“Well, on to better things.” Logan handed his papers to his soon to be wife, leaned over and lifted what was clearly a script onto the table. “Such as stories that still need to be told.”
She slid her chair closer to Drew’s and held her breath. At least in the land of Hollywood Stardust, she was a shoo-in for the role. Not only did she want to reprise her famous character, she needed to as well.
“Hollywood Starburst.” Logan held up the typewritten pages. “In less than twenty-four hours after the future Mrs. Alexander and I announced the sequel will be made, we already have heard from our original studio wanting to back it.”
With a studio would come the money. “Well, I for one am ready to reprise my role as Roxy.” Having never seen the script, she itched for the chance to put her hands on it. Like other fans of the movie, she had to know who Roxy ended up with.
“What is the scheduling?” Ever the poker face, Ryder sat back. “I’m in the middle of directing my movie and I have another film coming up.”
“I have commitments as well.” Not to be outdone, she sat up. “On top of it, I’m going to be the spokesperson for one of Drew’s product lines, and I am determined it will be a success, however I believe this project is important and much anticipated.”
“Well, I am glad to hear that.” Logan put the script down on the table, placed his hand on top of the pages, and turned to Ivy. “We have a bit of a situation.”
Erin’s whole body tensed. If he gave her role to his stage frightened fiancée, she didn’t know what she would do.
Once more Logan faced them. “The sequel picks up from where Hollywood Stardust ends.”
Neither she nor Ryder said a word. Of course the movie started there.
Again, Logan reached under the table, this time holding up a blown up picture of the four of them on the set of the original movie. She smiled at the famous image of them standing in front of Logan’s BMW.
He then retrieved one more oversized print from under the table, revealing a picture of them from the night before and held them side by side.
“Boy, do we look better with age.” Ryder sat back. “Especially me.”
“While I agree we all aged exceedingly well, especially me, I think we would all be in agreement that we can’t pass for these people any longer.” Logan lifted the first picture. “I believe it would make the film into a mockery. The movie starts where Roxy opens her eyes to watch Steven drive away.”
She glanced between the two photos. Unless Roxy completely changed in the blink of an eye, she couldn’t pass for that girl, but she and Roxy were one. “You own the script and the rights. Have her open her eyes twenty years later.”
“Actually, that was a thought, but the story needs to be told the way it needs to be told.” Logan put the pictures down. “We’re going to cast younger actors in the lead roles.”
A strange heat invaded her body, and all she knew was it better not be any sort of hot flash. She shot up out of the chair and crossed her arms. “Logan, with the right makeup we can play the characters synonymous with us.”
“Erin.” Logan shook his head. “Do you really want to be known as the actress who tried to play her twenty-year younger self? It would be ridiculous.”
“Roxy is my role.” She crossed her arms.
“You will always be the original Roxy, but if we want to see the sequel come to life, we have to do it right.” Logan countered. “We had our chance, but it passed us.”
Her eyes filled up. After she played Roxy, she wanted to anything she could to distance herself from the role for fear she would be typecast. Now, she would give everything to play her again. “Don’t you think the fans of the movie will protest to having our roles hacked by others?” She glanced at Ivy, the woman who studied the movie would understand.
Ivy looked down at the table.
Erin ground her teeth together and stood her ground. She needed the role, and she needed Roxy. No one could take her away.
“Wren.” Ryder piped up. “Logan’s right.”
“Then why did he call this meeting?” She put her hands on her hips and faced down the man who held her role in his hands.
“We want you in the movie. You just can’t be Roxy.” Logan stood. “We want you all in the movie, because we think it will more than add to its appeal to have all of us in the movie in cameo appearances. People will come just to see us.”
“That is the perfect solution.” Ryder got up as well. “That’s how things should be. We’re all busy. This way we can come and do our scenes, be involved in the movie and yet pass the torch. I give it the green light.”
Now Logan and Ryder both stared at her.
“I don’t think you understand.” She didn’t know how else to plead her case.
“We’re not teenagers. We’re not even in our early twenties where we could pull it off.” Logan always tried to be the voice of reason, make sure everyone was taken care of, but with no contract to bind them anymore, he just wanted to toss her away.
“It’s going to be all right, Erin.” Ryder came in right on cue to be the hero.
Unsure of what to do and with no other offers besides Drew’s endorsing job, she shrugged. “If I decide to do this, I’m not auditioning.” She returned to her seat. Drew put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. At least she had Drew. Maybe she could convince Logan to put them in the same scene. She put her hand over his.
Ryder and Logan laughed and returned to their chairs.
Logan pointed at Drew.
“Not only am I not going to audition, I think I’ll have to take a pass on this one. I have a business to run.” Drew’s words possessed the finality of a clapperboard on the final scene.
She spun toward him. “No, you have to be in it. We’ll be together.” This would be the perfect opportunity for them to reconnect.
“No, I called cut on my acting career twenty years ago. I don’t need a retake on that part of my life.” He didn’t look her in the eye, only continued to face forward.
The time of his life he didn’t want to relive was the time he spent with her. “I’m not doing this.” She shot up out of her chair and walked away. With each step she took, she counted off all she lost, her agent, her home, her contract, her role, her place.
HOLLYWOOD STARBURST
FADE IN:
EXT. HOLLYWOOD, CA – PAY PHONE ON HOLLYWOOD BLVD – SUNSET
ROXY shoves coins into the payphone slot. She dials the phone and waits while it rings.
PHONE RINGS.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Hello?
ROXY
It’s Roxy.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered. Panicked tone)
Are you all right? Where are you?
ROXY grips phone tighter.
ROXY
I’m fine I think. I’m still in Hollywood.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Are you going to come home?
ROXY shuts her eyes.
ROXY
I...Did William get home?
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
You’re not calling about William.
ROXY shakes her head.
ROXY
I just asked about him.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
If you wanted to know about him, you would have asked about him first.
Silence.
ROXY
Charles?
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
If you come home soon you can make up the time you lost in summer school. You won’t be able to be in the graduation ceremonies, but you won’t be behind.
ROXY
I’m always behind.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
Come home and we’ll get you ahead. Do you want me to talk to your parents?
ROXY stands up straight.
ROXY
No. I have
to prove to them I can make it on my own. If I come back they’ll know I failed.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
It’s only failure if that’s not what you want.
ROXY
I want to find my place.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
You called me. Doesn’t that tell you you’re place is back here?
ROXY
I don’t know what to do.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
What about Steven?
ROXY
Steven has nothing to do with this.
CHARLES (O.S.)
(Filtered)
He’s why you really called.
ROXY presses the phone to her chest and stares off into nothing.
Chapter Six
WITHOUT TRAFFIC, THE DRIVE from Hollywood to Pasadena took about twenty-five minutes, maybe thirty if they were unlucky with stoplights. During traffic, the same ride could take anywhere between an hour to ninety minutes.
No matter the traffic conditions, the drive from Hollywood to Pasadena took several thousand years with Erin not speaking to him, and Drew was not exaggerating in the slightest.
However, he could have a conversation with her silence. If he addressed the quiet, he would say that he couldn't commit to a movie after only being reunited with her less than twenty-four hours ago. He didn't know where they stood and didn't know if he wanted to be stuck with months and months of having to see her if things didn't work out. Maybe he wanted to know if she could accept him without acting binding them together.
It wasn't that he didn't want her, he was afraid of how much he wanted her.
At long last he pulled up into his driveway. After she walked away from the table and announced she wouldn't be in the movie either, he braced himself for her to tell him she needed to leave.
Damn. He couldn't give in and he couldn't let go. No wonder she wasn't speaking.
He shut off the car. "Erin."
"Would it be all right if I took Beaker for a walk?"
Though he heard her, he had to make sure he didn't make up her question in his head. "What?"
"Does Beaker like to go for walks? I just wanted to take him out and get some air."
She wanted to take the dog for a walk, not leave. It took him a moment to process the information.
"Never mind." She opened the car door, got out and stomped to the front of the house.
He followed her. "I am quite certain Beaker would love for you to take him for a walk. I just didn't think that was something you would want to do."
"What you don't know, Andrew Jordan Fulton, is a lot. You need to read your cues better." She tapped her foot and pointed at the front door. "May I go inside, please?"
"Since you're going to be staying, would you like me to get you a key?" He unlocked the door.
"Absolutely not. That's all I need. If you don't want to do a movie with me, and you can't trust me with your dog, how could you trust me with a key to your home?" She pushed her way inside, stopping the moment Beaker greeted her.
Drew almost tripped over them.
She kneeled down, gave the dog a kiss on his nose and entered. "I was going to offer to make you a sandwich or something since we didn't eat, but we don't have an official food taster here, so if you don't mind I think I'll just go upstairs and figure out what to do with my career now that I gave up a role for you."
He had been meaning to ask her about this exact subject. “You gave up a role for me?"
She straightened and spun toward him. "Why did you come back?"
"What?" He told her last night. Well, actually he lied, but still.
"Why the sudden reappearance? Were you that desperate for a spokesperson and Logan didn't know anyone else?" She put her hands on her hips. "When you came back and sought me out last night didn't you think the acting may be part of it? You had to know about the sequel before any of us."
"Erin." Though he said her name, he had nothing to say after it. When he made the decision to go to her, he knew what it would entail, wanted what it would entail. Erin was a lot, all emotion and passion, and he needed it all.
"Wait." She held up her hand and let out a chuckle, one that said nothing was funny. "Here I thought I was the actress."
"What?" The muscles in his neck tightened.
"This is part of my punishment. A little payback though you can truly never make it equal, so anything you do to me will always be justified." She shook her head. "It worked and now you can put another notch in your belt, let me know if we will ever even out."
Her words washed over him and he took a second to absorb them. At the gala, he could have snuck out. He didn't need to go on stage, he knew what would happen when he walked into work tomorrow and yet he still moved forward. His decision wasn't a snap decision.
Before he had the chance to retort, the grind of tires on asphalt echoed in his driveway as Logan's computer on wheels pulled up. With only what Drew would call Hollywood flair, his best friend got out of the car, adjusted his sunglasses, checked his signature ponytail, and sauntered around the car to open the door for his fiancée.
Like in a movie, first a pair of smooth legs exited the car followed by the rest of the glamorous girl. Though only engaged about twenty-four hours, Ivy seemed different, not only in the light radiating from her, but a bit of the magic touched her, the glitz, the shine.
Logan, Ryder, Erin, they always possessed that one quality, the one that made them larger than life. On screen or off, it didn't change. Damn, he missed what he never had and deep down that was one of the reasons he came back.
As he approached, Logan lifted his chin.
"I need to talk to you." Drew motioned for them to hurry up.
"I would also like to talk to you." Erin huffed behind him.
"Well, then it's a good thing we're here." Logan guided Ivy up the porch and they all went inside.
Ivy waved to him and Erin and gave Beaker a pat.
"All right, there is only so much of me to go around. So, I will buck tradition and go with men first." Logan tilted his head.
Drew turned back to Erin, resisted the need to tell her to play nice and followed Logan into the laundry room.
Before saying a word, Logan slid the door closed, encapsulating them in the tiny space, made even more miniscule by Drew’s twenty-first century washer and dryer in a 1918 designed room. He backed up against the wall.
Logan held up his finger and looked in the laundry basket, opened the lid to the washer and then the door to the dryer.
“What are you doing?” He kicked the door to his dryer closed.
Logan straightened up and crossed his arms. “Seriously.”
“Do you want to talk about the movie or not?” Drew narrowed his eyes.
“First, I want to know if you slept with her, but I guess I got my answer by the lack of any dirty sheets.” Logan huffed. “You waited twenty years for this and you didn’t do the deed?”
He ground his teeth together. “I want to be in the movie.”
“People want a lot of things, but I want to know why you didn’t sleep with her.”
“We have a complicated past.”
Logan nodded. “More than wanting to know if you slept with her, I wanted to make sure everything was copacetic here.”
“As copacetic as getting your fiancée back for you and outing myself to Erin and the world can be.” Waiting for an answer about the movie, he tapped his foot.
“I did mean to thank you for that.” His best friend bowed in his direction.
“Logan.” He held his hands out, telling his friend to get on with it.
“I came here to basically beg you to be in my movie. I don’t beg for anything, so now at least let me have the fun of making Erin wait an unusually long time before I tell her she can be in the movie as well.” Though Logan didn’t smile, his eyes sparkled with mayhem. “I thought once you showed up last night at the gala and then arriv
ed today with Erin, the movie was a no brainer. I was shocked when you declined. What made you change your mind?”
Drew looked out the window into his yard at his lemon tree. He remembered thinking on the day he saw the house for the first time that Erin would love that tree. While they filmed the movie, she always sought out the shade of a tree on breaks, and the first time she saw fruit hanging from a branch, she seemed mesmerized. Sometimes he would sneak over with her, wishing their few stolen moments would make it into the movie, but it wasn’t his role, his path.
“It’s time,” he said.
“Then this time, make some dirty laundry.” Logan strummed his fingers on the washing machine, the metallic tapping ringing through the room. “Don’t disappear.”
No, this time he couldn’t vanish.
* * * *
THE DOOR TO THE LAUNDRY room slid open and one half of their famous quartet exited. All smiles, Logan elbowed Drew. "After much convincing, I have managed to convince Mr. Fulton to take his place amongst the stars."
Erin focused on Drew and her cheeks heated. What he wouldn't do for her, he would do for Logan. Why even bother with her at all?
"Yay!" As Ivy clapped, the reflection of the light off her diamond sparkled over the room. She ran over to Drew and hugged him.
Limelight (Hollywood Stardust) Page 6