by Judi Fennell
“You think you know everything.”
“I know a lot more than you do, Tommy.”
“Do not.”
“Do too.”
“Boys.” She mimicked Bryan’s action and put her hands on their heads and turned them to look at her. “Let’s stop the bickering. Just tell the guards the truth and we can go home.”
“But I don’t want to go home.” Maggie tugged on Beth’s shirt. “I want to play with the baby goats.”
“They’re called kids,” said Tommy.
“Hey, they are. You did know that.” Mark was looking surprised. Beth didn’t know why; they’d been in the same classes since kindergarten.
“They are? That’s a silly name.” Maggie slid her hand into Tommy’s. “Thanks for teaching me that. Just like Bryan said.”
“We should call him.” This from Kelsey. Why was Beth not surprised that that was the first part of this whole episode Kelsey would comment on? “Tell him what we did.”
“You mean, what Jason did,” said Maggie, now moving her hand and her allegiance to her eldest brother.
“I helped. I ran to call the security guards.”
Maggie scrunched her face and tapped her lip. “You’re right. You did. That was important, too.” She reached for Kelsey’s hand. “I have the bravest brothers and sister in the whole world.”
Of course that would be when the guard started asking Beth questions. She could barely concentrate on what he was asking her as she tried not to cry at all her emotions: fear, pride, love, and a melting heart to see her children banding together.
And then a reporter showed up, sticking the microphone over top of the guard’s head. Beth was pretty sure that violated all sorts of rules and might even have an impact on any trial—
Oh hell. A trial. As witnesses, her kids would have to testify. And Jason had tripped the guy—he’d be star witness number one.
Oh God. The press was going to be all over this.
There was a loud ringing in her ears as all of the ramifications registered. What was about to descend upon them. All over again. The invasive questions. The never-ending interest. Camera crews and news vans staking out her home.
Beth wanted to cry. She’d said no to Bryan’s fishbowl and ended up with one of her own.
It took an hour and a half and giving out her cell phone to six different people before she could get the kids out of there. It took another forty-five minutes for them to talk it out of their systems enough so that she could get a word in edgewise. Just two, but they had the effect she wanted. “Ice cream?”
The conversation changed to flavors and Beth could finally take a breath. She was going to have to talk to Jason and Kelsey. Warn them about the press. The twins, too. Only Maggie hadn’t been part of the thwarted robbery attempt, but with the way Maggie was championing each one of her siblings, Beth had a feeling she needed to warn her, too. She wasn’t looking forward to it.
• • •
SHE shouldn’t have worried.
And that worried her.
They no sooner sat down at the ice cream parlor booth when the topic came up all over again. By now, Beth had the sequence of events memorized, so she wasn’t surprised when the kids veered slightly off topic.
“So do you think they’re going to want to interview us again?” Kelsey was the one to broach the subject Beth had been dreading.
“Well, they might, honey, but you don’t have to tell them anything else. You guys are all minors, so, technically, they need to go through me. I’ll keep them as far away as I can.”
“But I want to talk to them. We’re going to be famous.”
“We are?” asked the twins. “Cool!” They high-fived each other.
They were talking in unison again.
“I bet they give you a medal, Jason,” said Maggie, her brother’s biggest fan.
“Nah, no one gets medals anymore.” But Jason didn’t look like he’d hate the idea.
“Maybe even your own TV show!” Maggie was bouncing in her seat. “Like a kid detective who stops robbers before they can steal anything. Wouldn’t that be cool?”
“And Bryan can play your boss or something,” said Mark.
“Yeah, then we could see him again,” added Tommy.
“Mommy, when is Bryan coming back? I want to tell him all about my brothers and sister. They’re heroes.” Maggie turned that earnest face Beth’s way and the other four followed.
“I . . . I don’t know, Mags.”
Liar! Tell your kids the truth. That you turned him down to keep them from being in the spotlight and look at them now! Anxious to be on TV. Thrilled to be heroes. You might want to re-think your decision, Elizabeth.
“Can we call him?” Kelsey pulled out her phone. “Oh. Right. He didn’t give me his number.” She looked at Beth. “Did he give you his number, Mom? Or should I call the maid company and ask them?”
Five expectant, hopeful faces stared at her. Five kids who wanted to see the man Beth had sent away. The man who said he loved her and wanted to marry her. Who wanted to have a family with her. This family.
“Um, guys. I have a better idea. How’d you like to go see Bryan?”
Chapter Thirty-nine
CUT!” PJ blew out a big, frustrated breath.
Number four hundred and seventy-two if Bryan’s count was right.
It was close if not right on. This scene was going to hell with every line. Carina just didn’t want to follow the script. If she weren’t such a big name actress, she would’ve been out on the street at five after eight this morning, after the fifth take.
“Carina.” PJ’s fabled “cool” had disappeared. “I’m not changing the dialogue, so you can do it my way or we’re here ’til midnight; I don’t care at this point. I will bring this film in on schedule, so get off your high horse and do the scene as it’s written.”
“It makes my character sound like a wimp.”
“No, it doesn’t. It makes her willing to compromise.” Something Carina obviously knew nothing about. “And that’s who the audience is going to root for, so if you want an adoring public, you’ll do it the way it’s written. And if you want to work again, you’ll do what I say.”
Ouch. Not good. Bryan braced himself for the impact.
It wasn’t long in coming.
“I don’t need you, PJ Cartwright.” Carina tossed the knife she’d been holding into the kitchen sink with a reverberating clang. PJ should count his lucky stars she hadn’t flung it at him. Even if it was a prop knife, that tip was pointed. “You think you’re the one people are coming to see when they go to the movies? Most people have no clue who the director is. They know who the stars are, and I’m the star of this movie.”
Bryan refrained from raising his hand and reminding her he was here, but only because he felt bad for PJ. The guy had enough of a headache with Carina on a good day; Bryan didn’t want to add to the problem. But, oh, what he wouldn’t give to take Carina down a peg or two and remind her that he was getting a ton of hype for being the love interest of this film. That this script was his vehicle to stardom and everyone knew it. He had as much name recognition as she did when it came to this movie, so she’d better get her act together because there was another name here and losing her might not be what it would have been on her other films.
Nah, he’d keep that little tidbit to himself. No need to poke the sleeping lion.
Who was now roaring.
“I will not stand for this.” She held out her hand to her assistant. “I’m calling my agent.”
The poor kid who’d probably thought she’d hit the lottery when she’d been hired as Carina Dempsey’s assistant had to run after her to hand her the phone.
Silence descended on the set, everyone looking at PJ.
“Fine. Great. Whatever.” He adjusted his baseball cap. “Everyone take a break. Be back in two hours. We finish this tonight.”
Bryan rubbed the back of his neck as he got off the damn bar stool he’d been perched on for the last f
ifteen takes. His ass hurt, but he’d rub it in private. He didn’t need anyone tweeting that picture.
He nodded to Josh. “I’ll be in my trailer if things move any faster.”
“Sounds good. Oh, and you’ve got some visitors. I was gonna tell you when we wrapped the scene.”
Visitors? Who would be visiting him on set?
For a second, his heart—and his imagination—leapt, thinking, praying, and hoping that it was Beth, but he tucked that away quickly. Probably Liam. It’d better not be Sean. He had a scavenger hunt to win if they had a prayer of recouping their investment in that property he was working.
Maybe it was his agent. Or his publicist. Or maybe both. They didn’t have a meeting planned, but who knew? Maybe there was some big news about his career that Don wanted to tell him in person.
He grabbed a water bottle on his way off the set and downed it. The lights were hot, and he had a couple of long monologues in this scene. Of course Carina wasn’t happy with that, either. He thought line counting disappeared when you started making millions, but apparently not in Carina’s case.
Bryan shrugged and twisted the cap back onto the empty bottle and tossed it into the trashcan as he walked by.
“Two points, Manley!” one of the boom operators hollered.
He smiled and gave the guy—Rick—a thumb’s up. Too bad Carina didn’t get that camaraderie was good on a set.
No, she was still working on getting him into bed. Bryan had had to call it an early night since arriving back here just to avoid having to turn her down again. He didn’t want to have to tell her that she just didn’t do it for him.
He shook his head as he walked up to his trailer. He had a feeling that no woman would do it for him again for a long time. If ever.
He reached for the door knob. Not after—
Beth.
She was standing there. In his trailer. At the top of the steps.
Bryan did a double take. Twice.
“Hi, Bryan.”
It was definitely Beth.
“Hi, Bryan!”
And the kids.
“Woof!”
And Sherman.
Bryan grabbed the railing to stay upright while he tried to process the fact that the six people he most wanted to see in the world were in his trailer. And he wasn’t even upset at seeing the dog.
“Uh, hi, guys.”
“I’m not a guy, silly!” Maggie poked her curly-topped head up over the stairwell, her impish smile and sparkling eyes making him laugh.
“No, Mags, you’re definitely not a guy.” He ruffled her curls and managed to get himself up the rest of the steps on wobbly legs. “What are you doing here?” He was looking at all of them, but that question was directed solely at Beth.
The five kids all started talking at once. Something about the mall and the zoo and a hammer and jewelry and . . . guards?
He looked at Beth. “What are they talking about?”
In a calm voice that he knew was put on for the kids’ benefit, because he could see just how much the story she told him upset her, Beth told him about the attempted robbery and the kids’ heroics.
“And we wanted to come tell you all about it because you’re working and can’t come home to hear it,” said Maggie, climbing onto his lap when he sat at the table.
Home. He doubted she or any of the kids heard that slip up, but he had. And so had Beth.
He wanted to ask Beth what this was about. Why she was here. Why she’d prolong the agony. A clean break; that’s what they needed.
But maybe she hadn’t told the kids about his proposal—which would make sense—and she’d come here for the kids’ sake. They were certainly excited to tell him all about it, and he made as much of a fuss as was warranted, pleased to see Jason’s pride in himself, and Kelsey beaming when her part was told, and the twins saying how they’d worked together to alert Jason and Kelsey, and Maggie’s pride in her siblings.
Sherman nudged his way under Bryan’s arm and crawled onto his lap with Maggie.
“Do you think they’re gonna give Jason a medal?” asked Maggie. “I want them to give him a TV show. And you could act in it, too.”
“If they don’t give him a medal, they should.” Bryan nodded at Jason. “That was a really brave thing you did. Not many people would get involved like that. I’m proud of you.” Yeah, his eyes got misty as he said it. He had no right to be proud of the kid, but he was.
And if Jason’s widening smile was anything to go by, he was glad that he was.
“So can we go celebrate?” Mark crawled around the curved bench seat on his knees and put his hand on Bryan’s shoulder? “Mom said our catching the bad guy was cause for a celebration.”
“We already had ice cream,” said Tommy.
“Yeah, but that’s not a real celebration. Real celebrations have fireworks and salutes and parades and stuff.”
“There’s no parade around here. We should have stayed home if they were going to give us a parade.”
“I’d like to be in a parade. Like Miss America. I could wear a crown and a sash and wave to everybody.” Maggie practiced blowing kisses right there in his trailer, cracking all of them up.
“Well I don’t know about any parades or fireworks, but we could go out to dinner and see what kind of a special dessert they might have for heroes. What do you say?” This time he avoided looking at Beth. She’d brought the kids here; he was going to spend as much time with them as possible. As much time with Beth as possible.
“Yay! I like celebrations!” Maggie jumped off his lap, Sherman following. “But what are we going to do about Sherman? He can’t go to a restaurant.”
“No worries. I know someone who’ll be happy to keep Sherman company.” He sent Josh a text, smiling when he got the high-sign. Best couple hundred bucks he’d ever spent.
He texted PJ next. Hell, if Carina could blow the schedule to hell, he wasn’t going to sit around waiting for her to show up. He told PJ to text him when Carina was in working form and he’d be back. They couldn’t go far, but then, the couple thousand he was about to spend at the first restaurant he came across for a sparkler-infested, chocolate lava mountain dessert, slathered in whipped cream and ice cream, would make whatever they ate the perfect celebration.
• • •
BETH was having a hard time keeping it together. She’d been wrong. So wrong. This was what her kids needed. Bryan was what they needed. The sense of family. The shock of Mike’s death had been what’d spun them all out of control, not necessarily the press coverage. Sure, that hadn’t helped, but when she’d seen the way they reacted to the positive attention after the robbery . . .
“We need to talk.” Bryan whispered it in her ear as a giant plate of sparklers arrived at their table.
“Lava cake!” screamed the twins.
“Ice cream!” No surprise that came from Maggie.
Jason and Kelsey were trying to look cool instead of impressed at the monstrous dessert, and Bryan was looking awfully proud of himself.
Or maybe he was just deliriously happy. She hoped that was the case.
She nodded but had no clue when they’d talk. With five kids around—in his trailer—privacy was going to be difficult.
Intimacy, impossible . . .
Beth couldn’t stop the blush. Yes, she’d been thinking of her kids when deciding to bring them here, but she hadn’t been able to stop that sliver of awareness when she’d realized that if this worked between her and Bryan, if he was willing to take them all on after she’d turned him down, she would be able to make love with him for the rest of her life.
God, please let him say yes.
The cake was—no surprise—a big hit, and the kids debated the best part of it on the walk back to the car.
That was about the only chance for privacy they were going to have, so Beth tugged on Bryan’s arm and they hung back from the kids.
“Um, Bryan?”
He put his hand over hers. “Yes?”
/> “I hope you don’t mind us showing up.”
“You know I don’t. I love seeing the kids. But I am wondering why. I thought everything was decided when I left.”
She bit her lip. He loved seeing the kids, but he didn’t say anything about seeing her. That didn’t sound like he’d want her to change her mind.
“What about Sherman?”
“What about him?”
“Do you mind that we brought him?”
“No.”
“I couldn’t find anyone to take him on such short notice and the vet was closed for the night.”
“It’s not a problem, Beth. Sherman’s just as welcome as the rest of you.”
Okay, that sounded a little more positive.
Up ahead, Maggie squealed and wiggled off Jason’s hip. Thankfully, Kelsey grabbed her hand before she went running into the parking lot.
Beth didn’t have a lot of time.
“So, um . . .” She tucked her hair behind her ears and took a deep breath. Bryan was looking at her expectantly. “That question you asked me the other night?”
“Yeah?”
“What if . . .” She took another deep breath. God, was this what it’d felt like for him to ask her to marry him? And she’d turned him down? She was an idiot. “What if I want to change my answer? Can I?”
“Change your answer?”
She couldn’t tell if he was mocking her or trying to understand what she was asking.
She was going with the latter only because the former was too painful to contemplate. “Yes. What if I wanted to say yes?”
Oh, no. He hadn’t been confused. He’d known exactly what she’d been asking.
“Is that what you want to do, Beth?”
God, yes, it was. “I do.”
Bryan stopped walking. He took her hand off his arm—she hadn’t even realized it was still there—and brought it to his lips. He kissed it. “Those are the two sweetest words in the English language, Beth.”
Her breath caught. He wasn’t telling her to get lost.
“Want to know what the three sweetest ones are?”
She nodded—because she couldn’t speak—but she already knew. She just wanted to hear him say them. Again.