by Diana Currie
“Of course.”
“Thank you,” she whispered. Then there was silence on both ends of the phone. Glancing at the digital clock on her nightstand Maddie saw that it was after eight o’clock. Had they really been talking for an hour? “So, what now, friend?” she asked nervously. She feared he might want to end their conversation for the night. Maddie couldn’t imagine waiting another week to speak to him some more.
Nathan had stopped pacing and now stood by his back door looking out over the Hollywood Hills as the sun began to set. It was a beautiful sight and he wished he could share it with Maddie. For the first time it occurred to him how completely inconvenient it was for her to be halfway across the country. What a stroke of bad luck it was for Nathan to finally find someone he felt so comfortable with only to be separated from her by… Nathan quickly Google Mapped Amarillo, Texas on his nearby iPad. Separated by over a thousand miles. He sighed.
“Could you answer some questions for me? Now that I know I’ll get the truth I’m curious,” he said.
It was Maddie’s turn to pace. She walked back and forth across the carpeted floor of her small childhood bedroom worrying about what Nathan Foster could possibly want to know about her simple little life. And she promised to tell the truth no matter what? Sheesh.
“I suppose that’s only fair after I interrogated you. What would you like to know?” she replied cheekily.
Nathan thought for a moment to sift through the dozens of questions he’d been hesitant to ask before now. “Do you think I’m a just an egotistical celebrity who doesn’t know what having real problems is like?”
“I’ve never thought anything like that. Who said that to you?”
“My brother. He thinks I’m a spoiled rich kid because I live in a gated community and have a driver, a housekeeper, and a gardener. I know I wasn’t in the best place mentally when we first talked last week. I guess I’m worried you think less of me now then when I was just a famous movie star on your TV.”
“Nathan, remember I’m telling you the truth now, okay? I am so much more enthralled by you today than I was two weeks ago. You have a good heart, I know that for certain. You might be a little lost and lonely right now but everyone feels that way sometimes. The real you fascinates me much more than that face on TV ever did,” Maddie assured him emphatically.
“Thank you for saying that,” Nathan sighed, wanting to change the subject off himself again. “I still want to know more about you. Tell me what you did this past week.”
“Hmmm. Well, I went to classes Monday through Thursday. Friday, I worked at the lab all day. I hung out with Holly yesterday. She loves to shop so we went to the mall. She bought new shoes and I got myself a book. I babysat my nieces Tuesday and Wednesday night, that was fun. Today I spent a little time with my dad; supervised while he baked that pineapple upside down cake. I taste tested the final product a few times. Oh, I started reading the book I got at the mall. And then about an hour ago a really sweet, handsome, interesting man topped all of that by calling to talk to me.”
Nathan felt his cheeks fill with the slightest bit of color. That very rarely happened, but Maddie’s description of him made his whole body react in the strangest way. He felt something he couldn’t quite describe. “Likewise, you’ve been the highlight of my week, Miss Sherratt.”
Maddie didn’t want to read too much into that declaration. She decided to switch gears and bring the silent tension down a notch. “Do you watch sports?” she blurted out randomly.
“Um, yes. Packers fan,” Nathan replied. “You?”
“Cowboys. Kyle and my dad really like baseball too so I suppose I could also be called a Rangers fan.”
“I was raised to cheer for the Brewers, but I’ve been to a few Dodgers’ games. Don’t tell my father.”
Maddie smiled. “What’s your favorite food?”
“Anything my mother cooks. What’s the name of that book you bought?”
“Wallbanger. Do you like to read too?”
“Wallbanger? What the heck is that about?”
Maddie picked up the paperback from her nightstand and skimmed over the back cover. “It’s about a woman who has to deal with her noisy next-door neighbor. He bangs their common wall when he, you know, has company over. Eventually they fall in love.”
“Wall banger. You read smutty stories, Maddie?” Nathan asked his voice dropping slightly.
“It’s a contemporary romance, for your information. My friend highly recommended it.”
“Who? Holly?”
“No, Holly isn’t really the book type. I meant a friend online. You know, social networking.”
Nathan sighed quietly. “Oh, I’m not able to keep up with that kind of stuff anymore. My agent advised me to cancel my Facebook account before Love Spelled Backwards came out.”
“You might want to think about canceling your Twitter account too. I love reading your tweets but sometimes celebs can really embarrass themselves if they’re not careful. Just saying.”
“Have I embarrassed myself lately?”
“You get a little Twitter-happy when you’re drunk. How do you think TMZ’s been able to keep such close tabs on your recent partying? You tweet a picture of yourself with some guy or a pretty female fan and then where you were and who you were with becomes headline news the next morning on E!, TMZ, and the EVOL Facebook page.”
“Evil Facebook?” Nathan chuckled. “What grudge do you hold with Facebook?”
“EVOL, not Evil,” Maddie clarified rolling her eyes. “You’ve seriously never heard anyone refer to EVOL?”
“Not to my recollection. What is it?”
“It’s short hand for Love Spelled Backwards. E-V-O-L. Get it? All your fans use it online.”
“Oh, I see. That’s very strange, Maddie,” Nathan teased. “So, do you spend a lot of time on this EVOL Facebook page?”
“I check it every few days just to see what people are talking about.”
“Is that the truth? Come on, Maddie. We promised never to lie, remember?”
“Fine,” Maddie huffed. “I check it every day, okay? I admit I’m obsessed with anything related to that movie! Happy now?”
Nathan grinned to himself. “Very. I knew you were a fangirl, Maddie. Don’t be ashamed.”
“Oh, Nathan Foster. You will pay for using the F word. It’s my turn to ask a question. You can’t lie, remember. Are you dating anyone right now?”
“Why do you want to know?” Nathan hedged wondering what had taken Maddie so long to ask that question. It’s usually the first thing fans and journalists alike want to know about him.
“Believe me, only to validate the information I get on Facebook,” Maddie joked lightly.
She didn’t fool him. Nathan noticed the flustered tone in her voice. “I haven’t had a girlfriend since before EVOL,” he answered simply.
Maddie noted he skirted around her question by using the distinction of the word ‘girlfriend’ when he answered. She wondered if he did it intentionally, but was too amused by his adoption of his film’s nickname to pay it much mind. She would file the information away for careful consideration later.
“Are you advised by your agent to tell reporters you’re single even when you aren’t so as not to disappoint your female fans?”
“Yes.”
Maddie chewed her bottom lip, wondering how many beautiful celebrities Nathan must have dated in the past two years.
“My turn to ask you personal questions,” he said filling the silence between them. “What are you wearing right now?”
Maddie blushed furiously. Was Nathan flirting with her? She couldn’t decide. “Um, flannel pajama pants and an oversized t-shirt that says Someone in Colorado Loves Me.”
Nathan laughed heartily and it felt really good. “Who do you know in Colorado?”
“My grandparents on my mom’s side. My mom grew up there.”
“I was worried maybe it was a boyfriend,” Nathan said.
“Worried? Why?”
Nathan quickly recognized his slip of tongue. He didn’t want to give Maddie any false impressions of their friendship. Perhaps they were getting too personal with one another. “I just figured if you had a boyfriend he might not like you talking on the phone with me. I’d hate to ruffle his feathers.”
“No worries there. I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“So, can I assume it’s alright to call you again sometime?”
“Yes, of course,” Maddie replied smiling.
It would have to be a fine line Nathan walked with this girl. He had been with a number of different women since moving to Los Angeles. Some were actresses, others were friends of his costars, and he even indulged in a few hookups with a fan now and then. But he never found anyone special; no one he truly connected with beyond physical pleasure. This relationship with Maddie appealed to him because the geographical distance would safeguard him from making the same mistake he’d made so many times in the past. He literally couldn’t take Maddie to bed and that allowed him to get to know her in other, more important ways. He could already tell Maddie was the kind of special he was looking for. Maddie was beautiful, smart, and caring. But he meant what he said to her about needing a friend he could trust to keep him grounded. For the first time, that was more important to Nathan than a sexual conquest.
Nathan respected Maddie, his guardian angel. He wanted to continue getting to know her this way, the only way they were able. For now, that would have to be enough. He wondered if she could ever see him as more than just a famous movie star; if she’d ever think of him as a friend first and celebrity second.
“I’ll be leaving for London Thursday evening. I have a full day of interviews on Friday and then the premiere is Saturday night, which means I have to sit through the film one more time. And attend another after party.”
“Should I worry about you at that party, Nathan?”
“I don’t think so. You’ve made a world of difference to me already.”
“Have I? You’ve been slurring your words a little tonight.”
Nathan raised the bottle in his hand to eye level and saw just a few drops left inside. He hadn’t thought Maddie would have noticed and it made him angry with himself that she did. “I told you I’ve had a long week,” he answered quietly.
“I know you have. Me too. I went to school, studied for a big exam, worked at the lab, and babysat my nieces twice. Do you know how much trouble two 21-month-old babies can get into? You have to find another way of dealing with stress, Nathan. I thought that was why you called me?”
“It’s just a habit. I lost count how many beers I had, that’s all.”
“I don’t want you to drink at all next Saturday. Promise me you won’t drink or take any drugs,” Maddie demanded. “Please, Nathan.”
She didn’t sound like she was kidding, Nathan decided, as he deposited the empty bottle in the recycling bin in the kitchen. “I promise you, Maddie.” It wouldn’t be an easy promise to make surrounded by the cast and crew of Zero Gravity. Gerard especially would have something to say about Nathan drinking soda all evening. But for Maddie he would do it; the thought of letting her down seemed unfathomable.
“Good. When will you call me again? When you get back to the States? Because I’ll worry about you until then.”
Nathan smiled to himself. He liked thinking that Maddie cared enough to be anxious while he was away. “I’ll call you from my hotel Saturday night. Would that be alright? London is eight hours ahead of L.A. And you’re two hours ahead of L.A. So if I get back to my room by three it’ll only be nine o’clock in Texas.”
“That’s fine,” Maddie replied. She had plans to go to a club with Holly but she could cancel this one time. It was important to her to be there for Nathan when she knew he would need her the most. “And remember you can call me anytime you need to talk.”
“Thanks, Maddie.”
“You’re welcome. And just think, by next Saturday night I’ll have seen Zero Gravity too and we can trash it together if you want,” she joked.
Nathan chuckled, stretching his arms over his head. “Oh, my dearest, Maddie. I am looking forward to that. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Nathan.”
After hanging up with Maddie, Nathan planned to take a long hot shower and then fall immediately into bed for what he knew would be a long restful slumber, for the last night he spoke with her on the phone Nathan slept better than he had in months.
Chapter Three
On Friday night Maddie found herself staring into Nathan Foster’s hypnotic green eyes. It was quite a surprise to find him there at the local Amarillo movie theater where she and Holly were meeting to see Zero Gravity. But there he was, his beautiful face staring back at her from within the life size cardboard cutout that stood before her in the lobby. Nathan was wearing a moon suit and holding his space helmet in his hands. Maddie studied the intense expression on his face and the way his auburn hair fell across his forehead. This image of Nathan didn’t jive at all with the man she’d gotten to know over the past two weeks. Holly was in line buying popcorn so Maddie waited there, unable to rid the feeling that this promotional prop was watching her just as intently. She wondered where Nathan was at that very moment and hoped that he was safe.
It was opening night at the theater and the line to buy tickets was long; winding through the lobby and out the doors onto the street. Just about everyone was there to see Nathan’s newest movie and Maddie could hear groups of people all around her discussing their expectations for the film. She was reminded of Nathan’s overwhelmingly negative opinion of Zero Gravity and hoped he was wrong. She suspected he was his own toughest critic and the general populace would find the disaster flick much more entertaining.
When Maddie and Holly took their seats, she realized how packed the room was. So many women surrounding her were talking about Nathan and it made her feel slightly uneasy. More than ever she hoped the movie would meet their expectations. She didn’t think she could tolerate listening to the people in that room speaking badly about the movie or Nathan’s performance.
Is that how Nathan felt every time one his movies were released to the public? She wondered how he managed to walk the red carpet with so many people flashing cameras in his face and screaming his name. Maddie could only imagine the pressure he must endure each time his performance was scrutinized by fans and movie critics all over the world. It must be a surreal experience. And he was about to go through it again in London the following day. She thought he’d sounded better during their second conversation but still not completely stable. Maddie knew she would be a nervous wreck all day Saturday waiting for him to call her.
If only Holly knew she had been speaking with the one and only Nathan Foster in recent days. She hadn’t been exaggerating when she told Nathan that her best friend would faint if she knew the truth. Holly was equally passionate in her dedication to Nathan’s career as Maddie, and equally infatuated with him. They often playfully argued over who loved him more. Maddie knew that it was just silly girl talk they engaged in and always thought it perfectly harmless until she answered that phone call two weeks ago. Now she felt somewhat ashamed for objectifying him the way they so often did.
“I am so fucking excited to see this movie!” Holly exclaimed. “Doesn’t it feel like we’ve been waiting forever?”
Maddie nodded bringing her thoughts back to the present. “Yeah, EVOL was last December. So, it’s been ten months since we’ve seen Nathan on the big screen.”
Holly moaned. “Did you watch the extended trailer? I should have brought a paper bag in my purse because I’m seriously going to hyperventilate during the sex scene.”
“It’s rated R, so hopefully it will be good,” she replied.
“I read online that Nathan had to get really ripped for this movie. Like, even more than EVOL. Oh! And during the shower scene we’re supposed to seeNathan’s ass crack. Maybe we’ll get super lucky and he’ll turn around just enough to get a glimpse of his�
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“Jesus, Holly.” Maddie rubbed her hand over her face and took a few calming breaths. Holly was talking really fast and she just needed a moment or two to get Nathan’s… front bits out of her mind.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just don’t think we should talk about him like he’s a piece of meat.”
“What? Of course we should! Who are you are where did my Nathan-obsessed best friend go?”
“I’m not obsessed,” Maddie argued.
“Give me a break, girl. I saw the way you were drooling over that cardboard cutout of him in the lobby. Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone in this room is hot for Nathan Foster, right ladies?” Holly asked loud enough for several rows of moviegoers in every direction to hear. Their mutual answers to her were a resounding “yes” combined with some giggling and a few cat calls.
Animals, Maddie thought to herself. All of a sudden, she felt nervous about watching Nathan on screen. She was torn between the part of her that held a strong desire to join Holly in her ogling of Nathan in the flesh and the other part of her that now considered him a friend. She remembered Nathan telling her how difficult it was watching himself on camera. Would she have a similar problem now that she knew him? If their new friendship ruined Maddie’s ability to enjoy watching Nathan’s movies she was going to be really pissed. It was like someone telling her how many hundreds of calories were in her favorite food; it took all the fun out of eating it. There wasn’t any time left to think as the lights dimmed and the first preview began playing on the massive theater screen.
At the same time Maddie was watching Zero Gravity in Amarillo, Nathan was across the Atlantic Ocean lying in bed in his London hotel room staring at the ceiling. It had been a very long day but for some reason he couldn’t sleep. The jet lag he was experiencing certainly contributed to his lack of slumber but also his mind was racing with thought of the previous thirty-six hours.
He’d flown from Los Angeles to New York City Thursday evening to catch a connecting flight. Then he’d flown on to London arriving at the Heathrow airport at 1am L.A. time. Nathan had slept a few hours during the second leg of the trip but it was a restless sleep. His body was still on L.A. time and had no chance to adjust as it was early Friday morning in England. He’d only had time for a quick meal and a shower before his press junket began in one of the hotel’s conference halls.