Moon over the Bay (Moonlit Nights)
Read Moon over the Bay (Moonlit Nights) Online
Authors: Morgan Emerson
Moon over the Bay
Copyrigh
t © 2014
Morgan
Emerson
First Edition June 2014
Published in Australia
Digital ISBN:
978-0-9923696-6-8
Bottom Drawer
Publications
www.bottomdrawerpublications.net
Cover Art by Mumson Designs
© 2014
Cover content used for illustrative
purposes only, and any person depicted is a model.
This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s
imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to an actual person,
living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely
coincidental
.
All rights reserved. No part of this
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or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except
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contact Bottom Drawer Publications by email: [email protected]
I want to start off
by thanking my critique partner, Roxy Mews. Besides helping a fledgling author
be the best she can be, Roxy is the consummate cheerleader. If it weren't for
her, I'm not sure where my writing career would be at this moment.
To my best friend,
Tommy, there is no way to say thank you enough for the countless hours helping
me plot and research whatever my crazy mind thinks up. Thank you to my other
best friend and sister, Jessica, for her undying support and encouragement and
making me feel good when I need it.
Lastly, I want to
thank my family. I love you guys to the moon and back. Thank you for letting me
follow my dream.
Nathan
Wolfe dropped into the seat of his Mustang, throwing his messenger bag next to
him. Another casting call, another waste of time. He was so sick of hearing the
same things: you’re too tall, you’re too blond, you’re too all-American, you’re
not dark enough, you’re not manly enough. He snorted. He could show those
annoying casting agents a thing or two about manly. Didn’t matter anyway,
Nathan would never see those people again. He was over this whole cattle-call
audition process. He was starting to think he was over the whole acting thing.
He gassed it as he backed out of
the parking space at the production offices in Burbank and roared toward home.
Located on a mountain overlooking the San Fernando Valley, just north of LA, it
was Nathan’s favorite place. He shared the house with his best friend from
college. Lately, though, it felt like he lived alone. Kyle spent all his time
in San Francisco these days to be with the love of his life.
After pulling into the driveway,
he was surprised to see Kyle’s Audi in the garage. Nathan smiled. Maybe a few
beers with his friend would make the day better.
He climbed out of the car and
walked in the side door. Kyle was sitting at the kitchen island using his
phone. He was wearing a goofy grin, which of course meant he must be texting
with his girlfriend.
“Hey, man, nice to see you home
for a change,” Nathan teased as he sat his bag down.
“Hey, bro, how’s it going?
Audition today?” Kyle asked, standing to give Nathan a welcoming hug. Something
Nathan would never ever admit he needed.
“Yeah, it was crap though. Same
shit as always. I’m too ‘whatever’ for the role. Today I was too ‘surfer.’ I’m
kind of over it.” Nathan rolled his eyes before heading to the fridge.
“Ah man, that sucks. I’m sorry,”
Kyle said absentmindedly as he went to sort through the mail.
“Eh, I’ll survive. Besides I’m
almost too busy for auditions anyway. I’ve been buried with graphic-design work
for a huge company website and some other marketing stuff that I almost forgot
to do today.” Nathan twisted the cap off his beer and took a drink. “To be
honest, I think I’m going to take a break from acting.” Nathan sighed. Kyle
looked up from the mail and stared in shock.
“What? Why? I mean I know it’s
been a while since you’ve had a job, but I know you’re going to land something
awesome soon,” Kyle offered.
Nathan was always touched at the
unwavering support Kyle gave him. They’d moved to Los Angeles after college
because Nathan wanted to be an actor, and Kyle thought he could do it. Now
years later, Nathan had nothing really to show for the few gigs he’d landed
except his Mustang he bought with his first big check.
“Thanks man, I appreciate it.
It’s been a rough couple of weeks and with you not here . . .”
Nathan trailed off, shrugging. He really hated to sound needy, but Kyle and his
dad were all the family Nathan had. Sure they texted all the time, but it
wasn’t the same as when he and Kyle sat in the backyard and watched the sun go
down. His auditions were getting to him lately; he’d even quit the dumb valet
job he’d been suffering through, because hoping to get noticed by a casting
agent wasn’t panning out anyway. He’d been spending more time on his graphic
design business while he re-evaluated his life.
“I know . . . and I’m
sorry for not being around, and now I’m packing up to head back up there
tomorrow. I only came back to go into the office for some face to face meetings
today,” Kyle said. Nathan fought the disappointment that flooded him. Another
weekend in the house, alone.
“Hey, why don’t you come with me
this weekend? I’ve got to come back for a big client meeting on Monday, so I’m
not going to stay long. I even have somewhere you can stay,” Kyle said with
hope in his features.
“Fine, I’ll come. But you’re
paying, and I’m not listening to you do the humpty hump with Sadie all
weekend,” Nathan stated. Maybe the change of scenery would lift his mood and
get his creative juices flowing.
_____
Jess Dempsey had just walked in
the door of her apartment when her cell rang. Quickly sitting down her purse on
the entry table she pulled out her phone. She smiled when she saw it was
Sadie—one of her favorite people.
“Hey, sweetie, what’s up?” Jess
took off her coat and turned on the lights in her apartment as she made her way
into the living room.
“Hey, Jess, how was dinner?” She
could hear running water in the background, which meant Sadie was probably
washing her paint-stained hands.
“Oh, you know, the same thing:
‘You should consider joining us in the family real-estate business. You need a
man. Being an art agent isn’t a real career, you need to let go of this art
crap.’ Crap?! I swear I’m adopted.” Jess huffed as she fell onto the couch. It
faced a wall made entirely of glass, and she could see the Golden Gate Bridge
twinkle as the moon hung over the bay.
“I’m sorry to hear that, doll.
You know they love you, but sometimes people are blinded by ambition, and they
lose sight of the important stuff. Like what really makes you happy.”
Sadie was so sweet. She wanted to
see the best in everyone. Jess, however knew most people were full of shit and
only cared for themselves.
“And here I thought you’d get mad
about them calling art ‘crap.’” Jess quipped.
“I don’t think your parents think
art is crap as much as they think you working in the industry is the crap
part.”
“Yes, well, I didn’t go to Yale
and double major in Liberal Arts and Art History for fun. Of course, I think
they are mostly thankful I ended up without any artistic talent. Gawd forbid I
try my hand at being a starving artist. Gah at the very idea!” Sadie and Jess
both laughed at the imitation of Jess’s mother.
“I can tell you from experience,
living off soup in a bag is not nearly as fun as it sounds.”
Jess laughed. She could imagine
that would suck, but of course her parents would never allow that.
“But hey, I have a favor to ask,”
Sadie said.
“Sure, shoot.”
“You know the furnished apartment
downstairs across the courtyard from me?”
“Yeah, the one that’s been
sitting there empty for months. Which of course my father gave me crap about at
dinner.” Jess picked up her iPad from her coffee table and idly scrolled
through her emails as they spoke.
“How would he . . .”
Sadie started to say but hesitated. “Never mind. Anyway, I was wondering if we
could use it. Well, I mean if Kyle’s best friend could stay there this
weekend?”
“Sure, he can stay there. When
will he be getting in?” Jess asked.
Jess never minded lending out the
apartment while it was empty. Though her father would blow a gasket knowing she
was “renting” a piece of property for free. Oh, the horror! Her parents meant
well, but they were a bit suffocating for Jess.
“They get in pretty early, like
eight o’clock, and since we all know how much I love mornings, the guys are
going to cab it over here,” Sadie said.
Jess chuckled. Sadie was like a
hibernating bear that got poked when it came to mornings. Unlike Jess, who
loved the mornings and hated the cold lonely nights.
“Okay, I don’t have anything
going on until ten, so I’ll come over and bring you coffee along with the keys
to the unit.”
She double-checked
her calendar on the iPad even though she didn’t need to. Jess loved making
lists and never forgot anything.
“You’re the best! You know, it
makes me sad your parents are more focused on money then supporting your
career. You’re really great at what you do, and I’d have been lost at the beginning
if not for you,” Sadie said which made Jess tear up a little.
Her parents’ whole world revolved
around money. They had been in the real estate and banking business for
generations. Her father’s family was among the first Irish settlers here in
California that struck it big with gold. Her mother’s family had been a part of
the very first bank in San Francisco. To say her family was from old money was
an understatement. They might actually have more money than God.
“Thank you, sweetie. You’re a
great artist, so it makes my job easy.” Jess still remembered the first time
she saw Sadie’s work at a gallery five years ago. She had contacted Sadie the
next day, and the two hit it right off.
After they ended their call, she
walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass before heading
to the bathroom. Jess striped off her clothes as the tub filled, and poured
herself a glass before sinking deep into the ancient clawed foot tub. Even
though the rest of her apartment was fairly modern with all white and cream
colors and high tech like the building, she’d had the bathroom redone to her
specifications, which included the fabulous bathtub.
Jess knew she was hypocritical
when it came to her parents’ money, but it would be silly to hate what it
provided. Looking around her bathroom and thinking about her penthouse
apartment with the amazing view of the Golden Gate Bridge, it was evident she’d
accepted her parents’ extravagant need to have the best. But at least she could
say she wasn’t totally dependent on their wealth, because every designer bag
and pair of expensive shoes she owned were bought with her own money.
As Florence sang about cosmic
love in the background, Jess relaxed as she mentally went through her list of
things to do tomorrow. Even though it was work related, going over the list and
being prepared eased her mind.