Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2)

by Mary J. Williams

  “Because he decided to play the—” Paige groaned.

  “Yes?” Lottie urged, her eyes twinkling.

  “He decided to play the gentleman.” Paige slapped her forehead. “Shit. Double shit. Shit on steroids.”

  “Exactly.”

  Five days. It had taken her that long to get it. Sleepless nights. Making sure she spent as little time with him as possible. Silently fuming. Except when she was alone with the horses. Man. If they could talk. Would that be embarrassing?

  It took Lottie to dig out the answer.

  “Thank you.” Paige wrapped Lottie in a warm hug.

  “Have sex.” Lottie laughed, her arms squeezing Paige back. “We’ll both be a lot happier. You get to bite into the tasty Nate Landis, and I get the juicy details.”

  “Up to a point.”

  “Fine.” Lottie took out her lip-gloss. Like a good man in her bed, she hated to be without her peaches and cream. “Set me up with his brother and we’ll call it even.”

  “Which brother?”

  “I don’t care. If his last name is Landis, I’m in.”

  “I still have the problem of how I’m going to get this Landis.” Paige frowned. “There isn’t anywhere on the ranch suitable. Except for a quickie. With all the people wandering around, I wouldn’t take a chance on that.”

  “My place is free.” Lottie closed her purse with a decisive snap. “Danny Floyd has been after me for months to spend the night.”

  “That’s perfect. Wait.” Paige suddenly remembered. “Irene is coming to dinner tonight. I have to be here.”

  “You have an extra key. When Irene leaves, grab Mr. Gorgeous and head to my place. It’s only fifteen minutes away. You can play to your heart’s content and be back before your father wakes up.”

  “It feels… I don’t know. I understand the reason, but sneaking around? We’re adults.”

  “You share a house with your father. What’s the alternative?”

  Exchanging smiles with Lottie, Paige nodded.

  “Your place it is.”

  “THE EXTRA CAMERA is broken. This door is always locked, Nate. I swear.”

  “Easy, Homer.” The young man wrung his hands, obviously distressed. “I believe you. It looks like someone jimmied the doorknob.”

  “Why?” Homer leaned next to Nate. There were definite signs that a tool had been used to open the lock. “I can see stealing the equipment. You could sell it for some cash. A nice bit of change, if you know the right person. What reason could they have for destroying it?”

  “That’s what I need to find out.”

  Nate looked around the small room. This was his fault. Storing expensive equipment in the barn? What had he been thinking? He rattled the doorknob. The perpetrator wasn’t an expert. Someone with any experience could have picked the lock without leaving the telltale signs. Unless they wanted him to know.

  Nate shook his head. Christ. He didn’t need to complicate matters. It was probably kids causing mischief. That was the least ominous explanation.

  For now, Nate preferred to keep things simple. Local vandals. That’s what he would tell the cast and crew. And it was the theory he would pitch to the police.

  “Have you told anyone else?”

  Homer shook his head. “I came to you as soon as I discovered it.”

  “Good. I’m going to fill in Chuck. He can call the cops.”

  Homer fell in beside him, his long legs matching Nate’s stride step for step. “No one comes out here. I mean. There isn’t any reason to. The stuff is extras. Lights. Cable. And the camera. If the cable I was using hadn’t gone wonky, we might not have known about this for days. Maybe weeks.”

  Nate had thought of that. It lent weight to their theory. Random. It was scary. However, knowing someone was purposefully targeting the movie was worse. Much worse.

  “You take the camera with you at night?”

  “Well, sure.” Homer swallowed nervously.

  “I’m asking a simple question, Homer. This isn’t a trap.”

  “Too many movies,” the young man laughed.

  “Join the club.” Nate gave Homer’s shoulder a friendly pat. “I grew up with them. Murder. Intrigue. My world was filled with it — depending on the kind of project my parents were making.”

  “Lucky,” Homer sighed, his eyes filled with awe.

  “Sounds great, doesn’t it?”

  “Yes.”

  “It was the best childhood imaginable.”

  “Montana doesn’t compare,” Homer said with a wistful sigh.

  “Apples and oranges. Do you have good parents?”

  “Sure. Mom and Dad are great.”

  “Then consider yourself lucky, Homer. You can pick any future you want. Stay in Montana. Move to Los Angles. Your choice. What you get as a child is a crap shoot.” Nate turned, his blue eyes curious. “How did you do?”

  “Sevens all the way.”

  “Good man. If you want to make your mom’s day, tell her that when you get home.”

  “Geez, Nate,” Homer kicked at the dirt. “Isn’t that, you know, mushy?”

  “Absolutely.” Nate lightly punched Homer on the arm. “You’re old enough to survive a little motherly mush. Trust me; you’ll be glad you did it.”

  “Okay.”

  “And Homer?”

  “What?”

  “Leave the camera here from now on.”

  “But…” Homer started to protest.

  “I trust you, Homer. It’s for your safety. Until we know what’s going on, I don’t want someone breaking into your house to get the camera. Understand?”

  Homer swallowed when all the possibilities rushed through his vivid imagination.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. I’ll keep it safe.” Nate gave him a reassuring smile. “And don’t worry. This is a precaution. Nothing more.”

  Nate stopped in the kitchen, glancing at the clock. Everyone was gone for the day. Before he filled Chuck in on the vandalism, Nate wanted to speak with his father.

  “Come on,” Nate said to Beauty.

  She trotted happily after him, taking the stairs one at a time like an old pro. Her rump still got stuck now and then, but she powered through, making it to the top. The first few times she tackled them was a different story. She struggled mightily. Patiently, Nate walked behind her, pushing her up to the next step when she faltered. For both their sakes, he always carried her on the way down. It wouldn’t take long before she raced up and down the steps without a second thought. For now, he didn’t want to take any chances on her tumbling headfirst.

  “I know.” Nate set the puppy on the neatly made bed. “You think that is yours. My mistake for letting you sleep there.”

  Beauty rolled on her back. She knew what would come. Nate was a pushover. Her faith was rewarded with a thorough tummy scratch. Her eyes closed, a whimper of happiness escaping her mouth.

  Nate took out his iPad. As technology went, was there anything better than seeing your family when you spoke to them? For a man who spent so much time traveling, it was a godsend.

  “There’s my boy.” Caleb Landis grinned.

  In life, his father’s personality filled a room. The small screen barely contained it.

  “How’s it going, Dad?”

  “Good. Great. Your mother is having dinner with her co-stars.”

  “That’s a trio that will draw a crowd.” Nate could picture the paparazzi having a field day. Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren, and Callie Flynn. You didn’t score like that every day. “Which restaurant hit the movie star jackpot?”

  “Are you kidding? Callie organized a sleepover. I’ve been kicked out of my bedroom. Junk food and…? I have no idea. Pillow fights? I like pillow fights.”

  “Down, boy.” Nate had no problem picturing his mother doing such a thing. Apparently, neither did his father. “I’m working with Dame Helen next year. Show some respect.”

  Caleb chuckled good-naturedly. “Garrett filled me in. How are you hol
ding up?”

  “I don’t hate it.”

  “With that kind of enthusiasm, you must be a joy to work with.”

  This time, Nate laughed. “I know Chuck has been in touch. What does he say?”

  “Fishing for compliments?”

  “You found me out. My ego is now second only to Colton’s.”

  “Hey,” Caleb protested. “My ego is king in this family. Don’t forget it.”

  “As if I could.”

  Nate loved this man. Ego and all.

  “You look good. Rested.” Caleb looked Nate over. A clear blue, they shared the color. Knowing his son, his gaze sharpened. “Who is she?”

  “She.” Shit, how could his father know? Lusting after his friend’s daughter. Nate held his breath, waiting for the tongue-lashing he probably deserved.

  “You never look that rested when you aren’t at home. Unless you’ve found someone to share your bed. Tell me it isn’t Paige.”

  Not yet. The way things were going, maybe not ever. Struggling with an answer, Nate found his reprieve when he felt a cold, damp nose nudging his hand.

  “Dad, meet Beauty. She’s been my bedmate for the last four nights.”

  “The name fits.” Caleb grinned at the wiggling puppy. “She an upgrade. What was her name? Mistletoe? Eggnog?”

  “Hollee.”

  “Right. Double E and Double D.”

  “Jesus, Dad.”

  “Hey, that was how she introduced herself.” Caleb felt a wave of satisfaction when he saw Nate flush. “No one can say your taste isn’t varied.” His laughter rang out until he doubled over.

  Rolling his eyes, Nate waited patiently.

  “Finished?” he asked. His father nodded, wiping the tears from his face. “Good. Something happened today. I need your advice.”

  It didn’t take long for Caleb’s demeanor to change from teasing to serious. He listened as Nate explained about the break-in and the damaged camera.

  “What does Chuck think?”

  “I wanted to talk to you first. I need another camera and I don’t want him to know you’re sending me one until it’s arrived.”

  “You think he’ll balk?”

  Nate shrugged. “I don’t know, Dad. He put the movie together on his own. You wouldn’t believe it. We have more volunteers than we can use. The equipment that he borrowed, or was donated, is top of the line. Chuck is a proud man.”

  “I agree. You can’t go behind his back, Nate. No matter how good your intentions. Is he in the house?”

  “In his office.”

  “What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

  His father was right, but that didn’t make Nate feel any less like a chastised little boy. By the time he reached Chuck’s office, he felt a little better. With a sigh, he knocked.

  “Come in.”

  “Mind if I interrupt?”

  “You aren’t. I’m done for the day. Sit.” Chuck motioned to the wing-backed chair opposite his desk.

  “Chuck,” Caleb called out. “Damn it, Nate, turn the screen.”

  “Caleb.” Chuck took the tablet. “I hoped to see you soon, but I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

  “There are days I would like to toss my cell phone in the ocean. But it allows me keep up with my family and friends. How can I complain about that?”

  “It’s a wonder.”

  The men exchanged pleasantries, giving Nate time to wander around the office. This was the first time he’d been in here for more than a few seconds. It was warm and welcoming. Like Chuck, himself.

  Built-in bookshelves covered one wall. Pictures littered most of the area. Chuck and Erin. Years younger and grinning like fools at whoever was taking their picture. Nate’s eyes sharpened. Paige. As a baby. Chubby — adorable. Older, proudly showing the gap left by her missing front teeth. The early teenage Paige, all legs, and elbows, but glowing with an unfinished beauty as she rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.

  The resemblance was remarkable. He wondered how Chuck felt when he looked at the picture. Did it make him miss his wife even more? Or did it give him comfort, knowing she lived on in their daughter? Nate imagined it was a little bit of both.

  “I’ll let Nate give you the rundown, Chuck. Something he should have done immediately.” Nate took his seat when he heard his father’s comment. “Then you can tell us what you want to do.”

  Chuck listened. It didn’t take long because there wasn’t much to say.

  “I’m sorry, Chuck. Dad’s right. Keeping this from you, no matter how good my intentions, was wrong.”

  Chuck shook his head, his eyes troubled. “The timing doesn’t matter, Nate. I’m worried about the break-in. In all the years I’ve lived here, I can’t recall more than a handful of similar incidents. And most of them involved drunks blowing off steam on a Saturday night.”

  “Security is a possibility. I can have some there first thing in the morning.”

  Rubbing his face, Chuck sighed. “I don’t know, Caleb. If I thought anyone was in physical danger, I would shut the movie down.”

  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

  Nate understood Chuck’s concern. However, there was no need to go to extremes.

  “Nate is right, Chuck. If it is local kids making mischief, engaging a security guard will scare them off.”

  “And if it’s something more?”

  “Better to find out right away,” Nate said. “We’re only five days in, Chuck. Let’s wait and see. Chances are nothing else will happen.”

  “I hope you’re right.”

  “Do you have a problem with me replacing the camera? Or hiring some security?” Caleb grinned. “Call it an influx of capital from an enthusiastic investor.”

  “I’ll call it what it is. A good friend lending a welcome hand.” Chuck said with a slight catch in his voice. He cleared his throat. “You’ve already given me your son. How could I turn down this offer?”

  “Loaned you my son,” Caleb corrected with a wink. “I’m going to want him back. His mother will insist.”

  “Hmm. About that.” Chuck looked at Nate, his smile a little too innocent. “Nate, would you go and check on Paige? We’re having one more for dinner and I want to make sure she’s on top of it.”

  “Sure. I’ll call soon, Dad. Give Mom my love.”

  “Take care, son.” There was a pause. “Nate?”

  Nate leaned over the desk until he had a good view of his father.

  “Yes?”

  “Watch yourself. Okay?”

  Nate saw the concern and smiled.

  “This has nothing to do with my accident, Dad. It’s a smashed camera.”

  “Make sure you don’t get smashed. What would I tell your—”

  “Mother. I know. You can let Mom know that I’m watching my back,” Nate finished. His father always used Callie when his overprotective instincts kicked in.

  “Good. I love you, son. Now go on. Chuck and I have some reminiscing to do.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Leaving the office, Nate felt he was missing something. He gave Chuck one last look before closing the door.

  “Is he gone?” Caleb asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then tell me what you couldn’t say when Nate was in the room.”

  “How do you feel about playing matchmaker?”

  “Nate and Paige?” Caleb sat up in his chair, an interested glint in his eyes. “You’ve seen a spark?”

  “That would be putting it mildly. The interest was there right off. I gave Nate the concerned father speech.”

  “Nice.” Caleb used to think it would be nice to have a daughter. However, when he thought about someone like Nate sniffing around, he decided he was better off with boys. Men were dogs. He should know. Until Callie, he was the worst of the lot.

  “Did you scare him?”

  Chuck shrugged. “Hell if I know. Something happened. The first night he was here, they made googly eyes. Nate chased off an unwanted suitor
. I think that impressed her. Though I can never tell with Paige. Sometimes her feelings shine out of her. Sometimes she hides them behind a wall no one can penetrate. Nate, on the other hand…”

  Caleb let out a delighted bark of laughter. “My boy is an open book. Tell me about your neighbor.” Caleb leaned closer to the screen. “That sounds like a story worth hearing.”

  Caleb listened, nodding now and then or grinning, his blue eyes sharp with interest. A look Chuck recognized from his Hollywood days.

  “You think there is something going on?”

  “Mmm,” Caleb rubbed his chin. “We can’t push, Chuck. Nate is too smart for that. If he suspected you wanted to hear wedding bells, he’d jump back like a scalded cat.”

  “I didn’t say anything about wedding bells.”

  “You didn’t,” Caleb asked, surprise in his voice. “What did you mean by matchmaking?”

  Chuck sighed, his lips tilted to one side with a wry smile. “Am I coming off as a father desperate to marry off his daughter? Paige would kill me if she heard this conversation.” His eyes widened. “She can never know about this, Caleb.”

  “Calm down,” Caleb said in a calming voice. “Why should she?”

  “She knows things.”

  “You mean she’s psychic?”

  “No. That isn’t the right word. She knows when I’m up to something,” Chuck frowned.

  “She didn’t know about the movie,” Caleb pointed out.

  “True.”

  “If Nate does his part, Paige will be too distracted to notice anything but him. He has a way with women.”

  “From what I read, all your boys do.” That gave Chuck pause. “Will he break her heart, Caleb? She’s never cared enough for that to happen.”

  “There are no guarantees, Chuck. Maybe Paige will be the heartbreaker.”

  “Oh, I don’t think—”

  “You start messing with human emotions and you never know what might happen.”

  Caleb unconsciously placed a hand over his heart. He had been lucky. The woman he gave his heart to had kept it safe for over thirty years. Not everyone found someone like his Callie. Or Chuck’s Erin.

  “We know what it is to love the perfect woman. Or at least, perfect for us.”

  “Yes.” Chuck’s smile was bittersweet.