by Maria Siano
Kyle gulped his coffee. "I didn’t think I’d see you again until the benefit for Faith at the Spring Valley Manor. You’re going, right?"
"I’ll be there." Summer’s stomach fluttered.
"I bet you didn’t think I’d be going." His lip turned up and froze in a smirk.
"No. Well..." The way he seemed to be able to read Summer’s mind unsettled her. "It’s just...I...I didn’t know you still spent so much time in Wisconsin."
"Is it a bad thing that I’m spending time here in Spring Valley?" Kyle’s eyebrow rose.
Summer recalled the familiar expression, one she saw often when they dated in high school. It always made him seem so boyish and playful. "I’m sure Faith will be excited to see you again." She smiled. "I just thought you’d be off to somewhere else by now."
Kyle stretched his arms out again. "I’ll be in Spring Valley for a little while longer."
How long will you be in Spring Valley? Summer wondered. When, exactly, will you be leaving?
Kyle opened a sugar packet and dumped it into the mug full of coffee. Then he opened another and emptied it into the mug, too. "Faith and I have been emailing and texting each other during the past week." He pulled a red plastic stirrer from the bunch in the center of the table and whirled it through his coffee. "When Faith invited me to the benefit, I couldn’t say no."
"Faith will be thrilled to see you again." Summer remembered how Faith’s face beamed when she talked to Kyle during his visit to her in the hospital.
"It seems like Faith’s doing well with her treatments." Kyle ran his hand through his hair. "And I noticed your article said she just got a job working for the Spring Valley Environmental Group."
Why is he showing such an interest in Faith’s life? Summer wondered. Did Maxine coach him to talk about Faith?
But as much as she wanted the answers, she fought the urge to ask.
If she angered Kyle, or Maxine, and ruined the paper’s chance to profile a celebrity, Drew would never forgive her.
She had to let her suspicions go.
At least for now.
She flipped to the first page in her notebook and reviewed her interview questions. "So...I guess we should get started on the interview." She glanced up at Kyle. "I’m sure you’re in a hurry to get to the theater for your performance this afternoon."
"I have until 11:30." Kyle yawned. "And there’s no rush." As he spread his arms, his dark green sweater stretched across his chest, revealing the outline of his biceps. "Ask me anything."
It sounded like a challenge. One Summer couldn’t resist. "First, I want to ask why you went to visit Faith."
Kyle peered out the window and surveyed the parking lot. "Maxine arranged the visit to the hospital."
"Have you visited other people in the hospital, unannounced, like you did with Faith?"
Kyle continued to look out over the parking lot. "I’ve visited patients a few times, mostly in LA, and here in Wisconsin."
"Do you have a family history of Hodgkin’s?"
"No."
"Do you know anyone who has Hodgkin’s?"
"No." His head sank to his chest.
The interview was turning into an interrogation. But she couldn’t stop now. She needed to know the answers. "Is there a reason you’ve visited people who have this particular disease?"
"No." He paused and lifted his hand in mid-air. "Well, I guess —"
Summer leaned toward him as his eyes narrowed into small slits.
He glanced around the cafe, looking everywhere but in Summer’s direction. "People our age are at risk for Hodgkin’s." He paused. "And I felt I could relate. I wanted to reach out to people battling the disease. Whenever I come back to Spring Valley, which is not as often as I’d like, I try to get involved in the community."
Another coached answer from Maxine, no doubt, Summer seethed. Still, she needed to be polite. "It’s nice of you to spend time visiting people like Faith." She took a breath. "Especially when you’re trying to rebuild your career. It’s very generous of you." She hoped she sounded sincere.
Kyle stared out at the parking lot again. "I feel fortunate. Even though my career isn’t going the way I expected. It’s been a struggle the past few years. Well, more than a few years." He closed his eyes. "I was lucky to have the career I once had." His eyes popped open. "I wanted to do something to give back. To spend a few afternoons visiting people, it’s nothing, really." His jaw relaxed.
"Most people would be focused on their career and not spend the time," Summer said, softening her tone.
Kyle shifted in his chair. "I think I get more out of the visits than any of the patients do."
Summer tilted her head. "I saw the look on Faith’s face when you visited her in the hospital, Kyle. That had to feel great, to know you were able to cheer her up at a time when she’s going through something so difficult."
"Yeah." Kyle slouched lower in the chair.
Summer longed for more of a hint, something to prove one way or another whether Kyle manipulated Faith for publicity.
She glanced up at him. His clenched jaw indicated she needed to let it go. "So I hear you’re going to be starring in a new film." She smiled.
Kyle crossed his arms and nodded, but didn’t say anything.
Oh no. Had she pushed too hard, asking about his visit to Faith? "What’s the movie about?" Summer asked.
He folded his arms across his chest. "It’s an action film."
"I never would have pegged you for an action star, Kyle!" Summer said, mustering her most enthusiastic tone to try to put him at ease.
But Kyle sat motionless.
As seconds ticked by, Summer’s heart pounded.
Kyle leaned forward. "I...I play a guy who avenges his wife’s death after she is killed in a car accident." He inched closer across the table. "She’s a nurse and gets off a 2 a.m. shift one morning. She has to take a detour because of a road closure and is killed in a horrible crash when she turns onto a street being used by drag racers. I infiltrate the group, intending to kill the ones who were driving that night. There are great special effects, lots of car chases, things get blown up."
Summer nodded, relieved he was talking. About something. "Sounds like it has all the makings of a successful action film."
But Kyle returned a blank stare. Summer’s heart sank. Why did I spend so much time grilling him about his visit with Faith? She scanned the questions in her notebook again. They all remained unanswered.
Kyle cleared his throat. "If the film doesn’t succeed, I don’t think I’ll get another chance to work in Hollywood again," he whispered. "But I’m optimistic about it."
Summer worried Kyle might be too optimistic. After more than a decade out of the public eye, he didn’t have any star power any more. Plus, he succeeded in teen films, not action films.
But she couldn’t bring any of that up. She didn’t want him to clam up again. And she needed to focus on her interview questions. "So, what have you been doing for the past twelve years?" She didn’t have an inkling. "How have you been making a living?" Her research revealed very little about his life after Heartbreakers.
Kyle stared into his coffee mug. "About ten years ago I started working as an acting coach."
"Why did you stop acting yourself?" Summer wondered aloud.
"I’ve had a few small parts here and there." He cleared his throat. "Like what I’m doing in Streetcar."
"Why such small parts?"
Kyle hesitated. "I guess I’ve been feeling a little burned out." He fidgeted in his chair.
"Didn’t you want the lead in Streetcar?" she continued. "Why did the part of Stanley go to Tyler?"
Kyle shrugged as a vibration rumbled across the tabletop. Summer leaned back and snuck a peek under the table. At the sight of Kyle’s trembling leg, a lump formed in her throat.
She breezed through the last few questions on her list, as anxious as Kyle to get the interview over with.
***
Just before 11 a.m., Summer followed Kyle out of the cafe. She stopped in front of her beat up Kia. "This is me." She pointed to the car, more self-conscious than usual about the rust spots on the hood and the small dent in the driver’s side door.
Kyle tucked his hands in his pockets and leaned against the hood of her car. "Hey, are you doing anything this afternoon?"
Summer shook her head. "I’m just going to the mall. My real estate agent is holding an open house for my mother’s place, and asked me to stay away." She shrugged. "They like to keep buyers and sellers as far apart as possible."
Kyle pulled his hands out of his pockets. "Here’s two tickets. Why don’t you come to my performance of Streetcar? Bring a friend, if you want."
Summer grabbed the tickets. "Thanks. I’d love to." As the answer flew out of her mouth, she remembered she would need to interview Kyle again when Wreckless opened. She shouldn’t get too close to a source. Although, going to the play might give me a chance to gather a few more details for the article. She stuffed the tickets into her bag.
Kyle lifted himself off the hood of the car. "Will you meet me after the matinee? You can come to the side door. I’d like to hear your critique of my performance."
Summer cracked a smile. "Okay. I’ll do that." She opened her car door and climbed inside. As she turned the key in the ignition, she watched Kyle cross the parking lot.
She couldn’t hold back the grin forming across her face.
***
The glass door at the side entrance of the theater flew open. Summer’s heart raced as Kyle sprang out of the doorway and waved.
Kyle jogged toward Summer. When he reached her, he touched the side of her coat sleeve. "Thanks for coming to the show."
"This is my friend, Noelle Parker." Summer pointed beside her. "She’s an ad rep at the Observer."
Noelle shivered and nodded a few times, but didn’t say anything.
Kyle stared at the pavement. "What did you guys think of the show?"
"You were great," Summer answered. The part of sweet and vulnerable Harold "Mitch" Mitchell suited Kyle well. "Do you like playing Mitch, even though it’s a small part?" Summer asked, still puzzled by his vague answers during their interview earlier that afternoon.
"It’s been a dream." Kyle grinned. "I’ve been in quite a few plays in the past few years. But this is the type of part an actor waits to be able to play." He rubbed his hands together and blew on them. "I’ll miss the show when it ends next week."
His enthusiasm reminded Summer of her first day as a reporter back in New York. But how could a small theater part like this mean so much to him? He had already made it big as an actor once, and either walked away or squandered the opportunity. She still didn’t know which.
Kyle’s shoulders shook. "Say, it’s getting cold. We should go some place warm." He looked over at Summer. "If you don’t need to be anywhere, the cast is meeting at Rick’s, across the street." He glanced at Noelle, who still hadn’t uttered a word to him. "Can you both join us for a quick drink?"
"That’d be great!" Noelle blurted.
Kyle pressed his hand into Summer’s back. "Let’s walk over. It’s this way."
***
Kyle straddled one of the bar stools as Noelle and Summer plopped down on either side of him.
Tyler approached. "Hey guys." He hopped on the stool next to Summer at the end of the bar. "So good to see you, Summer."
"Great to see you, Tyler." Summer smiled. "It’s been too long."
Kyle handed the bowl of pretzels to Noelle. "So, Noelle, did you grow up here in Wisconsin?"
She grabbed a pretzel stick out of the center of the bowl. "I’m a lifelong resident of Spring Valley." She picked at the salt covering the pretzel.
"So you must have gone to Spring Valley High, too." Kyle reached for a pretzel and stared into the bowl.
Are high school memories rushing back to him, too? Summer wondered. And are they haunting him, like they’re haunting me?
She turned back toward Tyler and pushed the thoughts away.
The answers didn’t matter anyway.
Kyle would be out of her life. Soon. Very soon.
CHAPTER 3
Summer surveyed the crowded lobby of the banquet hall. She didn’t spot Kyle. Good, she thought as she handed her coat to the bubbly woman in the coat-check room. She needed to focus on the article anyway.
Summer turned and saw Faith laughing with an older woman in the far corner. Faith nodded in Summer’s direction, and Summer waved as she started to wade through the crowd of people.
After pushing her way across the lobby, Summer finally reached Faith. "You look terrific, Faith!" Summer was relieved Faith appeared so perky. "How are you feeling?"
"Never better!" Faith threw out her arms and wrapped Summer in a bear hug. "I finished the chemo treatments, and a week ago I started my new job — I’m organizing a campaign about the effects of pollution on our tap water, and what we can do to improve our water quality. I’ll be giving presentations to middle school and high school kids."
Summer reached back into her purse with one hand and grabbed a small notebook. "You’ll have to let me know when you’re giving the next presentation so I can write about it. You’re a celebrity in town now. People want to know what you’re doing."
As Faith rattled off more of her plans for the school programs, Summer tried to keep up. She scrawled across the page in her notebook and then flipped to an empty page just as Faith’s mother approached.
Summer had interviewed Caitlin by phone the day before to confirm the amount of the family’s unpaid medical bills. It floored her to discover they owed $200,000.
The benefit dinner would only raise between $10,000 and $15,000. At most.
Caitlin extended her hand. "Summer, so good to see you. Have you met my husband, Patrick?" Caitlin pointed to the short, white-haired man beside her.
Summer shook Caitlin’s hand. Then she turned to Patrick. "Hi, Mr. Sheridan."
He stretched to shake Summer’s hand. "Please, call me Patrick."
"Patrick," Summer complied. "I’m so happy to see Faith doing so well."
"Glad you’re here tonight." Patrick put his arm around Faith. "I’ve been wanting to thank you for writing such a great article about Faith. We truly appreciate all you’ve done for our daughter. She’s finally been able to return to a normal life. And she’s ecstatic about her new job. Did she tell you about it?"
Summer nodded. "I know all the students will love her."
Patrick browsed the room. "Well, before it gets too crowded, let me introduce you to John Jenkins." Patrick craned his neck to peer over the crowd. "Oh, there he is." He pointed toward the other side of the lobby. "John’s our next-door neighbor, and he organized this event. Come with me, Summer."
Summer followed behind Patrick as he waved to nearly everyone he passed and called out each one of their names.
Does he know everyone here? Summer wondered.
When they reached John, Patrick gave him a hard pat on the back. "John, please fill Summer in on the details for the fundraiser tonight." Patrick turned and darted toward the dining room.
Summer flipped to an empty page in her notebook. "Thanks so much for giving me a few minutes of your time tonight, John. I’m sure you’re very busy with the arrangements so I won’t keep you too long. I just have a few questions. First, can you tell me how many people you expect to attend tonight?"
As John answered, Summer jotted in her notebook, but she kept an eye on the banquet hall entrance.
After she gathered all of the information she needed for the article, Summer closed her noteb
ook. "John, thank you so much for the information." As she extended her hand to John she spotted Kyle pushing his way through the revolving front door.
"My pleasure." John clasped Summer’s hand. "Here’s my card. Please call if you need anything else."
"Thanks again." Summer turned and headed toward the lobby entrance.
She weaved through the small groups that were huddled in conversation and sipping wine, never losing sight of Kyle.
He inspected each group as he plodded through the crowd.
When she reached Kyle, his eyes widened and he brushed the side of her bare arm. "Summer, you look great."
"Thanks." She glanced down at her outfit and wondered if a black sleeveless, knee-length dress might be an unusual choice, especially for Wisconsin in February. She met Kyle’s eyes again. "Did you see Faith yet?"
Kyle shook his head. "Haven’t seen her yet." He scanned the room.
Summer angled toward the corner of the lobby where she last saw Faith. "Let me try to find her. And you should meet her parents, too." Summer spun around, and as she did, she bumped into Patrick. "Oh, sorry." Summer put her hand on Kyle’s back to nudge him forward. "Patrick, have you met Kyle Mills?"
Patrick shook his head. "Can’t say I’ve had the pleasure."
Is that sarcasm? Summer wondered. But it couldn’t be. Patrick has to be thrilled to have Kyle — a celebrity — at this event.
Kyle stepped forward. "Hi, Mr. Sheridan." He extended his hand to Patrick and grinned.
Patrick didn’t move as Kyle’s hand hung in the air.
OK, maybe Patrick isn’t so happy to see Kyle after all...In the silence, Summer’s cheeks grew hot and her body tensed.
Patrick finally extended his hand to Kyle, but didn’t make eye contact with him. "Nice to meet you, Kyle. Glad you could be here."
Kyle looked around the room. "You have a great turnout, Sir."
Summer breathed a sigh of relief. At least they were all pretending to be cordial.
Patrick lowered his head. "We knew the people of Spring Valley would come out to support our daughter." He stepped toward the dining room. "Please excuse me." His voice trailed off as he stepped farther away.