by Law, Kim
Or making Brody look like one.
But she could salvage this; she was certain. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t been tasked with worse in her life. She simply had to do a good enough job to ensure that anything else written up showcased both her and the play in the best possible light. Maybe she could turn on the charm, even if she flubbed her way through parts of the play.
Reversing positions, she moved to the narrow back hall, her sights set on the far door. There was fresh air beyond the barrier, and she suddenly needed it. As she squeezed past the other actors in the hallway, she sternly told herself that she had this. She would wow them tonight.
But the reality was, she had no idea if she had this at all.
In fact, she was pretty sure she didn’t.
Her cell buzzed as she reached the door, and she saw that it was a text from her mother. Terrific. She’d spoken to her mom the day before, excitedly telling her about the play, but Emma Davenport had not been impressed. In fact, she’d thought it was “silly.” So Cat had ignored the many calls that had come in from her that afternoon. She had too many nerves as it was, and she didn’t need her mother getting in her head and adding to them.
However, receiving a text from her mom was odd. It typically took an act of Congress to get Emma Davenport to punch out a message.
Cat was intrigued.
She stepped out the back door and swiped the phone to bring up the message.
Call me.
Well, that put it bluntly. And only because Cat was looking to take her mind off her nerves—even if that meant an argument with her mother—she pushed the call button.
“Catherine.” The call was answered with a single word.
“Hello, Mother. The play is just about to start. Did you need something?”
“I need to know why I’m looking at a picture of you in Brody Hollister’s arms.”
Cat stood up straighter. “What?”
“I have a copy of the Post in front of me, and there in full color, is you in his arms. What is going on up there?”
The picture made the Washington Post? Lovely. She’d just wanted to have a little fun, not make national news.
“It’s his play,” she explained. Clearly it had been a mistake answering the text. This was not the argument she’d expected. “He wrote it.”
“Then you need to bow out of it.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell them thanks, but no thanks. Bow. Out.”
Cat stared at the phone. Had her mother lost her mind? Cat wasn’t a teenager anymore. She was a grown woman. With two kids and a house. She was a widow, for crying out loud.
Her mother didn’t get to tell her what to do.
And if Cat wanted to be in Brody Hollister’s arms, then she would be in Brody Hollister’s arms.
Though she would prefer to keep it out of the papers.
“I’m going to have to say no to this one, Mom.” She knew that would be a new concept for her mother, but it felt strangely empowering to say it. In fact, it made her a little giddy.
Maybe it was simply that her nerves were still on the edge, and giddiness was an aftereffect.
“I’m not joking around, Catherine.” Her mother used her stern voice. “You can’t get messed up with him again.”
“First, I wasn’t messed up with him before. We hooked up, yes. And things happened.”
“Things that I had to help you fix.”
Cat clenched her jaw. “Yes. Things that you had to help me fix.”
“Then I don’t see what the problem is.”
Cat’s nerves took a backseat to her blood pressure. She didn’t need her mother reminding her of her past actions. They weren’t anything she would ever forget.
But she did need her mother to move on. This wasn’t nineteen years ago.
“And I don’t see what the problem is,” Cat stressed. “That happened almost twenty years ago. I was a teenager. But I’m an adult now. I don’t need you worrying about my private life.”
“Well, someone needs to. You don’t want your past coming out. Not to him.”
Anger colored Cat’s view. “Were you planning to tell him?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what’s the issue?”
“I’m just saying—”
“Looks like I need to run,” she interrupted. She wasn’t doing this. She simply wasn’t in the mood. “We’ll talk later, Mom.”
“I’m only thinking of you,” her mother tossed in before Cat could hang up.
Cat closed her eyes. It was a tired expression. One she found that she didn’t particularly care to hear anymore. “Then how about you don’t think of me so much?” She paused for only a second before adding, “And do not throw my past in my face, Mom. Never again. I’m well aware of what happened.”
“Catherine—”
“Brody and I are friends. Deal with it.”
She hung up, realizing that her hands were shaking. But at least her nerves had calmed.
What was her mother so upset about?
Cat shook her head as she stood there facing the back parking lot. She pulled in several gulps of cool air, letting her gaze hang on the waning light as she tried desperately to refocus on the play. Her mother always bore a tendency to go off about the oddest things, but really, Cat talking to a man she’d befriended years ago wasn’t the end of the world. Even though they had become more than friends and she had left him out of a very important decision.
It didn’t mean they couldn’t be grown-ups now.
Especially because Brody wasn’t even aware of Cat’s deception.
She lifted her phone again, needing to calm the anger now, and decided to pull up the good-luck text that had come in from JP earlier. There was also an obviously high-pitched squealing, shouting text from her sister-in-law. They were excited for her. Rereading the messages now would help reset her mind, but the e-mail indicator caught her attention first. A new e-mail had come in.
When she opened it, she discovered it was from Bennett, her older brother, and she sucked in a breath. This was the first time he’d responded to any of the messages she and JP had been trying to get to him over the last two weeks.
She opened it cautiously.
Break a leg, Sis. I remember you being quite the drama queen when you were a kid. Too bad I can’t be there to see it in person. I would like to.
An unexpected tear appeared in the corner of her eye, and she dabbed a finger at it to keep from messing up her stage makeup. How had Bennett known about the play? She wouldn’t think the news would make it to him—wherever he was.
She loved that he thought enough to contact her, though. She just wished he’d reach out in person so she could tell him about their father. Or in his case, the lack thereof.
She hit Reply and typed in a thank-you, then tacked on:
Please call me. I really need to talk to you. It’s important.
When she stepped back inside the building, the first thing she saw was Brody. He was leaning casually against the wall, flowers at his side, a blank expression on his face.
She let out a slow breath. She’d missed him the last few days.
“You’re late,” she chastised.
He held up the huge bouquet of yellow roses. “I had a stop to make.”
“You brought me roses.” The gesture softened her insides.
Her phone rang before he replied. It was her kids this time. Her heart thudded. They’d been so excited for her when she’d told them about the play.
“I have to take this.” She held up the phone.
Brody gave a nod. His eyes studied her, but the blank expression didn’t change.
“Mom!” Becca squealed the instant Cat answered.
Both nerves and anger disappeared that fast. Her kids always made it better. “Hey, B
ecca. What are you doing, sweetheart? Did you have a good day at the beach?”
They’d worn their grandparents out at Disney World the previous week and had moved into the Carltons’ condo the day before. The next few days would be all about seeing how much sun they could soak up and how much sand they could track inside. Cat had offered to pay their part-time nanny to go with them to help her in-laws, but Colette and Francis would have none of it. They’d wanted this time with their grandkids to themselves.
It helped Cat not to miss them so much, knowing they were having such a great time.
“That’s not why I called, Mom. This is your big day. Are you excited?”
“I am. I feel like a star.”
“You are a star, Mom.” Becca’s words gushed out of her. “And I’ll bet you’re beautiful in your costume.”
Her daughter was the one who should be onstage. She was the drama queen.
Cat could hear someone talking in the background before Becca returned to the conversation. “Grandma says it’s time for you to take the stage,” she explained in a somewhat calmer voice, as if she were working hard to force control, “so I’m hanging up now. But I just wanted to say I love you, Mom.”
Another tear appeared and stuck in Cat’s fake lashes. “I love you too, sweetheart.”
She got off the phone, a smile lingering on her face, and once again took in Brody.
“Your kids?”
She nodded, a lump in her throat. “My daughter. Becca’s excited for me.”
Then she reached for the flowers and buried her nose in their scent. Gratitude suddenly engulfed her, making her chest feel too small to hold it all in. For her kids. They were the best part of her life. And for the chance to be in this play. It gave her an excitement unlike any she’d had in years.
But also for Brody. It was nice to have him around again.
He stepped in front of her then, blocking out visibility to anyone else standing in the vicinity, and slipped her hand in his. “Any chance you’ve forgiven me yet?” he asked quietly.
She swallowed. “For what?”
But she knew for what. And it was cruel to make him say it. He’d already apologized Friday night on the way back to her car. He felt bad about putting the sanctity of his car above sex with her.
He didn’t reply now. He merely angled his head at her and gave her a look.
She fought the smile but lost, so she pulled in another deep whiff of the flowers. But when she peered back up, she sensed a heartfelt concern coming from him. He really did feel bad.
“I forgave you the other night,” she told him.
“No you didn’t.” His words sent a shiver down her spine. “You pretended to, but you were offended.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he interrupted with, “Acceptance is not forgiveness.”
The director called out that they were live in five, so Cat made a quick decision. If Brody wanted to bring it up again, then fine, she wouldn’t let him off the hook so easily. She’d tried to play nice, to be polite. But if he wanted to hear the truth, she’d tell him. She leaned in and spoke softly. “I offered you sex, Brody Hollister. Free sex. No strings. And you had to think about it. Because of a car!”
A deep red brushed his neck and cheeks. “I’m an idiot. Make the offer again. I swear I won’t make the same mistake twice.”
She eyed him shrewdly. “In the car?” Dang, he did bring out the boldness in her.
“Wherever you want.”
He seemed sincere. And a little desperate. It almost made her smile.
And then something occurred to her. “You have a blanket in your car now, don’t you?”
The flush deepened, and she had her answer.
“Oh, my God.” She made a face at him. “You’re unbelievable.” She thrust the roses at him. “Hold these for me. I have a play to get through.”
She turned and headed to the stage, only then realizing she’d lost the anxiety that had been tying her up in knots all day. Well, most of it.
She also realized something else.
If Brody pushed much more, she was going to say yes.
To his car, his house, her house, or the danged beach.
Wherever she could get him.
Only, out of the reach of nosy photographers.
CHAPTER NINE
THE CROWD ROARED as Brody sat in the audience cringing at what Cat was doing to his play. She had changed so many of his lines he was no longer sure what was his and what wasn’t.
To be fair, he didn’t think she’d changed them so much as forgotten them. He’d seen her go deer-in-headlights about halfway through the first act, and the next thing he knew she’d come out with a line he’d never thought of. The guy sitting next to him had almost fallen out of his seat with laughter.
And not because he’d thought she’d messed up.
The guy had loved it. Everyone seemed to be loving it. Most of the time. Occasionally something fell flat, but overall, Cat Carlton was the funniest person Brody had ever seen. And bless the rest of the cast, they’d gone along with it, never once breaking character.
He glanced around at the crowd as the second act continued to play out in front of them. Everyone was on the edge of their seats with anticipation, eagerly waiting to see what she would do next. Hell, he was, too.
And though every time she messed up one of his lines it was like ripping a Band-Aid off a particularly hairy body part, the response from those around him made it clear that he wasn’t yet ready for prime time. He had more work to do.
Which stunk.
But it was a heck of a lot better to know that before he got a producer up here.
Of course, he had e-mailed the playwright agent that very afternoon, causally slipping in that they’d secured a Davenport to play the lead. That would teach him to try to use something other than his own hard work for personal gain. Now he’d have to redo the play, asking the agent to take another look later on.
“She’s fantastic. I didn’t know she could act.” He heard the words from a couple of rows behind him. Several people agreed. In fact, he’d heard the words over and over throughout the last hour and a half.
And she was. Not to mention glowing.
Another line was changed and the crowd once again roared. He gave in and pulled out the small notepad he kept stashed in his coat pocket. Might as well write down some of the one-liners as she was coming up with them. He’d be an idiot not to use them.
He only hoped she could remember what he’d been too stubborn to write down before.
Fifteen minutes later, as the final scene came to an end and the actors took their bows, the crowd surged to their feet. There were several reporters in the group, all either with a camera or a photographer by their side. And they were not merely local people. In fact, he’d caught more than one of their credentials stating they were from Boston.
In one small move, Cat had gotten more people interested in one of his plays than he’d managed to accomplish in ten years of trying. It was sobering.
As she stepped to the edge of the small stage, instantly being surrounded by audience members seeking to meet her, her gaze sought him out. The blue of her eyes was bold and hot. And though she periodically glanced away to accept congratulations, her eyes kept returning to his. The action sent his pulse skyrocketing and his feet moving in her direction. His mother caught him before he reached Cat.
“I can’t believe how good she is.” She raised her voice to be heard over the noise, and squeezed his arm, darn near bouncing in place. “This is it, Brody. This is really it. You’re totally going to get noticed.”
He looked down at her. The radiance on his mother’s face matched that on Cat’s. “You do know that half of that wasn’t even my work?”
She motioned with her hand as if batting away a gnat. “So you’ll change it. Big deal.”
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Yeah, big deal. Only, he liked to do things on his own. Seemed that was about to take a flying leap, though. Because yes, he was definitely changing it. Cat had turned an ordinary play into a gold mine, and he would not be too foolhardy to admit it.
And then Cat was standing two feet in front of him.
Her grin spread wide as he looked at her. “That. Was. Amazing!” She shouted.
In the next instant she lunged at him, and his breath caught. Her mouth had landed on his.
Her arms twined tight around his neck, his around the small of her back, and he scooped her up so that her feet dangled several inches off the floor. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, more of a release of excitement, but it was hot nonetheless.
And he couldn’t get enough.
When she leaned back, her smile still in place, he forced himself to put her on her feet. And not to kiss her again. Because hey, they were in the middle of a crowd of cameras. Instead, he grabbed her roses and handed them over.
“I can’t believe you don’t do this professionally,” he told her.
The glow from her somehow managed to hike up another notch. “I can’t believe I haven’t done this since I was eighteen. What a high!”
She hugged him once more, this time turning her mouth to his ear. “I’m so sorry I messed it up.”
He pulled back. “What?”
Was she kidding him?
But before he could tell her she had messed up nothing, Brody’s mother captured her in a tight hug, then the two of them were swept off to join the others greeting the crowd as they filed out of the small auditorium.
Brody watched her go, jealous at all the other people now on the receiving end of her glow, and worrying over what she’d just said. Did she really think that what she’d done up on that stage had harmed the play?
He hung around the auditorium as everyone dispersed, accepting his own congratulations and pats on the back, and eventually making his way over to Clyde.
The two men took one look at each other and nodded.
“You’ll be making changes?” Clyde asked.
