holding hands.

And on the stoop, their feelings came across on-screen loud and clear—especially when they kissed.

When it was over, Mitch grinned. “I like it.”

“Me too.” Dayne gave her a light bump with his shoulder. “You’re very good, Katy.”

“Thanks.” She smiled, and she felt like the character again. “You too.”

“Why don’t you go with one of the pages, get yourself something to drink.” Dayne pointed to a young woman standing near the studio door. “Mitch and I have to talk for a few minutes.”

They had to talk? Katy covered up a gulp. This was it, the moment that would make all the difference. There had to be other people reading for the part, and casting directors rarely shared their true feelings at an audition. Mitch Henry’s response didn’t mean the role was hers. She nodded and gave Dayne a quick look. “I’ll be across the hall, I guess.”

“I’ll meet you over there.” Dayne waved and then turned to talk with the casting director.

Katy walked across the floor, and only when she reached the woman at the door did she realize that she hadn’t felt a single step. She was floating, happy for more reasons than she could count. The audition was behind her, for one thing, and she’d done the best job she was capable of doing. Not a single mess up.

Then there was her prayer from the night before. She’d asked God to show her if she didn’t belong here, and so far He seemed 199

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be flinging doors wide open. But maybe the best part of all was It no one had to wonder if she and Dayne had a connection on mera. Because if the raw footage she’d just seen was any indition, they didn’t only have a connection.

They had electricity.

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A T Ľw A s N ‘ r E v : rq to the door when Dayne turned around to Mitch Henry, “I want her. She’s perfect.”

“Hold on.” Mitch pulled up a chair and nodded for Dayne to the same. When they were both seated, Mitch leaned for “I’m worried about her.”

“Worried?” Dayne raked his fingers through his hair and around the soundstage, searching for a reason. “Did you the tape? The girl’s exactly what we need.

Fresh, new, a look that defines innocent, and you know why?”

“I do.” Mitch kept his voice calm. He gave Dayne a knowing “Because she is innocent. 1 get that, Dayne. She’s pretty fresh and she can act. No question the two of you have something on-screen.” His enthusiasm fell even further. “But ‘on haven’t thought about something else.”

“What?” Dayne lifted his hands in the air. “What haven’t I ht about?” “If she’s as innocent as she looks, then this might not be the life for her—a starring role in a major motion picture. Ever think !about that?”

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Dayne waved off the comment. “That’s ridiculous. It’s one film, Mitch. One lousy film. After that she can go back to her kids theater if she wants to. One film isn’t going to change her life. Not forever, anyway.”

For a moment, Mitch only stared at him. Then he chuckled in a sad sort of way.

“Don’t you remember, Dayne? One film changed your life. You starred in Mountain High and it was all over. The offers were too many to count.” He laughed again.

“It only takes one film.”

Dayne pursed his lips and stared at his shoes. Mitch was right, and he hated the fact. Still determined, he pressed on. “She came here, didn’t she? Maybe she doesn’t care if her life changes.”

Mitch shook his head. ‘She’s an unknown, Dayne. I’m okay with that on a lot of levels, but when it comes to depending on her for a megamillion-dollar film… I don’t know if we can do it.” He paused. “Kelly Parker was fantastic too.”

The conversation was over. Dayne stood and patted Mitch’s knee. “I want her.

Give me a day with her. I’ll get a feel for how badly she wants it, and then I’ll offer her the part. If she runs, we’ll know it soon enough.” He hesitated.

“Okay with you?”

Mitch rubbed the back of his neck and then sighed. “All right. Go ahead.” He held up a finger. “Don’t push her, Matthews. Kelly would handle it just fine.”

Dayne felt a surge of excitement. He had the green light. Now all he had to do was convince Katy. Though he might be able to do that in a five-minute conversation, he wanted to take his time, get to know her better. Her plane didn’t leave for a couple of days, and she had nothing else on her agenda as far as he knew.

He found her at a break table sipping on a bottle of water. “Hey.”

“Hi.” Questions filled her eyes. “Well… what’s the verdict?”

Her eyes were so blue, so pure. He tried to remember where he’d seen eyes like that before, eyes full of light and love and 203

ess. Then it hit him. Luke Baxter’s eyes had been like that, r? Luke’s and Elizabeth’s, both. He grinned, regaining

focus. “Let’s not talk about verdicts.”

“No?” Her expression fell. “Does that mean I take an earlier ht home?”

They’d planned for her to stay through Thursday afternoon in the director wanted her to take a harder look at the entire t and to give them enough time if they wanted to ofler her a tract. He uttered an easy laugh. “No, Miss Katy. There’ll be earlier flight, not today.”

Her eyes were big, bewildered. “So, then.., what’s next?” “Next…” He reached for her hand and helped her to her feet.

en she was standing, he let her hand go. “You and 1 find a for lunch so we can talk.”

She twisted her face into a cute frown. “About the movie?” “About the movie.” He wanted to ask her if she knew how

she looked. But he kept his thoughts to himself. He move slowly today, keeping things casual and profesWhatever else he was feeling would have to wait for anday. Maybe forever. Either way, he wanted her in his He grinned. “Okay with you?”

“Okay. You sure you’ve got the time?”

“I’ve got all the time in the world.” He thought for a minute.

got a rental car, right?”

“Right.” She looked curious again.

“Let’s take your car.” He made a face. “I don’t want anyone pictures of you. Not yet, anyway.”

Understanding dawned in her eyes. “Paparazzi?” “Carloads of them.”

let Dayne drive, and from the moment they left the studio, day felt like something from a movie. The sun was high in 204

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the sky as they drove toward Santa Monica Boulevard and eventually to Pacific Coast Highway.

‘Ever been to Malibu Beach?”

“No. Is it beautiful?” She shifted so she could see him better.

“Not really.” He laughed. “Not compared to some of the island beaches I’ve been to.” He shrugged. “But it’s nice enough.” “Is that where we’re going?”

“Not first.” He grinned at her. “First I take you through the infamous KFC

drive-thru.”

“Really? Wow, I never would’ve guessed.” She felt her eyes dancing. Here she was, driving down Pacific Coast Highway with Dayne Matthews, and nothing could’ve felt more normal in all the world. He was funny and self-deprecating, calling himself overrated and laughing at his success on more than one occasion.

They ordered a bucket of chicken and mashed potatoes at the drive-thru, and when they pulled up to the window, Dayne kept his face toward Katy. He did the same thing when he collected their meal at the next window, engaging her in conversation until the last moment when the girl at the window had the food in her hands.

“Thanks.” He took it from her and immediately turned and handed it over to Katy.

“Hey, wait.., aren’t you—?”

Dayne was gone before she could finish her sentence. He shrugged in Katy’s direction. “Silly kids. They think just because they work in Malibu there’re movie stars around every corner.”

“Yeah.” She laughed and allowed herself to relax a little more. Silly kids.”

They drove another few minutes, and then Dayne made a right turn, away from the water.

“I thought we were going to the beach.” Katy looked around. He was taking her into what looked like a college campus.

“Something tells me the beach’ll be too crowded.”

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;She was about to disagree. It wasn’t quite noon on a weekday. then she remembered the scene at the drive-thru. Was he her somewhere else so he wouldn’t be recognized? It was thought, how hard he had to work—every day of his ust to keep from being hounded by fans and photoIt was something she understood but hadn’t really consid They

headed up a narrow, neatly manicured hill, past a guard “What is this place?”

“Pepperdine University.” He leaned close to the steering and stared up the hillside. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” “Yes.” She peered out his window at the ocean in the distance.

higher they climbed, the more breathtaking the view be”I’ve heard of this place. One of my friends in high school : here.”

They turned left into a parking lot, found a space to park, and their lunch down a pathway toward an endless grassy The area was deserted, and Dayne kept his pace slow easy. “It’s always empty like this.” He squinted across the toward the water. “All this grass and the view, and the stubusy

taking classes to get down here and enjoy it.” “It feels so private.”

“That’s the best part of all.” He led her to one end of a bench; he sat at the other end and put their food between them.

they’d each taken a plate and served themselves, Dayne out his legs. “So, Katy Hart, tell me about your job in ton.”

The question caught her off guard. She’d expected something the film or the expectations he and Mitch Henry would for her if they offered her the part. She wondered if he was

7 interested or if this was part of a casual interview. She plate with both hands and watched a pair of geese wad

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dle past them toward a small pond. “I guess you know the name of the group.

Christian Kids Theater. We go by CKT.”

“Right.” He looked up, concentration written into his fea tures. “Theater by kids, for kids, if I remember.”

“That’s it.” She smiled. “We’re doing Tom Sawyer; I think I told you.”

“Ah yes.” He took a swig of his Diet Coke. “I was invited to help paint sets.”

She laughed. “Exactly.” She took a long, slow breath. “I love everything about CKT.” Her eyes settled on the blue sky over head. “The kids, the shows, the parents. It’s a ton of work, but to sit in that theater and watch a production come to life, one that you helped create…” She looked at him. “There’s nothing more satisfying.”

He studied her for a moment. “Then why are you here?” “For the audition?”

“Right.” There was no judgment in his eyes. “If it’s so fulfill ing, why didn’t you tell me no?”

“Because…” She wasn’t sure how much to tell him. But the combination of the warm ocean breeze and the solitude around them made her more willing to talk.

“Because a long time ago I wanted this—your world—more than anything in all my life.” She smiled. “You know about my pilot.”

“And I know you quit going to auditions shortly after.” Dayne searched her eyes.

“What happened?”

A wave of emotion hit her without warning. She looked down at the dirt path beneath their feet. “It’s a long story.” When her voice didn’t feel quite so thick, she tried to sum it up. “Let’s just say I grew disillusioned.”

“With the business?”

“With the lifestyle. The nightlife, I guess.”

Dayne gave a slow nod. “Yes, that’s the rap we get. Wild and crazy partiers, all of us.” He leaned his head back and released a low moan. When he looked at her again, there was a pleading in

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“Don’t believe everything you hear, Katy.” His expreswas suddenly serious. “Yes, it’s a problem for some people. oo much fame and money, drugs become easily available. But ost of us stay away from that stuff.”

She didn’t know him well enough to call him on his statement, but a few times she’d read one of the Hollywood magazines, and almost always they would catch Dayne at some nightclub or dance place. “You don’t do the nightlife game?”

. “Once in a while.” He set his plate down between them, . gripped the edge of the bench, and leaned back, his shoulder muscles bunched up around the base of his neck. “I go out with i a few friends, have a couple drinks, and the magazines call me a iwild playboy.” He cocked his head and found her eyes again.

Most of the time, I spend the night at home watching movies by myself.”