Second Chance: A Christian Romance (Royals Book 2)

by Nicole Taylor

  The woman nodded and took notes on her tablet. She was about to ask Dana a question when Maria rounded the corner.

  “Ms. Dickson, security called to say that Mr. Elsom is on his way up.”

  Dana nodded and finished up her discussion with Ingrid.

  When she reached the foyer a few minutes later, she was in time to see Corey Elsom walking through the large oak doors with a sleepy Alexandra Cortelli in his arms and Aaron and Adam at his heels.

  Dana smiled at the sight as Corey lowered Alex to the ground.

  “Uncle Corey, you want to play Madden NFL with us?” Adam asked eagerly.

  Corey rubbed Adam’s head. One wouldn’t believe that they’d just come from watching the San Diego Chargers crush the Detroit Lions.

  “Sorry, squirt. Can’t. I’ve got to get home and get dressed up for a benefit dinner tonight.”

  “What benefit dinner is that?” Dana asked as she embraced her kids briefly, before Maria led them up to their rooms.

  “The L.A. Dance Project Benefit Dinner,” Corey responded.

  “I’m going to that too. How’d you get invited?”

  “I represent some very big people in the entertainment industry, Ms. Dickson. I’ve got connections.”

  “Well, excuse me, aren’t you Mr. Big Stuff!”

  “Whatever…you’ve got something on your face,” he said and closed the distance between them in one step to reach out and brush something off her cheek. “Did you go into the cookie jar again?”

  Dana laughed.

  “As a matter of fact, I did. Don’t tell Hunter. I’ve forbidden him to make any dessert. He’d killed me if he knew I’d given up his gourmet pastry and was munching on a store bought cookie instead.”

  “Oh, I think that a woman with a body like yours deserves a treat every once in a while.”

  Dana wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that remark. She looked away for a second. The next moment Corey gently grasped her arm. When she turned her head in surprise, the kiss intended for her cheek caught the edge of her mouth.

  Before she could get over her shock at what had nearly happened Corey drew back and said, “I’ll see you a little later then.”

  “Later…?” she questioned, so dazed she was unsure what he was talking about. Didn’t he realize what he had almost done?

  He laughed.

  “The dinner. I told you I’m going. Have you forgotten already?”

  He turned to leave then stopped short.

  “Hey, as we’re going the same place why don’t I swing by and pick you up.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “What don’t you know?”

  Dana ran a hand down her left arm and shifted from one foot to the other.

  “I just don’t think that’s such a good idea,” she finally shared as she met his blue gaze.

  As the children’s godfather, Corey had been something of a surrogate father over the past couple of years. When Robert was on location, he often showed up to take them to ball games or out for pizza and on some occasions, stayed to play video games with them.

  In the last several months, however, there had been an added element. There were times when, after the kids had gone to bed, Corey would linger a little and the two of them would end up sharing a hot beverage in the kitchen and chatting about a variety of things. This interaction had progressed to them watching movies, or playing board games, late into the night.

  Dana had told herself that she was just being a friend. Corey’s recent divorce had been hard on him, and she knew he didn’t want to rush back to a big, empty house.

  But now this. The comment about her body, and the kiss. Perhaps he hadn’t intended to catch the edge of her mouth but still there had been something in his manner, something in his eyes, which told her it might be more than just a brotherly peck. She could feel the Holy Spirit prompting her to be careful.

  “Why not? I thought you were a car-pooling champion. Aren’t you a UN environmental goodwill ambassador or something?” Corey teased.

  Dana chuckled briefly and shook her head.

  “I think you have me confused with someone else. No, it’s just…well, you know how the press is. They may read more into it than that.”

  “What could they read into it? The wife of the ‘Sexiest Man Alive’ cheats on him with…the ‘Buffest Man Alive’?” he asked, striking a bodybuilder pose and raising his eyebrows comically.

  “Maybe,” Dana said with an uneasy laugh. She knew that Corey was just kidding around, but his posture only drew her attention to his well-developed muscles.

  “Fine. I’ll go by my lonesome then. You can pretend you don’t know me when you get there.”

  “As if you’d ever let me,” she shot back.

  ~*~*~*~

  Dana posed for a few photos from the press in the lobby of the Ace Hotel. After the obligatory smiles, she relaxed her face and headed towards the ballroom. She smoothed her hand down the front of the red cocktail Valentino dress and wondered for a moment if she should have chosen the white Dior instead. It had been a difficult choice but eventually she had solicited Alex’s advice.

  “The red one. That’s definitely you, Mommy,” Alex had said.

  Dana now smiled at the memory. She could see that she and Alex would be taking many shopping trips together in the years to come.

  She was met at the entrance to the ballroom by an usher. He smiled and led Dana to her seat and pulled back her chair.

  Dana took the seat and greeted the guest to her right. When she turned to greet the guest to her left, she found herself staring into Corey Elsom’s ice-blue eyes. He smirked at her.

  “Is this a coincidence or did you arrange this?” she asked, taking in with one glance how the shiny, steel gray suit emphasized his broad-shouldered frame and the crisp, cobalt blue shirt set off his eyes.

  Corey laughed and there was a perceptible twinkle in his eyes.

  “What do you think? I didn’t want to be stuck with some bore all night. When you told me you’d be here, I was ecstatic. As soon as I left your house I called in a favor.”

  Dana shook her head.

  “You are the most incorrigible man.”

  “I’m a lawyer. I’d be disbarred if I wasn’t.”

  During dinner, they chatted with each other. Dana felt a twinge of guilt for ignoring the man next to her, but she was having too much fun joking with Corey to care.

  “So, when’s Robert coming home?” Corey asked as he brought a forkful of fruit flan to his lips.

  “In about a week he says.”

  “And then where will you be off to?”

  Dana glanced sharply at Corey. He was savoring his dessert and looked rather innocent. Somehow, though, she didn’t think it was a casual statement. She continued to stroke the wine glass in her hand with her forefinger.

  “What is that supposed to mean?” she asked.

  He shrugged.

  “Just a pattern I’ve noticed with you two. He comes and you disappear. You come home, he leaves…”

  “That’s probably just coincidence.”

  “Sure. If you don’t want to discuss it, that’s okay.”

  Dana moved the dessert around her plate. She no longer had an appetite for it. Perhaps she should speak frankly with Corey. She’d never liked the thought of discussing the state of her marriage with other people, but as Robert’s closest friend he might have some insight into the reasons for her husband’s actions. The close proximity to the other diners, though, didn’t encourage such an intimate conversation. With technology the way it was, one couldn’t be certain that today’s conversation would not become tomorrow’s headline.

  “Finish up your dessert so we can go out on the balcony and talk.”

  Corey agreed.

  On their way, they made a stop by the bar to get Corey a glass of brandy and Dana another glass of white wine.

  They took a seat on one of the couches in a secluded, dimly lit section of the balcony.

  �
�I don’t know what’s going on with Robert and me these days,” Dana said. “I don’t even know how we got to this point.”

  “What point is that?”

  “Apart. Do you know that up until two years ago I would have said we were the happiest couple in the world? Now I’m miserable. I question his love for me. If he really loved me why would he choose to be apart from me most of the year?”

  “Why don’t you discuss your feelings with Robert?”

  “You think I haven’t. You know I’m not bashful. When I start to complain, he calls me a nag and finds reasons to leave home.”

  “It’s how you say things. I didn’t say nag him, I said to discuss it with him.”

  “That’s not how it starts out. I know the nagging thing doesn’t work, okay? I start out speaking in a conversational tone. Don’t look at me like that. I really do. He responds by promising that after the movie is done, he’ll take a break. Then his agent sends him another script set in some far off location and he’s hooked.”

  She paused to take another sip of wine.

  “I tell you there are days I hate Sandy Brown.” She sighed. “That’s when I start to nag and complain and I become The Shrew. Be honest with me, am I doing something wrong? Is it because I’m a bad wife that he doesn’t want to stay here?”

  “No one likes a nag, Dana, I know that first hand.”

  She shoved him, as much as one could shove a brick wall, she supposed. His solid, muscular frame reminded her that he was a former Notre Dame High School defensive back. A position he had retained on the UCLA football team.

  Corey laughed and held up a hand.

  “Just kidding. Look…” He swirled the brandy in his glass and stared at the amber liquid for a short while. “…Bobby’s always been passionate about acting for as long as I’ve known him. I have had him blow me off of trips to Vegas…that’s before he met you of course,” he added hurriedly, “…because he was preparing for some role and couldn’t use the distraction. He’s always wanted to be like a megastar, even greater than his dad. I think he felt a lot of pressure to live up to his famous name, you know?”

  “He has achieved that. I don’t think anyone remembers whose son he is anymore. In fact, people probably refer to Michael as Robert Cortelli’s father. He’s the top actor in the world right now. How much more mega can he get?” She drained her glass. “Can you get me another glass of wine, please?”

  Corey hesitated for only a second. “Sure.”

  In a few minutes, he was back. He handed over the wine.

  “Liselle Adams and Robert broke up over this same thing. She said he didn’t pay her enough attention,” he said, continuing the conversation. Liselle Adams was the actress Robert had dated before he and Dana had met.

  “By the way, does it bother you that she’s costarring in this movie with him?” Corey asked, shooting Dana a searching glance.

  “No,” Dana responded slowly as her heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t been concerned before. While she had never exactly enjoyed seeing her husband make out with women on screen, early on he had assured her that it was just part of the job and he derived no pleasure from it. She had accepted that, particularly when she had found herself having to share onscreen kisses with her co-stars, and hating every minute of it. Now that Corey had raised the matter of Liselle Adams’ co-starring role in The List, though, she wondered for the first time if she should be worried. Maybe that was why he had been so eager to get back to the set. Sheesh, what was wrong with her? Robert had many vices she had no reason to be believe that cheating was one of them. Still…

  “That’s good,” Corey said, nodding. “Because you have nothing to worry about, Dana. She has nothing on you.” He paused as though something had just dawned on him. “But then, he’s not really home enough to appreciate what he’s got. Is he?”

  Dana felt flustered. She felt confused. Liselle Adams and Robert…He’s never home…Doesn’t appreciate what he has…

  She took a gulp of her wine and tried to refocus.

  “Don’t get me wrong, Corey. It’s not like I expect him to sit and watch me all the time. Yes, I can relate to the occasional movie overseas but why can’t he do most of his filming here in California?”

  “He likes things to be as authentic as possible. It’s not enough to create a set to look like London. He wants to actually be there. He wants the movie to feature historic landmarks and that kind of thing so that the audience feels like they are there too. At least, that’s what he’s told me. He also enjoys traveling, especially to exotic locales. I think that’s half the fun for him.”

  “Well, maybe he shouldn’t have gotten married if he knew he wanted to be free to see the world,” she said in exasperation.

  “Easy. Don’t say things you don’t mean, Dana. You have to accept him for who he is. Yes, he loves you, I’m sure he does. But he also loves his career. If you don’t accept that you may end up like Liselle.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “He left her because of her nagging.”

  “I do not nag him! Furthermore, he won’t be the one doing the leaving, Corey. He’s going to come home one day soon to an empty house,” she said a little louder than she intended.

  “Don’t get upset,” Corey said glancing around. She looked too. They were virtually alone but for another couple at the other end of the balcony.

  “Sorry…I think I’m a little…tipsy.”

  “See, I told you to let me pick you up. Now I can’t let you drive yourself home.”

  She began to giggle uncontrollably.

  “I can’t let myself drive home either. My chauffeur’s waiting outside. He’d be quite embarrassed if I drove him home.”

  Corey smiled and shook his head. “You’re so cute.”

  Dana giggled again. The movement caused her hands to shake and she almost spilled the wine on her dress. She leaned forward and carefully placed the glass on the coffee table in front of them.

  “That’s it. No more wine for me. I think I passed my limit by three sips.” That sounded so amusing she started laughing compulsively.

  “Wow! Drunk after two and a half glasses of wine. Remarkable. So you are a funny drunk. I always wondered what kind of drunk you’d make.”

  She sobered for a moment and regarded him with a tilted head.

  “You imagined me drunk? I don’t think I like the sound of that,” she said wagging a finger at him with mock sternness.

  He gave a short snort of laughter and placed his empty brandy glass on the table beside hers.

  “It was a passing thought. A random thought that I regret sharing and hope that you forget when you wake up tomorrow morning.”

  “Anything else you’d like me to forget?” she said, surveying his handsome face with amusement.

  He sighed deeply and nailed her to the couch with eyes that were blazing in their intensity.

  “Yeah, that I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met and if I were married to you I’d never leave your side.”

  Dana felt such searing heat creep up her neck and cover her face she was convinced she was on fire.

  Silence.

  Then suddenly Dana felt some words bubbling up in her throat. She pursed her lips. She knew in her spirit she shouldn’t say them.

  “Maybe I should have married you, then,” she murmured unable to break eye contact with Corey.

  There, she’d said it. And she couldn’t take it back. It was out in the stratosphere never to be recalled.

  “Maybe you should have,” he replied quietly.

  Chapter 10

  “Robert, we need to reshoot the scene.”

  Robert’s eyes reluctantly shifted from his phone to his sultry co-star and ex-girlfriend, Liselle Adams.

  She was so predictable. No matter how many times he rebuffed this woman she kept coming back with new attempts to entrap him.

  He feigned ignorance as his phone reclaimed his attention. He was texting his publicist regarding his
appearances on a few talk shows when he returned to Los Angeles in another week.

  “What scene?”

  She leaned against his chair.

  “The love scene. Didn’t Emilio speak with you about it?”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “Why? Haven’t you seen the footage? There is no passion between us in those scenes. It doesn’t even look like you were trying to appear turned on.”

  That’s because I was totally turned off. Robert sighed. He finally looked up at the pretty brunette.

  “Quite frankly, I don’t even know why we have to include that scene. It’s not necessary to the storyline.”

  “Says who? Are you calling the shots on this set now? I didn’t know that you were the producer or the director.”

  What would it take to get this woman from hanging over him? It was hard to believe that she was really the top female actress in Hollywood right now. She was as dumb as a box of rocks and as subtle as a sledgehammer. It was even harder to believe that he had dated her for almost a year.

  He scratched an eyebrow and tried to remain calm. He had a big scene coming up and he needed to be mentally focused. In another week, this would be over and frankly he was not working with Liselle ever again, not even if they offered him twice his current salary.

  “Listen, Liselle, Emilio hasn’t mentioned anything to me. If the scene were a problem, he would have said something. Like I said, I’m pretty comfortable with how it looks. By rights, this movie should be over. We’ve got to reshoot two more scenes that we’d like to perfect and then that’s it for me. I need to get home. I miss my wife.”

  He emphasized the last sentence and stared her down hoping she’d get the message.