One Perfect Moment

by A. C. Arthur

  She tightened her fingers around his, seeking and receiving the comfort she’d become slightly addicted to in the past weeks. He was like the rock she hadn’t realized she needed in her life. After all these years of depending on herself, relying on her own instincts and discipline to get where she was in life, Ava had never imagined being able to lean on anyone else. Which made what she planned to do in the coming days so much harder.

  “Don’t be,” he told her. “You look stunning and smell amazing. And regardless of what happens tonight, you’ll still be the youngest African American writer and producer with a number one rated show on network television right now. Nothing else matters.”

  Ava inhaled deeply and felt the breath releasing slowly, calmly as she looked into his deep brown eyes. He’d commented on the scent of her perfume the second he’d entered the bedroom after he’d finished dressing. Landry had still been putting finishing touches on Ava—diamond stud earrings and matching cuff bracelet. The Tony Chaaya mermaid-cut black gown Ava wore was gorgeous and made her feel sexy and confident. The messy bun with loose curls around her face was elegant, her makeup flawless, and still her stomach would not settle.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “For saying that and agreeing to come here with me. I know you’ve been really busy with your work at the hospital, and this was sort of last-minute.”

  He shrugged and smiled. “My schedule’s a little flexible at the moment. Besides, this is an important moment for you. I’m honored that you asked me to share it with you.”

  She had asked him as they’d sat on the steps at Harper’s father’s farm after a seafood feast. Her agent, Marcelle, had called her that morning to tell her that she’d been nominated. Since she’d been in Temptation, Ava had been basically off the grid, so the news of the nominations hadn’t immediately gotten to her.

  Now, the night was here and she was nervous about possibly winning in the Best Drama Series category. Corbin Yancy and Miranda Martinez were also nominated in the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Drama Series categories. That gave Doctor’s Orders a total of three nominations for their first season. It was an amazing accomplishment, one that Ava did not take lightly.

  “I especially want to thank you because I know you do not like being in the spotlight,” she told him as the car had begun to slow down. “I want you to know that I do respect your feelings about things that happened in your past. I was just thinking that having the experience as an adult may be totally different. But I would have understood if you’d turned me down.”

  He leaned in and kissed her lips quickly. Just a peck because Landry had warned him about messing up her makeup when they were at the hotel and she’d mentioned how Gage was staring hungrily at Ava.

  “I’m here because I want to be here with you. That’s it. We’re not bringing anything else into this. Got it?”

  Ava smiled because if she’d had any doubts or reservations before, she knew now with absolute certainty that she was in danger of falling in love with Gage Taylor. And that was not a good thing; at least it wouldn’t be if she continued to put off telling him the truth.

  “Got it,” she replied just as the car stopped.

  They would be walking the red carpet, posing for pictures and talking to reporters. She was ready for this. It was her dream, right? Yes, it was, and she had the best guy here with her, to share her perfect moment. She could do this. She was ready to do this.

  And apparently, so was Gage.

  He was magnificent, holding her hand as they first stepped onto the red carpet, smiling and posing when cameras were aimed at them. Joking and being cordial with reporters who tossed out questions like, “How long have you two been dating?” and, “Are there wedding bells in the future?” Ava had no idea how they’d even known who Gage was, but when the first reporter had approached them asking, “Mr. Taylor, how does it feel to return to the spotlight after your family’s retreat thirty years ago?” Ava had thought Gage would turn back and go to the limo. But he hadn’t. He’d answered every question with brutal honesty, cutting the reporters short when their questions became too pushy with a stern, but polite, reply. He was perfect.

  And later that evening when they opened the envelope and called Ava’s name, her perfect guy had stood and hugged her, whispering, “I am so proud of you,” in her ear.

  * * *

  Following the show, they headed to one of the two after-parties Ava was scheduled to attend. Saraya had handled everything from securing their tickets, arranging transportation and even sending Ava and Gage the entire night’s itinerary in a detailed text. The first party was at the Viceroy, where Ava and Gage mingled with guests and posed for yet more pictures. Her cheeks had already grown sore from smiling, but adrenaline continued to rush through her each time she was approached by someone else.

  Until those someones were Jenner and Carroll, both beaming as they strode toward her. Gage had stepped away to find them something to drink. There was no shortage of champagne and other mixed drinks being floated around by resort staff, but they both wanted water, which was obviously too simple a drink to be offered to guests at this party. She immediately clutched her purse tightly in her hands and straightened her back. There was no doubt Jenner would want to talk to her about their last phone conversation. He hadn’t been thrilled with Ava’s progress, and she hadn’t cared. That bravado seemed a bit easier over the phone; still she was determined not to falter.

  “Congratulations, Ava! We did it!” Carroll said before pulling her into a tight hug.

  “Yes, we did!” she replied and genuinely returned his hug because Carroll had taken a chance on her, and she respected and appreciated him for that.

  Jenner’s hug and congratulations were just a little less exuberant.

  “With this feather in our cap, our new project is guaranteed to be a hit,” Jenner immediately said.

  Carroll was nodding so intently that his jowls shook with the motion. “And you brought him with you. That was a great PR idea! Wish we had come up with it.”

  Jenner clapped his hands together and smiled gleefully. “It’s perfect! The press is loving it. Sending your itinerary for the night and the name of your date to a few key members of the press was a brilliant idea. The buzz is already starting about the Taylors. So we’ll be all set to announce the show just before Christmas.”

  Ava shook her head. “You sent my itinerary to reporters?” she asked. “Are you crazy?”

  “No,” Jenner said, sobering just a bit. “On the contrary, I count myself as being quite smart. I knew you’d be great for this project.”

  “I told you it wasn’t going to go down the way you planned,” Ava said through clenched teeth. They were in a crowded room full of people either trying to get the next big Hollywood scoop, or trying to get a part in the next winning movie or show. None of whom she wanted to overhear this conversation.

  “My proposal is going to outline the show, leaving lots of leeway for the siblings to determine the content. My pitch to them is contingent upon their having control over how their lives are presented to the world,” she told Jenner. “We discussed this already.”

  “And I told you we would see about that. As for now, we’re starting the beginning publicity rounds. You and Gage embracing when you won that award only adds another layer to the project. We’ll get to cover the love interest of one of the siblings, with our very own producer. It’ll be like déjà vu,” Jenner said, his eyes gleaming with his excitement.

  Ava couldn’t believe it—he was actually becoming happy about exploiting Theodor Taylor’s infidelity, thirty years later, on television.

  “That’s not the outline I’m going to write,” she said adamantly.

  Jenner took a step closer to her then, taking her arm and pulling her to him. “You are going to do what I tell you to do. I got stiffed once by Theodor Taylor dying after he’d already signed on for this show, and
dammit, I won’t get shafted again. Now, you have that proposal to me next week or your career will spiral to an end as quickly as you’ve soared to the top.”

  “Is there a problem here?” Gage asked as he joined them.

  He was holding two water bottles, but he stuck them in his jacket pockets as he placed a hand on Jenner’s shoulder, pushing him away from Ava. He reached behind with his other hand and found Ava’s, twining his fingers tightly with hers.

  She cleared her throat and made the introductions, to which Gage remained unfazed.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Taylor,” Jenner said, his boisterous smile in place once again.

  Jenner extended his hand to Gage, but Gage made no move to return the shake.

  “Yes, it is,” Carroll chimed in. “We hope you’re enjoying your stay here in Santa Monica. If there’s anything we can get you, please do not hesitate to let us know.”

  “I don’t need anything,” Gage told them and then looked to Ava. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes,” she replied immediately, not bothering to look at Jenner or Carroll again before walking away.

  * * *

  Gage thought he’d been doing well. But five hours into this glamorous evening full of celebrities, producers, agents and groupies, he’d started to reach his limits. The final push could have been when he’d been in search of their drinks and he’d bumped into a familiar face.

  “Dr. Gage Taylor, what a surprise it is to see you out here,” Miranda Martinez had said as she’d stepped right up to him.

  Her long red-painted nails were a bright contrast to his dark suit jacket as she rubbed her hand down the lapel. Lips painted the same vibrant glossy hue and hair black as night falling in fluffy curls past her shoulders weren’t as alluring as they should have been for some reason. She wore a purple gown that left more of her skin exposed than was necessary, and her perfume stung Gage’s nostrils.

  “Hello, Miranda,” he’d said reluctantly. “Congratulations on your nomination.”

  She pouted, an effort that came across as foolish and almost cartoonish, with her full red lips.

  “What do the critics know anyway?” she said. “I mean, they did say we were the best drama series, but that’s only because of me.”

  Right. Gage stepped away from her. “Well, if you’ll excuse me—”

  She’d cut him off by lifting her hand to cup the back of his neck. “Not so fast. We hardly ever had a chance to really talk while on set. And now you’re here. How about we ditch this party and go somewhere a little quieter?”

  “No,” had been Gage’s immediate response. And since she didn’t take the response to mean he didn’t want her touching him, Gage clasped her wrist and eased her hand away. “I’m going to get Ava something to drink.”

  “Oh, she looks like she’s well taken care of at the moment,” Miranda had said before nodding her head in the direction across the room.

  That’s when Gage had seen the two men boxing Ava in. He’d been instantly irritated. He’d abandoned plans of searching for the water and moved in that direction. One of the staffers stopped him before he could get there, thrusting two water bottles and another beaming smile his way. With a curt “thank you,” Gage had taken the water and then went directly to Ava. It was as he’d come closer that he’d seen the man’s hand on Ava’s arm. Rage as he’d never experienced boiled inside of him, and he’d gone into action.

  Now he was holding her hand tightly, moving them through the crowd as quickly as possible. He wanted to get out of here, away from all these unscrupulous and mean-spirited people. So being stopped again irritated the hell out of him; still, for Ava’s sake, he managed another smile.

  “Ava Cannon,” the man, wearing a navy blue jacket and wide smile standing in front of them, stated.

  He was quickly joined by another man of the same stature, but dressed in a dove-gray suit.

  “Yes,” Ava said, bringing back the smile she’d also kept close this evening. “Hello.”

  “Hello,” the man continued and extended his hand to her. “My name is Parker Donovan, from Donovan Network Television. Let me congratulate you on the big win for Doctor’s Orders tonight.”

  “Oh, well, thank you, Mr. Donovan,” she replied and eased her hand out of Gage’s to shake Parker Donovan’s.

  “This is my brother, Savian,” Parker said, signaling the man beside him.

  “Congratulations,” Savian said. “My wife watches your show faithfully.”

  “Oh really? Well, tell her I said thank you.”

  “I will. She’s a lawyer and says it’s easier to sit back and watch a show about another profession and their drama than her own,” Savian continued with a chuckle.

  “Well, my wife might be reading for a spot on your show soon, she’s such a fan,” Parker added.

  “Your wife...wait a minute, Adriana Bennett-Donovan? Is she your wife?” Ava asked. “I’ve seen her work. She’s very talented.”

  “She is on both counts,” Parker replied with a smile that could only come from a man who really loved his woman.

  Gage relaxed at that thought and extended his hand to them. “Hello, I’m Dr. Gage Taylor.”

  Parker and Savian shook his hand and spoke with a genuine sincerity that Gage hadn’t seen much of tonight.

  “Were you heading out?” Savian asked.

  Ava looked to Gage. He didn’t speak, but let her make the decision on her own. This was her night, after all.

  “Ah, yes, we are. But I’m so glad we met up with you before doing so,” she said warmly.

  “I am, too,” Parker told her.

  “We won’t hold you up,” Savian said. “But we would be interested in meeting with you.”

  “Definitely,” Parker added. “We’re always interested in adding new and innovative shows to our schedule, and you definitely have your finger on the pulse of what viewers want.”

  Gage saw the surprise on Ava’s face and once again took her hand in his, pride swelling in his chest.

  “I...I would love the chance to talk further with you,” she said. “Ah, I’m heading back to Virginia tomorrow morning, but if you get in contact with my agent, we can definitely set up a mutually convenient time to chat.”

  Parker nodded. “We’ll do that very soon,” he said. “Now, you two have a good night.”

  “Thanks,” Gage said with a nod to both men.

  “Take care, Ava,” Savian said. “We’ll speak soon.”

  “Thank you both. Good night.”

  They were in the limo when Gage finally pulled those bottles of water out of his pockets and set them on the bar.

  “Well,” he said when he sat back against the seat. “You’ve had a pretty cool night.”

  “Yeah,” she said, still smiling. “I have. And you know what?”

  “What?” he asked.

  She lifted her hands to cup his face. “It’s all because of you.”

  He tried to shake his head. “No. This has been all about you. I didn’t do a thing.”

  “You were here when I needed you. I’ll never forget that, Gage,” she said, her voice soft.

  He brushed a hand over her hair and leaned in closer. “There’s no place I’d rather have been, Ava.”

  When his lips touched hers, Gage realized how much he meant those words. He wanted to be with Ava. In the morning, on his yacht, in Gray’s backyard, on the set in New York and the red carpet in California.

  He wanted to be with her. It was that simple and that terrifying at the same time.

  Chapter 10

  Temptation, Virginia

  Four days later, Ava had just finished her final draft of the outline for The Taylors of Temptation: A Whole New World. She’d renamed the show and changed it from a full season to a two-hour feature with a focus on each sibling and their reflection
on how the original show shaped their current lives.

  She’d read it over twice, making sure that she hit each emotional beat possible. In her mind, and after being in Temptation for almost two months now, this was the key to this family. While she hadn’t spoken to Gen, Gemma and Gia personally, she’d learned a lot from talking with Morgan and Harper about the sisters. Gray and Gage spent a lot of time at the hospital, but on the nights she was with Gage on the yacht, his memories of his sisters and all the torturous things the brothers did to them during their years in Pensacola were unforgettable. They were the years that the Taylor sextuplets formed their bond. The bond that remained steadfast and unbreakable now, all these years later. That’s what she wanted the world to see and to remember this town and these people by.

  And she hoped with everything in her that the Taylor sextuplets would go along with her plan. It was the twenty-ninth of October. The Fall Festival was tomorrow. She and Gage were slated to judge the pumpkin-carving contest, and Craig—who insisted that Ava had broken his heart—had selected a perfectly gruesome movie for everyone to watch on the night before Halloween. It was going to be a great time. So she would wait until the family dinner scheduled for the day after the festival at Morgan and Gray’s to propose her idea to them. Their agreement was important to her, regardless of what Jenner said. If he wanted the Taylors on television as badly as he said he did, then he would accept any changes the sextuplets wanted to make. And if not...

  A brisk knock on her door had Ava almost jumping off the bed where she’d been sitting cross-legged staring at her laptop. She wasn’t expecting anyone, and as such, was dressed in old gray leggings and a peach tank top that had certainly seen better days. Before she could get to the door, there was another knock and then a familiar voice.

  “Ava Marie Cannon, if you do not open this door right now, I’ll have this man break it down. Although I’m not sure he could as he looks a bit frail.”

  Ava groaned as she reached for the knob and pulled the door open.

  “What are you doing here, Mother?”