“I think I can tough it out for a while longer, Taylor.”
Taylor noticed the page of notes in front of her and reached out and took it, reading them as Daniel, carrying his ever-present notebook, came back to join them. Laura felt slightly panicked as Taylor read the notes. She would have preferred to organize them a little and make sure she had a clear idea of what she had been trying to say.
“Laura, these are good. Daniel, take a look at this,” he said as he handed the page to the director. Daniel skimmed over the notes, referring back to his in a couple of places before he said, “Taylor’s right, Laura. These are good. You have a good eye and a good feel for what works. It’s going to be a big help having a fresh viewpoint while we’re doing the fine-tuning. Let’s go over these so we can get out of here for today.”
Their discussion took another hour. At first, Laura had merely listened until they brought up a point she felt strongly about. As she explained her opinion, both men heard her out, and she finally won her point. With that, she became a full member of the team that was running the show.
* * *
“Can you stand having dinner with me again, Laura?” Taylor asked as they left the center for the car.
“I think I can manage it, Taylor, but you must be exhausted. Why don’t you just drop me at the hotel, and I can fend for myself.”
“I have to eat something, so we might as well be together. Besides, we have to go pick up the car I’m borrowing.”
“Taylor, I told you—”
“No argument, Laura. You need to have transportation.”
“Fine, Taylor, but I want it in writing that I’m not responsible for damage to the Jag.”
Taylor laughed as he opened the door for her. As his eyes met hers, he had an overwhelming need to kiss her. This wasn’t going to be easy, he thought, as he got into the car and pulled out of the parking lot.
The rest of the week passed quickly. As he had promised, Taylor had a couple of solo sessions, giving Laura time to explore the city a little. After one of those rehearsals, Taylor and Daniel had gone out for a drink.
“You should be sending up burnt offerings to the gods, Taylor,” Daniel said.
“Really? I thought things were going better than that.”
“Things are going very well. I meant you should be offering thanks for Laura. She’s been amazing.”
Taylor smiled in satisfaction. “She has, hasn’t she?” he said a trifle smugly.
Daniel hesitated, then asked, “Was she the reason you took off a few weeks ago?”
Taylor played with his glass before answering. “Yes. She was going through some real changes in her life—not all of them good. I went to see if I could help, and it turned out this was the best way to do it. Lucky for us.”
Daniel thought about their conversation on his way home. He’d bet anything that Taylor was in love with Laura. He wasn’t sure if Laura felt the same, although he’d caught her staring at Taylor, more than once, with a faraway look in her eyes. He hoped whatever was between them continued to work, because the last thing he needed was a star that was unhappy.
* * *
After Friday’s rehearsal, Daniel gave them the weekend off. “You’ve all been working hard, and it’s going well. You deserve a break. Just don’t be late on Monday!”
As had become their routine, Taylor and Laura stayed behind to meet with Daniel. Considering that they would be moving into the center’s Jaeb Theatre on Monday, and be adding lights, costumes, and orchestra, they had a lot of notes to cover. It was after seven by the time they finished. Daniel wished them a good weekend and told them to call him “only on pain of death.”
Taylor walked with Laura out to the parking lot that was beginning to fill with the evening’s theatergoers. As he opened the car door for her, he said, “Dinner?”
“Taylor, I’m too tired. I just want to go back, take a shower, and crawl into bed. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry for, Laura. I’m pretty beat, too, and would have been poor company.”
“We should get together tomorrow sometime. I have your mail ready for you, and I need to discuss a couple of other things about the tour.”
“Why don’t you come to my place in the morning? I’d warn you not to come too early, but I know that won’t be a problem,” Taylor teased her gently.
“If you’re asking if I’m sleeping late in the morning, then the answer is ‘yes’. I have no intention of getting up early, but I should be awake and ready to go by eleven or so. How’s that?”
“Sounds perfect. I’ll see you then. Good night, Laura.” He closed the door to the Jag and watched as she drove away before he left in his borrowed vehicle.
Chapter 34
Taylor had stopped the night before and picked up the makings for omelets, then called and left a message for Laura that he would fix brunch for them whenever she got there. Since he was home so seldom, it required only a quick picking up to make the condo presentable.
As he waited for her to arrive, Taylor sat out on the deck. He’d been able to see changes in her already this week. The haunted look in her eyes was fading, and she had begun to laugh more. When she’d arrived, she had taken to wearing her hair in a tight braid. Yesterday was the first time he’d seen it loosely pulled back into a ponytail, a much more relaxed style that seemed to reflect her changing feelings.
He heard the sound of the Jag pulling into the drive and went through the house and opened the front door.
“You and the Jag look like you belong together.”
Laura laughed as she got out of the car. “I’m glad you feel that way. I’m just about ready to take you up on the offer to trade for my Opel.”
To keep the light that was shining in her eyes, Taylor would have given her the car without another thought, but said, “Do you always take polite conversation so seriously?”
“Only when it’s to my advantage.” Laura picked up a pile of folders from the passenger seat and came to the door. She was acutely aware of Taylor standing in the doorway wearing a light sweater and khaki slacks, his bare feet in loafers, the sun shining on his hair. She was surprised to find that she was still attracted to him, surprised that she could be attracted to anyone, after what Cary had done.
“Here, give me those,” Taylor said as he took the folders out of her arms. “I thought we were supposed to have today off.”
“The rest of them do. You and I have to make some order out of this chaos.”
“Can it wait until after we eat?”
“I think we’re going to need the energy! And, besides, I’m starving.”
Taylor dropped the folders on the coffee table, then poured two glasses of fresh orange juice. Handing her one, he led the way to the deck. The light breeze caught her hair and teased tendrils loose, and he had to fight to keep himself from reaching out to touch them.
“It’s a beautiful view, Taylor.”
“That’s the main reason I bought it. The rest of the place is pretty nondescript, but the view makes up for it. Are you finally getting used to Florida?”
“Everything except the humidity. Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to breathe underwater, but I talked to Mom and Dad last night, and they were having a late snowstorm. I certainly didn’t envy them.”
They moved back into the condo where Taylor put her to work slicing ingredients to fill the omelets. They found that they worked well together, and Taylor was amazed at how much her presence changed the feel of the condo. For the first time, it felt like a home.
After brunch, Laura made him sit down and look at the various folders. “The top one is the letters I think you should take time to answer. The others are in varying degrees of importance.
Taylor finished leafing through the first file, then quickly scanned the others. “It looks to me like you have a really good feel for how all of this sh
ould be handled. I’ll try to get these answered tonight so we can send them out before we leave Tampa. You’ll take care of the others?”
“If you’re happy with that, I can. Are you sure you don’t want to look at them more closely, Taylor?”
He closed the folders and put them on the table. “I trust your judgment, Laura. You should, too. You said there were some tour things you wanted to discuss?”
Laura took a notebook out of her bag. Taylor was surprised to realize it was an organized plan for the tour. “Good Lord, Laura! When did you have time to do this?” He took the notebook from her and looked through it. She had sections for everything from the itinerary to the emergency contacts for the entire cast, musicians, and crew.
“It really didn’t take very long. There are a lot of details, Taylor. I decided that getting it organized from the start would be the most help.” Taking the notebook back from him, she turned to a section labeled “Publicity.”
“This is probably well outside the realm of my responsibilities, but who is handling your publicity?”
“Actually, my agent’s office handles all of that.”
“You don’t have a separate publicist?”
“No. It didn’t seem like there was a need. Why, Laura?”
“Taylor, when you came to Albuquerque, we received very little advance information. And we had a devil of a time trying to set up an interview with you. I think you’re being terribly under publicized, and I’d like to do some advance work with the media in the towns where we will be stopping.”
“Laura, I hate interviews.”
“Then get over it, Taylor! It’s part of your job!”
Laura heard herself and realized she had probably just crossed a line. He had said she was in charge of his life. Now was the time to see how much he was willing to relinquish to her.
Suddenly, Taylor laughed… great, loud, whoops of laughter. “Oh, Laura, what have I gotten myself into with you? Fine. Set up the publicity you think I need. I’ll notify my agent’s office that all publicity requests need to be routed through you. We’ll try it your way for a while.”
* * *
It had been a good day—an extremely good day—Taylor thought as he waved to Laura and came back inside. Once they’d finished with the business she’d brought, he’d proposed driving over to St. Petersburg and the beaches. They’d taken the Jag and Laura teased him about giving him the keys to “her” car. They’d had a wonderful time walking along the beaches and talking. The ease that they’d felt with each other at their first meeting was still evident, and they’d never run out of things to talk about. When his hand had brushed hers as they walked, she hadn’t pulled away. They’d ended up at Hurricane’s for dinner, watching the sunset as they ate fried grouper sandwiches. A perfect day as far as he was concerned.
They’d decided that she would pick him up in the morning to go to brunch with Annie and Meg. He knew if he showed up without the convertible, Meg would be very unhappy with him. If all was well between Annie and Laura, then he planned on taking Meg out for a while.
Annie and Laura. He admitted to himself that he was nervous about this meeting. When Annie had met Janis, it had been only one step short of a catfight. They’d hated each other on sight, and he was still at a loss to explain what had set them off. Janis’ attitude towards Meg had been particularly condescending. He couldn’t believe he’d been so blind.
Laura was a world apart from Janis. Annie would like her. At least he fervently hoped she would.
Taylor noticed a folder still on the coffee table. Laura must have missed one when she left. He picked it up and opened it to find a note from her.
Taylor,
Here’s the first of what I hope will be a series of articles. My old editor is interested in buying them for the Herald. I want you to read them. Let me know if you’re comfortable with the idea. If you’re not, I put them in my practice files. After all, you are the main subject.
Laura
He put the folder down and poured a glass of wine. Taking a chair near the window, he turned on the lamp and sat down to read.
How did I end up traveling with a superstar’s road show?
Like many of you, I’ve wondered what it must be like to be on the road, living out of a suitcase, a new hotel every night. Through an amazing series of coincidences, I now have the chance to find out, and I thought I’d take you along for the trip.
Taylor smiled as he read the rest of the article and the following two that she had already written. She’d caught the essence of what had been happening and had packaged it neatly into words that made the reader feel a part of it all. There were even a few things he hadn’t known about. Laura was about to take her readers on the trip of a lifetime.
Chapter 35
Laura was nervous about meeting Annie. This woman was so important to Taylor. What if Annie didn’t like her? What if she didn’t like Annie? And then there was Meg. Taylor was the only father Meg had ever known. She would have to resent anyone who might come between them.
“Get a grip, Laura!” she muttered to herself as she pulled her favorite green outfit out of the closet. Talking to herself again— not a good sign. Suddenly, she was terribly homesick for Beth. She had been Laura’s sounding board for so long. She promised herself that, if she survived today, she’d call Beth tonight.
Besides worrying about Annie, Laura wondered how Taylor had felt about the articles she’d left for him to read. She had been pleased, but wasn’t sure how he would feel about them. And she wasn’t sure how she would handle it if he didn’t like them.
As she put on the earrings Taylor had given her, she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The circles that had ringed her eyes for the last month had disappeared. The bruising was gone from her wrists and there were no outward signs of the devastation she had felt such a short time ago. Now if only the nightmares would go away. Shaking her head at her reflection, Laura headed out the door. Whatever was going to happen today was going to happen. There was no sense in worrying about it.
* * *
Annie was watching from a window as Taylor pulled into the driveway. For a moment, she stayed hidden instead of going to the door, watching as a tall, beautiful redhead got out of the car when Taylor opened the door for her. Annie recognized the strained lines on Laura’s face, the nervousness in her eyes, the light flush on her face…recognized them because she’d seen the same signs on her own face when she’d checked the mirror a few minutes ago. Laura was as nervous as she was about this meeting. Taylor said something to Laura that made her smile. He seemed to be the only one who was taking this meeting in stride.
As she left her room and headed for the door, she called to Meg. “They’re here.” No dark-haired figure came bolting out the way she usually did when Taylor was expected. Annie sighed. Meg had been in a snit ever since Annie had told her that Taylor was bringing Laura. She’d been sulking in her room all morning.
There was no time to go argue with her again. Taylor knocked on the door and opened it as Annie came across the room. Taylor hugged her, then turned and introduced Laura. As the two women greeted each other, he looked for Meg.
“Annie?”
“She’s in her room, Taylor. She’s not very happy with you right now.”
“Because of Laura?” Taylor was genuinely astonished. It had never occurred to him that Meg might not welcome her.
“Taylor!” Annie’s tone scolded him. “Don’t do this to Laura. Meg will come out when her curiosity gets the best of her.”
Laura was intensely uncomfortable. “Taylor, why don’t I just go and come back and pick you up later? You need this time with Meg.”
Annie answered her. “Absolutely not, Laura! My daughter needs to learn some manners. Despite her behavior, I’m happy to meet you and am glad you’re here.”
Taylor, his eyes stormy, said, “Annie’s r
ight. And I’m going to go talk to Meg right now.” Before either of them could say anything, he strode down the hall, knocked on Meg’s door, then went in, closing the door behind him.
Annie looked at Laura who looked back at her helplessly. At the same moment, the two of them said, “I’m so sorry!”
“There’s nothing for you to be sorry for, Laura. Taylor and Meg will work it out.”
“Still, I feel badly that she’s unhappy. I tried to convince Taylor that he needed to come alone.”
“And he’s not easy to convince, is he?” Annie’s face was illuminated by her grin.
“Not at all,” Laura replied, recognizing a friend in Annie. “Maybe you can give me some pointers to help keep him in line the next few weeks.”
Laughing, the two women moved out to the deck, at ease with each other.
* * *
“Megan…”
Meg knew Taylor was mad. He never called her Megan unless he was. But she didn’t care. He was leaving town in a few days, he’d be gone forever, and he’d brought this stranger into what should have been their time.
Taylor stood at the door for a moment. Meg was studiously ignoring him, her head bent over a notebook on her desk, a book propped up in front of her. He walked over to the desk, picked up the book and turned it right side up. “This would be a lot more effective, Meg, if you looked like you could really be using it.” He took the pen from her hand, closed the notebook, and turned her around on her swivel chair so she was facing him as he sat on the edge of her bed.
“What’s this all about, Meg?”
“If you don’t know, Taylor, then there’s no point in telling you.”
Timing Is Everything Page 18