Love's Encore Series (Books One and Two)

by Miranda MacLeod

  “That was great, Rorie,” Tracy said when the last of her professional questions had been answered. “I just have a few more things to ask, but why don’t we take a break and you can get something to drink?”

  “I made some tea,” Cecily said, hopping up from the chair. “I’ll go get it.”

  She reappeared a moment later with the pitcher and glasses, and Rorie was struck by how much easier these things went when Cecily was around. She was a natural entertainer and had a way of putting everyone, including Rorie, at ease.

  “Mmm, sweet tea!” Tracy exclaimed after taking her first sip. “My grandma was from Mississippi and used to make it just like this.”

  “Well, I grew up in Louisiana, so there’s no other way to make it, as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Louisiana? You’re not related to those DuPonts, are you?” Tracy asked. Her eyes had narrowed sharply and her reporter’s brain was whirring so vigorously it was nearly audible.

  “Yes, I’m one of those DuPonts.”

  Rorie watched Cecily’s face for any signs of distress, but she seemed comfortable with the question despite the rockiness of her relationship with her family since coming out to them. They hadn’t talked about it much, but Rorie knew that, deep down, it troubled her more than she let on to not be on good terms with them. Rorie understood all too well, given her own sad family history, and reached over once again to squeeze Cecily’s hand in support.

  Tracy stared pointedly at Cecily and Rorie’s clasped hands. “Oh my. It must have been difficult growing up gay in a family like that.”

  Cecily laughed. “Daddy does have a reputation for being one of the most conservative members of the Senate, but he’s actually been the most supportive one of the bunch. Not perfect, but he tries. As for growing up gay, that’s an interesting story.” Cecily briefly explained how her family had expected her to marry Chet before she and Rorie had met in college, her subsequent unhappy marriage, and how they’d only recently been reunited. “It’s been a long, winding road to get where we are. As for my family’s acceptance of it, well…” Cecily shrugged, there being little more that she could say. But the way she looked at Rorie as she spoke told her that, as far as Cecily was concerned, it was all worth it.

  “The two of you are so adorable, maybe we could get some pictures of you together?”

  “Sure! I’d be happy—oh, hold on.” Cecily checked her phone. “I just got a text from my agent. I need to give him a quick call back.”

  “So, she’s an actress?” Tracy asked Rorie once Cecily had left the room to make her call.

  Rorie nodded, still beaming from the rush of love that had passed through her from Cecily’s look. “She’s trying to line up some auditions for next week, so hopefully this will be good news.”

  “It’s a tough business, that’s for sure. She’s brave to be as open about her sexuality as she is, especially just starting out. Not all actresses are, even in this day and age. It’s hard enough to get jobs as it is, without adding that into the mix. I’ve even heard of contracts being written with so-called morality clauses, where producers can discourage actors from being public about relationships they don’t approve of.”

  Rorie frowned. “Yeah, I’ve heard of that, too.” It was one of a long list of things that Rorie disliked about the prospect of Cecily booking anything more high profile than voice acting or work as an extra.

  “Although I can’t imagine she needs the money, given her family background.”

  Rorie stiffened at the mention of Cecily’s finances. That was very personal information, as was Cecily’s political family, and she felt uncomfortable with how quickly the reporter’s brain seemed to have made these connections and latched onto the story.

  Tracy rifled in her briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers, handing one to Rorie and setting a second one on the coffee table.

  “What’s this?” Rorie squinted at the documents in her hands.

  “Releases for the photos, so we can use them in the magazine. There’s a set for you, and a set for Cecily.”

  “For Cecily?”

  “I’d love to include a little bit about her in my piece and put a picture of the two of you with it. Readers love that with these at-home features.”

  Rorie thought about what Tracy had just said about being openly gay in Hollywood and felt a twinge of anxiety at thousands of Hollywood insiders reading Cecily’s story. Cecily was working so hard to succeed, which was an uphill battle for any actress, especially one who was over the age of forty. The last thing she needed was for every casting director in town to know that she had a girlfriend, and was the daughter of a conservative politician, too. It would be nice if these types of things didn’t matter, but Rorie wasn’t that naive. If her age was the first strike against her, adding those facts would be strikes two and three. She’d never get a call back. The only thing Rorie disliked less than the prospect of Cecily becoming famous was the possibility that she would fail.

  “I wonder, Tracy…do you think you could hold off on Cecily’s release forms? It’s just, you know how this business can be. It might be better if some parts of her personal life remain a little more private right now.” Rorie cringed inwardly at her words, the irony of what she had said not lost upon her. Since college, the only thing she had wanted was to be out in the open about her relationship with Cecily. Now, just when Cecily had fully embraced who she was and would happily give her exactly what she wanted, Rorie was the one trying to slam the closet door shut on her.

  “Perhaps I could just ask?” It was clear that Tracy wasn’t willing to let go of a juicy story without a fight.

  Rorie sighed with distaste at what she was about to suggest. “How about if, once Cecily secures an agent and is a little more established, we do a whole new interview with you? For the magazine, or your own blog, or whatever you’d like?”

  Tracy was intrigued. “An exclusive interview with the senator’s daughter and her Hollywood girlfriend. I like the possibilities. Okay, you’ve got a deal.” She scooped up the second set of release forms and put them back in her briefcase, then stood to go.

  A moment after Tracy and the photographer left, Cecily entered the room beaming, oblivious of what had just transpired. A fresh wave of guilt washed over Rorie for not at least giving Cecily a chance to make her own decision.

  “I’ve got an audition for a television show on Monday! And I might even have a shot at a speaking part, because Jonas just said he’d be sending over a script for me to study. Can you believe it?”

  Rorie flung her arms around Cecily in a warm embrace, her guilt buried under relief that Cecily might finally be getting a break. “I’m so happy for you!” And if the audition went well and she gets the job, who knows? Maybe she’ll never have to know about me sending Tracy away just now.

  And she was happy for much better reasons, too. Though steady work as an extra was her favorite option, a small speaking role could be lucrative and would hardly thrust Cecily too far into the spotlight. Plus, Rorie’s house was only a few miles from most of the studios, which meant more weeknight sleepovers. And it would be that much easier to convince Cecily to move in with her when the time was right.

  She kissed Cecily long and hard, grateful that she was too distracted by news of the audition to give another thought to the interview or wonder why they’d left without taking her picture or having her sign a release.

  Chapter 9

  Cecily’s mouth watered at the aroma of charbroiled meat that wafted past her nose, feeling a wave of lightheadedness as the waiter placed the plate in front of her on the table.

  “That’s one hell of a steak.” Frankie looked at her own plate of crisp salad greens with evident disappointment. “Are you doing that paleo diet?”

  “If you are, it’s working,” Dee said. “You look like you’ve lost ten pounds since the Fourth of July party.”

  “You mean that all-meat diet really works?” Frankie scowled at her plate. “Maybe I can send this back and
order what you’re having!”

  “Any diet’s been completely unintentional, believe me.” Cecily attacked the meat with a knife. “But maybe now that I’m getting Hollywood skinny, I’ll get a job so I can afford real food!”

  “How was your audition?” Rhonda’s tone seemed warm enough, but something about it still gave Cecily a slight chill.

  When Rorie suggested inviting Dee, Frankie, and Rhonda to join them at the restaurant following her audition, Cecily had fully expected Rhonda to decline. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but the woman didn’t like her. Cecily could sense it now, even though on the surface she was obviously trying to be polite. That, or hunger was making Cecily imagine an underlying animosity that wasn’t really there. Rorie would tell her that it was the latter, but she wasn’t convinced.

  “Honestly, I’m not sure what to make of it. I was halfway through my audition monologue when I realized that one of the guys was reading something on his phone. And they kept calling me by the wrong name.”

  “Oh, that happens all the time,” Frankie assured her. “It doesn’t mean anything. I got a call back once after an audition where the director was asleep.”

  Despite the way she downplayed it to the group, Cecily was overflowing with unexpected confidence about the day’s audition, and she found that fact at least as frightening as it was thrilling. It turned out that the role she’d been asked to audition for wasn’t just an extra like she’d first thought, or even a minor guest spot. They were considering her for a recurring role as an FBI agent on one of the most hyped shows of the upcoming season. It was the role of a lifetime, and if she got it, it would define her career.

  “So, what show is it?” Frankie asked.

  “Portland Blue.” Just saying it out loud made Cecily’s stomach clench, and she had to set down her fork for a moment until the feeling passed.

  “The new police procedural? And their considering you for a recurring role?” Frankie’s eyes were wide as saucers when Cecily nodded.

  Rhonda’s eyes narrowed. “Doesn’t that film on location?”

  Cecily glanced uneasily at Rorie, who had been unusually quiet since Cecily had broken the news just seconds before their friends arrived. The show was, indeed, filmed in Portland. If she got the part, Cecily could expect to be gone for weeks on end for as long as her role lasted. Rorie didn’t need to say a word for Cecily to know how she felt about that arrangement—but she still wished she’d say something about it so they could get it out in the open and face it.

  “It’s a really great opportunity,” Rorie said, as if reading Cecily’s thoughts. She squeezed Cecily's knee lightly beneath the table, and Cecily was flooded with relief.

  “Oh, man. You are so lucky!” Frankie shook her head wistfully. “They treat you like royalty on those on-location shows. You get put up in your own house, and get a per diem so you can eat out every night. Since most the cast is in the same boat, being away from home, it’s like one big party!”

  “So, is it true that Brad Perris joined the cast?” Dee asked.

  Brad Perris was a young actor who’d become a real hot property in Hollywood, ever since the action movie he’d co-starred in had hit box office gold at the start of the summer. Normally, a young actor in his situation would go on to make as many sequels as quickly as he could, but the success of the film had caught everyone by surprise, and there were rumors that he’d already locked himself into an eight year contract on Portland Blue before the movie premiered. It was a rumor that Cecily could confirm was true first-hand.

  “Yeah, he’s definitely doing the show. In fact, he was there today.”

  Dee’s jaw dropped. “Oh. My. God. You met Brad Perris?”

  “Uh huh. I mean, just to say hello.”

  “Are his muscles as big as they look on the screen?” Frankie asked in a breathless tone.

  “I guess they were…”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, ladies,” Rhonda said, pushing her chair back from the table and motioning to stand. “Here I thought I’d requested to be seated at the lesbian table. It seems the hostess made a mistake.”

  “Oh shut up, Rhonda.” Dee rolled her eyes as Rhonda settled back into her seat. “There’s nothing wrong with appreciating a good-looking male body. It doesn’t mean we want to sleep with him.”

  “Actually,” Frankie chimed in, “if I were going to consider having sex with a guy, it would probably be him, though. Just being honest.”

  Dee tilted her head, thinking. “Yeah, maybe. I might consider turning straight for him. Don’t tell Peggy, though.”

  “Okay, enough already!” Rhonda she sprang out of her chair. “I’m going to the bathroom. Losers,” she muttered, and stuck out her tongue out at them as she strode away from the table.

  Dee and Frankie snickered while Cecily watched in confusion. “What was that all about?”

  Rorie patted Cecily’s knee with the hand she’d been resting there. “Rhonda’s a little sensitive sometimes. Her last girlfriend left her for a man.”

  “And the one before that,” Dee added.

  “And the one before that one, too,” Frankie said.

  Cecily’s mouth slackened. “Wow. That’s really bad luck.”

  Rorie shook her head. “Luck has nothing to do with it. She falls for exactly the same type of woman every time, and refuses to see it. If she keeps doing the same things, I don’t know what she expects.”

  “It’s to the point that she hates it if you even mention men around her,” Frankie explained. “It’s like she’s convinced we’re all one set of six-pack abs away from switching teams.”

  “Which is why we tease her.” Dee gave an evil chuckle. “Although, for the record, if it turns out that Brad Perris has a thing for middle-aged butch women with glasses, you will let me know, right?”

  Cecily’s memory flashed back to the party at Rorie’s house, and she realized that Rhonda’s cold behavior toward her had coincided with her mentioning Chet for the first time. Clearly, the existence of an ex-husband had sent up a big red flag. She turned to Rorie. “So I wasn’t crazy. You knew exactly why she didn’t like me this whole time.”

  “It’s her problem, babe, not yours. I didn’t want you to worry about it.”

  “I know, but I wish you’d told me. I would’ve worried so much less in the long run if I’d just known what was going on.” Inside, Cecily tried not to fume. This wasn't the first time she'd felt like Rorie was keeping things back in order to protect her, and she didn't enjoy feeling like she was being coddled.

  “I’m sorry.” Rorie kissed her cheek. “I should’ve explained.”

  Mollified, Cecily gave her a half smile. “Just so you know, Brad Perris, while objectively very handsome and charming, is twenty-eight years old. If even that. My lesbian credentials may not be up to Rhonda’s standards, but I swear, I’m not some cougar!”

  “You’re sure about that?” Rorie teased.

  “Oh yes. I definitely prefer older women.” Cecily leaned in and kissed Rorie on the lips, ignoring the catcalls coming from the women on the other side of the table as Rorie pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. When they finally parted, Cecily felt her cheeks color as she realized that Rhonda had rejoined the group. The woman was watching them with an annoyed expression on her face that inspired Cecily to set the record straight once and for all. “Now why would I even think about being with some hunky actor when I’ve got that waiting for me at home?” One eyebrow arched upward as she looked Rhonda squarely in the eyes, silently challenging her to broach the topic again at her own peril. “And anyway, it’s not like I’m even going to have the opportunity, since I’m never going to get the part.”

  But deep inside her head, there was a little voice whispering that maybe, just maybe, she would.

  Cecily lay in bed that night, staring into the darkness. Try as she might to relax against the sensation of Rorie’s fingers caressing the bare skin of her arms, her mind refused to stop churning.

  “Cici? You okay?”
Rorie whispered.

  “Just thinking about the audition.”

  “Worried it didn’t go well?” There was a hopefulness hidden behind her question that suggested she was counting on this being the case.

  Cecily’s pulse ticked. She knew Rorie wasn’t going to like what she had to say. “That’s just it. It did go well. And if I get the part, I have to take it.”

  Rorie sighed and was silent for a moment. “You don’t have to take it, Cici.”

  “Well, the money—”

  Rorie’s fingers stilled and rested on her shoulder. “We’ll ignore for a minute the fact that you have a few million dollars in the bank, because I know that’s not supposed to count. But Cici, your job at Grant Studios is supposed to be starting again in, what—a month?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “You still have some money from your voice over work, and if you check with Stephanie, she might have a few more projects you could do to tide you over.”

  “I suppose, but—”

  “And you have a credit card. Using it to make ends meet for a few weeks until you’re back at work isn’t cheating, you know. You wanted to see if you could survive like a normal person? Well, that’s what normal people do.”

  “I guess so, but—”

  “I’m just pointing this out because if you want to, you have a way of making things work the way they are. So if you get the part and decide to take it, you’re doing it because you want to. Don’t pretend you’re just doing it to survive.”

  Cecily listened to the sound of Rorie’s breathing, feeling the warmth of it against her neck in the darkness. Throughout their conversation, Rorie had continued to hold her close—she hadn’t turned from her or pushed her away. Cecily was comforted by that as she struggled to think of something to say. There wasn’t anything to say, though, because Rorie was right. And if the call came, she knew what she was going to say. She just wasn’t sure if she could forgive herself for doing it.