What it Takes (24 page)

“I already told you. He was concerned about the distance,” Kelsey stated.

Patrick’s argument had been clear. More than anything, he was concerned for her safety, but he also hadn’t wanted her to leave a day earlier than the rest of them. He’d offered to pay any cancellation fees for her if she would agree to stay. Obviously she hadn’t taken him up on that offer.

Kelsey could almost see Janelle’s mind working as she nodded and narrowed her eyes. She reached for another chip and Kelsey grinned and held out her hand. Janelle chewed slowly, staring at Kelsey as she handed her the chip bag. In the middle of their staring contest, Janelle swallowed.

“So, he’s just a friend who gives you roses and cares about your safety,” she said.

Kelsey rolled her eyes at that simplified conclusion. “Yes. Is there anything wrong with that? You sound disappointed.”

“He didn’t hit on you at all?”

Kelsey shook her head, truthfully. He’d flirted but, until the kiss in her room, which she was willing to take partial credit for, he’d never made a pass at her. He’d been a perfect gentleman the whole time. The thought made her heart skip.

“I thought he had a reputation to maintain,” Janelle said flatly.

Kelsey laughed out loud. “So you wanted him to make a move on me?”

Janelle shrugged.

“Unbelievable.”

“What? I stay at home with the two kids, all day, every day. Well, almost anyway. I love my life, but I’d like to live vicariously through you,” Janelle stated with a smirk. “If you don’t mind, I’d like you to spice our lives up a little.”

Kelsey shook her head and tried not to laugh as she hopped down.

“I’ll see what I can do for you next time.” Kelsey walked toward the steps and grabbed two suitcases. Janelle’s lively laughter followed Kelsey up the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, Kelsey paused to look around. The walls had a new coat of pale yellow paint which brightened the hallway tremendously. She strolled past the other bedrooms and bathroom to her suite at the end of the hall, stepped into the room, and sighed with contentment.

Her walls were a soothing lavender color. A closet lined the wall to the left, and the large window in front of the door overlooked the porch and driveway. White curtains hung on a black iron rod. She set the suitcases down and walked to the dresser by the window to look at the pictures tucked into the mirror. They were all of her family, among them, her favorite of her brother, Sean. She lightly ran her finger over his smiling face and wondered what he would think of her now.

Kelsey returned to her suitcases and carried them to the queen-sized bed, centered on the wall opposite the closet. The rich wood frame matched the dark armoire that sat against the wall across from the bed, around the corner from the door. She put her clothes away. After both suitcases were emptied and stored, she stretched out on the pristine white comforter, sank into the bed, and thought about Patrick.

She retrieved her cell phone from her pocket, smiling as she scrolled through the numbers. When she found his, she saved it in her contacts list and debated whether she should call him. Their last conversation hadn’t been long enough. She wished she’d agreed to let him come with her. She had this inexplicable urge to show him her home and her life away from set.

There was a knock on her door but before she could respond, Zach and Zoe bounced in.

“Well, hello there,” Kelsey said as they jumped on the bed.

“Mama wants to know what you want for dinner,” Zach said as he lay down beside her, mimicking her pose with his hands folded across his chest. Zoe did the same on her other side.

“Hmmm, I guess that’s a good question.” Kelsey sat up, looked at the two of them, and laughed. “What would you like for dinner?”

“Don’t ask them, you know what they’ll say,” Janelle spoke from the doorway. She’d brought another suitcase with her and set it by the closet. Kelsey smiled at her then turned back to the kids.

“McDonald’s,” Zach answered.

“Yeah, McDonald’s,” Zoe repeated in her sweet, shrill voice.

“Sounds perfect,” Kelsey agreed. “But we need to ask your mom.” They all turned to Janelle with pleading looks on their faces.

“Really?” Janelle asked.

“Please,” Zach whined.

“Peas,” Zoe repeated.

Kelsey tried not to laugh as she clasped her hands together in front of her.

“Your first night back and you want
McDonald’s
?”

“I really don’t care what we eat,” Kelsey said. “I’m happy to go with the flow. If that’s what the kids want, that’s fine with me.”

“Why?”

“Because.” Kelsey stood and walked to Janelle. “Look, I just did my first major motion picture.” Kelsey tried to mimic Janelle’s earlier excitement. “I don’t know how much longer we can go without privacy being an issue. Let’s just enjoy it while we can.”

Janelle beamed at Kelsey as she looked around her at the kids. “McDonald’s it is. Let’s go.”

Zach and Zoe bounced on the bed a couple of times before taking turns to jump into Kelsey’s arms. Once their feet hit the floor, they ran downstairs. Kelsey looped her arm through Janelle’s and they followed after the kids.

Once Zach and Zoe were in bed, Kelsey settled in one of the armchairs with a glass of wine. Janelle sat facing her on the couch with a wine glass of her own. Kelsey was waiting patiently for the inquisition. She could see it coming on Janelle’s face. She put the glass to her lips and took a sip.

“What did you do for fun? Did you go out every night?” Janelle started.

Kelsey raised an eyebrow at that innocuous question. She’d expected more questions about Patrick.

“We only went out twice,” Kelsey answered. Janelle pouted. “The female fans were obnoxious and I hated dragging bodyguards everywhere.”

“I think that’d be fun,” Janelle said.

“The females or the guards?”

“Duh. The guards. Having them watch over me would make me feel important.”

Janelle’s right eye narrowed slightly and Kelsey knew the questions were about to shift. Janelle must have heard something in her tone. Her sister had always been good about picking up on her nuances in voice or gestures. Kelsey could never hide anything from her for long.

“Obnoxious, huh?”

Kelsey groaned and sank into her seat.

“What was so obnoxious about them? Did they flirt with Patrick too much for your liking?” Janelle teased. “Or did he flirt with them?”

Kelsey winced at the memory of their first trip out. “Yes, actually,” she replied with a curl of the lip as she sat up. “To both questions.”

“And why’d that bother you, little sister?” Janelle placed both feet on the floor and sat primly on the edge of the couch. “Were you jealous?”

“Janelle, I told you, we’re just friends.” Kelsey drained her glass and set it on the coffee table.

“Did you kiss him?”

“You know I did. You know the story. He played my lover,” Kelsey’s voice cracked on the word. “We had to kiss each other.”

“What was it like?”

Kelsey blushed and smirked but sat silently, savoring the memory of the only kiss that wasn’t for the cameras.

“Was it that good?”

“Words cannot describe it,” Kelsey stated dreamily, then remembered Janelle had been asking about filming. She met her sister’s curious gaze and brought herself back to the conversation.

“Really? Try anyway. Remember, living vicariously here,” Janelle said, waving her hand at herself.

Kelsey laughed and glanced at the fireplace for a second. “His lips were gentle, but firm at the same time, and warm. And when he pulled me into his arms, I felt so safe.” She closed her eyes and couldn’t remember whether she was describing the kiss for the camera or the one in her hotel room.

Janelle sighed. “It sounds wonderful.”

Kelsey opened her eyes and her cheeks felt warm. “It felt wonderful.” She looked at her sister, happy to notice Janelle gazing into the fire. “No one had kissed me like that in a long time.” Kelsey laid her head against the back of the chair.

“You’re sticking to your story then. He didn’t make any moves on you?”

Kelsey shrugged nonchalantly. “He sent me a rose every day after the first kissing scene and we danced together once. Other than that, he was a complete gentleman.”

“Other than that? Are you nuts? It sounds like he was a total gentleman.” They both laughed. “Are you going to see him again?”

“Of course I’ll see him again.” Kelsey rose and picked up her empty wine glass. “We’ll have interviews and the premiere,” she said over her shoulder on her way to the kitchen.

“Geez, Kels, you don’t need to be all business. This is me you’re talking to.” Janelle was hot on her heels.

Kelsey poured another glass of wine and took a swallow. If Janelle only knew how much she wanted to see him. Had she only left him that morning? It felt like days.

“I don’t think so. He’s got a premiere in two weeks and then he’ll go to Aspen to spend Christmas with his family.” She hated that she could hear the dreariness in her own voice. She only hoped Janelle didn’t suspect its cause. “He’ll start filming again sometime in January, so I doubt we’ll have time.”

“His
family
?” Janelle looked worried.

Kelsey stared at her. “Yes,” she nodded sadly, “The wife and two point three kids the tabloids never speak of.” Janelle’s mouth fell open and Kelsey laughed. “His parents, sister, and brother-in-law,” she clarified between giggles.

Janelle relaxed and, with a sly grin, asked, “How do you know all this?”

“We did have
some
time to get to know each other.”

Janelle raised an eyebrow.

“Not that well,” Kelsey said with pursed lips.

“Sorry.”

“I know, I know. You’re living through me.” Kelsey waved her hands mockingly. “You know, you might want to pick someone else for that. I’m afraid my personal life isn’t that exciting.”

Janelle stuck out her bottom lip. “I’m starting to figure that out.”

Fourteen

O
n Thanksgiving morning, Kelsey put the turkey in the oven to cook and set the timer. Dinner with their parents was planned for five o’clock, plenty of time for the bird to cook and cool. She poured another cup of coffee and walked into the living room to check on the kids. Their twin blonde heads were side by side, their eyes glued to the giant balloons parading through the streets of New York City. Kelsey couldn’t help but smile. Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade was one of those things that she and her siblings had always loved to do.

After watching a bit of the parade, Kelsey wandered into the dining room where Janelle was polishing silver.

“Only six tonight, right?” Janelle asked, her brow furrowed in concentration as she polished the spoon in her hand.

“Unless you invited someone else,” Kelsey replied.

“I was more concerned about
you
having invited someone.” She looked up with a smirk on her face. Kelsey shook her head and looked at the cup of coffee in her hand. “So, how many times has
he
called you this week?”

“Only once.” But there had been several texts and e-mails exchanged.

“Right,” Janelle scoffed. “Then who are you constantly talking to?”