Cross My Heart

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  “Interesting. I’d like to hear more about your family,” he said.

  “Sure. But right now I need to get off the phone. I really need to go to work.”

  “Okay. Perhaps we can get together later this evening.”

  “Well, the boys are coming home tonight and I want to spend some time with them. Two days seems like forever.”

  “Yes, of course,” he said quickly. “I understand. You should be there this evening. I’m sure they missed you.”

  “Not half as much as I missed them,” she said wistfully. “But I had a really good time this weekend. Thank you for everything.” Her other line beeped. “My other line—that’s probably Mia calling me to tell me the boys are up. I’ll talk to you later, okay?” She clicked over to the second line quickly. It wasn’t Mia.

  “Hi, Mommy,” Brice said clearly.

  Natalia laughed so hard her cheeks hurt. Hearing her son’s voice always sent a thrill of pride and love through her. “Hi, sweetheart. How are you? I miss you,” she said. The reply was nonstop chatter. He told her all about his day and that he played with fish and that his uncles took him to play with puppies. The excitement and joy in his voice was contagious. Natalia laughed as he then relayed everything his favorite cartoon character had just done on television. He went on for a few minutes more about making pancakes with Uncle Stephen, then she asked to speak with Jayden. She heard gurgling laughter and then “Dada.”

  It didn’t matter what they said, it only mattered that she heard their voices. After that moment, everything was perfect. As a matter of fact, everything was more than perfect. She relaxed back and had a quick conversation with Mia as she flipped through the day-old mail she’d picked up but never opened Friday evening.

  David braced his hands behind his head and felt the warmth of the early-morning sun on his face as he sat out on the balcony. He closed his eyes and thought about his time with Natalia. Spending the night with her was unexpected and amazing. Spending all day Saturday with her in the Bahamas was totally spectacular and Miami was beyond measure. All in all, it was a perfect weekend getaway and sharing it with Natalia made it the best time he’d had in a long time.

  He didn’t have his guard up with her; he didn’t need to. Neither had any illusions as to what they were doing. He knew exactly what she wanted from him and it was nothing he wasn’t eagerly willing to give.

  Usually he would instinctively be on guard against being used by women with their own agenda—models wanting exposure, actresses seeking a career boost and socialites just wanting to be seen with him on their arm. It was all a game of use-and-be-used.

  He’d certainly been with his share of women. They came at him constantly and from every direction. One woman had even broken into his New York apartment and lain naked in his bed, waiting for him. Still another had mailed herself to him in a shipping box and jumped out, wearing only high heels and a grin.

  But the thing was, he always saw them for what they were. They wanted what he had and they would do anything to get it. And very often they did. It certainly wasn’t all women, but it was enough of them to keep him constantly on alert. That’s why he’d come here in the first place. He’d assumed that Natalia was one of those women. He was wrong. He could guard against gold diggers and paternity suits, but how could he protect himself against legitimate fatherhood, even when he hadn’t slept with the mother? The legal precedent would be staggering.

  Being a movie actor had a way of opening doors—not to mention other things. But in the few times he’d been with Natalia, no one had touched him as she had. She was passionate, vivacious and spirited. He enjoyed being with her, talking with her and of course making love to her. Being with Natalia showed him just how different a real relationship could be. He liked it.

  “There you are,” Pamela said as soon as she stepped out onto the balcony. “Good morning. Did you have a good weekend?”

  “The best,” he said, still smiling.

  “Glad to hear it. You look happy.”

  “I am,” he said without opening his eyes. “Deliriously.”

  “So I guess you already heard the news,” Pamela said.

  “What news?” he asked, turning to look at her.

  “Lenny called. The studio wants to option you for the next two sequels of Lone Warrior as soon as possible. You’re officially a superhero franchise. Congratulations,” she said, smiling.

  David sat up instantly. “Seriously?” he said excitedly. She nodded while smiling from ear to ear. “That’s fantastic.” He sat up, smiled and laughed riotously. “Who would have thought that a postapocalyptic action hero out to save the world would hit such a nerve?”

  “Hey, box office receipts don’t lie. It’s a surprise blockbuster and it’s not even summer yet. Lone Warrior kicked ass and you know the sequels are gonna be tight. They knew they had to lock you down.”

  He jumped up, grabbed Pamela and spun her around. She joined in his laughter until her eyes moistened. She thought about her best friend as a tear trembled down her face.

  “Brenda would be so…” she began, but didn’t finish.

  “I know,” he said, hugging her close. “I know.” They stood a moment thinking about his sister, her best friend. Her death was senseless and the heartbreak of losing her was always just below the surface.

  “I have to call Natalia and tell her. She’s going to be thrilled.”

  “Wait. Before you do that, there’s more.” He stopped and nodded. “Okay, back to business,” she said more professionally. “Lenny, by the way, is still on the ceiling. He said that opening at number one in triple-digit receipts last month and staying the number-one movie for three weeks straight really piqued the studio’s interest. They didn’t want to lose you. Plus, the movie is still pulling in major receipts and it hasn’t even gone overseas or onto disk yet. The offer includes executive producer credit and a percentage on the back end. He called you every two hours yesterday. Your cell phone voice mail is loaded.”

  “I was in Bimini. I’ll call him back this afternoon.”

  “Nope, you gotta make it sooner. They want to see you.”

  “Who?”

  “The studio execs. They want to announce as soon as possible.”

  “When?”

  “Tonight. They’re sending the studio jet to meet you right now. Lenny and a couple of execs are on board, finalizing the paperwork. They’re picking up a few more cast members in New York and Houston and then they’ll do a turnaround back to L.A.” She looked at her PDA for confirmation. “They should be here in about five hours.”

  He nodded. “Anything else?” he asked.

  “Yes. We have a situation that needs your attention. Apparently, our tabloid friend, Beck, called the L.A. office for confirmation. Word is that you’re donating your ‘swimmers’ to a clinic for posterity. Apparently, there are women calling clinics all over L.A. asking if it’s true. Sounds like he’s at least on the right track, but just doesn’t know the particulars. My guess is that some big-mouth at the clinic went for the fast cash. So how do you want to handle it?”

  “Squash it. I can’t have something like that coming out now. Technically, the story is incorrect. Just tell them that I am not now and have no intention in the future of donating sperm to any bank.”

  She nodded and began typing in a text message. “Got it. I’ll use that exact quote.”

  “Is that it?” he asked.

  “Yep, for now. You need to get packed.”

  “Do me a favor. Get me a few books on parenting.” Pam looked at him questioningly and then smiled and shook her head. “No editorializing. Just do it,” he said, not wanting to hear her commentary.

  “Sure. Any particular ones?”

  “Anything’s fine. No, wait. Find me something on toddlers and preschoolers—from a father’s perspective, if possible.”

  “Sure,” she nodded. “Anything else?”

  “Yeah, send a couple of bouquets of flowers to the spa downstairs—attention N
atalia and Nikita Coles. No note. That’s it. Get Lenny on the phone before you go,” he requested. Pam nodded, picked up his cell and dialed. A few seconds later, David was speaking with his very excited agent.

  Chapter 11

  Natalia pulled up in front of her sister’s home and got out of the car. As soon as she climbed the steps, the screen door opened. Nikita stood in the doorway with a cup in her hands. “Okay, lady, you’d better have a good reason for getting me up this early on my day off. Our spa appointment isn’t for another few hours.”

  “I do. Trust me,” Natalia said.

  “Come on in,” Nikita said as her sister approached.

  “Good morning,” Natalia said, reaching the last step. Nikita handed the cup to her as she walked inside. Natalia headed straight to the kitchen. Nikita followed.

  “Umm, what smells so good?” Natalia asked.

  As usual, Nikita was baking, and whatever she had in the oven smelled heavenly. Natalia stood at the counter as Nikita walked over to the sink and washed her hands. She grabbed some paper towels, then picked up a colander of freshly washed berries and brought it to where Natalia sat.

  “I’m trying out a few new recipes for the bakery. I’ve got some turkey potpies in the oven.”

  “Umm, they smell incredible. My mouth is watering.”

  “Good, that’s exactly the effect I was hoping for.”

  “And what is this going to be?” Natalia asked of the bowl on the counter filled with cubed white cake topped with what looked like a crème brûlée mixture.

  “A very berry sweet-bread pudding, if all goes well,” she said as she opened the oven and pulled out a tray of small pastry-covered goodies. The aroma wafting from the open oven made Natalia’s mouth water all over again. Nikita grabbed oven mitts, placed each small dish on an oven grate, then turned to Natalia. “All right now. What’s going on with you?”

  “I got this in the mail.”

  Nikita looked at the already opened letter, then up at her sister. “What is it?”

  “I messed up,” Natalia said, then simply handed her sister an envelope.

  Nikita pulled the letter out and quickly read through it. A smile lit up her face and brightened as she continued reading. “Are you kidding? You did it. You’re a finalist for the grant,” she squealed, hurrying around the counter to hug her. “Congratulations! I’m so proud of you. This is fantastic news. What are you talking about—you messed up? This is fantastic.”

  “Not quite. I went out to dinner with David Friday night,” she confessed.

  “To celebrate the news?”

  “No, I didn’t open the letter until this morning.”

  “So what? You went out—like on a date?” Nikita asked.

  Natalia half nodded. “More like a just-hanging-out thing.”

  “Get out, for real?” Nikita said even more gleefully than before. Natalia shrugged. “Well, what’s wrong with that? You’re both single, mature adults. How was it, how was he?”

  “Niki,” Natalia began. “There’s more.”

  “More? Oh, my goodness. Tatiana is going to faint when she hears this. Okay, details—I want details,” Nikita demanded.

  Natalia paused and looked away. “One thing led to another, then we…”

  “Whoa, whoa! What do you mean, one thing lead to another?”

  “You know exactly what I mean,” she said, looking at her sister knowingly. Nikita’s jaw dropped open. “It was impulsive and mind-blowing and totally out-of-this-world amazing. But now in the light of day I’m thinking, how is he ever going to take me or the center seriously now? I don’t know what I was thinking.” She shook her head miserably. “I take that back. I wasn’t thinking at all.”

  “You mean like with the photograph.”

  “What photograph?” Natalia asked.

  “This photograph,” Nikita said, handing her a printed paper. “What’s this?”

  “It’s a photo of movie star David Montgomery strolling down the pristine streets of Bimini Saturday afternoon with an unidentified woman. Tell me—does the woman in the picture look familiar to you or is it just me?” Nikita asked. Natalia instantly grabbed the paper and looked at it. Her jaw dropped.

  “So I gather from your stunned expression and the way your cheeks just flushed that it was you.”

  “Yes, it’s me.”

  “No kidding,” she said rhetorically as she buttered and sugared two small dessert ramekins.

  “I can’t believe this. Where’d you get this?”

  “Tatiana sent it to me.”

  “Tatiana is in London. How did she get it?”

  “A photographer friend of hers sent it to her joking that if he hadn’t just seen her earlier that night he would have added her name to the photo for publication.”

  “Wait. They can’t publish this,” Natalia exclaimed.

  “Honey, it’s David Montgomery with a new woman on his arm. Of course they can. They already have.”

  “No, wait. They need my approval and I won’t give it.”

  “Wake up, Natalia. David Montgomery is in the public domain and that means anyone associated with him is also fair game. Believe me, the paparazzi for some of these magazines don’t wait around to get signed releases. They print first and ask questions later. As you can see, they don’t have your name yet, but when they do…”

  “Yeah, I know. I’m screwed. I need to talk to David.” She stepped down from the stool and grabbed her purse.

  “No, no, no. First you need to tell me what’s going on.”

  She sat back down and looked at Nikita, not knowing where to begin. “To tell you the truth, that’s a good question. I don’t exactly know. We kissed Friday and everything changed after that. We had dinner on his boat, then it was off to Bimini and Miami, then…” She paused and shook her head. “I didn’t plan it. It just happened—and happened and happened a few more times.”

  Nikita smiled and chuckled. “Well, needless to say I’m thrilled for you. There’s nothing like an intense physical attraction to release pent-up sexual energy. And sweetie, you so needed to release all that sexual energy. So, in my opinion, it’s about time you had a little fun in your life.”

  “Fun,” she said, shaking her head fretfully. “I have no idea what I’m doing. I mean this was just one Friday night dinner and it turned into Saturday afternoon in Bimini and Saturday night in Miami. And now this.” She motioned to the photo. Natalia shook her head again miserably.

  “Nat, the man’s a major movie star. He’s got a blockbuster movie out in theaters right now. Of course the media’s interested in him. And, in case you hadn’t noticed, he’s rich, famous and gorgeous. That means a lot of other people are interested in him, too.”

  “I must be out of my mind to be getting myself involved with him. But the thing is—I really like him. He’s kind and generous and funny and he makes he feel like I really matter. I know I’m just a fling to him and I shouldn’t get emotionally involved, but he’s so easy to fall for. He’s the wrong man at the wrong time.”

  “What are you talking about? This is the best thing to happen to you in a long time. Sweetie, only a sister would tell you this, but your dating drought has gone critical. Did it ever occur to you that he’s the right man at the right time?”

  “None of this matters anymore anyway,” Natalia said, shaking her head. “After last weekend I can’t even think about accepting the grant money. It would be wrong.”

  “Wrong? Come on, Nat. You did the right thing to apply for the grant. You worked for weeks to get the application just right and complete the process. You said yourself that his foundation was a perfect fit and he must think so, too, or else he wouldn’t be here, right?”

  Natalia sighed. “I wasn’t thinking.”

  “You’re right—you were feeling. Nat, you’re always thinking for others. When people get in trouble, you’re the first person everyone calls. You’re the family shrink. I say it’s about time you have a little fun.”

  “
You don’t understand. I can’t accept this money now.”

  “Why not?”

  “It would make me just like Clay Sullivan.”

  “How? Sullivan is a sleazeball who wanted you to sleep with him to get his foundation grant. You refused. Did David put that kind of stipulation on his grant, too?”

  “No.”

  “Then I don’t see the problem.”

  “What Clay did was disgusting and if I take this, I’ll be just as corrupt as he is. If people found out what I did, the center will have zero credibility. It’s like I slept with him for a reason and you know what that makes me.”

  To Nikita’s blank stare, Natalia continued. “I slept with David, then this letter comes. Don’t you see?”

  “If you’re referring to what I think you’re referring to, I think you’re way off base. One thing has nothing to do with the other. Tell me, did you sleep with him to win the grant?”

  “Niki, I slept with the man and then I got a finalist letter for over a half-million-dollar grant. Don’t you think that smacks of deceit, fraud, ethical misrepresentation, maybe even conspiracy?”

  “No, not at all. If you win the grant, I say accept it graciously. You need the money, the kids need the money. Take it.”

  “I can’t. It wouldn’t feel right. I’ll find the money some other way.”

  “So what about your relationship with David?” she asked.

  Natalia shrugged. “I can’t have photos of myself flashed around like this. I have children to protect. It’s over.”

  “With him that’s probably easier said than done.”

  “No. I can handle this. I’ll simply end it before it gets too complicated.” She stood to leave.

  “My opinion? It’s already complicated,” Nikita said.

  Natalia looked back at her sister, knowing that she wasn’t far from the truth. “Can we rain-check the spa today?” Natalia asked. Nikita nodded. Natalia turned and left. She knew what she had to do. She got into the car and headed into town.

  David stood waiting. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he smiled happily. The sight of her was exactly what he needed. Plus, he couldn’t wait to tell her about the new movie deal. “This is a lovely surprise. Come on in.” He escorted her to his suite, then followed her inside. As soon as he closed the door, he grabbed her back into his arms and held her close. “Umm, you smell good.” He kissed her quickly then released her.