Starbright

by Richland, Alexandra

  “How was your day?” he asked, taking her hand.

  “It was nice.” She peered at him playfully, hedging the topic of their respective nominations. “What about you?”

  “Excellent, now that you’re here.” A charming grin crossed his face. “Congratulations, by the way.”

  Beth’s smile widened. “Congratulations to you, too.”

  Aidan slipped his other hand behind her neck, caressing the skin there softly. “I love you and I’m so proud of you.”

  “I love you, too.” Beth closed her eyes as he brought their lips together again, losing herself in his kisses and his hands in her hair.

  “All right, enough already.” Olivia’s teasing remark came from across the room.

  Aidan chuckled and pulled away.

  Olivia rushed over and gave Beth a hug. “Aren’t you excited? We’re free from Mr. Mertz until the new year!”

  Beth’s smile faltered. Oh, how she wished Olivia’s words were true.

  “Congratulations.” Nathan kissed her cheek. “Liv and I were just telling Aidan how deserving you both are of your nominations.”

  “Thank you,” Beth replied.

  Aidan put his arm around her shoulders. “I have something for you, baby.”

  Beth looked at him in surprise. “But I thought we were exchanging gifts on Christmas Day.”

  “We are. This is something extra.” Aidan led her into the kitchen and ushered her outside through the back door. Olivia and Nathan followed.

  Beth’s hand flew to her mouth. Decorating the lawn was a large plastic snowman, Santa Claus, sleigh, and reindeer.

  “They’re for the front of the house, like you told me you had growing up in Clarkson,” Aidan explained. “I also got you a wreath for your front door. It’s inside. Nate and I can help you set them up this evening. That way, after you two decorate the tree tomorrow, everything will be ready in time for Christmas Day.”

  For the first time this season, Beth felt the holiday spirit. She kissed Aidan on the cheek. “Thank you. They’re perfect.”

  Back in the living room, she removed her coat and asked everyone what they wanted to drink.

  Aidan sat on the couch. “A Coke, please.”

  “I’ll have a glass of water,” Olivia replied.

  Beth turned to Nathan. “What about you?”

  “I’ll have a Coke as well, but I’ll get it myself. I figure you could use a hand.”

  Beth was about to protest, but Nathan left the room before she had a chance.

  As soon as she entered the kitchen, he pulled her aside. “I’m so sorry, Beth.”

  She looked at him quizzically. “For what?”

  “For not being present at the meeting you had with Luther today. I didn’t find out about it until I returned from lunch with Liv.”

  Beth shrugged in an attempt to hide her distress. “It’s all right. I held my own.” She caught Nathan’s disbelieving expression. “Well, somewhat. He confronted me about our group photograph in Life magazine.”

  Nathan cringed. “Yeah, I heard.”

  “But I told him what you told me to tell the press when we were in Santa Barbara, and he seemed to believe me, even though he still didn’t like that Aidan and I were photographed together at all.”

  “I spoke with him this afternoon. He’s angry, but he’ll get over it. He’s putting a stop to all other publications running the same photograph, as well as making them remove any mention of you in articles about the race. I’m just glad the group shot was all Life published with you in it.”

  Beth frowned. “I’m sorry you had to go through so much trouble.”

  “It’s my own fault.” Nathan shook his head. “Heck, I didn’t think Luther would blow his top over you being at the race or I never would’ve brought you to the pit road. I should’ve known better.”

  “It’s no one’s fault.” She touched his shoulder reassuringly. “We didn’t know and now we do. Aidan and I will just have to be more careful from now on.”

  “Especially in Las Vegas.” Nathan fixed her with an inquisitive stare. “Speaking of Aidan, when are you going to tell him about the meeting? Based on his good mood, I’m guessing he doesn’t know about it yet.”

  Beth looked to the floor. Until now, she had no idea what to do. But after reviewing the situation, her decision was clear. She wasn’t going to tell Aidan. It wasn’t honest, but she chose to focus on the bigger picture and how it would benefit their relationship in the long run.

  Her silence told Nathan all he needed to know.

  “Aw, shucks, Beth. I really wish you’d tell him. I don’t want to lie to the guy.”

  “It’s not lying because he has no idea the meeting occurred in the first place. We’re merely withholding information.”

  Nathan crossed his arms over his chest. “You should tell him.”

  “I can’t. You know what his feelings are toward Mr. Mertz. He might do something rash and make things worse.”

  “Beth…”

  “Please, Nathan.” She latched onto his forearm. “Don’t say anything.”

  Nathan sighed. “Fine, I won’t. But that still doesn’t make it right.”

  Beth was quick to change the subject—anything to try to alleviate her guilt over her decision. “Thank you again for explaining my injury to Mr. Mertz on my behalf.”

  The corners of Nathan’s mouth lifted a little. “You’re welcome.”

  “I’m glad Venus Rising was able to wrap on time.” Beth frowned. “If my injury delayed the shoot, Mr. Mertz would’ve taken the losses out of my paycheck.”

  Nathan’s eyebrows drew together. “He can’t do that. And why would he? He has insurance to cover delays caused by health issues.”

  Beth turned on the faucet and filled two glasses with water. “That’s not what he told me in his office today. Why would he lie to me?”

  “Luther is a manipulative man who instills fear in people to assert his power.” Nathan retrieved two Cokes from the icebox. “It’s a horrible way for a boss to treat his employees, but that’s his preferred method. Don’t always assume everything he tells you is truthful. And if you ever question anything he says, come to me, okay?”

  Beth couldn’t understand why Nathan worked so closely with Mr. Mertz if he didn’t approve of the way his boss operated the studio.

  “I promise I will.”

  Beth plastered a smile on her face for her reentry into the living room. She sat next to Aidan and handed him his drink while Nathan claimed the vacant cushion beside Olivia on the opposite sofa.

  Aidan lifted the Coke bottle to his lips but paused before taking a sip. His eyes radiated confusion when they landed on her face. “Is everything okay?”

  Beth did her best to maintain her smile.

  “Yes, of course.” She took a long drink of water, hoping to calm her nagging conscience, which seemed to have settled in her stomach.

  Aidan nudged her shoulder gently with his. “Are you sure nothing is on your mind?”

  “I’m just thinking about how happy I am to spend the holidays with you.” Beth took shelter behind her cup, unable to look him in the eye. The words were true, but that didn’t squash her guilt over other matters.

  Although she’d told Nathan she was concerned Aidan might lash out against Mr. Mertz, there were additional reasons behind her decision to keep this afternoon’s meeting a secret from him. Mr. Mertz was funding Aidan’s latest motion picture, a project he and Mr. Kazan were very excited about. One wrong move and her boss could shelve the film permanently.

  Beth’s biggest fear, however, was Aidan thinking he was hurting her career by dating her and ending their relationship as a result. Her plan to ask him if he wanted to be more open about their romance was on hold indefinitely. She’d rather continue as they were than have him pull away from her forever.

  On Christmas Day, Aidan hopped behind the wheel of his Porsche and placed the gifts he had purchased on the passenger seat. Using the rearview mirror, he straig
htened his tie and then drove to Beth’s house. Thanks to Olivia, he was looking his best. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d worn a suit in his lifetime, but Beth was worth the effort.

  Aidan was thankful Venus Rising had wrapped. Beth had put in long hours at the studio recently and deserved to relax over the holidays. He, on the other hand, itched to get back to work. Although he went over his Golden Gloves script often, it wasn’t the same as being on set or participating in cast read-throughs, bouncing his lines off other actors.

  Filming started mid-January, but Mr. Mertz was giving Kazan a tough time about his casting choices—more specifically, Aidan’s wife in the film, Mary Oliver, and his best friend, Salvatore Lucci. Kazan had a list of people he wanted to hire, but Mr. Mertz either had them lined up for other projects or he just flat out refused to cast them.

  Luckily, Kazan was not a pushover and would never hire someone just because the first day of shooting was fast approaching. As he’d told Aidan on several occasions, he wanted talented performers and would fight to get them.

  Aidan was convinced Mr. Mertz would give in. If there was one thing everyone knew about the studio boss, it was that falling behind schedule and losing money was not an option for him. There was no way he would delay filming just to prove a point. With the way things were progressing, the cast would likely be finalized at the last minute. As long as everything worked out to the film’s advantage, Aidan was happy to wait it out.

  Aidan’s boxing coach in the film was hired out of New York—an older actor by the name of Clive Geary, who Aidan knew from the Actors Studio. Mr. Geary worked with Kazan in his early days with the Group Theater, so they already had a good professional relationship. Aidan respected him greatly and looked forward to collaborating with him.

  Regarding his Best Actor nomination, Aidan was surprised the Academy even considered his work in the first place. He was proud of his performance in Spike Rollins, but his difficult reputation didn’t fit the description of the ideal Oscar candidate. Although the nomination didn’t mean much to him—in fact, he found it ridiculous they gave out awards for something as subjective as art—Beth’s nomination meant the world to her, so he hoped she’d win. Her Sparkling Meadow performance was spectacular and she deserved the Best Actress honor.

  Standing on Beth’s front stoop, Aidan rang the doorbell twice, eager to spend the remainder of the day with her. She answered the door wearing a classy red taffeta evening dress with a sweetheart neckline, and black heels that added several inches to her height. Her brown hair was curled and set in a style that concealed the stitches on her forehead. The wound was healing nicely, though it was still a painful reminder to Aidan about how he’d failed to protect her.

  As he stepped inside and brushed his lips to her cheek, he couldn’t believe he had waited until she ended up in the hospital before telling her he loved her.

  Beth shut the door. Her eyes made a leisurely voyage down his body.

  Aidan straightened his posture. “Is the suit okay?”

  The smile that stretched across her face eased his worry. “It’s more than all right. You look very handsome.”

  Aidan placed her gift on the hall table and collected her in his arms. “Merry Christmas, little dove.”

  “Merry Christmas to you, too.” Beth smiled toward the ceiling.

  Aidan followed her gaze. Mistletoe hung above the door—mistletoe that hadn’t been there during his last visit. The mischief highlighting her expression confirmed his suspicions. She had planned the entire thing.

  Aidan threaded one hand into her hair and placed his other hand around her waist. When her lips parted, he accepted the invitation and kissed her passionately.

  The lure of finding the zipper on her dress and unwrapping her like a present overwhelmed him, but he broke their kiss and slipped his hands into his pockets to prevent himself from getting carried away. If he gave in to his urges now, they would never make it to dinner at Nathan’s house on time.

  Aidan picked up Beth’s gift and followed her into the living room.

  “How about me? Do I look all right?” Beth smoothed her hands over her hips. Her radiance eclipsed the multi-colored lights decorating the Christmas tree behind her, but Aidan pretended to scrutinize her appearance as if something was wrong.

  “You look very nice, but…”

  Beth tugged at her dress self-consciously. “But what?”

  Aidan’s grin broke free as he handed over her first present.

  Excitement fluttered across Beth’s face. Aidan led her to the couch, where she removed the wrapping paper, revealing a thin rectangular box. She popped the lid. Her eyes widened when they landed on the necklace nestled inside.

  “Oh, Aidan. It’s stunning.” She delivered the words in an awestruck whisper. “I can’t accept this. It’s too much!”

  Aidan kissed her cheek. “Nothing is too much for my girl.”

  Beth brushed her fingers along the dainty platinum chain to the diamond angel pendent attached to it. “I absolutely love it.”

  “An angel for my angel.” Aidan took the box. “May I?”

  She rose to her feet. “Yes, thank you.”

  Aidan removed the necklace from the box and stood behind her. After a few noble tries, he secured the chain’s small clasp behind her neck.

  Beth turned around, her fingers toying with the diamond pendant against her chest. “Thank you again. I don’t know how I’ll ever compete with this.”

  “It’s not about competing,” he said, taking her hands in his. “It’s about you letting me spoil you and show you how much I love you.”

  Beth’s smile broadened. “I’ll wear it always.”

  “I have something else for you.”

  “Something else?” Her smile disappeared. “But you’ve given me so much already.”

  Aidan suppressed a smirk. Little did she know, her main present had yet to arrive. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her second gift.

  Beth’s eyebrows pinched together. “A key?”

  Aidan nodded. “To my house. I want you to have access whenever you want.”

  “That means the world to me. Thank you.” Beth placed the key on the mantle and picked up a palm-size package from under the tree. “This is my gift to you.”

  Aidan used the same care in handling the wrapping as she did with her gift and uncovered a black leather box. Inside was a signet ring with a thick gold band. Instead of his initials engraved on the flat top, there was a sketch of a bird with its wings extended.

  “The dove is a symbol of my devotion to you, and it coincides with your nickname for me.” Beth’s explanation broke his appreciative silence. “You’ve helped me spread my wings and grow in so many ways, and I want you to know you have all of me—Marie Bates and Elizabeth Sutton.”

  Aidan slipped the ring onto the middle finger of his left hand.

  “I tried to get a very masculine ring so you might actually wear it.” Beth looked at him hesitantly.

  Aidan realized he had yet to respond. “Are you kidding? I love it.”

  Her face brightened. “I’m glad it fits. Olivia helped me guess your size.”

  “Thank you.” Aidan graced her with a sensual kiss.

  Beth ventured over to the hi-fi and dropped the needle. Julius LaRosa’s version of “Have Yourself A Very Merry Christmas” began.

  Aidan stood with her next to the fireplace, surrounded by the warm glow of Christmas lights. Amongst Mr. DeRosa’s yuletide gay and assurance that all troubles would fade, they danced and kissed like they had all the time in the world.

  “When’s dinner?” Aidan asked when the song ended.

  “I told them we’d be there at four o’clock.”

  Aidan looked at his watch and frowned. “We have twenty-five minutes.”

  Beth’s sigh echoed his disappointment. “I wish we could stay here all evening.”

  “Me, too, little dove.” Aidan brushed his thumb along her cheek, his lips lifting into
a smirk. “Knowing Olivia, though, she’d send a search party after us.”

  Beth giggled. “You’re right about that.”

  Aidan removed the record from the hi-fi to prepare for their departure while Beth picked up Nathan’s present from under the tree.

  Neither of them had been to Nathan’s house before, but accordingly to the directions, it was located in the richest part of town. Olivia had mentioned he owned a beach house in Malibu as well. Mr. Mertz obviously paid him very well for his around-the-clock efforts at the studio.

  Aidan identified Nathan’s address easily by an inscription on a brass plaque mounted on one of the stone pillars at the end of the driveway. The front gates stood open, and there was no security to check in with.

  They drove along a twisting laneway lined with cedar trees tall enough to shade the road from the afternoon sunlight. Around a sharp bend, Nathan’s residence appeared. The dark gray stone exterior, bell tower, and arched windows lent the impression of a medieval castle. All that was missing was a drawbridge and moat.

  “Holy smokes. This is where he lives?” Beth scanned the grounds, her eyes wide with wonder.

  Aidan parked in the circular driveway at the closest point to the front door. Dense forestry surrounded the perimeter of the property, sealing them off from civilization. Despite the colorful landscape, the vibe he got felt more sinister than welcoming.

  Hand in hand and carrying gifts, they walked to the front entrance, where Aidan gave the mammoth brass knocker a go. He was surprised when Nathan answered the door personally. He assumed such a large place demanded upkeep and management from a great number of employees.

  “Merry Christmas!” Nathan’s gregarious grin seemed a stark contrast to the dim, drafty foyer he welcomed them into.

  “You, too, Nate,” Aidan replied, looking around.

  Nathan greeted Beth with a kiss on her cheek and took her coat.

  “Merry Christmas!” Olivia barreled down the hallway like she’d already had a generous helping of eggnog. Her eyes went straight to Beth’s neck.