If he didn’t personally train her to ask such questions, he would have been furious. He wanted to tell his protégé to mind her own business. If he wanted to sink money into a line so Erin could play spokesperson, it was his name on the door. Instead, he inhaled and smiled. “You can consider it more of a collaborative effort between Ms. Holland and myself.”
“Why don’t I collect some packaging samples, and you can pick a few ingredients for her?” She stood.
“That sounds good.” He continued to grin at her. “I appreciate that.”
“Do you want me to grab some of our stock samples for her to try?” She hugged her notebook to her chest.
“No, I’ll pick some things for her.” Somehow he couldn’t meet Bambi’s eyes. Eventually, he wanted to take Erin back to the lab and show her how it was done. Wait. He corrected his own thought. What he wanted was to show her the process of creating a nutraceutical. He didn’t even believe his own thought.
Right as Bambi made her way to the exit, there was a knock and the door opened.
His receptionist, Jennifer, peeked her head in, a huge smile and blush across her face. “Isaac, Drew, whatever, Erin Holland is here for you and she gave me an autograph!” The woman held up a yellow pad with Erin’s dramatic signature scrawled across it in her signature metallic ink. He remembered sitting with her while she practiced to perfect her E, she explained how the letter H was already sexy, but E needed some help.
“Well, send her in.” In a last ditch effort to save his behind on this product line, he quickly grabbed an ingredient catalog and flipped it open.
The Holland whirlwind entered his office. In sleek black leggings and a form-fitting shirt, she swooped inside and the energy in the room electrified.
If having her in his home was strange, her appearance at his workplace was beyond over the top.
“Drew.” She held her hand out.
Instinct, need, or training, on automatic he stood and practically tripped over his own feet trying to get to her to take the token. Somehow he made it across the room and grabbed her hand. He wanted to tell her she was early, but a quick glance at the clock told him she was actually right on time. “Welcome to Fluent Word Nutraceuticals.”
“It really is a big huge business, like something you would see in a movie.” She let go of his hand and curled her arm around his.
In Erin Holland land that was her topmost compliment. “Thank you.”
“Do I get a grand tour? Will I see the products…” She gazed up at him and snapped her fingers, an old habit from when she tried to remember one of her lines. “Will I see the products on the line?”
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Bambi shake her head.
Trapped from leaving his office by him and Erin, Bambi finally approached. “Isaac, I’m going to go gather those items you wanted.”
Being used to always being in the limelight, Erin rarely introduced herself to anyone not in the industry, but the way she didn’t even glance in Bambi’s direction told him two critical things. One, Erin didn’t like her, and two, she was threatened by his chemist who didn’t fall all over herself trying to get the star’s attention. Erin never got along well with other females.
In order to set Bambi free before Erin shot her, he motioned toward the woman. “Erin, I would like to introduce you to Bambi Larue, one of my chemists.”
Without a word, Erin waited.
He tried to silently will Bambi to say anything smacking of a fan. Even a mention she liked the movie, anything.
Anything.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Bambi put a weak smile on her face.
“Because you’ve heard so much about me?” Erin giggled and squeezed his arm tighter.
“Actually, until today, no.” Bambi’s facial expression did not change one iota.
He winced and made his way toward the door, bracing himself to get ready for the whirlwind soon to become a hurricane. “How about we take that tour?”
Erin let go of him and turned toward Bambi. "Well, you will now, since I'm one of your spokespeople." She spun back and tangled her arm in his again. "I'm ready for my tour now, Mr. Fulton."
“It was nice meeting you.” At last Bambi left the office.
Erin chose not to respond.
“Ready?” Now that she was here, he really didn’t know what to do with her.
“For you, always.” She continued to gaze up at him.
“Let’s go.” He guided Erin through the building. Fine, he puffed up his chest a bit at showing her what he’d built.
She smiled and nodded at everyone, signed a few autographs, and laughed at the few remaining pictures his workers kept up of him from Hollywood Stardust.
To her, everything was a wonder. She oohhed and ahhed at the office area, she seemed fascinated by their shipping manager's oversized tape dispenser commenting on how she rarely taped anything, but if she needed to this would be the tape she wanted. She even posed for a few pictures.
In the packaging area, she handed one of his workers her phone. "Would you mind taking a picture of Drew and me? Always hold the camera so you are looking down at us."
Everyone in the department gathered around as she positioned the two of them next to a stack of boxes and product. "Take at least five shots, and wait until I tell you we're ready." She directed. "The rest of you get your phones up, this one's for free."
The crowd laughed, but damn if not all of his people lifted their phones to capture the image.
Never being the one next to Erin in a photo shoot, he froze trying to remember how Ryder or Logan stood.
One thing Erin possessed was a sixth sense with photography and filming. She twisted her body so she was up against him, took one of his hands and put it around her, grabbed the other and positioned it on her waist, turning him in the process. "It's about time this spot belonged to you." She titled her head for the camera. "Now."
At her words, he could only keep his focus on her. Through her lashes, she peeked up at him, micro adjusting the two of them for several shots. Then she held up her hand and bowed. "Thank you."
His worker returned her phone, and she scrolled through the shots. "This is the one." She turned the device to him.
He stared down at the captured moment in time. Any image of just the two of them together happened over twenty years ago. While she was always gorgeous, no doubt he’d changed and for the first time he looked like he could almost belong with her. "Will you email that to me?" If nothing else, he wanted a record.
"You never gave me your email and no one else would either." She laughed, but then shrugged and handed him her phone. "If you want to put in your address, I'll send it now."
For too long everything he did was to keep her away. He paused before typing his email and returned her phone.
She sent the picture and, with a little less playfulness and joy, took his arm again. "Should we continue?"
"Yes, I want to show you the actual manufacturing facility." He guided her to the back.
"That sounds exciting." He led her to the back to a giant viewing window that looked out over all the different machines.
She went to the window and pressed her palms against the glass. For several minutes she simply stood there gazing out at the machines doing their job.
"If you want to go inside we will have to put on jumpsuits and hair nets." He didn't know if she would want to do that or not.
"Is anything happening with Hollywood Glow today?" She touched the top of her hair.
"Well, it’s not really near production yet." Though he was pretty sure Erin didn't come equipped with her own personal spotlight, one felt as though it were shining down on him now.
"Oh." She looked between the viewing window and him. "How about when it runs we can go back? I'm not really prepared, plus maybe then we can film it for publicity."
"That's a good idea." At least they had plenty of connections, but he had to remember they weren't a they.
"May I see t
he products?"
Her question was innocent enough. Like Bambi said, if a spokesperson was used in marketing, the products were usually finished. "I wanted to talk to you about that."
"All right." A faint hint of a smile lit up her face.
"Regarding the products, I really wanted your input. I believe if you are going to put your face and your name to the line, you should be intrinsic in the creation of the products." He tried to match her smile with one of his own, but his acting skills were sorely out of practice.
Her smile broadened. "I would love to do that with you." Once more, she turned toward the machines.
"Excellent." He had to say he enjoyed the way she watched the machines and stood next to her.
"Drew." She took his arm. "If I ask you a question, will you be honest?"
"Yes." He wondered what horror show question her mind might conjure.
"Did you only create Hollywood Glow so we could have something to do together?"
Well, her question cinched it, he was never meant to act and he couldn’t live the lie. "Yes, but I do want to do the project."
"I'm so glad, now I'll be able to learn everything about you and your work." She turned, and moved his bangs off his forehead. "If I ask you another question will you still be honest?"
He was done for when she did that bang swiping thing and nodded.
"Since we know you didn't come find me to be a spokesperson, why did you show up that night and say you wanted to talk to me?"
Although he promised he'd be honest, he couldn't quite yet say the words. Instead, he tilted his head and grabbed her hand.
"Drew." Closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "That's what I wanted, what I dreamed about, why did you make this all up?"
Unable to look at her, he diverted his attention to the ceiling. "Because once you arrived at my home, you were there and I wanted you and all I could think of was…" His muscles tightened, and he tried to figure out how to word what he wanted to say.
Her arms fell to her side and she backed up. "It was twenty years ago, can't you forgive me? Haven’t I proved how sorry and wrong I was?"
While his mouth opened to speak, he had no answer.
"Why did you show up the other night?" She put her hands on her hips.
"I just told you."
"You disappeared on me." Shaking her head, she continued to move away. "If I was so repulsive that you felt the need to change your identity to stay away from me and you still can't move on from what happened twenty years ago, I want to know why you came for me the other night."
How did he tell her he didn't know, but he had to? "Obviously, you can't get over the fact I left for twenty years because what you did nearly killed me."
"Screw you." In a show of pride, she lifted her head high. "I don't need this. I was just fine without you."
Without allowing him to retort, she walked away.
He shut his eyes, wondering if he would come home to find she’d vanished this time.
HOLLYWOOD STARBURST
FADE IN:
INT. FLAGSTAFF, AZ – INSIDE A BUS – DAY.
Every available seat is filled. A baby is crying, people are fanning papers and the sweat on their brows is visible. An old lady throws up in a brown paper bag in the seat right in front of ROXY.
ROXY
Sits in her window seat next to an old man staring at her. The child behind her won’t stop kicking the back of Roxy’s seat. She shudders and looks out the window, pressing her palm to the glass.
THE WOMAN IN FRONT OF HER vomits into the bag once more.
GUY ON BUS dressed in all leather with makeup and a passed out girl slung over him waves hand.
GUY ON BUS
Stop the bus! It reeks in here, have some mercy!
The passengers on the bus grumble. The woman throws up once more and at last the bus driver pulls into a gas station. All the patrons on the bus clap. The door opens and people begin filing off the bus.
ROXY wipes her brow and turns, shuddering at the way the old man continues to stare at her.
ROXY
Excuse me.
OLD MAN
You don’t want to leave me, do you?
ROXY
I need some air.
OLD MAN
It’s hard for me to get up. Well, not some of me.
OLD MAN looks down at his lap.
ROXY Her jaw drops open and she stands, getting up on her seat and climbing over to the row in front of her, stepping right into the bag of vomit.
ROXY
Oh God!
ROXY grabs her backpack from the overhead bin and darts out of the bus. Once outside, she kicks off her shoe, hobbles into the convenience store and goes right to the refrigerated section, pressing her face against the cool glass.
ROXY
(Whispers)
I’m more lost than ever.
GAS STATION WORKER Older female in uniform comes up to her.
GAS STATION WORKER
Miss, can I help you?
ROXY
Can you tell me where I’m going?
GAS STATION WORKER
Well, if you’re with that bus, you’re going wherever that bus is taking you.
ROXY
I just got on the first bus out of Hollywood. I have no plan. I want someone to rescue me.
GAS STATION WORKER
Yeah, I know that feeling. Been waiting for that same thing since the bus dropped me off here twenty years ago.
ROXY glances at the woman.
ROXY
I can’t get back on that bus. The wheels just keep spinning and I’m going nowhere. I need to go home, but I’m down to my last twenty dollars.
GAS STATION WORKER
Well, sounds like you need a fairy godmother. I’m not sure if we have that in out here.
ROXY scans area, her eyes stopping on a picture of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
ROXY
Mashed potatoes.
GAS STATION WORKER
I don’t think mashed potatoes are going to help you.
ROXY stands up straight.
ROXY
These type will. They’re not made by a fairy godmother but a grandmother and they’re more than mashed potatoes. One day she told me I would want a second helping, and I think she’s right.
GAS STATION WORKER
You have a fairy grandmother?
ROXY
No, but Steven does, and I need some help.
ROXY limps toward the payphone.
Chapter Eight
NO MATTER HOW HARD she tried, Erin rarely slept passed 5:00 am. Over thirty years of having to be on set in the wee hours of the morning had trained her to the point where at 5:00 almost on the dot her eyes would pop open. Sometimes if she were exhausted she could drift back to slumber land. Of course, if she were in the warm embrace of someone she cared about, she could definitely sleep. If nothing else, she simply enjoyed lying there.
Unfortunately, that had not happened for many, many years and looking back, the times she thought she cared for someone, she knew whoever she was with was only filler material for the man in the next room.
Not wanting to wake Drew, she took her time in the bath and applying her makeup then cuddled up with her computer on the bed. The next thing she knew it was after nine o’clock. Anxiety and feeling like she had no place in the world exhausted her.
She hadn’t seen Drew since she left his laboratory. Terrified he would ask her to leave, she rushed back here and holed herself up in his guest room with a diet soda, a bag of popcorn and an orange. Part of her expected him to come and talk to her, but she must have fallen asleep. By the time she woke up, the house was dark and his bedroom door closed.
After checking, she appeared presentable and with a plan on how to at least fix part of her life, she tiptoed out of the room.
Beaker stood up from his position on the stair landing and barked at her.
“Good morning.” She smiled at
her new favorite person. Yes, she decided Beaker was definitely more a person than some people she knew.
He wagged his tail, picked up a knotted piece of rope he used for a toy and dropped it on her shoe.
She moved her foot back and inspected her footwear for any scratches or slobber. “These are very expensive shoes. Show a little respect for the designer.”
Beaker used his nose to push the toy closer.
She shrugged, since she met the designer once and the man wasn’t all that. In fact, Beaker seemed much more intelligent. With two fingers she picked up the toy and tossed it.
The dog leaped into the air and caught it.
“Impressive.” She clapped. “Mr. Beaker, you passed your audition, we will be booking you right away.” Her stomach twisted. She hoped she would be as lucky with what she had to do today.
Beaker stayed by her side as she made her way down the hallway. Drew’s door was partially open and she gave a quick peek inside. The room was completely empty.
Though the urge to snoop overwhelmed her, she didn’t need any more strikes against her and went down stairs.
Strange being in someone’s home without them. Even with her canine companion, the whole place seemed eerily quiet, as if the energy of the rightful owner left with his absence.
Limelight (Hollywood Stardust) Page 8
