His Leading Lady

by Jean Joachim

  “Where’s Penny?”

  “She went home.”

  “This is her home now.” Mark threw his keys in the ceramic bowl. Harley went to the fridge and pulled out three bottles of beer. After popping the tops, he passed them out.

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Of course, I am. We have an understanding. She’s got the keys to this place, and she’s coming to Delaware with me.”

  “Really?” Meg cocked her head. “Have you talked to her today?”

  “What could have changed from last night to tonight?”

  “Plenty.”

  Mark started to sweat. He stood in front of his sister. “If you’re holding something back, now is the time to spit it out. Did she find someone else?”

  “You need to talk to her.” Meg lowered her head and continued to place books in the carton.

  Frustration erupted in Mark. He kicked aside the box. Meg jumped back, retreating to Harley’s lap for protection.

  “Tell me what the hell is going on.” Mark was barely able to get the words out. “Is it another guy? Her co-star?”

  “No. Don’t come near me when you’re like this. Calm down. Call her. Hear it from her.”

  Mark took a swig of his beer and sat down. “I’m sorry. It’s not you. It’s just…there’s so much riding on this…on her. I thought we had this worked out.”

  “Things change sometimes. Call her.”

  He picked up his cell. A sick feeling in the pit of his stomach made his hand tremble as the phone dialed.

  Chapter Eleven

  On a plane to Japan

  Penny put down her book and stared out the window. Flying first class made the long trip a little easier. I should be going over my lines. Sleeping, something. But she couldn’t focus on what she should be doing when her heart ached. Mark’s in Delaware, and I’m stuck on a plane, committed to this movie. Damn. Why did I do this?

  She thought about her last phone conversation with Mark. He had been understanding, but insistent. He’d agreed she should have her career, as long as it didn’t interfere with them being together. But acting didn’t cooperate with Mark’s plans. She chewed her thumb nail as she thought about her life.

  Penny wanted to blame Mark’s lack of a marriage proposal for their being separated. But that explanation didn’t cut it. Although she’d been miffed he’d insisted she come with him, but hadn’t suggested marriage, the real reason she had made other plans was to give herself time to decide. Do I really want to marry Mark? Do I want to become a football wife? Is designing still my dream? Or do I want to go full speed ahead with acting? Try to become a star?

  So many questions without answers gnawed at Penny. She thought about her mother and what her advice would have been, had she survived. Be happy. That’s what she would have said. It didn’t do Penny any good, as she wasn’t sure where the key to her happiness lay, but suspected she’d find it with Mark. One fact became clear. Wherever she was, if Mark wasn’t with her, all she could do was think about him.

  When the plane landed, contemplating her future took a backseat to getting along in a new country, where most people didn’t speak English and everything from the food, to the signs, to the environment was foreign to her. Penny huddled together with the other actors. This time, they took her in, and she made friends. At night, some of the actors and crew paired off. It wasn’t that Penny didn’t have offers—she had plenty. But she refused to get involved with any other men.

  She chuckled to herself at how much Mark Davis had wound himself around her heart. He was like a thick, stone wall, protecting her from encroachment by other guys. She had no interest in any man other than Mark. If the cast wonders about my sexual orientation, who cares? I’m here for a couple of months. That’s all. My private life is my own business.

  She threw herself into the movie with everything she had. Her part was still a supporting role, not a starring one, but it was meaty. She was the heroine’s best friend and competition. It was normal to shoot fourteen-hour days, so as not to waste a second on this expensive location. Penny worked harder than ever. Yet, she wasn’t satisfied with her performance. Perfection appeared to be just beyond her grasp. She couldn’t shake a feeling of unrest.

  Filming was difficult, as the weather had not cooperated. It was cold and rainy, and Penny had to perform her scenes without a coat or jacket. By the time the director yelled cut, she was shivering. Takes and retakes wore her out. Then, she ended up getting sick, delaying shooting even more. Being sick and alone, without someone to care for you, sucks. I need my mom, a nurse, Mark, someone.

  Although she had made good friends with two members of the cast, she had little time for socializing. Penny was adamant about her fidelity. She avoided bars and situations where someone might make a pass at her. It was a lonely existence, but one with no regrets. Before turning out the lights for the night, Penny crossed off each day on a small calendar.

  Keith pressured her to sign contracts for two more films, but she resisted.

  “Can I finish this one first, Keith, before I decide on the next one?”

  “Sign the contract. I’ll get you a month off to recoup. Same with the third one. You’ll have three movies out in a year and be in great demand.”

  “That’s another eight months of my life, maybe more.”

  “Yeah, so? You got something better to do? You’ll be famous.”

  Maybe I do, but I’m not telling you. “Let’s see how this one goes, before I sign on for the next.”

  “They want to know now. Just sign. It’s good money.”

  “Another supporting role?”

  “Yep. That’s your bread and butter, babe. The girl who never gets the guy. You’ll make a fortune doing her part on the big screen.”

  Penny made an excuse to get rid of Keith and put the phone away. His words hit her between the eyes. Am I the girl who never gets the guy? Do I want to spend my life like her?

  She boarded a plane for the States two weeks after her talk with Keith. A ticket to Los Angeles came with plans for publicity shots the next week. Penny had lots of time to get ready for her next rendezvous. She leaned back in her comfortable, first class seat and sipped champagne as she stared out the window. The guy next to her pressed for her number. A star isn’t rude to fans. She’s nice. Polite. Find a nice way to tell him to shut the hell up.

  He finally fell asleep, his head lolling dangerously close to her shoulder. Penny couldn’t rest peacefully. She dozed in bits and woke from a bad dream or an accidental poke from the man in the other seat. When they landed in Seattle, she eased out from under the scrutiny of the rabid fan and made her way to the gate for her connecting flight to Los Angeles.

  As she walked through the airport, a small billboard advertisement caught her eye. It was for insurance and showed a man, a woman, and two children standing in the yard of her ideal house. The pitched roof, front porch, and white picket fence caught her eye. She stopped to stare and heard a little voice in her head. Her eyes watered as she gazed at the picture.

  They called final boarding for her flight to L.A.

  Penny looked around then directed her feet toward the customer service counter.

  ****

  March, Wilmington, Delaware

  Mark had spent his first month in Delaware house shopping, meeting local residents, and posing for publicity shots. Dozens of fans dropped casseroles, cakes, or brownies on his doorstep to welcome their newly famous neighbor. Wilmington was abuzz about the Delaware Demons. Even southern New Jersey residents were scooping up season tickets at a rapid rate.

  Mark had been interviewed by the local newspapers and the television and radio stations. He couldn’t go out to dinner with his sister without being mobbed by fans and honored by restaurants. His picture was taken and hung on the wall at every restaurant he frequented. His fame drove Meg nuts. She craved privacy, one thing Mark would never possess again.

  He got lost a few times on the road to the new stadium. Delaware w
as a picturesque state, and even when he ended up taking a roundabout route to practice, he enjoyed the scenery. Since everyone was new on the team, no one had formed alliances, or a sense of ownership over their position yet. Mark enjoyed meeting his friendly, new teammates, some who were rookies like him, and some who were seasoned veterans.

  Practice was as strenuous as it was in Las Vegas. The coaches in Delaware were as demanding and as foul-mouthed. Mark was right at home. Most of his teammates were married. Some had kids. He looked forward to becoming one of the married players. Uncertainty about Penny—when she’d be through shooting her current movie, and if she’d give up her career to marry him and move to Delaware—was always on his mind. Gotta happen. Please, God.

  Mark hadn’t proposed, hadn’t wanted to demand she choose between him and the movie business. Perhaps he’d hung back because he was afraid she’d choose film over him. So, he waited, trying to be patient, to hear from her that she was ready to move on. Though he wanted to settle down with her more than anything, those words had not been spoken yet, and his doubt about their future together grew.

  He missed her even more when it came to setting up his new life in Delaware. Indecision gripped Mark’s guts when it came to choosing new colors for walls or wallpaper. Penny would know what to do. But she wasn’t there. Penny’s career had taken flight when the Academy Awards nominations were announced, and she was among the candidates for Best Supporting Actress. She had had three movie offers to choose from, one paying more than the next, and none had nude scenes.

  Mark had seen The Natural Girl. He agreed with the Academy. Penny’s performance had been perfection. But Mark knew he wasn’t a very good judge, as he was completely, madly in love with her. Everything she did was amazing to him. He had been almost as let down as she when she didn’t win. She joked about it, but he could see the disappointment in her eyes. Like blowing the play-offs or the Super Bowl. I’d be depressed too.

  Penny had picked herself up and continued with her contractual obligations, flying off to shoot a new movie. Mark had sent his new address to her when he found the house. She congratulated him, but didn’t comment on the picture he sent. Yeah, it even has the white picket fence, baby. He knew in his heart no one else would do. So, he waited, distracting himself with training, decorating, fixing up the house, and hanging out with his sister.

  Penny was still in Japan filming. She’d been there for several months. With the time difference, Mark’s workout schedule, learning the Demons’ playbook, and working on the house, email between them had dwindled. Mark suspected Penny was having an affair with a co-star, and he didn’t have the heart to find out. He buried his breaking heart in a flurry of activity.

  Megan knew what was up, but kept her mouth shut. She loved Penny like a sister and prayed the actress would reunite with Mark, though chances grew slimmer as time passed. Meg and Mark didn’t talk much about Penny’s return, but they never gave up hope, either.

  “She knows my number. She has my address. I’m not hiding. When she’s ready, she’ll come back to me,” he said, while they worked on the house or ate dinner.

  “I know, Lug. She will. She will,” Meg agreed.

  Sometimes, he’d stand at the window, looking out at the chilly, gray March day, staring at the sea in the distance, hoping for the sight of a taxi pulling into his drive with Penny in the back.

  ****

  Harley and Mark hauled groceries and cans of paint from his SUV into the snug little house near the beach. The comfortable, three-bedroom house had half an acre of land, an attic, a basement, a fireplace, and a white picket fence. Mark’s hope hadn’t died.

  Meg opened the door for them, letting in a chilling wind. Something smelled good. Meg’s chili. The men plopped down on the sofa in front of the fireplace to thaw their bones. Mark lived there alone, except now, when graduate school was on spring break. Harley was visiting while he hammered out a deal to join the Demons when his contract with the Gamblers expired. Mark had invited him to stay until formal training started, and Harley had taken him up on the offer.

  Harley joined Meg in the kitchen. Mark put down his packages to warm his hands by the fire when he heard a door slam. Turning, he spied a strange car in his driveway. He grabbed his down jacket and went out to investigate.

  There stood Penny, her blonde hair shining despite the dreary day. Bundled up in a pink down coat, her mittened hands framed her face. On closer inspection, Mark saw tears running down her cheeks. He walked up cautiously, not knowing what to expect. His heartbeat kicked up, and his mouth went dry. Is she here to stay? Will she marry me now?

  “I didn’t know when you were coming back.” Mark wiped his hands on his jeans. “If you’d told me, I could have met you at—”

  “The movie is finished,” she said in a small, shaky voice, interrupting him.

  He hesitated at the end of the stone walk. What do I do?

  “You did it,” she said.

  “Did what?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “Bought a house with a white picket fence.”

  A lump formed in his throat.

  “Did you buy it for me?”

  He nodded.

  “And a fireplace?”

  “Why don’t you take a look inside?”

  She ran to him, leaping into his embrace. “I love you so much, Mark.”

  “Do you? Is this a pit stop on the way to another movie?” He tightened his arms around her.

  “I don’t want to do another movie. I want to be here with you.” She squeezed him harder.

  “Then, stay.”

  “I want to get married,” she whispered.

  His eyes got round, and he stared at her. “Why didn’t you say so?”

  She cried into his chest. “I was waiting for you to ask.”

  He put her down and dropped onto one knee. “Penny Thatcher, will you marry me? I love you more than life itself. Stay. Be my wife. I’ll pay for school. Have your dream. Have it with me.” He stood up and threaded his fingers through her silky hair.

  “I will, oh, God. Mark, yes. I will, oh, damn. I will.”

  Mark picked her up and carried her inside. As he put her down, he yelled into the kitchen, “Set the table for one more, Meg.”

  She and Harley peeked out from the archway. “Oh, my God, Penny!”

  “We’re getting married,” Mark said, beaming first at his sister then at his fiancée.

  “It’s about time.” Megan said, licking the wooden spoon in her hand.

  Epilogue

  Saturday, May, A year later. The Royal Apartment Building on Central Park West, Manhattan.

  Penny Thatcher Davis stood in a short, filmy negligee in the kitchen of the spacious, luxury, two-bedroom apartment. The big windows hugging the breakfast nook didn’t distract her. Bacon was frying, and she mixed eggs with a little milk to make them fluffy.

  Her husband, Mark, star quarterback for the Delaware Demons, wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling her tight against him as he nuzzled her neck. Penny eased her head back, moaning softly as his hands closed over her breasts.

  “Ouch!” She pushed his hand down. “Take that off when you’re with me.”

  “Sorry. I forgot.” Mark slipped his Super Bowl ring off and tossed it in the ceramic bowl on the kitchen counter. With Penny by his side, his first season with Delaware had been golden. While he didn’t win every game, he won most. His fame grew.

  Even when they traveled to their apartment in New York City, Mark was accosted by fans and had his picture snapped by photographers. He appeared in all the papers and sports magazines. With his beautiful wife by his side, he even made a brief appearance in Celebs ’R Us, in a section called “Notable Newlyweds.”

  Penny attended every game and learned football, inside and out. She bought a fancy sewing machine and began to experiment with designs. She had fixed all Mark’s decorating mistakes made in their house in Delaware. When the season was over, she had created a beautiful and comfortable home in thei
r spacious, New York City apartment as well, with help from Meg.

  Mark replaced his hands and massaged her while his lips lightly brushed her throat. The phone rang.

  “Put it on speaker,” Mark whispered. Penny pressed the button and returned her attention to her husband’s large, seductive fingers.

  “Lug, it’s me!”

  Mark raised his head. “Squirt? What’s up?”

  “I got the job.”

  “What job?” He went back to kissing Penny’s neck.

  “The job at Dillon and Weed. There were at least five people vying for that job, and I got it.”

  “Congratulations.”

  “You don’t sound very interested.”

  “There are all sorts of things we do on a Saturday morning, Squirt, and being your cheerleader usually isn’t one of them.”

  “Get your mind out of the bedroom for one second, will ya? Dillon and Weed is big, and the salary is terrific. I can come and rent your condo while you’re in Delaware.”

  “Wasn’t that the plan, all along?” he asked, lifting his head.

  “I know, I know. But it’s actually gonna happen. I’m so pumped.”

  “Congratulations, Megan. That’s awesome. We’re really proud of you.”

  “Thank you, Penny. It’s nice to be appreciated,” Meg sniffed.

  “Okay, okay, I get it. I’m proud of you, too.”

  “I’ll be managing rich people’s money. You’ll be my first client.” There was a ding in the background. “Wait. Email from them. I hope I’m not fired before I start.”

  “Don’t be paranoid, Squirt.”

  Silence from Meg got the attention of both Penny and Mark, who stopped their foreplay and stared at the phone.

  “What is it?” Mark asked.

  “Oh, crap.”

  “Meg?”

  “They’re putting me in charge of their brand-new, celebrity division.”