Second Chance: A Christian Romance (Royals Book 2)

by Nicole Taylor

  Fred Hammond had been twisting his gold pen around in his hand during the time Robert spoke and now said abruptly, “There’s no question of reworking, Robert.”

  “Then it means you’ll have to find another actor,” Robert said with quiet conviction.

  Fred’s eyes slid to Harvey’s, and Dana saw a look pass between them.

  “I don’t think you want to do this, Robert,” Fred said. “We’re paying you $25 million to do this movie. Plus it’s a franchise. They’re two more films in this series. That, coupled with the percentage of box office receipts you negotiated for, can come to over $100 million. We can work with you to change some of the dialogue but Sandy shared your list of concerns with us and to be blunt, they are ridiculous. You’re willing to walk away from $100 million over a few expletives, action scenes, and a love scene? That’s a little extreme isn’t it?”

  Robert was silent for a few minutes. “Sandy didn’t tell me it would be $100 million,” he eventually said.

  Dana’s eyes flew to Robert’s face. He wasn’t actually contemplating this, was he? She reached under the table and squeezed his leg.

  “I thought you were aware, Robert,” Sandy quickly said.

  Fred leaned back in his seat. “Yes, $100 million. Look, Robert, we are prepared to work with you. I respect your position on the profanities issue. The ‘F’ bomb can surely go, but the others are mild. One or two of the violent scenes can be altered to be less graphic. We can even nix the love scene if you’re not comfortable.” At this point, he glanced at Dana as though she was the reason for Robert’s position on this score and the one they needed to mollify.

  “We can have a closed door scene where it’s implied. You just kiss the actress and wake up in bed with her the next morning.”

  “Yeah, but the message it sends…” Robert responded.

  “What? You are not your character, Robert. Your hero and his love interest are two consenting adults,” Fred Hammond reasoned.

  Dana didn’t like the turn this was taking. Robert seemed to be capitulating or on the verge of doing so. She got scared.

  “Listen, Fred,” she said, “the point is that Robert isn’t comfortable, and we’re asking for a rewrite of the entire script or no deal.”

  Fred Hammond’s lips thinned with undisguised exasperation.

  “Ms. Dickson, I’m just thinking about what’s best for you and your husband.”

  “I doubt that,” she replied.

  “I am. Granted I’m also thinking about the studio, but this partnership will be mutually beneficial. A deal like this means that you two don’t have to work another day for the rest of your lives if you don’t want to. If you’re going to take a stand, Robert, I’d take it after this movie franchise. Then get out. Nothing wrong with that.”

  Robert had gone silent. Dana glanced at him and found that his eyes were on his hands on the table. He was rotating thumb over thumb and deep in thought.

  “Thanks, but no thanks,” she answered.

  Sandy Brown finally broke his silence. “You actually don’t speak for Robert,” he snapped, suddenly animated.

  “I’m more qualified to speak for him than you are,” she said.

  “I’m his agent!”

  “Some agent. You’ve not defended his position once during this whole conversation.”

  “Both of you, please stop,” Robert said without raising his voice.

  He fixed his eyes on Hammond. “Fred. I will think about your offer a little more and have an answer for you by Friday.”

  After Ramon had closed the door to the limo and they had strapped in, Dana turned to Robert. “What was that?”

  He didn’t meet her eyes. “What?”

  “You know what. ‘I will think about your offer.’ Why? I thought we’d agreed.”

  “Yeah, but some of the things he was saying. They are willing to make changes to the script. I don’t know…”

  “Here we go again.”

  “Dana…” he reached out and touched her leg.

  She shook off his hand. “Don’t touch me.”

  He held up his hands. “You know, I’m a grown man, Dana. You need to trust me. Trust my judgment.”

  Dana sulked for a few minutes. How was she supposed to trust him? He had a history of making decisions that weren’t always in the best interest of their family.

  She eventually sighed as the Holy Spirit convicted her that she needed to give Robert a chance, give him the benefit of the doubt.

  “I’m sorry, Robert. I didn’t mean to come over as domineering. I was just afraid you would revert to your old way of thinking.”

  “I need to pray about it, okay, baby?” When he reached over and squeezed her leg, this time, she didn’t move out of the way. She covered his hand with hers.

  When they got home, he didn’t follow her out of the car.

  “I’m going to go for a drive, clear my head. I’ll be back later,” he said with a reassuring smile.

  “Oh. Okay,” Dana replied reluctantly.

  In the bedroom, Dana removed her wedding rings and placed them in her jewelry case as she ruminated over the meeting with the studio executives. She had butterflies in her stomach just thinking about what Robert would do.

  “Oh God,” she prayed. “Please help him to make the right decision.”

  Her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. It was from an unknown caller.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hello, Dana.”

  “Hi, who’s this?”

  “It’s Sandy.”

  “Oh. How can I help you?” she asked in a brisk, formal tone.

  “We need to talk.”

  Dana was taken aback. Why on earth would she need to speak with Sandy Brown?

  “About what?”

  “Robert. His career. The choices he’s making.”

  “Robert told me he already met with you. I don’t know what information I can give to you that he hasn’t.”

  “Yes, I met with Robert. Now I want to meet with you,” he said in measured tones.

  “Listen, Sandy. I don’t have time for this. I–”

  “You need to make the time, Dana. It’s in your best interest that you make the time.”

  Dana placed one hand on her hip. Just who did this man think he was?

  “Really, says who?”

  “Let’s just say that things can go very badly for you from here on in if you refuse to meet with me.”

  She felt a chill run up her spine. “Are you threatening me?”

  “Absolutely.”

  That sucked the wind from her lungs.

  “This evening at 5:00 p.m. Tutto Bene. Oh, and don’t discuss this with Robert. It’s between me and you.” The line went dead.

  ~*~*~*~

  Robert had left his jacket on the seat next to him in the limo. He was now jacketless as he walked the Mojave Desert in Southern California. There wasn’t anyone within sight so he was free to wander along in the cool evening and just have a conversation with God about the choice he had before him.

  He knew what he was tempted to do. He was tempted to give in, to compromise himself and argue that he would quit after the franchise. One hundred million dollars was a lot of money. There was so much good he could do with that and so many young men he could help. He could set up a scholarship fund to help underprivileged children like Pedro get a proper education. This would give them a better choice than a life of crime.

  So he knew what he wanted to do and had a pretty good handle on why he wanted to do it. He now needed to seek God’s take on it.

  “Lord, what do you want? I realize that this film is an area of temptation for me. It can bring me greater fame and fortune, and I could use both to help other people. That’s what I’m saying, but you know me better than I know myself. I want to be obedient no matter what the cost, Lord. You say in your word that if anyone wants to be your disciple, they need to deny themselves, pick up their cross daily and follow you. Father, I want to please you. I do
n’t want to lead a life of disobedience anymore. Please guide me.”

  Robert took a seat on a large rock and absently shifted a few small stones under his feet when suddenly he heard the words in his spirit, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”

  He turned the verse over in his head. What did that mean?

  I desire your obedience. Not your sacrifice.

  He immediately remembered the passage was from the Old Testament book of Samuel. He stood so that he could reach the phone in his pocket. He searched Samuel for the verse. Soon he found it. 1 Samuel 15:22.

  God had instructed Saul to destroy all of the Amalekites, men, women, children and cattle. Instead, Saul had kept the best of the cattle for himself. Samuel confronted Saul and told him that he had chosen to disobey God and then proceeded to tell God that he would sacrifice to Him some of the very cattle He had told him to destroy. God’s response was that He wanted Saul’s obedience, not his sacrifice. Robert felt God saying to him, “I want you to surrender your will to mine. I want you to go wherever I ask you to go. Don’t tell me what you can do with this money and what you will do to make the movie better, I just want your obedience.”

  In that moment, Robert saw the light. His desire to do this film had nothing to do with wanting to help young people, just as Saul’s interest in keeping the cattle had nothing to do with a desire to sacrifice to God. Like Saul, he was full of pride and greed. Deep down he wanted to do this movie franchise to retain his top movie star status. He couldn’t bear the thought of some other actor gaining his top position.

  He pondered on what had led to this thinking. He traced his roots. He had always wanted to be an actor like his dad. He had always been in awe of Michael Cortelli and had been determined to make his father proud. But the comparisons had thrown him.

  In high school, his father had still been at the height of his illustrious career, and everyone said the same thing. “You look just like your dad. Are you going to be an actor too? Can you even act?”

  At acting school, it had been the same story. “You look just like Michael Cortelli. Are you as good an actor as he is?”

  And the comparison’s had gone on and on.

  The more they were made, the more determined he had been to carve out a name for himself. He wanted to set himself apart by doing his own stunts, by working harder, by making more films, by having a wider range, and on and on and on. And he had managed to achieve all of that. But to what end? In the scheme of things, what did it matter how famous he was or how good he could act? He had lived a truly selfish existence, in pursuit of an ideal. He now realized that it was only by God’s grace that he still had a wife and children who adored him and friends and family who still cared for him, who had stood by him throughout.

  Robert felt overcome. “Father, I’m sorry for seeking my will. You are so patient with me. Please help me to do what is right. Help me to be strong in the face of trials and temptation. Yes, I will obey you. I will surrender the thing I want most, the idol in my life for all these years. Fame and fortune and adoration of millions, for you. For a life of obedience to you and eternity in your presence. Please accept me, Lord, as a living sacrifice to you.”

  He didn’t even realize tears were trickling down his cheeks until he saw two water spots appear on his pants. He swiped them away from his face and wiped his nose with the back of his hand.

  He knew there was something he had to do so he gave Corey a call.

  “Hi, Corey.”

  There was a pause. “Hi there.” Corey sounded strained.

  “Listen, I’m sorry about what happened last night. I didn’t mean to lose my temper with you.”

  After several beats of silence Corey replied, “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I had no business saying what I did about Dana. I’m so embarrassed. I would have called earlier but I’ve spent the whole morning battling a headache, and I was too ashamed to call and apologize.”

  “Life’s too short to hold a grudge.”

  “Yeah. Listen, Bobby, there’s something I need to tell you…”

  “What’s that?”

  “Just something I thought you should know. Something I heard from a client of mine today about your agent, Sandy Brown…”

  ~*~*~*~

  When Sandy greeted Dana, it wasn’t even with the usual false charm. He just looked like a contented cat. She sat opposite him and placed her handbag on the table.

  She wasn’t hungry but ordered a cup of coffee. Sandy did the same.

  “What do you want?” she demanded, cutting to the chase.

  He began, “I want to thank you for meeting with me. I…”

  “Cut the crap. The only reason I’m here is because you threatened me. So I’m here. And I’m going to hear you out then I’m leaving. So dispense with all the niceties and get to it,” she snapped.

  He looked stunned for just one second then he laughed mirthlessly and shook his head.

  “You know, I have heard you called so many names over the years. You’ve been called a diva, a vixen, a prima donna, a drama queen, a spitfire. But I’ve got a new one that I’ll share with you soon. That one was a surprise. You are always so quick to judge others. Rather self-righteous with yourself, aren’t you? But at the end of the day, it’s just an act.”

  “What are you…?”

  He sat forward, placing his elbows on the table and clasping his hands. His eyes looked fierce. He reminded her of a predator stalking its prey.

  “Okay. Here’s the thing, Ms. Dickson. I’m here to propose a partnership with you.”

  “A part–"

  Sandy held up a hand. “Don’t interrupt,” he said tersely. “You can respond when I’m done.”

  She was alarmed at the level of disrespect he was showing her. In the past, he had been insincere but never disrespectful.

  “As I was saying. We need to work together to help Robert see the light. He’s a megastar. He’s worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Thirteen years ago he was paid a million dollars to shoot a commercial, these days he’d be paid three times as much. That’s how big he is. I – we – cannot let him throw all that away just because he’s found religion. You have to convince him that he needs to put his family first. He needs to keep rolling out these blockbusters because he’s got a high maintenance wife, three kids who need trust funds, people like me to take care of and ensure that they get their piece of the pie and millions of fans whom he just cannot disappoint. He’ll listen to you. The mere fact that he brought you to that meeting today…unprecedented.” Sandy shook his head here. “While it may have suggested to some that he’d gone soft in the head, it suggested to me that you have now got more influence over him than you did in the past. So use your influence for good. Be sensible. You’re a beautiful woman, granted. But you’re not in your twenties anymore. Before you look around, forty will be knocking at your door and then mid-forties, and before you know you’ll be playing somebody’s mama, and those brands you promote will find a new face sooner rather than later because who wants to airbrush a photo to death when they can actually get a wrinkle-free face.”

  Dana made a motion to stand. “I don’t have to sit here and listen to this…”

  “Sit your butt down,” he snarled.

  Dana’s eyes widened.

  “I know your dirty little secret so you’d better sit down right now or by tomorrow everyone in the world will know you’re sleeping with your husband’s best friend.”

  Dana’s hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes nearly popped out of her head. Because in an instant Sandy had slid his phone to her and she saw crisp, clear and in living color she and Corey Elsom locked in each other’s arms and sharing a kiss.

  Dana was sure she would be sick. She sank back into the chair.

  “How…?”

  Sandy smiled slowly and leaned back with satisfaction, drawing his phone back with him.

  “I was at the L.A. Dance Project Benefit Dinner. I saw when you arrived. I also noticed with interest how tight you
and Corey Elsom seemed to be. I had a suspicion, so when you two disappeared, I discreetly followed. And just when I was about to give up and walk away…jackpot! You locked lips and I captured the moment for prosperity.”

  “You bastard…” she gasped.

  “Oh, I’m a bastard, huh? Okay, I’ve got a name for you too. It begins with hypocritical and ends with skank.”

  Dana wanted so badly to lunge for the smiling serpent and gouge his eyes out, but she knew that she would be playing right into his hands, which would make things so much worse. They were in a public place, and the patrons would be only too happy to record the whole thing and put it on YouTube. That was no doubt why Sandy had chosen this venue, to ensure that she would not react badly.

  She sat quietly for several moments as she contemplated her next move. “Why haven’t you told Robert?”

  She observed him hesitate.

  “I’ve decided that it would be more beneficial for me to use the photo to persuade you to help Robert see reason.”

  “Blackmail me, you mean.”

  “Your word, not mine. The truth is I realize I have little to gain by causing your relationship’s demise. Knowing he has you and his kids to live for and work for is quite possibly a strong motivator for Robert. Take that away, and no telling what a desperate man could do, especially one who’s still recovering from brain injury. He may go crazy and commit double homicide and then where would I be? How would having a murdering ex-actor for a client benefit me exactly? Do you know the name of O.J. Simpson’s agent?”

  She drew her eyebrows together and absently shook her head.

  “Exactly.”

  He smiled and had never looked more like a shark.

  “So do we have a deal?”

  Dana swallowed. “If I don’t go through with this...”

  He sighed impatiently. “Do I have to paint you a picture? I thought the dumb blonde thing was a cliché.”