“Sorry, everyone,” I say and head to makeup to get the scars taken off my face. Tonya’s eyes are filled with compassion.
I slump into the makeup chair, afraid I’ll be fired any second. “You saw that, huh?”
“Yeah. You’ll get it. You’re a fabulous actress.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” As a matter of fact, my confidence has completely fled. “The kids are more convincing than I am.”
“Well, they’ve had a mom. You’ve never had kids. And you’re not crazy about them, are you?”
It’s not that I don’t like kids. Honestly. I like kids. I just don’t “get” them. I don’t know how to talk baby talk. I’m pretty much a total failure when it comes to trying to relate to them. I don’t know why I have such a hard time. I just do.
“All done,” Tonya announces.
Freddie breezes into the room just as I’m about to beg for help for my splotchy face.
“Guess what I just heard,” he says, flopping into the chair next to mine. “Good grief, Tonya—do something about her face. It looks horrible.”
“Gee thanks, Freddie.” I give Tonya my best pout in the mirror. “I’ve got plans with David and the twins. Do you think you could…”
She grins. “Say no more. We’ll have you fixed up in a jiff.”
“Okay, Freddie. What did you hear this time?” I’m amazed that I’m too weary and disheartened to be turned on by the latest juicy gossip.
“Rachel Savage caught her husband, Seth, with another woman and that’s why she didn’t renew her contract with As the World Turns. She refuses to work with him.”
Ever since he missed the memo about Lucy being recast, I’m not completely convinced of Freddie’s ability to head up the rumor mill with integrity and reliability anymore. But I’m willing to give him a grudging benefit of the doubt. For now.
I find it difficult to drum up enthusiasm for anyone catching a cheating husband. Seriously. The only emotion the news evokes is compassion.
Obviously, my lack of response offends Freddie to the core. “Don’t tell me you’re going soft on me, girlfriend. After I walked all the way over here to cheer you up.”
“Sorry, Freddie. I just don’t think it’s ever happy news when a marriage breaks up.”
He rolls his eyes and pushes to his feet with dramatic flair. “I forgot you have a new set of morals.” The air quotes do not make him look manlier. But of course that’s not what he’s going for. He winks, though, and I know he forgives me. “Make sure you don’t miss our workout session tomorrow.” His eyes pan me. “A little too much Christmas candy?”
I stick out my tongue.
“Oh, one more thing,” he says, pausing at the door. “Julie’s the one who talked Jerry into recasting Rachel in the role of Lucy instead of killing her off.”
“Why would she do that?”
“Why do you think?” he asks caustically. “This rivalry between you and Rachel isn’t exactly a secret.”
“Rivalry?” I say in an airy, and completely unbelievable, lilting tone. “That was a hundred years ago.”
“That long?” He snickers. “Well, not everyone is as forgiving as you are. Julie wants to see you squirm.”
“Don’t be silly.” But given the writing she’s been doing for me, I’m not convinced of my own words. Freddie might be right.
“I think that’s really nice of you not to laugh about Rachel’s husband cheating on her.” Tonya’s voice is so quiet, I almost don’t hear her.
I look up, but she’s keeping her gaze firmly on my makeup. “Thank you,” I say, for lack of anything better.
She goes on like I didn’t speak anyway. “You know, when a woman isn’t very nice, there’s usually a reason. And beneath it all, she usually has a good heart.”
I have a feeling she’s talking about her mother. The woman’s been through five marriages and has definitely not been known as the sweetest of women during her decades-long career. “I agree with you,” I say softly.
“The only real friend Rachel has around here is David Gray, you know?”
“What about Julie?”
Tonya shrugs. “I don’t know. Something’s not right, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I used to see Rachel and her husband meet Trey and Julie on set and the four of them would go off for an evening together. But it’s kind of… different. Julie never seemed real happy about the arrangement.”
“Well, Julie’s never happy with anything. Is she?” I say cattily. I know I’m being a jerk, but Julie’s so mean to me I feel slightly justified.
“Maybe not. But I think she might have a good reason.”
Suddenly, Tonya’s generosity breaks through my cynicism. Shame nudges me. “Do you go to church, Tonya?” I ask out of the blue.
She smiles and nods. “Don’t tell my mom, though. She’s a die-hard agnostic. She’d kill me if she found out I’m a Christian. Mr. Gray and the twins go to my church.”
“You belong to Eighth Avenue Community?”
She shakes her head. “New Wine Fellowship. Just down the road.”
“I’ve seen it on the way to work. David goes there? But I saw him at my church a few months ago.”
She nods. “They haven’t gone long. He was church hunting for a while I think.”
“Hmm.” I guess that’s all there is to say about that. But sheesh. What’s wrong with my church?
“All done.” Tonya’s voice takes on a chipper tone, so I figure she’s not in the mood to delve into her mom’s issues. Which is probably just as well since I have issues of my own right now. I look at my reflection and breathe a sigh of relief. “You’re a miracle worker.”
A flush of pleasure creeps across her face, and she gives me a tentative smile. “Thank you.”
“Well, I suppose I’d better face the children.” Is it my imagination, or do I sound shaky? I’m such a coward. I walk out of the makeup room feeling a little more confident. Until I see the three of them huddled together, waiting with obvious impatience.
“Finally!” Jeffy says crossly. “Can we go now?”
My cheeks burn, and I look at the floor.
“All set?” David’s soft voice commands my gaze, and my eyes meet his.
“Sure. Sorry it took so long.”
He smiles. “They’re kids. They haven’t learned the fine art of patience. All right, then,” David says. “Let’s go.”
“Okay. Looking forward to it.” I smile my best Felicia Fontaine, and he smiles back. Ha, don’t tell me I’m not an actress.
“You’re dreading every second of this.” He laughs, the mirth rising all the way to his incredible eyes.
“What? Don’t be ridiculous.”
He pats my shoulder like I’m one of his kids. “You’ll be fine. I’ll make sure they take it easy on you.”
“That sort of defeats the purpose of trying to get the full effect.”
A smirk twists his lips. “Trust me. You can’t handle the full effect.” He leans in closer and whispers, “Not yet, anyway.”
Now what was that supposed to mean?
The kids beeline to the door and wait for David to get there. See, they’re well behaved. But I’m looking forward to my solo car ride over to the skating rink. Fifteen blissful minutes all to myself to regroup and organize my thoughts. In the parking lot, I smile at David. “Okay, I’ll see you over there.”
In a flash, he takes my arm and steers me in the opposite direction.
“What are you doing? I have my friend’s car today.” I thumb point over my shoulder.
“I can’t let you drive separately.”
“Look, seriously. Dancy’s car…”
He stops and takes my shoulders in his hands, meeting me eye to eye. “There’s nothing more real about parenting than sharing a car ride with two hungry, tired five-year-olds.”
Ominous premonition slithers through me. I think this is going to be one long night.
13
I almost feel sorry for anyone who is
n’t from New York. Rockefeller Center is the most magnificent place on earth. Well, except maybe Paris, or Rome. And then there’s the Taj Mahal. Oh, well, you know what I mean. It’s amazing and I love it.
David and the twins carry their own skates inside. “Where are yours?” Jenn asks with a haughty tone that sets my teeth on edge.
This is a test. I can tell by the way she’s staring and waiting for an answer. If I say I don’t have a pair of my own, she’ll have no respect for me. So I say what comes to the tip of my tongue. “I, um, didn’t have time to go home and get them. I’ll have to rent a pair, I suppose.”
“That’s yucky.” She wrinkles her deceptively adorable nose. And I can’t really fault her, can I? Because renting skates other feet have sweat in really isn’t all that appealing to me either.
Oh, here’s my out. “I think you’re right, Jenn. That isn’t very sanitary. I suppose I’d better sit out and watch the rest of you this time.” I glance at David and feign a look of regret. Now, that expression I have down pat. But why is he giving me that skeptical raised brow like he doesn’t believe I’m on the level?
“What?” I say.
“Nothing.” Okay, how come his look of innocence looks so real? Has he been taking acting lessons?
“I mean it. I’d skate if I’d brought my own skates.” And I do have some, buried away in Mom’s garage somewhere. “But I’m not going to wear rentals. Do you know how much bacteria collects in those things?”
His eyes go big. “No. How much?”
I smack him lightly on the arm. “Jerk.”
He tosses back his head and laughs. It’s the first time I’ve heard full-blown laughter from this man, and I must say, I’m charmed to my bones. “Come on,” he says, motioning toward an empty bench. “The kids and I will get our skates on, and you can watch our shoes.”
I make a face. “I knew I’d come in handy for something.”
It takes a full fifteen minutes for David to lace up Jenn’s skates, then Jeffy’s, and then get his own skates on. I’m amazed at his patience while faced with the children’s impatience. I watch his gentle hands as he lifts their feet and pats their thighs to let his children know when one skate is secure and he’s ready for the next. I’m mesmerized by this display of tender loving care. It’s so natural, as though he’s acting on instinct and doesn’t even have to try.
He looks up and catches me staring. I feel my cheeks warm, and he gives me a puzzled frown. I need to say something to break the tension. “I, um, you’re a great dad.”
Gentleness spreads over his face, and I catch my breath as his eyes trail downward to my mouth. He wants to kiss me! For saying he’s a good dad. David reaches out and squeezes my hand. In the second it takes me to recover from his touch, he leans across the bench and presses warm lips to my cheek. “Thank you,” he says. “That means a lot.”
We look deeply into each other’s eyes and something electric passes between us. Something real. A beginning, I think.
“Well, what a coincidence!”
What? Who dares to interrupt my moment with Dreamy Dad? I barely refrain from uttering a groan as Rachel Savage, accompanied by Julie Foster and Trey O’Dell and two little kids, barges right in and stands in front of me. Freddie was right! They are pals. And probably conspiring together at this moment how they might make my life at work even more miserable than it already is. I have to admit—albeit grudgingly—that Rachel is radiant in tight white pants and a white suede jacket, lined with faux fur. Her black hair is twisted into two braids falling adorably on either side of her head, giving her the appearance of a beautiful Indian princess. She turns a gorgeous, intimate smile on David. I feel sick as he bends forward and kisses her cheek in greeting—didn’t he just do the same thing to me? What is this—par for the course for this guy? Does he kiss anyone who smiles at him? Suddenly I’m not feeling all that warm and fuzzy.
I clear my throat and haul myself to my feet, giving the too-beautiful-to-be-real woman a nod and trying on my best “genuine” smile. “Rachel, congratulations for landing the role of Lucy. I’m sure you’ll bring a unique energy to the character.”
Disbelief flashes in her dark eyes. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was about to ream me. But then she wouldn’t make a scene in public. You never know who’s watching.
“Thank you, dear,” she gushes. “Let me introduce you to my nieces, Katie and Nellie.” The girls are miniatures of their aunt and carry the same haughty expressions that don’t seem to go with their angelic faces any more than it goes with Rachel’s. Besides, they can’t be more than eight and ten, and high and mighty attitudes on little girls are never becoming.
“Nice to meet you, girls.” I give them each a smile. They don’t smile back. What a surprise. “This is Jenn and that’s her brother, Jeffy. They play on our show.”
“We know that,” Katie, the older of the two girls, says like I’m some kind of moron—which is exactly how I feel. Sheesh. I should have let David introduce his own kids.
“Girls, you remember Mr. Gray,” Rachel says to her nieces. (I suppose she’s speaking to them, anyway, even though her eyes are roving over David shamelessly.) “This is a pleasant surprise, running into you, David.” Her voice is low and husky. What a Jezebel! I cut my gaze to David’s face, but I can’t tell what he’s thinking. There’s no way he could not be affected by her beauty and that new size two bod she’s flashing around like she’s God’s gift to men or something. I hate to say it, but she’s not acting very broken up over the end of her marriage.
Julie steps forward. “I hear you had a little trouble with today’s scene, Tabby.”
I see satisfaction, even challenge in her beady little eyes. Why does she have to be so mean and scary?
“That’s what we’re doing here,” David says. “Tabby is trying to get used to being around the twins.”
“Oh, it’s too bad you’re having such a hard time, Tabby.” Rachel sounds and looks like she really means that. But come on. She’s not a bit sympathetic to my plight. As a matter of fact, if I had to guess, I’d say she’s gloating.
Trey snorts and speaks up in an apparent need to insert himself into a situation where he’s been ignored so far. “My wife is hanging out with the father of my children.”
What an idiot.
David presses his lips together in a grim line while Julie and Rachel give Trey a cursory chuckle. Julie slips her hand through his arm possessively. “Just remember who your real wife is, darling,” she says, looking straight at me as though to warn me away. Good grief. Why can’t she just believe that I never went after her former husband, and I’d definitely never go after this one. Even if I weren’t a Christian—he gives me the creeps.
“Come on, Daddy. Let’s go skate!” Jenn is tugging on David’s jacket sleeve.
“Oh, good idea.” Rachel turns to her nieces. “Girls, lace up and let’s get going.”
“We’re going to take off,” Trey says. He kisses Rachel on the cheek like they’re all the best and oldest of friends. Julie bends and hugs her. “We’ll see you on the set tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” I can’t believe she’s starting so soon. “But Taylor’s going away party is tomorrow.”
Julie’s eyes flash dislike for me. “Yes, we don’t plan to have a break between days. Rachel’s character is in the middle of the Felicia story line so Rachel will have to jump right into the role of Lucy.” She gives me a knowing look. “But she won’t have a problem with anything I’ve written for her. She’s a real pro.”
I squirm beneath the little dig. She’s definitely making reference to the trouble I’m having with the twin scenes.
“Good to hear,” I say, tight-lipped.
Julie’s face shapes into an expression of smug satisfaction at my discomfort. “Well, we’ll be seeing you, Rachel. Bye, Tabitha.”
“Bye, bye.” Rachel wiggles her fingers in a wave, then sits with a sexy pose. She lifts her own skates from her bag. Figures she’s going to sho
w me up in front of David and the kids. “I just love skating.” She smiles up at him. David averts his gaze as she leans a little too far in her low-cut collar. “Remember when Kylie, you, and me used to skate on the river back home?”
“Yes, Kylie was a great skater.” David really doesn’t want to talk about this. I can tell.
But Rachel seems to need to take a little trip down memory lane. She looks up at me. “Kylie, David, and I are all from the same town in Wisconsin. They were childhood sweethearts. David the captain of the debate team, and Kylie head cheerleader. They were always an unlikely pair.”
David’s lips quirk up with a bit of amusement. “Kylie was always just a little out of my league.”
Rachel’s cheeks darken a bit. “I didn’t mean…”
“It’s okay, Rach. Our differences were the things that kept us from making a successful marriage.”
“I know she loved you.”
“I’m sure she did.” David clears his throat and abruptly changes the subject. “Well, I’m going to take the kids out to the rink.” His eyes rest on me. “You going to be okay sitting here?”
“Oh, you aren’t going to skate, Tabby?” Rachel’s eyes are innocently wide and shine with just a touch of delight. “But you’ll miss all the fun.”
This chick is clearly challenging me. I suck in a breath. There’s only one thing I can do. Take her down.
And really, how hard can it be to remember how to skate? Granted I wasn’t that great at it when I was a kid. But even if I’d been a young Michelle Kwan, it’s been more than ten years, closer to fifteen since I had on a pair of skates. I’ll be polishing the ice with my behind. I have a choice to make. Let her show me up while I sit on the sidelines or go down fighting.
Let no one say that Tabby Brockman is a coward. Swallowing hard, I stand and head to the rental booth.
“Where are you going?” David catches up to me and falls into step.
“To rent my skates, of course.”
“Tabby, you don’t have to prove anything,” he says wryly.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Come on. Just sit and observe. There’s no shame in that. We’ll call it research. Which it is, remember.” He stops in his tracks, as though I’m going to agree to what he’s just said, but I know if I don’t keep moving, I just might take the easy way out. “All right,” David calls after me. “Have it your way.”
Catch a Rising Star Page 13