by Nicole Smith
Love Believes
Book Five in the Sully Point Series
by
Nicole Smith
Copyright 2013 by Nicole Smith
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction.
Any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, characters, events, locations, or businesses is purely coincidental.
The Sully Point Series
Book One - Love Makes the Difference
Book Two - Love Finds the One
Book Three - Love Captures the Heart
Book Four - Love Promises
Book Five - Love Believes
Chapter 1
Beth Carter was at her wit's end. She had struggled for days with her vision of what reality should be and what it actually was, and now she had to make a decision. She could have a part in the new TV series being cast, but only if she slept with the director on a recurring basis.
He was a good-looking guy in his fifties, someone she'd thought was a nice guy, until he very calmly set forth the job requirements. She had been appalled, but hadn't wanted to act naive, so she'd just asked for some time to decide.
What it came down to, ultimately, was how she'd feel about herself. She couldn't do it, not if she wanted to look in the mirror in the morning and be able to like who looked back at her. She didn't believe in relationships without feelings. And she didn't want to be in a situation where she felt used and degraded.
All of it had been a big disillusionment for her. She'd come to Hollywood with stars in her eyes, so sure she would be acting in no time. That had been eighteen months ago, and nothing was happening, except an indecent proposal. In the process of looking for work as an actor, while keeping her office job, she'd lost a lot of her trust in people.
Growing up as Maribeth Carter, with two loving parents and a brother and two sisters, she'd never doubted she was loved. She trusted without question. It had been a good childhood, and even her teen years hadn't been too terrible. Nothing, in fact, had prepared her for the cold hard truths she'd found in Hollywood. She was beginning to think it was time to leave, or at least take a break. She knew she was becoming cynical and she didn't much like being that way. After a lifetime of looking at people with an open mind and a trusting heart, she knew that she'd changed. It seemed to her that everybody was out for themselves and didn't mind who they trampled on to get what they wanted. Using people was just a normal way of doing business.
Her sister, Maggie, had called a few months ago with news of a surprise marriage that had happened on New Year's Day. Beth had been so sure she would get the part, she'd been afraid to leave town to attend the wedding. She felt now like she'd been an idiot not to go. Maybe it was time to visit Maggie and Sam, her brother, in Sully Point. They both raved about the place, and she'd never visited there. The one thing she was certain of was that she didn't want to be in the same town as that slimy director another minute.
She reached for the phone to call Sam. Since she was broke, it was time to beg for plane fare from big brother. She hated to ask him for money, but she wasn't going to let her pride stop her from leaving town.
* * * *
Sam put away his phone and returned to the dinner table covered in dishes of Mexican food. He'd taken the call from Beth in the hallway for privacy. As he sat down, his wife Anna asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's Beth."
His sister Maggie looked up from her plate and frowned. "Did she finally tell you what's been happening there? She won't talk to me about it at all."
"No," Sam said. "She didn't talk about it. She asked for plane fare. Our baby sister is coming here, tomorrow."
Maggie looked shocked. "What on earth is going on with her?"
Eric, Maggie's husband, looked confused. "Why is it strange that she should be coming to visit?"
"Because, she's completely dedicated to her acting career, or at least, to trying to get it off the ground. That's why she wasn't able to come to the wedding. For her to come for a visit, well, that doesn't sound like Beth."
"Whatever is going on with her, you two should leave her alone with it until she's willing to talk," Anna told them. "Let her tell you in her own time, in her own way. No pestering of your baby sister. In fact, from here on out, nobody even calls her 'baby' sister. I know she's only twenty-one, but she's been on her own now for a year and a half. Treat her like an adult."
Sam reflected that his wife was very wise, as his first thought had been to grill Beth upon her arrival. Plus, they had all picked up a very bad habit in their family of calling Beth the 'baby' sister. Maybe that was because she was always into trouble, always adventuresome and then getting herself into binds that required a big brother or sister to rescue her. But she'd been pretty close-mouthed since going to L.A.
"Okay, no pressure on her, I promise," Sam said and Anna smiled at him.
"I wonder if maybe she'd like to stay in the apartment I used to live in over the Bakery," Maggie said. "Instead of her staying with you and Anna, or with Eric and me. We could give her some space of her own. That place is just sitting empty. It's even still furnished. We've been so busy setting up the new house we haven't done anything about the apartment."
Sam knew that Maggie and Eric had thrown themselves into creating their perfect home, taking shopping trips to the city for furnishings, all in preparation for the baby that was on the way. Here at the end of March, with Maggie four months or so along, they finally seemed to be settling into their house.
He wondered how Beth would react to Sully Point, especially after living out on the west coast. Sully Point, in some ways, was an acquired taste. A small tourist town, it had its quirky elements. He loved the place. As a well-known writer of a popular detective series of books, the town had come to accept him and basically ignore his celebrity. Anna had lived in Sully Point her whole life, painting masterpieces that were eventually discovered when the two of them met. Now her art sold in a gallery in the city, and Sam was sure some of those who saw it would be astonished that she wasn't a worldwide traveler. There was a depth to her paintings that belied her life in a small town.
Maggie, too, had found her niche in Sully Point, after visiting her brother. She worked with a charitable foundation that was started by Anna's family, the Grainger family, along with a related family, the Tremaines.
Maggie's husband was Eric Stanton, the computer genius whose work was changing the world of computing, and who had essentially dropped off the map after selling his company for millions and then settling in Sully Point. Sam knew Eric was working on something esoteric involving artificial intelligence, but he understood about one word in twenty when Eric tried explaining it to him. Maggie had showed Sam and Anna the computer lab Eric had installed in one wing of their home, but confessed she didn't have a clue what his work involved.
Beth would be arriving at the tail end of winter, and he'd bet she didn't have winter clothes after her stay in warm weather. The spring in Sully Point would be beautiful however, and worth the wait through winter for it.
"Maggie, I was just thinking about spring coming. You and Eric haven't been here for the Spring Festival. It's something special."
The rest of dinner talk was taken up with descriptions of what was involved in the festival. Sam was sure that spring in Sully Point would be the best thing for Beth to brighten her spirits.
* * * *
Beth was thrilled to be sitting in the last vacant seat in first class. She really thought that all airplane seats should be as big and comfy as first class rather than cramming people in the rest of the plane like some frat house telephone booth prank.
She'd packed her bags last night, and paid for the extr
a luggage to be sent. She wasn't sure how long she'd be staying in Sully Point, but she didn't want to be without her things. She knew she was a bit of a clotheshorse, and her shoe and boot collection was expanding more rapidly than her closet space allowed. It was her one vice, and she had long since decided she could live with that foible.
Before leaving her apartment, she had called the vile and obnoxious director and left a message on his machine that she would be turning down both the part and the extraneous activity attached to it. It had felt both freeing and also terrifying to do that, since the man was a force in the television arts community.
After the plane took off, she pulled out her book of crossword puzzles. They always relaxed her. As she began working on a puzzle, she wondered how much Maggie and Sam would pester her about what was really going on with this visit. Maggie especially would be a pain, she was sure. Maybe she ought to request to stay with Sam and Anna. Although Sam's big brother vibe was a bit much at times.
Sighing, she realized that she'd have to deal with both of them and they wouldn't be happy, because she had no intention of telling either of them what had gone on with that foul director. It felt in some ways as though she had failed in her quest to make her way in the field of acting. But lately she had begun to think it just wasn't worth what a person had to give up. Things like self-respect for a start.
She'd always loved acting. In high school, and then in community college for a year, she'd been in plays with big parts. She relished becoming someone else, fulfilling the writer's idea of who the character was by adding her own take on it. There was something satisfying about playing a role and throwing herself into it completely, and then walking away from it to be her own self afterwards.
She wondered now if her goal was impossible. There were so many people trying to make it as actors, many of them talented and hardworking like her. She'd taken classes in L.A. and knew she was good—but others were good, too. Shrugging irritably at the path her thoughts had taken, she decided to remind herself of the cast of characters in Sully Point.
There was Maggie, her sister and married to Eric, expecting a child in the summer. Sam, her brother, married to the artist Anna and they had a little boy, Joshua. Then there was the whole Grainger family. Anna's family, made up of a sister, Holly, and a brother, Cody. And their father Frank. Beyond that she wasn't sure of the names of all the spouses and others attached to them. She grinned to herself. It was kind of like preparing to step onto a new stage, with all the actors ready to play their parts. And she was the heroine of the piece, of course. The star of the show. She giggled and caused her seat mate to turn and stare at her.
"Sorry, just thinking of something funny," she said, to the grumpy old man sitting there.
Sully Point, here I come, she thought with a smile.
* * * *
"Mr. Christopher! What can I get you today?" asked Mary Jo, the waitress at the Diner.
"Got any Eggs Benedict?" he asked, gruffly.
Mary Jo could tell he needed his coffee right away, and poured it swiftly into his cup. "Sorry sir, not today. But we do have some French toast that is super delish."
"Super delish? Hmm. I suppose I'd better try it then."
The waitress nodded and dashed off to the kitchen. When Mr. Christopher was in the restaurant, everyone moved just that little bit more quickly and efficiently. He had a presence, and he demanded perfection, or at least something close to it. The new man in town, he had everyone jumping and the women practically swooning. It wasn't so much that he was handsome as it was his charisma. He wasn't all that tall, about five feet eight inches, Mary Jo thought, but he drew people to him. He had thick black hair cut shorter on the sides and full on top. His gray-blue eyes were piercing and could be full of warmth or icy cold, depending on the situation.
Today, Mary Jo and the cook, who was leaning out the serving window, waited with breaths held for the verdict on the French toast. Mr. Christopher took a bite and then another, and then he smiled. The sighs of relief could be heard.
"What's this, a touch of orange peel? Nicely done, chef," he called out to the cook who beamed.
* * * *
As his waitress and the other diner workers went back to serving others, William Christopher sat back against the seat. He enjoyed his little tests of the Diner staff. He had only had one substandard meal since arriving in Sully Point two weeks earlier. He'd flatly refused to eat the chicken fried steak until the gravy had been re-made. He had to admit that the cook was damn good at his job.
When he moved to Sully Point he hadn't expected culinary excellence. He hadn't known what to expect when he'd been approached by financier Rob Tremaine. He'd heard that Tremaine had gotten involved in a project outside the city, some kind of artist colony. When they'd met, he'd learned that the project wanted a playhouse developed for the town. They wanted to bring Summer Stock Theater to Sully Point. He'd met first with Rob, then with two of the Grainger family, and Sam Carter, the writer. They weren't being extravagant with money, but they were ready to back the playhouse to the hilt to get it off the ground this summer.
William had been in a lull when it came to work. Six months earlier he'd finished a long-running production on Broadway and had taken time off to travel and re-group. What the investors here wanted was a director, producer, and more to get the Sully Point Playhouse going. They counted on his reputation to bring in the best. He had to admit, they'd presented the theater project to him skillfully. Between knowing he'd be fully funded, with complete control over how everything was set up, to the raw challenge of the thing, he'd found he was excited at the prospect. To start something new, with his imprint on it, something that might be around for a long time, made him feel eager like hadn't felt the last few years.
He'd spent his life since high school involved with the theater in some capacity. At the age of thirty-one, he was now a bit jaded. So to feel the exhilaration of something new meant he'd said yes to the family of investors. He'd now met all the families, which he lumped into one big family, since everything seemed to have started with the Graingers. As they had married, others were brought into their family, which now consisted of several millionaires. What they were creating with their Sully Point Project was impressive. An entire artist community was being developed as an adjunct to the town.
After some thought he'd decided they needed an amphitheater for the summer months, although it wouldn't be finished for this summer. They would use tents this year or the actual Playhouse if necessary. He'd envisioned the Playhouse being used in fall, winter, and spring. The building was being renovated and he had hopes it would be completed in another month or so. What he needed at this point was an assistant. He'd mentioned it to Sam Carter and been told they would try and recommend some people for him to interview.
He paid for his meal, leaving a good tip. He remembered a summer or two of waiting tables and knew what it was to rely on tip money. Leaving the Diner, he drove to his office. He pulled up in front of the ugliest building in town, the one that housed Julia's Place, a computer services shop. William liked the gargoyles on the front of the building, thinking they added a nice touch of the macabre. His office was on the second floor, for now anyway. Julia had told him they'd move him to a larger place once he needed it, but this was the first available space they could find.
William thought Julia was one of the prettiest women he'd ever seen. Long black hair to her waist was complimented by vivid blue eyes. She had a good sense of humor, which he appreciated, and was devoted to her husband, Cody and her daughter, Jennifer. He'd had some good talks with her about the town of Sully Point, its high points, people, and history. She'd also filled him in on the family structure behind the Sully Point Project, the artist colony they were creating.
"Good morning, Julia," he said, entering the main room.
She looked up from her computer with a smile. "Hi. Did the Diner survive your critique this morning?"
"They did very well today. I recommend the Frenc
h toast. Any news I need to know about before I head upstairs?"
"I don't think so. Wait a minute, one thing. I heard that Sam and Maggie's youngest sister is arriving today to stay for a bit. None of us have met her yet. Other than that, nothing new."
"All right then. I'll be in my office."
Julia nodded and turned back to her computer screen.
Hmm, he thought. Another family member. Fortunately, that was nothing to do with him. He got down to work, irritably ordering supplies and wishing for an assistant.
* * * *
Beth received a big hug from her brother Sam at the airport. He then held her at arm's length and looked her up and down.
"You're all in one piece, but I can see in your eyes that things haven't been going well," he said as he picked up some of the suitcases and put them on a cart. "Anna's bringing the car around so we can load it up. Did you have to bring your entire wardrobe?"
"Of course. You should have expected that. I hope the guest room in your house has a big closet."
Sam glanced at her again and then they headed outside. "That's something we need to discuss. We don't think my place is the best choice for where you should stay."
"Sam, come on. You know if I'm at Maggie's she'll grill me mercilessly about my life in L.A., and I'm not ready to talk about it."
"Maggie's wasn't the first choice either. Ah, here's Anna." He began piling luggage into the SUV. After they were all settled in the car, and Beth had a chance to say hello to Anna and to Joshua in his car seat, Sam continued. "We were all at dinner when you called about coming out here, Anna and me, Maggie and Eric, and they suggested you use Maggie's old apartment. It's still furnished and just sitting there since they moved into their new house. We all figured that you'd like some space of your own while you're here. Of course, if you'd rather stay with us at the beach house, you'd be welcome."
Beth felt a big sense of relief at this speech. "Thank you, Sam, and you too, Anna, for realizing that a place of my own would be a help right now."