TIMING IS
EVERYTHING
ISBN: 978-1-932926-59-0 (ebook version)
Copyright © 2000 and 2015 by Sabra Brown Steinsiek
Cover Photo: Corbis Images
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Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or the publisher.
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Artemesia Publishing, LLC
9 Mockingbird Hill Rd
Tijeras, New Mexico 87059
[email protected]
www.apbooks.net
Timing Is
Everything
Book 1 of the Taylor’s Girls Series
by
Sabra Brown Steinsiek
Artemesia Publishing
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dedication
For my husband and research partner, Will, who has always believed I could, and should, do anything I put my mind to.
Epigraph
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...A time to be born and a time to die...a time to weep and a time to laugh...a time to get and a time to lose...a time to love…
Ecclesiastes 3
Acknowledgements
A book is never written by just one person. In my case, it took almost a whole army. I could not have done it without -
~ my Mother, Mary Louise O’Hearn Brown, who gave me the love of books at an early age.
~ my husband, Will, and my son, Jared, the computer gurus that made the physical writing process possible and who never once complained because dinner was late...again.
~ the “editors” who bravely volunteered to read the early version without even knowing if I could write. Elodie, Cindy, Frances, Lisa, Roberta, and Beth. Thanks, too, to all the others who read it at varying stages, Barb, Carol, Carolyn, Deb, Heidi, Jude, Kathy C., Kathy P., Maggie, Marsha, Mary, Pat, and my sisters, Eileen and Shannon.
~ Jan Burke and Michael McGarrity who took the time to offer an encouraging word.
and
~ Michael, who inspired me to create Taylor.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Prologue
As Nancy Morgan pulled into the driveway she saw her husband, Jay, coming out of the house. It was late and, as usual, he had been watching for them to come home. She reached across and unlocked the passenger door for him. Jay picked up their sleeping son, carrying him into the house and up the stairs to bed. Nancy followed them and kissed the sleeping boy goodnight as she pulled the blankets up around his small shoulders. The dim light of the hall caught his reddish brown curls and she couldn’t resist touching them. Sleepily, the boy roused and murmured, “‘Night…’” before falling soundly asleep.
As she pulled the door closed behind her, Jay asked, “So, how was the show?”
“It was wonderful, Jay. I wish you’d come with us.”
“No, I would have spoiled it for both of you. I can’t sit still that long.” He put his arm around her as they walked down the hall to their bedroom. “How did Taylor like it?”
Nancy slipped off her shoes and turned so he could unzip her dress for her. “He loved it. I expected he would, but he said something on the way home that surprised me.”
“Taylor has a talent for doing that,” his father acknowledged with a smile.
“He does,” Nancy agreed, “but this was different.”
Seven-year-old Taylor had been uncharacteristically quiet after the performance of Phantom of the Opera. This was the first “grown-up” show she’d taken him to see and she had been a little concerned that it had been too much for him. It hadn’t been until they were out on the highway beginning the hour-long drive to Woodland that he spoke.
“Mom?”
“Yes, Taylor?”
“I know what I want to do now.”
“Now, Taylor? It’s a little late…”
“No, Mom, what I want to do when I grow up. I want to do what he did—the Phantom.”
Nancy was a little startled that her son wanted to grow up to be a disfigured, manipulative misfit but was willing to hear him out. “The Phantom, Taylor? You know he’s just a fictional character.”
Taylor sighed, “I know that, Mom. I meant I want to be an actor and a singer. I want to be able to make people feel the way he made me feel tonight.”
“It’s a good dream, Taylor, but you know it doesn’t just happen. You’d have to work very hard.”
“I know and I will. Someday, Mom, that’s going to be me. Can we listen to the music again?”
She reached out and started the tape player and the rich sounds of the Phantom overture filled the car. In a few minutes, Taylor was fast asleep leaving his mother to think about his announcement.
“Nancy, you know Taylor. Last week it was paleontology, this week it’s theatre. Taylor changes his career goals to match his current interest!”
Nancy brushed her hair slowly, stopping to look at her hu
sband, “I know that, Jay. But this announcement was different. I think I’m going to see if there are any children’s theatre classes scheduled for this summer.”
Jay took the brush out of his wife’s hand. “Fine, let him try. Right now, it’s late and I want to make love to my wife before we both fall asleep.”
Laughing, Nancy put her arms around him and kissed him, the matter of their son’s future forgotten for the moment.
Chapter 1
“You’re kidding! Right, Robert?” Laura Collins looked up from the assignment sheet the city editor had just thrown on her desk.
“Nope. He’s all yours, Laura,” the man said with an evil grin. “There are people on this staff who would kill for the chance I’m giving you.”
“Then let them kill me and take it! You know I hate doing these celebrity stories.” Laura pushed her fingers through her long, copper-colored hair. “Why can’t Heidi do it? She loves this stuff.”
“Heidi has the flu. So does half of the rest of the staff, Laura. In fact, you’re going to have to run without a photographer, too. We’ll just use the publicity shot that came with the press packet. Taylor Morgan is yours, like it or not. Your appointment is at eleven. Don’t be late.”
“Great. Just great,” Laura muttered under her breath as she watched her boss walk away. She glanced at her watch, then down at the jeans and cotton shirt she was wearing. She hadn’t dressed for an interview, especially not one with a major celebrity. If she hurried, she could look over the background file and still make it home in time to change before she had to be downtown for the interview. As she picked up her purse and notebook, she glared at the office where Robert was now closeted with Henry Alaniz, the paper’s editor.
Heading out the door she heard someone call out, “Laura!” She turned to see her best friend, Beth, hurrying to catch up with her. “Laura! Did you forget we were doing lunch?”
“I’m sorry, Beth, I did. Robert just assigned me an interview, and I need to get home to change.”
“Change? Must be a pretty important interview.”
“I have to interview that singer who’s performing here tomorrow. Taylor Morgan, God’s gift to the musical theatre and women everywhere.” She rolled her eyes as she saw the look on Beth’s face. “Not you, too!”
“Yes, me, too! Have you heard him sing? Or taken a look at that gorgeous face?” Beth knew Laura’s taste in music ran more to classic rock and that it was unlikely she had ever paid much attention to Taylor Morgan. “Do you need an assistant? ‘Cause I volunteer!”
“I’d give you the whole assignment if I could! I was planning on using today to finish up my research on that story about the governor’s stand on drug use. I don’t have time to waste on fluff!”
“Collins!” She looked up as her boss shouted her name across the busy newsroom. “Are you planning on making it to that interview today?”
She waved at him as she headed for the door. “We’ll have to do lunch tomorrow, Beth. Sorry!”
“I’m going to want details!” Beth called after her. But Laura was already out the door and running down the stairs, too impatient to wait for the elevator.
* * *
Laura pulled her ancient Opel GT into a parking spot at the Hyatt Regency’s garage with fifteen minutes to spare. She used ten of them to review the file Robert had handed her. It was the usual bio stuff. Small town boy. Only child. Parents dead. Overnight sensation. Broadway’s golden boy. She was impressed to see that he’d channeled the considerable energy and resources of his fan club into raising funds for the children’s charity he sponsored. Albuquerque, like many of the stops on his concert tour, had been chosen because a Shelter for Children house was here. A fund-raiser reception was scheduled after tomorrow night’s concert.
She glanced at the black and white glossy that was included in the packet. He was good looking, kind of the boy-next-door thing. (Not that the boy next door to her had ever looked so good!) Nice smile. Thick, wavy hair. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.
* * *
Laura mentally ran over her background notes about Morgan as the elevator ascended. A discrete chime signaled her arrival. As the doors opened, she was a little surprised to be met by two security guards who politely asked for her credentials. Sure, he was famous, but this was Albuquerque! After checking her name against a list, one of them went to the door of the suite across from the elevator, evidently received approval to bring her in, then came back and escorted her to the door.
A very pretty young woman greeted her. “Ms. Collins, I’m Taylor’s assistant, Christine Spencer. He’ll be along in a moment. Could I get you some coffee or tea while you wait?”
“Thanks, but no. I’m fine. Where would you like me to set up?”
Christine showed her to a sunny window with two chairs and a small table placed in front of it. There was a superb view of the city and the Sandia Mountains to the east. “This will be fine, thanks. Have you been Mr. Morgan’s assistant for long?”
Christine smiled. “A couple of years now.”
“It must be interesting traveling all over the place,” Laura commented as she got out a pad and pencil and placed them on the table.
“Interesting and a little wearing,” she replied. “We’re on the end of this leg of the tour, and I’ll be glad to get home.”
“I envy you. I’ve never traveled much, but I hope to someday.” Laura took out a small tape recorder. “Do you know if Mr. Morgan will be agreeable to my using this?”
“I think we can work something out,” said a deep voice behind her. Laura turned to find the most beautiful man she’d ever seen smiling at her. His press kit photo hadn’t prepared her for his tremendous charisma and, in black and white, it had given no hint of the unique turquoise of his eyes; eyes that were now looking at her with a touch of amusement.
“You must be Laura Collins.” He held out his hand and, for a split second, she nearly forgot to shake it. “From the Herald?” he prompted, as her hand finally met his.
Laura had never had this kind of reaction to anyone before. She had to look away from him before she could focus on what she should be saying. Suddenly aware that she was still holding his hand, she took a deep breath as she released it, then said, “Yes, the Albuquerque Herald. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Morgan.” There was a security in saying all the right things that allowed her to regain her self-control. “Thank you for taking the time for this interview. I know our readers will be interested in your latest projects.”
“First, Ms. Collins, I hate being called Mr. Morgan. That was my father. He was the school principal, and being called into Mr. Morgan’s office was not a good thing. So, it’s Taylor, please.”
Laura laughed. “Then please call me Laura.”
“I left some letters in the other room, Chris. I think they’re ready for you.” Christine put a pitcher of water and two glasses on the table, then took her cue and left the room. Taylor indicated the chairs and waited until Laura was seated before he took his.
“Did Albuquerque arrange this beautiful weather just for my visit?” Taylor liked to take the lead in these interviews. If he could just develop some rapport with the interviewer, the whole experience was a lot less tedious.
Laura glanced out the window before answering. “I wish I could say that we did. Might keep some of those Easterners from moving here if we could say it was horrible all the time. See those patches of yellow on the mountain? Those are the aspens that have changed color, but you won’t see many other signs of the changing season. Fall in New Mexico isn’t like it is anywhere else. It comes on a little slower, with less fanfare. Usually it’s summer one day and winter the next. Sometimes it feels like we skip fall and spring altogether.”
Taylor found her honesty a refreshing change from the people he usually dealt with. “I imagine that your newspaper doesn’t agree with your views.”
“No, and my editor would probably kill me if he knew what I said. I was born here and I wish, in some ways, that we weren’t growing so quickly. But, then, as a small town, we wouldn’t be attracting someone like you.” Laura deftly turned the conversation back to interview mode. “Tell me a little about how you got started in show business.”
“My mother was interested in theatre and music. My father, however, was tone-deaf and hated sitting still for very long. He was happy to hand off the escort duties to me as soon as I was old enough to be a companion instead of a responsibility. She and I went to every show or concert that came anywhere near us, and there were quite a few that came to Sacramento. It was only an hour away from Woodland, where I grew up.”
“You were pretty young when you went to New York, weren’t you?”
“Nineteen and sure I could conquer the world. I’d already been accepted to an outstanding drama program with a full scholarship, but I decided to go ahead and give it a go in New York.”
“Nineteen? I can’t imagine your parents were thrilled with the decision.”
He laughed. “Not hardly! My parents and I had a really good relationship, and that was the first time I’d ever actually defied them. They finally gave in when they saw how determined I was. They gave me one year to make it. If I didn’t, I would come back and go to school on the scholarship I had been able to get deferred.”
“But you never had to go back?”
“It came close to happening. I’d had a couple of parts in shows that flopped, and I was living off my salary as a part-time bookstore clerk. I only had a month left on our agreement when I got my first big part. After that, everything just clicked into place, and I never looked back.”
“So it took you a year to become an overnight sensation?”
“I was lucky. There are people out there much more talented than I am who are still waiting tables and working nights to keep their days open for auditions.”
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