Hollywood Ever After (15 page)

I don’t want to go
.
Oh God, I don’t want to leave him
. I realized too late. An unexpected sob broke from my chest as my heart tried to escape.

I turned to Shannon.

“Breathe, Claire, just breathe.” She pulled me into her arms and I cried the entire way to the airport.

***

“Mom!” Natalie squealed.

Will came hurling across the baggage claim area, a small green puffy-coated torpedo.

I was covered with exuberant wet kisses. I hugged them to me, happy to have them in my arms. “I’ve missed you monsters so much!”

“We missed you too.” Natalie smiled, taking my laptop bag.

“What did you bring us?” Will was always good at getting to the point.

“Some airplane peanuts,” I teased.

He rolled his eyes. “Funny, Mom.”

“I try.” I ruffled his hair.

Mom hugged me. “Welcome back.”

I hugged her. “Thanks.”

“Here, these are for you.” Natalie handed me a bouquet of flowers. “Your favorite, right? Dad had to call all over to find them since they aren’t in season yet.”

I looked at my mother with raised eyebrows. She shrugged.

The luggage conveyor belt started moving, so we moved our little reunion toward the baggage carousel.

“Mom?” I felt Will pull on my hand and I bent down to hear him. “I missed you a lot.” He kissed me soundly.

“I missed you too, Will, very, very much.” I picked him up, hugging him to me. My purse slipped from my grasp, its contents dumping everywhere.

My cell phone hit the hard tile floor before it could be saved. It flashed, beeped, and then went dark. It was dead, broken. I sighed, put it in my pocket, and decided to worry about that later. We shoved everything back into my purse and moved on to the baggage claim.

Collecting my suitcase and Shannon’s loaner was easy. Deciphering the buzz of overlapping conversations was not. They’d decided that they would take turns telling me about their week. But Will would think of things as soon as Natalie started, so there was a good deal of story re-telling.

All in all, Will had an uneventful week at school but had decided he hated social studies because it was boring. And one of his substitute teachers smelled funny.

Natalie took much longer. She didn’t spare details and it had been a long week.

We were halfway home when Will asked, “What was your favorite part of this week?”

The flash of Josh’s face, demanding a promise from me this morning, made me flush a little. It made my heart thump in protest. I looked into the back seat, precious faces waiting eagerly. It was close.

“Right now, coming home,” I said to them.

“Oh, please, Mom. You met famous people. I mean, not Jake Gyllenhaal or Taylor Lautner, but Josh Wiley! Met him…actually talked to him.” Natalie’s voice rose a bit with each word.

And kissed him, spent the night talking to him, listened to him sing by firelight. I’d fallen in love with him. But I said only, “I did, yes. And we went to the premiere of
Stellar Siege
and the premiere party, too. It was a really…amazing night.” More amazing than they’d ever need to know.

“That’s when Aunt Shannon sent me your photo, right?” Natalie was all ears. “Come on, Mom, details.”

“The rest of my trip was great too. Spa treatments, shopping, and dancing. Oh, and I met Aunt Shannon’s husband.” Shannon figured it would be easier to explain it to the kids that way.

“Shannon’s married?” My mother cocked an incredulous eyebrow.

I wrinkled my nose at her and stared at her pointedly. “He’s a wonderful man. They’re just precious. Anyway, there were lots of shopping trips and some neat places for lunch and dinner. We went dancing one night and had a bonfire on the beach another.”

“It sounds like the perfect vacation, sweetie.” Mom looked like she had more to say.

I continued to answer questions as we drove. Natalie was relentless.

I couldn’t help the familiar anxiousness that crept into my stomach as we pulled into our subdivision. My eyes narrowed as I scanned the streets, but his truck wasn’t there.
Because he’s in India, remember?
Repeating that made it easier to breathe.

As the car turned onto our street, my eyes wandered along the familiar houses, streetlights, and basketball hoops. It looked exactly the same—while I felt completely different.

We pulled into the garage and began unloading my things. I helped the kids get the suitcases from the car and into my bedroom. Will began bouncing on the bed, waiting for me to open the suitcases.

“Okay, give me a little bit of room.” I laughed, unzipping Shannon’s suitcase and catching it before it slid to the floor.

Will landed on the bed and crossed his legs. “Criss-cross, applesauce…” he sang.

I pulled their packages from the suitcase. Will was entranced with his new Stellar Siege laser guns. Natalie loved the rhinestone Hollywood shirt and map of the stars’ homes. Mom was pleased with the purple ensemble I’d found for her. Shannon had sent her a film press bag too.

A manila mail envelope labeled “Natalie” caught my eye at the same time Natalie saw it.

“What’s that?” Natalie grabbed it up. Everyone watched as she squealed over the envelope’s contents. “Oh, Mom.” Natalie smiled brightly. “This is so getting posted on my Facebook page. I’m going to have to make a copy, too. I can’t believe he touched you, Mom.” Natalie was talking ninety to nothing, offering the photo to her grandmother.

My mother read:
XOXO to Natalie—Josh.
She tilted it so that Will and I could see it.

Natalie continued. “Wow, Mom. Seriously?”

In a thick black frame, signed with his wild scrawl, was a picture of Josh and me on the beach. We were both laughing a little, his arm casually draped over my shoulder. He was so beautiful, with his carefree crinkling smile.

My heart twisted sharply and I looked back into my suitcase. It didn’t surprise me that he would think of Natalie. I missed him.

“Get your homework done while your mom unpacks. I’ll get dinner ready.” My mom took the picture from Natalie, but didn’t say anything.

I didn’t look up as I started hanging clothes and unpacking into my dresser. “Thanks for everything, Mom.” I smiled at her.

My mother was still looking at the photo. I looked away, tearing my eyes from the picture before I could see him again, before my feelings became obvious.

She examined my face, curiosity evident. “I’m happy to give you a break.”

Will came bouncing back into the bedroom. “I know what we should make for dinner!”

I picked him up and hugged him to me. “Did you vote on it?”

Will shrugged. “I dunno. I want corndogs!” I laughed as he rubbed his hands together. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you, Will.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek and carried him out into the dining room where Natalie was setting the table.

Dinner was nice. I was content to sit back and listen. Then we cleaned off the table, followed by the hour-long bedtime routine.

As I was closing Will’s bedroom door, I ached for warm hazel eyes.

Chapter Eight

At nine-thirty, I sat in my favorite overstuffed purple chair, preparing to sift through a week’s worth of mail. Mom was sitting on the couch with a blanket over her lap, watching the news while working the paper’s daily crossword puzzle.

I flipped through the envelopes but didn’t really see any of them. I sat there for thirty minutes, my mind in California: his laughter, his embrace, that night on the beach and… I shifted in my seat, trying to focus.

The news ended and an entertainment show came on. I turned it up a little bit and began to open envelopes. There was a story on the line-up of spring and summer movies. I watched as they flipped back and forth from various premieres.

And then I saw him. I froze.

A bubbly voiceover narrated the montage of clips. Josh walking, Josh shaking hands, Josh smiling and signing autographs. I ignored the pull on my heart and focused on what the irritating voiceover said.

“Earlier tonight, stars Josh Wiley and Jennifer Fleming were promoting the new action flick
Stellar Siege
. The film’s opening weekend is breaking box office records. Many credit the success of the film to its star, Josh Wiley. However, the real news seems to be surrounding Josh Wiley, the man. As all of you female fans know, Josh keeps his private life private. Tonight, the young star made a startling declaration at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, catching his co-star and our reporter by surprise.”

The screen cut to footage of the premiere, fans screaming, lights flashing. He was there, his hair on end, with Jennifer at his side. He looked gorgeous, with his ruddy complexion and velvet eyes.

My chest tightened briefly before my heart picked up. How could I miss him this much? It had barely been eight hours since I’d left him at Shannon’s.

The two of them looked chic and glamorous. I could envision the line-up of reporters and the endless cycle of questions and answers they would be led through before they’d make it inside to watch the film, again. I imagined Josh squirming through it.

“You must be pleased with the film’s success?” the reporter asked.

“Oh, we are. It’s always so rewarding to have this kind of support from the fans.” Jennifer Fleming tossed her strawberry blonde hair as she spoke.

Josh looked at her, an amused look on his face. He fidgeted, smiling and waving at a group crowded behind the barriers screaming his name.

“What about you, Josh? Do you have anything to add?” The female reporter turned to him, flashing a sparkling smile.

Josh ran a hand through his hair, sending up a shriek from the crowds lining the red carpet. He shook his head at the sound, his smile uncomfortable. “I’m very happy.”

My heart thumped loudly and I felt myself smile as he spoke.

“Over the success of the movie?” the reporter asked.

“That’s nice too.” He nodded. He sounded amused.

The reporter jumped on it. “There’s something else other than your record-breaking openings making you happy? Wow, Josh, that’s pretty amazing. Care to share what it might be?” The reporter was leaning forward, waiting.

He shook his head, then stopped, a slow mischievous smile spreading across his face.

My eyes narrowed as I watched his face change.
What are you up to?

He stared at the microphone for a moment, then leaned over it and spoke directly into the camera. “I’m in love, actually, totally and absolutely.”

I felt light-headed, completely stunned by his declaration and the sheer happiness on his face.

Jennifer stared at him with huge eyes.

There was a long pause before the reporter responded. “Well… Wow. Would you care to tell us who the lucky lady is?”

I couldn’t breathe.

He laughed. “No. I’ve said too much already.”

Jennifer continued to stare at him open-mouthed.

“Well… Congratulations! On the film
and
the relationship,” the reporter said.

“Thank you.” His smile was huge.

A scream went up from the crowd and he waved, his smile in full force.

“Who is the lucky woman? Is it a co-star? His old flame Fiona? Or is this a studio publicity stunt to promote the film?” The show’s host was standing in front of a giant picture of Josh, his smile crinkling the corners of his hazel eyes. She continued, but I was too busy staring at him to hear what she was saying.

“Nat’s going to be excited,” Mom said.

I jumped at the sound of my mother’s voice. All of the mail in my lap fell to the floor.

“Sorry, sweetie.” She laughed. “Any idea who he’s talking about?”

I felt myself flush and stooped to pick up the mail from the floor. I wasn’t up for this conversation, not yet.

“Claire?”

I shook my head quickly, carefully avoiding her eyes. “Not really.” I peeked at her, hoping she’d drop it.

Her eyes narrowed and a small smile tugged at her mouth, but she turned her attention back to the TV.

What had possessed him to declare himself so very publicly? The last thing he needed to do was stir things up, not when he was going to be in the limelight for the next few months.

And what if someone else came along? My chest tightened at the thought. If our time together was just that and nothing more, I didn’t want him to have any negative backlash.

At the same time…I was hopelessly afloat and ridiculously happy. I was very aware of how far apart we were at that moment and that my damn phone was broken if he tried to reach me. But that was the way it was for now.

I needed to find something else to focus on. I reached for my computer and flipped it open.

My mailbox had some new additions. Frank Graham had sent an appreciation email with a finalized copy of the contract. He asked me to call him with possible book tour dates as soon as possible. They were hoping to release the book next summer. Next summer? That was quick.

There was a message from Shannon as well. After witnessing my meltdown this morning, she’d decided that a trip to London was what we all needed for Spring Break. She could get us all passes to the London premiere and discounts on everything since she was with the studio.

She’d been busy. Her email contained the links to several hotels in London and flight information. All I had to do was click the button to accept them. I closed the email, then the computer.

“I guess I’m going to bed, Mom,” I said, still fidgeting.

She smiled up at me as I kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re home, sweetie. Get some sleep.”

I walked into my bathroom and turned on the hot water. A long hot shower was my first priority, then assessing the kids’ week and making sure everything was on track. I lathered my hair, my thoughts rambling as I finished my shower, somewhat refreshed.

I wrapped a towel around myself, ran some leave-in conditioner through my hair, and began picking out the tangles. I searched through my toiletries bag for some lotion and found a long slim black box.

I pulled it from the bag and walked into my room, sitting on my bed. My fingers shook slightly as I flipped open the lid, revealing a beautiful gold locket on a black cord. I pulled it from its box and let it spin.