Love in the Heartland

by Diana Currie

  “Shocking! Does Sam have any back story, or is he as deep as a puddle?”

  Nathan laughed. “Damn, I miss you. Um, Sam is a tortured soul, actually. He’s struggled with alcohol abuse in his past and spends a lot of the movie with a beer bottle in his hand, which makes him pretty terrible at beach volleyball by the way. When he’s not face planting in the sand or drinking his feelings away, he’s chasing the female spring breakers.”

  “And he catches Blake Lively?”

  “Do you want me to give away the whole movie?” Nathan teased.

  “Yes.”

  Nathan stood up and walked over to the window. It was dark outside but there were enough lights shining from the resorts that he could just make out the waves rolling up onto the beach. “The first half of the movie Sam is flirting with Krissy, played by Shailene Woodley. She’s dating Justin Bieber’s character, but Sam doesn’t know that until after they hook up. Then Bieber and Sam have a beach volleyball showdown to try to win young Krissy’s affection. I’m not making this up. So, spoiler alert, the intoxicated Sam loses the volleyball match; taking a spiked ball to the head at the very end. He goes to the hotel medical center and guess who the on-call nurse is? The lovely Blake Lively, who happens to hate volleyball and takes a liking to Sam for some unknown reason.”

  “Wow.”

  “I told you the only appeal this movie has is the casting. The dialogue is corny and the plot is so scattered it’s hard for me to even follow it. All the characters interact and you don’t really know who’s going to end up with whom until the very end.”

  Maddie rolled over onto her stomach and propped one hand under her cheek. “So, are you having a good time on the island?”

  “Yeah, it’s been okay. I’m getting along with everyone. I can see the beach from my hotel window.”

  “The scenery must be nice.”

  “Yeah, it’s beautiful. Remind me to bring you down here sometime.”

  “I was talking about the women,” she quipped.

  “Maddie…” Nathan sighed.

  “I’m sorry, I was just teasing. I’d like to go down there with you someday.”

  They were both quiet for a moment and Nathan felt the need to clear the air about the National Inquirer story since it was still clearly on her mind. “I looked up that picture of me in the tabloid.”

  “Yeah?”

  “It was at the cast welcome party; our first night down here. Everyone was just getting to know each other; we were having drinks out on the patio of a local restaurant.”

  “I’m sorry about how I handled that this morning, Nathan. I didn’t mean to make you think I don’t trust you, because I do, completely. That picture just caught me off guard. You usually tell me when to expect photos like that.”

  “I didn’t know there was press there. If I had warned you beforehand, I would have said that there were lots of people around, including Blake’s husband. I did have my arm around her waist but I think I was trying to move her closer to our table so a waiter could get by. I can’t remember what we were talking about but Ryan Reynolds was literally a few feet away at the time. And trust me, Deadpool would have beat me up if I’d made a pass at his wife.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not upset about it,” Maddie insisted.

  “Are you sure? All I want to do is hold you right now. I want to kiss your forehead and remind you that you’re the only woman in the world I want to be with.”

  Maddie smiled. She knew Nathan’s words were genuine. “I know. And I feel the same about you.”

  “Good,” Nathan replied seriously. “Can we talk about something then? I wanted to talk about it in Amarillo but I wussed out.”

  “Sure, I guess. What’s the matter?” Maddie asked sitting up in the center of her bed. She pulled the pillow close against her chest.

  “I know that I travel frequently for my job; shooting movies on location and promotional obligations. So, for as long as we’re together, which I hope is a very, very long time, we’re going to have periods of separation that’s unavoidable. But the fact that even during my down time we’re living in two different states is making our relationship even harder than it has to be. If one of us relocates, we can really cut down on that time apart. I can’t help but think about how in just seven months you’ll graduate school and you’ll be free to go anywhere. Have you been thinking about that at all?”

  “Every day,” Maddie replied simply.

  “And? Help me out here, Maddie. You want us to be able to spend more time together, don’t you?”

  “Of course I do, Nathan. These last three weeks have been awful with you gone.”

  “For me too. That’s why when I’m in between movies like I was all of July and August I think it’s stupid for me to be sleeping alone in my house in L.A. while you’re doing the same in Amarillo. It’s too hard.”

  “I’ve always known that we can’t go on like this indefinitely,” Maddie replied sadly.

  Nathan paced back and forth wondering what Maddie meant. Surely, she was trying to say she’d consider moving to California, right? She couldn’t mean that their relationship would eventually have to end. Nathan started perspiring at the temples just thinking about losing Maddie. He’d move to the moon before letting that happen.

  “So, after graduation… would you consider moving in with me?”

  “In Los Angeles?” Maddie whispered.

  “I don’t have to be in Los Angeles. We could get a house anywhere.”

  “Really?” Maddie asked hopeful.

  “Sure. We could be in Malibu, Simi Valley, Redondo Beach. Would you prefer the valley or the coast?”

  “You need to stay in California then?”

  “Well, I guess we could live just about anywhere. But the further from L.A. we go the more time we’ll be spending apart, because I’ll have to fly back and forth. Where do you want to live, Angel? If you could pick anywhere in the country, where would it be?”

  Maddie bite her lip. “I’ve never thought about living anywhere but Texas,” she admitted. “There was never any other option for me.”

  “Well, now you do have options. I want a life with you, Maddie. I have the money, just tell me where you want to live,” Nathan begged.

  After a long pause Maddie answered, “I don’t know.”

  Nathan hung his head. He knew discussing relocating Maddie to California wasn’t going to be easy, but he offered her a choice of anywhere her heart desired and she couldn’t name a single place she’d like to be.

  “I want you to move in with me,” he said firmly. “Can we at least agree that our relationship has reached a point where we want to live together?”

  “Yes. I want that too. When you’re not filming a movie, I want you with me,” Maddie confirmed. “But you understand that you’re asking me to choose between the man I love deeply, and the six family members I’ve loved my whole life? How do I choose who to go with?”

  “I know you’re close to your family and you have strong obligations to them,” Nathan said thinking about how much Maddie had helped Joe as he recovered from a heart attack. He also knew how important her nieces were to her and how she loved watching them grow. “You know I’d pay for all the travel expenses for whenever you wanted to go see them and for any or all of them to come visit us whenever you wanted.”

  “I don’t even know how I would tell them I was moving, Nathan. Kyle relies on me to babysit the girls; I’d be abandoning them.”

  “It sounds like Kyle is figuring things out, Maddie. You have to think about yourself too. Do what makes you happy.”

  “I am thinking about me. You’ve told me so many times how your relationship with your family deteriorated after you moved. I don’t want that to happen to me as well. I’ve seen how much you’ve struggled to rebuild those relationships.”

  “That’s not a fair comparison. A lot of my issues came from the sudden fame. I shut them out for a long time when I moved to L.A. I drank, I partied, I ignored their calls. You w
ould never do that. And my father refusing to get on an airplane has prevented us from spending a lot of holidays together. It’s why my parents have never visited me.”

  “Okay, fine. But getting a job is really important to me too. I won’t be able to just hop on a plane every time I want to see my mom. I’ve worked hard for this degree and Lord knows it’s taken me long enough to earn it. I really want to use it; I want a job in medical research.”

  “And I want you to pursue that,” Nathan agreed, feeling like they were getting nowhere with this conversation.

  “My internship was offered by Harrington Cancer Center. I just assumed I’d go for a job there.”

  “I understand that I’m asking you to change your plans. I do. But Maddie, there are hospitals in California too.”

  “I guess I’m not ready to make up my mind,” Maddie admitted.

  “Angel, I want to feel like we’re moving forward. I’d like to know that by May when you graduate, we’ll be on track to living together. I feel like we need to decide how we’re going to make this work sooner than later. Because if we can’t compromise…” Nathan couldn’t finish the sentence.

  “I know. I just really need to think about it,” Maddie replied shutting her eyes tightly.

  It hurt so much to be letting Nathan down. She honestly didn’t know what to do. The thought of leaving Addison and Rebecca was agonizing. But the chance that she might lose Nathan was just as scary. She’d feared this moment since Nathan showed up on her doorstep almost a year ago. In all that time together, she’d never been able to think of a viable solution to the geographic incompatibilities.

  “Fine,” Nathan said sounding frustrated. “I’m giving you until we’re together for the movie premier to think about it.”

  “You’re giving me a deadline?” she asked sounding more petulant than she’d intended.

  “I don’t want to fight with you, but I can’t live in limbo, Angel. We’ll talk about it again when we’re together.”

  “Okay,” Maddie replied. Nathan could hear the sadness in her voice but he didn’t say anything more. He knew their relationship was coming to a pivot point and decisions were going to have to be made. He couldn’t go along for another seven months only to be told that nothing would change. His heart couldn’t take it.

  After they hung up for the night, Nathan took a minute to collect his thoughts. His emotions were running high. The digital clock on the nightstand said ten o’clock so it was only eight in Los Angeles. Nathan dialed his agent’s phone number and waited for her to pick up.

  “Nathan, darling, how are things going down there?” Melissa said happily.

  “Everything is fine. Melissa, I need a favor. Can you get me a recommendation for a real estate agent with experience dealing with celebrities? Obviously, I want someone who will be trustworthy and discreet. And someone who knows the high-end market. I don’t want to rent anymore, I’m ready to buy.”

  “Absolutely. I’ll have some names for you by tomorrow. Will you be looking to stay in Beverly Hills?”

  Nathan rubbed the back of his neck with one hand. “No, actually. Find me a guy in Texas. Amarillo, Texas.”

  Chapter Thirty

  “Maddie, wake up. Maddie, its morning; you need to get up now.”

  “What time is it?”

  Nathan checked the clock on his night stand. “Nine thirty already. Come on, we have a big day ahead of us.”

  “I’m jet lagged,” she grumbled trying to hide her face under the covers.

  “You gained an hour coming here, Angel,” Nathan answered rolling his eyes. “Do I have to wake you up the way I did all summer?”

  Even half-asleepMaddie blushed. “Yes, I think you might.”

  “I would love to, but we have a team of people downstairs waiting patiently for us.”

  “We do?” Maddie asked as she slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  “I’m afraid so. Emma’s been entertaining Holly while you slept. She’s handling herself better than I expected.”

  Maddie smiled. “I think Holly’s on her best behavior to prove to you it wasn’t a mistake inviting her.”

  “I’m still on the fence about it,” he teased.

  “Have I told you how much I appreciate what you did? I’ve even been planning to give you a very special thank you.”

  “What kind of thank you?” Nathan asked sitting on the edge of the bed so he could run his hand up her exposed thigh.

  “The really good kind,” she hinted. “I wanted to pick something we’ve never done before…”

  “I could offer a few suggestions.”

  Maddie laughed. “I bet you could. Shouldn’t we be getting downstairs?”

  Nathan sighed. “Ugh, it’s going to be a long day. These premieres are mentally exhausting. I’m so glad you’re here with me this time.”

  “Me too,” Maddie replied leaning forward to peck Nathan on the lips. “I’m allowed to shower before the team starts playing dress-up, right?”

  “Yes, but Irene said not to wash your hair. I have no idea why.”

  “Irene?”

  “Yep, your dress-up team member’s names are Irene, Sophie, and Nicole. And Emma is supervising.”

  “Of course she is. Okay, let me take a quick no-shampoo shower and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

  Nathan stood up and adjusted himself in his jeans. He hoped the evening would end with Maddie making good on her promise for some firework sex. She was only in town for the weekend, and when she left the following day, it would mean another month apart until her semester ended the week before Christmas.

  From the top of the stairs he could see just how much of a circus his house had become. There were people everywhere, moving around from room to room and talking amongst themselves. There were makeup artists, hair stylists, manicurists, professional stylists, and a nutritionist. Emma spotted him first and waved for him to come down. Nathan sucked in a deep breath and descended the stairs to face the madness.

  “Are the guys here yet?” he asked as Emma rushed to his side and began tugging him into the dining room. Nathan had invited Pete Walker and Tyler Curran over to commiserate in their red carpet prep. They all liked to complain about the necessary preparations before a high profile event like a movie premiere, but they knew as men their discomfort was nothing compared to what the women endured.

  “Yes, they’re here. Last I checked they were both hitting on Maddie’s friend.”

  Nathan chuckled. “My plan is working perfectly then.”

  “What was the plan exactly?” Emma asked as she shoved him into a chair at the dining room table. There were platters of health food from one end of the table to the other.

  “I invited Holly to the premiere because I knew what a big fan of the movies she was and it would make Maddie happy. But I also knew having the guys here would keep her from staring at me all day.”

  Emma laughed out loud. “You’re diabolical, Nathan.”

  “Me? You’re the one holding a megaphone with a wild glint in your eyes. Is that thing really necessary?”

  “I’m a tiny little woman! If I didn’t have this, no one would listen to me. And I need to be heard loud and clear to keep everyone on schedule.”

  Nathan smiled and shook his head. Emma had handled Katie Owen’s prep schedule for her last two movie premieres and Katie had looked fabulous, so he didn’t want to question her process, even as Emma thrust an itinerary into his hands. He glimpsed at it and saw that he would be at her mercy for the next seven hours.

  “It’s time for you to get started. Make sure you eat only from these foods today. You don’t want to be gassy or look bloated tonight. The nutritionist recommends two items from each platter, but no more than 8 items total. Stop eating before you feel full. When you’re done I need you to go see the tailor for the final tux fitting.”

  “Will do.”

  “And Maddie’s on her way down?”

  “No, she’s here,” Maddie announced cheerfully. The hot show
er had done wonders to wake her up and now she was excited and nervous to see what the day would bring. “This place is a zoo. Where’s Holly?”

  Emma handed her an itinerary and pointed to the seat next to Nathan. “She’s making friends with the male cast members. Don’t worry about Holly; I’ve got her on a tight schedule too. You eat something; I don’t want to worry about you fainting on the red carpet.”

  Maddie rolled her eyes and glanced down at Emma’s itinerary.

  10:00am Light breakfast

  10:30am Dress selection and fitting

  11:30am Power Peel

  12:15pm Light lunch

  12:30pm Teeth Whitening and manicure, pedicure

  1:30pm Vitamin B12 shot/ IV drip

  2:00pm Facial exfoliation and base makeup application

  2:30pm Final healthy snack

  2:45pm Hygienist cleaning

  3:00pm Hair stylist

  3:15pm Make-up application

  3:45pm Dressing and final inspection

  4:00pm Leave for Premiere

  5:00pm Tomorrow and Forever Los Angeles Premiere Event (don’t forget to smile!)

  “Emma? May I ask what a Power Peel is?” Maddie asked warily.

  “Sure. It’s a diamond peel microdermabrasion with a blast of oxygen to rejuvenate the skin. You’ll do fine.”

  “Those are not words I comprehend, but I trust you with my face. On the other hand, if you think I’m going to let Nicole, or Irene, or whoever else you’ve got waiting in the other room hook me up to an intravenous line you’ve got a rude awakening coming,” Maddie stated firmly.

  Nathan concentrated on his bran cereal and orange wedges, trying not to overhear anymore about the weird celebrity torture Maddie would be subjecting herself to, or not as the case seemed to be. It sounded medieval. Maddie must really love him, he thought to himself.

  “Nathan!” Emma shouted.

  “What?” he asked with a mouthful of bran.

  “Explain to Maddie that the B12 IV drip is not intervenes drug use,” she demanded, actually stomping her foot on the ground.

  “I’ve done it, Angel. It’s vitamin B12. Everyone does it before a long public event like this.”