by Diana Currie
He glanced around the room; checking to see if he’d grabbed everything he’d need for the trip. “Is my cell phone charger still in the limo? I need to call Melissa on the way to the airport.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Then let’s roll,” Nathan smiled. He alarmed the security system and followed Stanley outside. In the back of the limousine Nathan poured himself a glass of water and dialed his agent’s cell number. “Nathan, darling! Are you on your way to Vancouver?” Melissa answered cheerily.
“Yes, I am. Did you get my schedule sorted out with Gavin? I know he wanted that cast interview for Tomorrow and Forever to be right before Memorial Day but I’m going to be getting my ass kicked in boot camp that week.”
“I’ve already handled it.”
“You did?”
“That’s what you pay me for, Darling,” she chuckled. “Let’s run down your whole schedule so that we’re on the same page. Tomorrow you have Daniel and Andre at noon. You’re meeting at a restaurant downtown and the hotel has made transportation arrangements already. Daniel wants to spend some time with you the next day and go over the script again. Apparently, Andre’s people wanted some minor changes that turned into issues with the cinematographer. A few things had to be addressed but it’s all sorted out now and Daniel will go over all of it with you.”
“Okay. Then I fly home, right?”
“Yes,” Melissa continued. “Monday May 8th, you have the first big production meeting with all the New Line Cinema people. Wardrobe and stylists will have their way with you on the 9th. That’s the day you told me to warn you about.”
Nathan slumped in the creamy leather seat. “Urgh, the military haircut.”
“Buzz. Buzz. Buzz!” Melissa laughed.
“Where is the boot camp going to be?” he asked, running his hand absentmindedly through his hair.
“First you’ll have more New Line meetings on the 10th and 11th. Then you’re flying to Fort Lewis in Seattle on Sunday the 14th and meeting Lieutenant Harlow. He promised me you would get the wussy treatment but you’ll still feel like a soldier when you leave.”
“I don’t know if that’s good or bad. Go on. When’s the Tomorrow and Forever interview fitting in?”
“Let’s see… boot camp brings us to May 25th. Fly into LAX late on the 25th. Interviews with Gavin, Eli Duncan, and the main cast are in Los Angeles May 26th. I want you to really prepare for that interview, Nathan, because you’ll have just spent three weeks in the mindset of a soldier. It’ll be a great plug for your new project when the journalists ask about the extreme new haircut, but remember that your fans will be expecting heartthrob Caleb Thomas, not a broken and wounded war vet.”
“I got it. I know how to stay in character in front of the press.”
“I know, but it’s my job to remind you. That’s all weeks away anyhow. And finally, New Line says five weeks of filming will begin May 28th. I hope you didn’t have Memorial Day plans.”
“Sounds like you have my life planned out for the next two months. I’m going to be busy.”
“Busy is good. Busy is lucrative.”
Nathan grunted under his breath. Making more money was not his top concern. “I won’t have much personal time though.”
Melissa chewed on the tip of her custom designed fountain pen and debated how to ask a difficult question. She settled with bluntness; it was her signature style. “What about Madeline Sherratt? Will she be accompanying you through any of these events?”
“Maddie’s in school. And she’s dealing with a lot of unwanted attention right now so inviting her back to Los Angeles, especially when I’m going to be so busy, is probably not the best idea.”
“Alright. I just wanted to be in the know in case a scandal breaks.”
Nathan rolled his eyes. “You wish! I’m getting enough publicity right now. Maddie’s better off in Texas.”
“I’m sure she is, but what about when her semester ends? Don’t colleges usually let out in May? She’s probably almost done her finals. Whatever you decide just let me know next time she comes to town so we’re better prepared for the paparazzi. Oh, and I’d love to meet her of course!”
“Right… okay,” Nathan stumbled.
He hadn’t thought about how soon Maddie’s semester was ending. She hadn’t said anything about the summer. He figured she must be planning to work at the research lab or that she’d be taking a new internship. He made a mental note to ask her the next time they spoke.
“I gotta run, Nathan. I’m going to email you this schedule so you have it. You let me know if you have any problems in Vancouver; I want to hear how it goes with Andre Peters. We’ll talk again before your meetings with New Line.”
“Okay. Later,” Nathan said and tossed his phone onto the empty seat beside him.
He missed Maddie already and wondered what she was doing. He hoped that she was playing with the new gadgets he sent her and that soon they would be able to do FaceTime. He closed his eyes to catch a little catnap on the way to LAX.
The meeting with Daniel and Andre went better than Nathan could have hoped for. The soldier was warm and friendly; nothing like the person he described himself to be in the book, but Nathan should have expected that. Andre told him many times that a man changes when he goes away to war and he’s been fighting ever since to get back to the person he was before his deployment. The film was about that struggle of assimilating back to civilian life, fighting off the demons in his head, and uncovering the man he used to be. Nathan left the two-hour meeting with a new perspective of war and a deep sense of gratitude for men like Andre Peters.
The next day he met again with just Daniel Walsh, the director of the film. “Do you have concerns about the script or your character after yesterday’s meeting?” Daniel asked over coffee and croissants at a little restaurant near their hotel.
“I was floored by his story,” Nathan answered. “I mean, I read his book, but to hear him tell it in person was just… humbling and inspiring.”
“We want to convey that same feeling to the audience; really drive home the point that a service member’s commitment and sacrifice doesn’t end with his or her tour of duty. For people like Andre it continues for years after they return.”
Nathan nodded his head thoughtfully. “It’s going to be an emotional role to play, that’s for sure. I’ve never taken on a character this complex.”
“Don’t worry about getting into Andre’s head too much right now. Boot camp week is going to kick your ass and make you feel like a soldier; or so I’ve been promised,” he said with a glint in his eye. “And I’ve arranged for you to sit down with Lisa Peters when we’re on set so you can get her perspective on Andre’s PTSD.”
“Lisa Peters, as in Andre’s wife?” Nathan asked with surprise in his voice.
“Sometimes the wife’s perspective is more valuable than the man’s own words. She saw him at his worst and stood by him through it all,” Daniel explained.
Nathan paused to think about that for a moment. “And filming begins May 28th in L.A.?”
Daniel checked his watch to be sure they had plenty of time to get to the airport. “Yes. I know that’s a Friday but we’re planning to shoot through the weekend and have a Memorial Day event on Day 4 with Andre, Lisa, and a few other army wives. New Line is organizing it with the Wounded Warrior Project to raise money for some of the disabled soldiers who were in Iraq with Andre.”
“I can see that being a very emotional day,” Nathan mused. “I feel like this whole project is going to be an emotional experience.”
“For you and me both, brother,” Daniel said as he threw a twenty-dollar bill on the table. “I told you about the rewrites in the script that happened last week, didn’t I?”
“Rewrites? My agent might have mentioned something about that, but my last copy of the script was delivered two weeks ago.”
“Oh, no no. You’re going to be getting another one. A series of Iraq flashbacks were written in to give the viewe
rs a better appreciation for the source of Andre’s trauma. His people insisted on more back story. I think it’s a smart move, but those changes fucked up the production schedule.”
“Fucked it up how?” Nathan asked warily.
“Location mostly, and an extra week of filming. You can’t shoot Iraq scenes without sand. We’re going to be on location in Death Valley for five days. I hope you don’t burn easily.”
“My parents are Irish and English.”
“Well, you’re fucked,” Daniel chuckled. “I’ll make sure to get a pretty little assistant for you to help with sun block applications.”
“I think I can handle it myself,” Nathan said dryly. “And if it’s not too late to request a male assistant I’d appreciate it.”
Daniel glared at Nathan with a cocked eye brow. “Really? I had no idea you were more attracted to men. I thought you’d hooked up with Katie Owens… but it’s none of my business.”
“You’re wrong on both counts actually. I never slept with Katie. But I do have a girlfriend; one who I won’t be seeing for a few months, so I’d rather not have to tell her I’m spending every day with an assistant named Mandy, or Tiffany, or anything else that’s going to make her insecure while we’re a part.”
“I see. You should invite her to the set a few times,” Daniel suggested as he stood up and grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. “Come on, we don’t want to miss our flight.”
On the plane Nathan talked with Daniel more about the production schedule. He couldn’t pinpoint a good time for Maddie to come for a visit. He would definitely have to ask her about her plans for summer. He was torn because on one hand he felt like he should focus one hundred percent of his attention on this project, but on the other he knew he would go mad if he didn’t see Maddie again until after June. He was itching to find out what her plans were for the summer break and if she would consider spending any of it in Los Angeles. It had been difficult enough getting her to come for a week, how would Maddie handle two months in L.A.?
By the time the airplane touched down in Los Angeles Nathan was convinced Maddie would have to spend at least some of July and August with him. After Shock and Awe wrapped in late June he would have no other commitments until October when he would have to start promotion for Tomorrow and Forever’s November release. On the tarmac, Nathan pulled out his phone and sent a series of text messages to Maddie’s new phone number.
A thousand miles away Maddie heard her new phone vibrate on the coffee table in Kyle’s apartment. She was babysitting her nieces and smiled at them as she reached for the phone knowing already that it must be Nathan. She hadn’t given anyone else the number yet.
Maddie knew he was flying back from Vancouver and assumed he was letting her know he landed safety. She couldn’t help feeling like small potatoes when she thought of all the different places Nathan had visited and all the famous people he’d worked with. She spent her free time babysitting two-yearold’s. Nathan had experienced so much more of the world than her. Living in the same city where she was born and raised made her feel small in comparison.
She thought about ignoring the text until the twins were asleep but it was followed up with three more messages which piqued her interest and a little fear that maybe something was wrong.
Just landed. Are you working this summer? I want you to come stay with me in July-Aug. –N
I won’t be working after June, we can be like a real couple. –N
Or I could come to Amarillo for a while… but I really want you here with me. –N
Please say YES. –N
Maddie bite her bottom lip and quickly typed a reply. She was happy Nathan finally mentioned the summer, but it didn’t mean she knew how to respond to his question.
My internship is over at the end of the month. They offered me more hours until the clinical study is complete but I haven’t agreed yet. What about all the cameras? –M
Can you blame them for wanting pictures? My girlfriend’s beautiful – N
I still want you with me. – N
I want to be with you too – M
Is that a YES? –N
I don’t know. When can you call me? – M
I’m still sitting in the plane with my new director. I’ll call as soon as Stanley picks me up. –N
OK – M
Maddie nearly jumped out of her skin when the unfamiliar ringtone went off in her hand. It had been over thirty minutes since Nathan’s last text and she hadn’t stopped thinking about his offer the entire time.
“Hi, Angel,” his cool silky voice filled her ear.
Maddie smiled involuntarily and knew at that moment she was toast. Who was she kidding? Just his voice speaking two little words was enough to make her do anything he asked. Nathan Foster had turned her into a love-sick fool. “You want me in L.A., huh?” she teased.
“Would you consider it? I’d gladly come to Amarillo for a while but I don’t know about staying with your parents, you know? We’d have much more privacy in Los Angeles.”
Maddie hummed thoughtfully; she found that ironic. “More privacy in L.A. even with all the cameras?”
“The way I see things is that we have two choices,” Nathan stated. “We can continue to deny, deny, deny our relationship every time the paparazzi catches us together. And I’m not going to sugar coat it; if you come here they will see us again. The gossip sites will speculate, make shit up, and pretty much declare us a couple despite my claims, my spokesperson’s claims, or your claims to the contrary. Or… we can just admit that we’re together and deal with the media firestorm that follows.”
“You want to come clean with them!” Maddie gasped.
“I think it’s the simplest plan. We’d be taking away all their fun in speculation. It won’t stop the gossip, but it would take some of the wind out of their sails.”
“What does Melissa think about this?”
Nathan huffed theatrically. “She’s not the boss of me! But she did bring up the possibility of you returning so I’ll run my plan by her. The bottom line is I want you here with me, Maddie. All summer. If I’m not working and you’re not in school then it’s stupid for us to be separated. Don’t you think?”
“Yes,” Maddie whispered. “I’ve been thinking about that too, and I think you’re right. But if I come I don’t want to wait until your filming is over. I want to be with you before June 17th.”
Nathan smiled and closed his eyes. He knew what she meant and it made him feel very loved. “I’ll still be filming even though it’s my birthday. Are you sure?”
“I still want to be there. Even if you’re working,” she affirmed.
“Ok, Angel. I’ll make the flight arrangements. How does June 14th sound?”
“Perfect. I’ll tell my boss my last day will be June 13th. We’re really doing this, Nathan? We’re going to live together in Los Angeles for two months?”
Nathan sighed happily. “Yes, we are. I’m going to be so busy this next month; preparations for the movie are going to be both physically and mentally challenging. I’m only going to get through it knowing that we’ll be together again in about six weeks.”
“Six weeks until the world knows we’re in love?”
“That’s right, baby. I want every man that lays eyes on you to know you’re spoken for,” Nathan purred.
Maddie felt a chill run down her spine and warmth fill her chest at his words. She missed Nathan so much and the countdown over the next six weeks was going to be agony. She was already worried about the media attention that was coming her way but she trusted him and knew they would deal with it one day at a time. The most important thing was for them to be together.
Chapter Twenty Four
Stanley pulled the limousine around to the front of Nathan’s house as close as he could get without bumping into the ceramic planters that sat on either side on the home’s entrance. He suppressed a smirk as he removed the luggage from the trunk and went into the house ahead of his boss, leaving the door wide
open for him. Two of Stanley’s brothers were retired navy seals so he was familiar with the physical expectations of military service. It was his humble opinion that Nathan had a very low threshold for pain, but would of course keep his opinions to himself.
“Do you need me to do anything for you? Or is Lupe here?” Stanley asked with genuine concern. Nathan groaned and grunted as he gingerly pulled himself out of the backseat and trudged up the three menacing steps to the front door. “She was here earlier. Said she left my dinner in the refrigerator.”
“I’ll get some pain killers from the bathroom before I leave,” Stanley said and took it upon himself to hunt down some kind of anti-inflammatory to help Nathancope with the sore muscles.
“Thank you for the offer but I just need to sleep,” Nathan said as he collapsed on the living room sofa.
Stanley placed the bottle of Aleve he found in the bathroom on the coffee table with a glass of water and put Nathan’s cell phone next to it.
“Thank you,” Nathan sighed, his eyes already closed.
Stanley’s smile finally broke through as he said goodbye and quietly closed the front door behind him. Nathan didn’t move a single aching muscle for over an hour. He had never felt so awful in his entire life, not even when he went skiing in Aspen and woke up the next day sore from head to toe. This was a fresh kind of hell; ten days of boot camp was far worse than anything he’d ever experienced. But he survived it. He’d been safely tucked away in Stanley’s limo before he allowed the pain he felt to show on his face. He didn’t want to give the army lieutenant the satisfaction of seeing him wincing and hobbling around on the base. He was proud of that minimal accomplishment, especially after how many times he thought about quitting throughout the experience.
At some point Nathan’s phone rang, rousing him from some much needed sleep. He whimpered as he pulled himself up only far enough to grasp the phone in one hand and fall back against the soft cushions. “Hello?” he answered weakly.
“Nathan?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“Oh. Hi. You sound weird. Did you make it home yet?” Maddie asked.