Forever (12 page)

“It goes from being a date movie to being an edgy project. And when that happens, we make less money. It’s that simple.” He worked to keep his composure.

“At this point in my career I can’t afford to go backward.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes.” Dayne felt a twinge of guilt. He could get his way with this argument, but it wasn’t the entire truth. His faith, his dedication to Katy-those were the real reasons he was uncomfortable with heating up the love scenes. But if he said so, Ross would never take him seriously again. Hollywood didn’t look fondly on a principal actor or actress making requests for morality’s sake. All acting was considered art, regardless of the lines it crossed.

Ross looked at him for a long time. “You may have a point.” “I do.” Again he felt like he wasn’t saying enough. God… they’ll think I’m weird.

“No one lights a lamp and hides it in ajar.” The verse sliced through his conscience. He’d read it at home last night after talking to Katy. He’d been sitting on his balcony, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, when he found the Scripture. As he reread it, he could almost hear God Himself saying the words.

Standing right in front of him and making the point.

The commentary on that verse in his study Bible was even more hard-hitting.

Below it in a small shaded box was a paragraph titled “Never Enough Time.” It detailed a young man who had understood God’s mandate to be an example, to let the light within him shine for those around him. But the man kept quiet about the Lord day after day. “Someday, God,” he’d say at night when he prayed.

“Someday.” But one day the guy was on his way home from work when an 18-wheeler beside him lost control. In a flash, the man’s life ended and the light he had always intended to shine was put out.

Dayne had shivered when he read the story. Everything about his life was finally going right. He was engaged to the woman of his dreams, he had plans to leave Hollywood, he’d found his birth family, and they had welcomed him into their lives. Even the tabloids didn’t bother him as much. The idea of having it all end in an instant was sickening.

Then and there he had promised God that he wouldn’t wait, that he would shine the light of Christ’s truth and grace whenever he had the chance. Dayne understood the score. He’d been given a tremendous light when he accepted Christ as his Savior. But what had he done about it since then? Sure, the light had guided him to make the right decisions about Katy and his connection with the Baxters. But what about his role as a movie star? Had he mentioned God in any interviews or shared more than a passing acknowledgment about faith with his costars?

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And now here he was, hiding the light again. He swallowed hard. “The movie’s good the way it is. It’ll be huge; everyone knows that.”

The director gave him a wary look. “This isn’t about that Indiana woman, is it?”

Before he could stop it, the easy answer tumbled across his lips. “It’s acting.

I’ll make the film work, whatever it takes.” He tightened his grip on the chair arms. “This time I think cleaner, sweeter, works better. It’ll sell better.”

The director straightened and made his way slowly around the desk and back to his seat. “I see your point.” He jotted something down on a notepad. When he looked up, his expression said his decision had been made. “We’ll leave it as it is. No more passion, nothing steamy. But let’s retake the entire street scene, the one at the middle of the film. I want you and Randi closer to each other.

Get the audience anxious for your first kiss a few scenes later.”

“Fine.” Dayne stood. “That’ll work.”

“I know.” Ross wrote something else on his pad. He grinned at Dayne. “Everything you do works. That’s why this film is going to be huge.”

Dayne thanked Ross, but when he was out in the hall, when the door was shut behind him, he leaned hard against the wall and closed his eyes. He’d had the perfect chance to be a light, to tell the man the truth. That God couldn’t possibly bless a film that was passionate and steamy merely to feed the prurient interests of a select percentage of their audience. It would fail because it was wrong.

Instead Dayne had taken the low road, the easy way out. The fact that he’d won brought little comfort in light of the opportunity he’d missed.

He opened his eyes in time to see Randi Wells enter the hallway. She smiled when she saw him. “Hey, gorgeous.”

“Hey.” He straightened and faced her. “Talked with Ross.”

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“About?” She reached him, leaned up, and kissed his cheek. The sort of greeting that was common in Hollywood.

“The retakes. He agrees with me.” Dayne slipped his hands in his pockets. “The film has enough passion already.”

“Oh.” Disappointment cast shadows on her expression. She touched his chin and let her finger drag softly down his chest. “I was looking forward to the changes.”

Here it was, another chance. But the more familiar words were out of his mouth first. “We want a hit, right? Wasn’t that the goal?” He smiled at her the way a brother would smile at his petulant younger sister.

“Of course.” She lowered her chin, giving him her famous pout. “The steamier the better, right?”

Dayne pursed his lips. “Not anymore, Randi. Clean’s in. Besides-” he crooked his finger and touched it gently to her cheek-“better to have the audience aching for the first kiss than covering the eyes of the kids when things get too hot.”

Randi thought about that for a minute. Suddenly she dropped the silly, flirty behavior and took on the seriousness that made her an actress in demand. “True.

As it is, everyone who sees it will be practically desperate.”

He nodded to the director’s door. “That’s what I told Ross.” “Hmm.” She thought for a few more seconds. “Yeah, good call, Dayne. I like it. So what’ll we work on today?”

Dayne told her, and all the while she maintained her professional demeanor. But before she left she elbowed him. “Too bad about the change. Really. I was looking forward to today.”

He didn’t have to ask what she meant. The look in her eyes told him enough. He smiled at her, keeping the air between them light. “I’ll have to make it up to you.”

“Oh yeah?” She touched his arm. “Meaning what?”

He took her hand and slowly moved it back to her side. “Meaning lunch Friday. My treat. Before I fly out.”

Something in her expression changed. “To Indiana again?”

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“Yes.” He studied her. “Howie things with your husband?” She held his gaze, but her lip quivered just a little. “Not good.” “I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay.” She sniffed and started walking. He fell in beside her. “We lasted longer than most, I guess.” She kept her pace slow, and she looked at him, the kind of look that said whatever she was about to tell him, she was no longer teasing. “What about you and Miss Indiana? Think you’ll make it longer than three or four years?”

He didn’t hesitate. “I know so.”

She stopped. “You sound so sure.”

“I am.” Here was another chance to be a light. He held his breath and plunged ahead. “We both have our faith, Randi. Something Hollywood’s forgotten about.”

The words felt beyond right as he spoke them. Like the light inside him was screaming to get out. “We’ve made a promise to put God first.”

She looked doubtful. “And you think it’ll be enough to keep you together?”

“Yes.” He imagined Katy sitting beside him on the lawn outside their home, the fixer-upper on Lake Monroe. He smiled. “Forever.”

“Well—” Randi started walking again, her gaze straight ahead-“if you won’t spend the day filming steamy love scenes with me, then the least you can do is take me to lunch on Friday.” She glanced at him. The sadness in her expression was still strong. “Maybe we can talk about forever over a couple of turkey sandwiches.”

Dayne laughed. “Deal.”

The camp was only five hours old, and already Bailey’s head was spinning. She’d won the lead role of Dorothy, and Connor was one of four kids who would wear yellow Tshirts and act as a

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moving yellow brick road. But that wasn’t what made her mind dizzy.

Tim Reed had the part of the Tin Man, and Bryan Smythe was the Scarecrow. That meant every scene would involve the three of them. Only how was she supposed to handle that? Tim had been around for a long time, a friend more than anything.

If she was honest with herself, she’d had a crush on him since their first CKT

show. But Bryan… everything about him was smooth and deliberate.

She’d have to call her mother. Talking to her mom always helped her sort through tough situations. She remembered how the morning had gone. Katy had asked them to take their places. “Tin Man on one side of Dorothy. Scarecrow on the other.

Link arms. You’re both supposed to think the world of Dorothy. Ready…

places.”

Tim had taken one of her arms, but Bryan made sure he caught her eyes as he came up beside her, closer than necessary. “Who said acting was work?” Katy was giving directions to the four kids representing the brick road, so Bryan leaned in and continued. “I could get used to this spot, Bailey. I mean it.”

“What?” Tim looked at them. His expression said he hadn’t picked up on Bryan’s comments.

“Nothing.” Bryan winked at her. “Some things aren’t supposed to be shared.”

They were on a break now, and Bailey needed more than fresh air and water. She needed perspective. The moment she sat down on top of the picnic table outside her dorm, her phone rang. She set her feet on the bench and looked around. Cell phones were against the rules except on breaks and for a brief period at night.

She glanced at the caller ID window. It was Tanner Williams. She flipped her phone open. “Hello?”

“Hey … I didn’t get to say good-bye.”

Her heart melted. Tanner cared more than she had given him credit for lately.

“That’s okay. It was a busy morning.”

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“I should’ve come by last night. I was working with my dad, throwing the ball, getting my accuracy down. That sort of thing.”

“Oh.” Did he even know what camp she was at? “I guess you’ll be ready to lead the team when school starts.”

“Hopefully.” His voice was tender. “We have a team meeting tonight, but I had to call. You’re at church camp, right?”

She bit her lip. Hadn’t she told him that the end of August and first part of September were for CKT? She checked the time on her phone. Two minutes till break was over. She held the phone back to her ear. “Yeah, church camp. It finishes on Saturday.”

“And next week I have two-a-days.”

At that moment, across the field, Bryan Smythe noticed her. He locked eyes with her and closed the gap between them.

Tanner cleared his throat. “So, can we go out Saturday night or something?”

Bryan reached her and covered her knees with his hands. “Break’s almost over,”

he whispered near her ear. “Who’s on the phone?”

Bailey waved him off. “Saturday night? Uh, maybe … I’m not sure what’s happening after …”

“Saturday night?” Bryan’s voice was a gentle caress, one that sent shivers down her spine.

She pushed him away and tried not to giggle.

“You still there?” Tanner didn’t sound frustrated, just confused. He didn’t know that she was at a drama camp or that Bryan Smythe even existed, so he had no reason to sound concerned.

“Yeah, sorry.”

Bryan grinned and took the spot next to her. He slipped his arm around her shoulders and whispered into her ear once more. “Tell lover boy I said hi.”

Tanner was waiting for an answer, so Bailey said, “Saturday night could work. I don’t finish up here until late. How ‘bout I call you Thursday or Friday?”

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“Okay.” Suspicion crept into Tanner’s tone. “Everything’s good, right? Between us?”

Bailey shaded her eyes and looked out across the field. She spotted Tim Reed surrounded by a group of girls. She tried to focus. “Yes, Tanner. Everything’s fine.”

Bryan leaned to the side and studied her appreciatively. “Very fine, I’d say.”

She covered the receiver and gave him another playful push. “Stop,” she mouthed.

“I’m serious.”

“Okay, then.” Tanner sounded bewildered. As if something really might be wrong but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Call me later, I guess. I was thinking of you; that’s all.”

“Me too.” She closed her eyes because it was the only way to keep Bryan and Tim from crowding her thoughts. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

As soon as she hung up, she pushed Bryan harder than before. “That wasn’t nice.”

There was laughter in her tone. “What if he would’ve heard you?”

“I almost asked if I could talk to him.” Bryan reached for her phone. “In fact, maybe I’ll call him back, because Saturday’s my night. We wrap up the play and you and I go out for pizza.”

She hid her phone behind her back and shook her head. “I have a boyfriend, Bryan. What part of that can’t you understand?”

He moved closer inch by inch. “The part that knows I’m crazy about you, Bailey.

Obsessed even.” He came so close that she could feel his breath on her face.

“I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable.”

She stood up and created distance between them. “It does” She tossed her hair and took a step back. But even as she did, she could feel her eyes dancing.

“Good work today, by the way. I love your solo.”

“Thanks. And no one could play Dorothy but you. Your dancing is amazing.” He put his hands behind him and leaned back,

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appearing comfortable with himself. “About the Saturday night thing-have it your way. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

She gave him a final smile and turned and walked toward the auditorium. Behind her, she could hear two girls approach Bryan, their voices high-pitched and flirty. She looked over her shoulder, but he wasn’t paying them any attention.

He’d started walking back, the girls on either side of him. But his eyes were still on her. He waved in her direction.

She ignored the gesture and grinned to herself. Everyone said Bryan Smythe was a player, that he could pick up any girl anywhere in record time. But he didn’t seem like a player to her. More like a sensitive, talented guy who would’ve walked across burning coals for her.