by BETH KERY
Soon.
He knew from Charles that Gia had returned to Los Angeles safely and had moved into the studio’s Bunker Hill condo downtown. He was relieved to hear that her mother had arrived to stay with her and offer support during the trial. If he hadn’t known from Charles that Gia was whole and safe in L.A., he would have known from the nightly news. Gia’s return had refueled the simmering, smoking media fire to a full-out inferno once again. On Wednesday, he saw the same clip of her walking up the steps of the criminal justice building on a dozen different news shows. He hungrily ate up the image of her each time. She wore sunglasses and her face was pale, but she looked calm and resolute in the face of shouting reporters and microphones shoved rudely in her face. The rabid fervor and callousness of the press’s attitude toward her sickened him. He watched as she ignored the chaos around her, listening and nodding at something the plainclothes police escort said quietly near her ear.
I’m not one of your vulnerable, fragile actresses.
She wasn’t even remotely in the same category.
The trial began.
It was being televised on several stations. Various news programs speculated that Gia could take the stand as early as Friday. Privately via an e-mail to Seth, Charles confirmed there was a remote possibility of it, although the following Monday seemed more likely. “Gia’s holding up well under all the pressure, although she seems strained,” Charles wrote. “She asked me this morning if you’d returned yet, and then seemed a little put out with me when I said I wasn’t sure.”
Charles’s enigmatic message galvanized Seth for some reason. It wasn’t rational. Gia’s query, and Charles’s mention of it in the e-mail were random details. Still, it didn’t stop him from starting a major housecleaning and packing. He made another trip to the grocery store to stock up the pantry and freezer for John and Jennifer, replacing any items he and Gia had used during their stay. On Friday, he was in the midst of his manic attempt to get the house back in its original pristine condition when the perimeter security alarm began to beep.
A few seconds later, he opened the front door and walked out into a cool, sunny day.
“What the hell?” he asked, both stunned and pleased to see his niece, Joy, getting out of the passenger side of a sedan. Her hair had completely grown out now after several rounds of chemotherapy. The chestnut strands fell around her shoulders and midback, gleaming in the bright sunlight. “What happened to Mexico?” he asked Everett Hughes, Joy’s husband, as he uncoiled his tall body from the driver’s seat. He wore a billed Greek fishing cap and a wool sweater that looked like it had fed a few moths some decent meals. Everett always wore hats to cover his signature streaked blond hair and to cast his iconic face in shadow.
“Mexico? Perfect weather and sunshine every day. So overrated,” Everett said.
Seth laughed, confused by their presence, but too pleased to see Joy’s beautiful, smiling face and outstretched arms to worry at the moment. He gave his niece a big bear hug and peered down at her for a moment. She looked radiant from good health and her vacation tan. Still, he saw the edge of concern in her hazel eyes as she studied him back.
“You okay?” she asked him quietly before he had a chance to ask her the same.
“Oh. So Katie’s been talking,” he said, understanding dawning. Katie had obviously observed some of the chemistry and conflict occurring between Gia and him. The sparks between them during and after that kiss were sort of hard to disguise.
Katie had called him three times since Gia had left. Seth had thought he’d explained the circumstances of Gia’s sudden absence calmly, but had heard the worry in Katie’s reaction to the news. Katie’s response had been to suggest that Seth come down to dinner or that they could come up to see him. When he’d refused, saying he needed some quiet time to work, Katie’s concern had obviously only grown. Given the anxious look in Joy’s eyes right at the moment, Katie had called in Joy for reinforcements.
“Talking is Katie’s specialty, haven’t you figured that out by now?” Everett joked, coming around the front of the car. He and Seth exchanged a handshake and a half hug.
“Yeah, I’ll be talking to your sister about that,” Seth told Everett darkly. “What does she think I am, a hysterical teenager or something?”
“It wasn’t Katie’s fault. She was worried about you,” Joy insisted, giving first Seth and then Everett a repressive look. His wife’s remonstrance didn’t dent Everett’s easy confidence in the slightest. He looped his arm around Joy’s waist and pulled her against him. “When I heard about my half brother,” Joy told Seth, resting her cheek against Everett’s chest, “I thought a trip to Vulture’s Canyon might be called for.”
Alarm went through him. “Katie didn’t blab about that and then not tell you the rest of—”
“She told me all about Gia Harris,” Joy said. “She didn’t consider her promise not to tell me about it until I came back to be binding once the secret of Gia’s true identity was out and she had returned to L.A. She knows Everett and I aren’t going to say anything about Gia being here with you . . . or about her leaving. And like I said, Katie was worried about you being up here all alone. I’m glad she told me.”
Seth rolled his eyes.
“I can’t believe you cut off your vacation,” he said in a stiff tone. Everett’s shrug seemed to say it all. You can’t stop family from worrying.
Knowing it was a done deal at this point, Seth led them into the house. He entered several steps ahead of them and immediately went to the coffee table, where the sketches still lay. For the past few days, he’d found himself adding small nuances to Gia’s expression.
Never satisfied.
Missing the real flesh-and-blood woman like hell.
He gathered up the nudes quickly and hid them away in his leather portfolio before Everett or Joy could see them. Given their expressions, they had noticed his haste, but didn’t comment.
Both of them stared down at the remaining sketches on the table though. He saw Joy’s mouth fall open in amazement as she moved aside the sheets, studying the multiple sketches with an artist’s empathy and skilled eye.
She looked up, meeting Seth’s stare. She smiled tremulously.
“We did the right thing to come,” she said.
“Well, it’s great to see you,” Seth sidestepped.
“That’s not what I meant,” Joy said. “We need to talk.”
Everett cleared his throat. “I have a sudden urge to be in the . . . kitchen?” Everett asked Seth, pointing, clearly unsure as to where he suddenly needed to be.
Seth gave a tired nod.
“No, Everett. You stay. Seth needs to hear from you as much as he does me.”
“Really?” Seth asked, unable to hide his exasperation.
“Really,” Joy said, grabbing Everett’s hand and sitting. Seth lowered to a chair. He really didn’t want to discuss Gia with Joy right now, but he recognized that determined look on her typically serene face.
“You’ve fallen for an actress.”
“Don’t beat around the bush, Joy,” Seth seethed.
“So it’s true?” Joy asked, leaning forward slightly. “Katie said she thought she saw the signs. She said you had the look of a man caught in a trap of his own making.”
Joy couldn’t seem to repress her smile, despite Seth’s glare.
“I’m sorry. But you have to admit, it is kind of ironic, Uncle Seth. Out of all the people in the world, you fall for Hollywood’s ‘It’ Girl? You—who had all those glamorous actresses throwing themselves at you on movie sets for years, but you always abstained with an almost religious fervor?”
“I didn’t laugh at you when you fell for Superstar here,” Seth waved at Everett.
“No. But you did try to warn her—and me—off,” Everett reasoned.
Seth shook his head wearily.
“I know why
Katie blabbed about it,” he mumbled. “She thinks it’s karma, for judging you,” he nodded at Everett. “I can still see her, putting me in my place for doubting you could make Joy happy.”
And he could envision Katie perfectly in his memory, her stare scoring him:
“Shame on you,” Katie had chastised. “You’re one of the people responsible for making the fantasy. Surely you know there are real people behind the screen of illusion.”
“So caring about Gia Harris hasn’t been easy,” Joy said quietly. “It would likely continue to be challenging in the future. Good things in life can be hard, Seth. You know that. They have to be fought for.”
“I know that’s been your story,” he grated out, referring to their relationship. Everett and Joy had struggled to be together, despite Joy’s history of cancer and her constant fear of it returning. No one could guarantee an outcome like that, but Everett had proved to her he wanted to be there, no matter what hurdles life presented. In addition, the couple had to maneuver making their personal life work when Everett was one of the most recognized faces on the planet, a superstar who eclipsed even Gia’s meteoric rise. “It’s different for me. It’s different for Gia,” Seth said.
“How?” Joy asked.
“Gia’s very ambitious. She should be,” Seth said fairly. “She’s incredibly talented. She’s got the energy to establish herself now, while she’s young. She works nonstop.”
“And still finds time to testify at that slimeball McClarin’s trial,” Everett added.
“She would never consider not testifying,” Seth said flatly. “She’s a workaholic, but she’s got ethics that don’t crumble when things get tough. And I’m not saying her ambition is a bad thing,” Seth defended when Joy opened her mouth. He and Joy had been through a lot together, including her father’s abandonment and her mother’s lingering, painful death from cancer. They read each other extremely well. “I’m only pointing out that Gia’s situation is different than Everett’s. He can pick and choose his roles according to what both of you want, he can pace himself and preserve a private life with you.”
“So that’s it? You wouldn’t want Gia to be so busy?” Everett asked bluntly.
“It’s her life. I would never want anyone telling me how to run mine, and I wouldn’t do that to her.”
“Is that really your biggest concern though?” Joy asked. She looked a little confused as she studied him. “You wouldn’t want a long-term relationship with someone who was so frequently away and working?”
“No,” Seth replied sincerely.
“I didn’t think so,” Joy admitted. “You’re so independent.”
Seth just shrugged. He was glad to see Joy, but he felt restless having this conversation. Was there really anything to be gained by it? It was like Gia said. They were at an impasse.
“Can I get you guys something to drink?” he asked, hoping that if he fractured their focus on him, the topic would lose momentum.
“Because I’ve always been a little curious about your refusal to get involved with actresses,” Joy said, ignoring his distraction attempt. “You’ve been so . . . militant about it. Some of those women have not only been very persistent, but extremely beautiful. And we all know you love women.”
He gave her an impatient glance.
“I just meant, it seems odd that you never slipped up once or twice,” Joy said. Seth looked away. “Or . . . have you?”
He cursed silently to himself, avoiding Joy’s stare.
But the truth was, talking about Zoe Lindsay seemed nowhere near as taboo a topic as it had been in the past. The forbidden quality of that youthful indiscretion had faded, he realized, once he’d opened up to Gia about it.
“All right, if it’s some kind of dramatic confession you want, here goes, detective,” Seth growled. “I slipped up once, and it had nothing to do with Gia. Gia wasn’t a slipup,” he added darkly. He launched into a bare-bones explanation about Zoe Lindsay. By the time he was done, both Everett and Joy were staring at him in openmouthed disbelief.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Joy asked.
“I told you, the marriage lasted nine months. It wasn’t worth mentioning,” Seth said, grimacing.
“It was the basis for your distrust of actresses—and actors,” Everett said. “I would think it’s very relevant, especially when the topic is Gia Harris.”
“Well, I mentioned it, didn’t I?” Seth challenged.
“Don’t be upset, Seth,” Joy soothed, looking regretful about his agitation. “We’re just trying to help. Really.”
“I know it. But it’s not as if Gia and I haven’t discussed all this. We’ve been through it, and as you can see, we’re apart.”
“You told Gia about Zoe Lindsay?” Joy asked, amazed. “When you never even told me?”
He exhaled. “And it didn’t make any difference, in the end. Zoe isn’t the reason I don’t think Gia and I would work out in Hollywood together. Gia is no Zoe Lindsay.”
He blinked, hearing the bald truth of his spoken words more clearly than his private thoughts.
“I just don’t think Hollywood romances work out. For me. I’m not talking about for you,” he assured, glancing from Everett to Joy. “Everyone is different. You guys have obviously made things work, and I’m happy for you. You know that, right?”
They both nodded.
“This is about me, and I’m trying to take ownership of that. I don’t want to have my privacy invaded. I don’t want to share Gia with the world when I want to have a private moment with her,” he suddenly said emphatically. “There. I’ve said it. I’m a selfish asshole.”
For a moment, Joy just studied him. He felt prickly under her stare.
“You know,” Joy began slowly. “I didn’t think a relationship was right for me after what I went through with Mom’s cancer and Dad leaving, and then being diagnosed myself. It was a personal belief I felt very strongly about. I still believe it, in many ways.”
Not only Seth but Everett, too, gave Joy nonplussed looks at her admission.
“I’m sorry, honey,” she told her husband apologetically, grabbing his hand and squeezing it. “I just mean that a belief like that—or a fear—doesn’t just vanish over night. You take one day at a time, and make a vow to have faith with every new day. It still scares me to death,” she told Everett quietly, “the idea of the cancer coming back and you having to endure all that with me, like Seth and I did with my mom . . . like Seth did for me. I’ve learned I can control the worry, and my love for you is thousands of times stronger than the fear,” she assured him, her eyes glistening as she locked gazes with Everett. “But even so . . . there’s only one thing that could have made me take the risk and enter a relationship, given my misgivings.”
“What?” Everett asked intently, staring down into her eyes. Suddenly, Seth felt like a third wheel sitting there.
“You,” Seth said, standing abruptly.
Both of them blinked and looked up at him.
“It wasn’t just falling in love that changed your mind,” Seth said to Joy. “It was falling in love with Everett. Because of who he is, you took the chance.”
Joy nodded, her eyes shining with compassion.
“Yeah,” Seth muttered to himself, thinking. He started to walk out of the room. “There’s stuff to eat and drink in the fridge. Help yourself. I’m going to take a walk.”
“See you in a bit,” Joy called.
He walked out the front door and breathed in a lungful of fresh, bracing air.
Seth got what Joy was trying to tell him now. Every rule was meant to be broken.
Once, maybe . . . for a very good reason.
And only for the right person.
* * *
By the time he entered the house again after a long ramble in the woods, he felt better. Clearer and more resolved as to what he was g
oing to do, at any rate. It was time for him to return to Los Angeles. Gia had left him with the impression that things were over between them, so there was no guarantee of success in trying to see her again. But Seth knew one thing. A big part of the reason she’d agreed that things wouldn’t work is because he’d been leading her to believe he wasn’t willing to try.
His opinion on that had changed. He wasn’t exactly sure how they could make it work, but there had to be something they could manage. He had the time it took for the return road trip across the country to come up with something to say to convince her that they should take the risk.
The television was on. He came to a halt on the threshold of the living room. Everett and Joy were both still in there, their backs to him. Everett was kneeling before the stone fireplace, rolling up newspapers in preparation to lay a fire. Joy stood next to him, her arm partially extended with the remote control in her hand. Seth’s attention was caught by what appeared to be a glitzy celebrity entertainment show when he heard the female host say Gia’s name.
“. . . just hours ago, the mystery of Gia Harris’s location for these past few weeks was solved. But now, Hot Topics has the shocking exclusive story revealing how Gia’s choice of companion for her getaway may mean trouble for Madeline Harrington, the Los Angeles County district attorney, and her case against megabillionaire religious leader Sterling McClarin. As KBHT News revealed earlier today, Gia has been snuggled up in a wooded retreat with her secret lover . . .”
A tingling sensation of alarm started down Seth’s spine when he saw his own image on the screen—a shot from a documentary he’d been asked to do years back. He tensed into high-alert status.
“. . . Seth Hightower, Oscar-winning special effects–makeup artist for blockbuster films such as Maritime.” The clip altered to him in a tuxedo accepting one of his Oscars along with several members of his team. “Why would the discovery of the identity of Gia’s handsome boyfriend be worrisome to Harrington and her team of attorneys?” The video behind the host changed to separate clips of both Seth and Gia. “Hot Topics has been working overtime to bring that stunning answer to our watchers,” the host said with a seriousness Seth would have found comical in any other situation. “Previously, Seth Hightower was also involved with this woman Dharma Jana—”