Falling Star

by Laura DeLuca

  “This just in from Ocean County, New Jersey,” announced the anchor. “Several towns along the coastline have been completely annihilated by flood waters. We’re getting reports of an entire amusement park under water and city streets completely wiped off the map. We go now to John Watson, reporting live from outside the town of Seaside Heights. John....”

  The anchor in his nice dry rolling chair vanished as the scene changed over to a full shot of the reporter. His connection was fuzzy and Lainey strained to hear over the forceful winds. “Thank you, Pete.” The reporter returned her serious gaze to the audience after a nod at her co-worker. “There’s no way to know for certain the severity of the damage here in Seaside Heights until the evacuation is lifted, but we’ve heard varying reports that the Ferris wheel has fallen down and most of the boardwalk has collapsed. Many homes have been literally washed out to sea, leaving little but a pile of rubble in their wake. This is certainly the worst storm most of us have seen in this area in our lifetimes and a sad day for the Jersey shore.”

  “Lainey?” Drew had moved to wrap his arms around her waist, and it wasn’t until then she realized she was trembling. “Lainey, everything will be okay.”

  “All those homes,” Lainey managed to whisper. “Those poor people.”

  “Come here everyone.” Sharon gestured them closer. Even Blanche stood to join them. Sharon grabbed Elisa’s hand on one side and Blanche’s on the other. “Take a moment to ground yourselves. Of course, this is a terrible loss, but so far it’s only been property. Let’s pray now that the worst is over and there is no loss of life added to this tragedy. Let’s pool our energy and send strength, love, and protection out to all our neighbors in Ocean County and everywhere this storm has touched.”

  Lainey gripped Blanche’s fingers tighter while reaching for Drew with her other hand. Even Nate came to them, serious and sad at the same time, but ready to offer his prayers and support. Before long, they formed a perfect circle. Sharon’s voice lifted in a light hum. Lainey, Elisa, and Erin joined in instantly, and soon even the newcomers understood the rhythm. They all had a different tone but in the sacred Ohm their voice raised as one instrument, building power they would release into the world, a burst of love for those in need. An unseen power crackled through the air with each new note until finally Sharon’s voice lifted above them all.

  “Goddess, Great Mother of All, hold our brothers and sisters who were affected by this storm close in your healing arms. We send them peace, protection, and healing.”

  The group stood that way for quite some time, all their voices merging, with Sharon offering occasional words of guidance. Lainey wondered if Drew sensed the energy they were raising—if he felt it the way she did, the way her sisters did. Strong women with a strong purpose were an unstoppable force. There in the sanctity of the sacred circle, Lainey’s own strength grew, and she knew that once the storm passed, she would do whatever she could to help heal the land.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Buzzzz. Buzzzz

  Drew ignored the phone, rolled over, and pulled the covers up over his head. Underneath the blankets, Lainey’s scent still lingered on her pillow. The bouquet of lavender and vanilla mingled with the ever-present scent of incense. The two had become almost an addiction. He found it much easier to relax at night with the light circle of smoke curling through the air. He could always get up and steal a stick from Lainey’s stash, but what he truly longed for was to have Lainey there beside him.

  Unfortunately, his girlfriend had risen hours ago, heading to another long day at the office. Even though Lainey’s condo and most of Wildwood had come through unscathed from the ravages of Hurricane Sandra, there were still thousands of people affected by the storm. Both Lainey and Erin were putting in extra hours at the office. They were more concerned with getting people back into their homes than getting big commission checks—a trait Drew admired in them. In fact, even after hours Lainey and her office friends pitched in to help with the disaster relief in any way they could. Though he’d practically moved in after he’d turned his townhouse over to Blanche, he’d barely seen her at all the last week.

  If they can spend the whole day working, the least I can do is pull myself out of this bed.

  Drew sat up a little too quickly, causing the room to spin. He waited on the edge of the mattress and massaged his temples. Another migraine was coming on, but he didn’t have time for that. He’d promised Lainey he’d join her at Woody’s that evening to help out with the fundraiser. Trevor, the owner of the bar, had teamed up with a few other business owners, including the In-Shore-ance Agency and the Hot Spot, to set up a big benefit. It was sort of like a beef and beer, only without the beef and with a lot more beer. They’d hired a band and local businesses donated gift baskets for raffles. They even set up a bonus where contributors would get a voucher for a free drink for every bag of clothes, food, or toys they donated. All the proceeds from the night would go to the folks in Ocean County, many of which were still without power and running low on food. Drew was really impressed with the way the small community pulled together to help their neighbors.

  “But I still can’t believe I let Lainey talk me into this.”

  Drew groaned when he remembered the outfit, laid neatly on the chair next to the bed. To make the evening’s festivities even more appealing, Trevor had decided to go with a Halloween theme for the gathering. Lainey, Erin, and their office sidekick Stephanie had somehow roped him into dressing up with them. On the seat there was a pipe, a crimson robe complete with lacey black trim, a pair of slippers, and even a gray wig. Erin had the brilliant idea of the three co-workers dressing up as Playboy Bunnies and he’d somehow earned the role of Hugh Hefner. Far from the worst role he’d ever played, but still. Personally, he would’ve preferred a full facial mask or spooky makeup that would completely shield his features. He was sure this wouldn’t be the typical evening at Woody’s. There was bound to be a larger crowd, which meant an increased chance of being recognized.

  That would be a non-issue if you’d told Lainey the truth.

  It was a lame excuse, but somehow the days kept slipping away from him. He’d come so close to telling Lainey who he really was the night of the hurricane, but they were interrupted by the tree falling. Ever since, she’d been so busy with work and so emotional dealing with all the destruction Hurricane Sandra had caused, he didn’t have the heart to add more to her plate.

  Keep telling yourself that. Drew scoffed at his own excuses. Maybe you’ll convince yourself eventually.

  Drew tried to shake the thoughts away, but it only made his head pound harder. Guilt was never an easy pill to swallow. Trying to get his mind on other things, he checked the clock and saw it was barely ten in the morning. He didn’t have to meet Lainey at Woody’s until around five. He had a whole day to kill and not much worth doing. He decided to start by brewing some coffee and jumping into a scalding hot shower. He even shaved off the beard he’d started to grow since it clashed with his costume. Again, he caught the scent of Lainey’s presence, probably some left over essence of her shampoo or body wash. He could almost envision her there beside him, naked and covered in suds. Maybe tomorrow he’d make that fantasy into a reality. She’d have to take off Saturday and Sunday at the very least.

  Once Drew finished washing, he clutched a soggy towel around his waist and stared down at the Hefner costume. It was way too early to get into that getup, so he settled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt. He washed down a few aspirin with black coffee, hoping to fend off the brewing headache, and helped himself to a bowl of Lainey’s cocoa flavored cereal. Then he decided to check his messages. He kept his cell on vibrate all the time now and never answered it unless he was certain he was alone. It had been too close for comfort when Sharon had overheard his argument with Paulie. Thankfully, once Drew had fulfilled his promise and sent back the signed contracts, Paulie had backed off temporarily. Though one of the four messages were from his agent, he sounded almost cordial.


  “Andy, baby, it’s a done deal,” Paulie’s gruff voice affirmed. “The contract with Parafilms has been signed, sealed, and delivered. Now, you’d best get your ass in gear because filming starts in January in England and you’ve got a lot of promoting to do for Masked Secrets before you take off to Europe.”

  Drew sighed when he heard the deadline. January was just around the corner. He wasn’t ready to depart from New Jersey. He loved it more every day he spent there. The idea of leaving it behind made the cereal turn in his stomach, but not nearly as much as the next voicemail, which reminded him he had obligations to meet far sooner than January.

  “Andy, love.” Catherine. The actress’s voice purred through the phone line. “I know you haven’t forgotten our date on the red carpet. The Masked Secrets premiere is November tenth. I expect you will be on a plane back to L.A. long before that evening. Give me a ring if you would like ... a more personal engagement in the meantime. Bye, bye.”

  She made exaggerated kissy noises before disconnecting the call, which made Drew groan. Now that he’d gotten to know Lainey, women like Catherine held even less appeal, if such a thing were possible. She was completely phony from her dyed hair to her silicone breasts. Even she probably wasn’t sure what she really looked like anymore under all that makeup and plastic surgery. But her reminder that the movie premiere was so close was the most disturbing fact of all. The release had snuck up on him faster than he’d expected. He thought he had more time, but November was only a few days away. Drew tried not to think too much about it, instead moving on to the next message.

  “Drew, this is Ben from Schickler Real Estate calling. Everything’s good to go and settlement on your new home is scheduled for Monday morning! The cashier’s check already arrived from your accountant. We just need you there for some signatures and the keys will be yours! Give me a call with any questions. See you later.”

  Finally, some good news. In fact, it was perfect timing. Once Drew showed Lainey he’d purchased a home in Cape May County, she’d know how serious he was about her. Even if he had to go away for the premiere, even if he spent months in England, she’d have a guarantee he’d be coming back. The house might even be the perfect setting to tell her about his acting career. It might lesson the blow, make it less intimidating. And with closing less than three days away, he wasn’t putting it off too much longer.

  The sound of Lainey’s sweet voice on the fourth and final message strengthened his resolve. “Hey, Drew! It’s me. I guess you’re sleeping in. I’m just calling to remind you about the benefit tonight. Don’t forget your pipe.” Her giggle brought a smile to his lips. “See you soon.”

  No annoying smooch sounds at the end of that message, but it made his heart race and his crotch stiffen in a way Catherine never could. It also reminded him of something important he needed to check on. Chewing on his lower lip, Drew punched in a few numbers and listened to the line ring twice before a chirpy voice picked up.

  “Thomas Accounting, this is Lily speaking. How can I help you?”

  “Hi, Lily. Andy Palmer. Can I speak to Ross please?”

  “Sure thing, Mr. Palmer.” Based on the exaggerated sweetness in her tone, it wasn’t difficult to visualize the young girl’s bright red lipstick nearly cracking from her plastered on smile. “I’ll patch you right through.”

  Drew was forced to listen to a few minutes of elevator music. While he waited, Misty finally snuck out of whatever cubby hole she’d crept into and wrapped her black fur around his legs. He scratched her ears until he heard the condescending voice of his financial consultant on the other end of the line. Then, as if sensing danger, the cat bounded off in the direction she’d come from.

  “Yes, Andy. What can I do for you today?”

  “Just wanted to make sure my delivery is going to arrive as scheduled.”

  “I followed your instructions to a T. A five-hundred-thousand dollar cashier’s check is being delivered, care of one Trevor Sawyer, made payable to Red Cross. Though to be honest with you, Mr. Palmer, I still disagree with you making such a large donation.”

  Drew knew that was coming. Ross always treated him like an ignorant fool who couldn’t do simple addition, let alone manage his own investments. But the man dealt with so many celebrities who’d either gambled or snorted away their fortunes, Drew couldn’t blame him for his callous attitude. He avoided contact whenever possible, but this time it was a necessary evil. It wasn’t easy to free up that kind of currency on short notice. Initially Drew had requested a solid million, but since they’d already sent a huge check to the title company for the house, $500,000 was the best he could do for the time being.

  “I told you a hundred times already that this is something I need to do,” Drew argued. “I spent a lot of time in South Jersey when I was a kid. I want to help out.”

  “Then at least don’t make it anonymous,” Ross urged. “I’m no publicist for Christ Sake’s, but I’m sure your fans would eat this shit up. A big star helping out the hurricane victims? It’s headline gold!”

  “I’m not doing it for the glory,” Drew reminded him, pressing his fingers against his eyes. “This is personal and I prefer the press staying out of my private life.”

  “Whatever you say, boss. Just keep in mind that if we try to pull any more cash deals, you’ll be taking a huge hit. You pay me to make you money, not lose it,” his accountant reminded him. “I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell you how it is. Between this damn donation and the cash deal on that dump of a house you insisted on buying—”

  “I know, I know,” Drew interrupted. “No more shopping binges, I promise. And don’t worry. You should be seeing a fairly large advance coming through from Parafilms any day now. Before we invest, I’ll be sure to set aside a nice chunk for your holiday bonus.”

  Suddenly Ross was much more affable. “No need for that, Andy. I’m just doing my job.”

  Drew would’ve snorted if he thought it would make any difference. They both knew Ross would take the bonus. His palm was probably itching already. “Just keep both these transactions on the down-low,” Drew instructed. “Remember, no one else knows where I am and I’d like to keep it that way.”

  “Everything we discuss is privileged, Andy, you know that,” Ross vowed. “It would be unethical of me to say a word about any of our dealings. Now, I have another call coming through. You have fun down there in Jersey, though I’ll be damned if I know what you see in it.”

  Drew was relieved when that was the end of business for the day. He shot an email off to the realtor, confirming he’d be there for closing on Monday. When that was taken care of, he checked the time again. It was barely a quarter after twelve. He still had five hours to kill until he had to leave. With nothing better to do, he figured he’d start memorizing his dialogue, so he dug out the script for the vampire film from his suitcase. After pouring another cup of coffee, he sat down to read. He flipped open to a random page and the very first line made him want to gag.

  “I love you, but the scent of your blood makes me long to rip out your throat and drink your blood.” Drew read aloud, and then crinkled his nose in distaste. “Wow, how can she resist him? Definitely an Oscar worthy performance in the making here.”

  Drew tossed the distasteful script down onto the coffee table. He had no desire to read it, let alone memorize every word of abusive dribble this vampire uttered. It bordered on a paranormal tale of perverse mental abuse. Yet this is what the public wanted. This is what sold, and Drew knew he was nothing more than a pawn in the chessboard of the Hollywood bigwigs, no matter how large his paychecks were. He shook his head and took a sip of his coffee just as Misty resurfaced. She jumped up on the couch, circling a few times before settling down beside him.

  “I wish I could do something different,” Drew told the cat, running a hand along her silky mane. “Something unique. Something that would set me apart from the overbearing alpha males that are the newest American trend.”

  As if to
convey her sympathy, Misty opened her mouth to emit a plaintive meow before jumping down off the sofa and onto Lainey’s book bag. It had been sitting there since they got home from Sharon’s house. Lainey hadn’t been home long enough to put anything away. At first, Drew didn’t think much of it, until Misty meowed at him again. Sounding almost exasperated, she nudged the bag with her nose. Then it hit him.

  “Lainey’s book!”

  Drew had his very own writer who certainly stood out from the crowd. He couldn’t imagine Lainey fixating on anything other than strong characters with real purpose.

  “Thanks for the tip.”

  Misty moved to the side when Drew reached for the bag. Fighting back a slight twinge of guilt, he bent down to unzip the backpack. It wasn’t snooping since Lainey had given him permission to read her work, but he was still concerned she would be upset with him. That worry wasn’t enough to stop him from pulling three thick binders out from the bag. Each one was black, but decorated with cutout images of the musicals that inspired them. There were also hand cut letters taped to the front, revealing the titles—Phantom, Demon, and Hyde. They were numbered one through three so he figured they belonged in that order. The third wasn’t nearly as full as the first two, so Drew assumed Hyde was a work in progress. After putting the other two binders back in the bag, he grabbed Phantom and sat back down on the sofa. This time Misty jumped right into his lap and settled against his thigh with a contented purr. He patted her head and opened up the manuscript.

  “Let’s see what you have to offer.”

  Hours later, Drew was desperately trying to get through the last fifty pages before it was time to leave. From the first paragraph, the story had him hooked. A modern take on the famous Broadway musical, the story was about the killer stepping off the stage and into the very real life of the heroine. It was graphic and thrilling, with twists around every corner, but there was so much more to it. There was a love story with meaning and real romance, instead of cheap sex and male domination. There were also carefully guarded morals about self-acceptance and overcoming stereotypes, pulled off in a way that didn’t come off as preachy. And when Drew finally came to the big reveal and discovered who the villain was, he was as blown away by their identity as he was by the motive. This story was ten times better, ten times more entertaining, then the movie he’d been suckered into. Playing the hero in Lainey’s book would be a role he could actually be proud of. It was a shame he was already too old for the male lead, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t help get the story out there for other people to enjoy.