Redemption of a Hollywood Starlet

by Kimberly Lang

Finn held up a hand. “Stop. I don’t know when you two decided to take up armchair psychology as a hobby, but you suck at it. I live in L.A., for God’s sake, where everyone is in therapy.”

  Ethan shook his head. “God, you’re grouchy today.”

  “Oh, gee, and it has nothing to do with being ambushed by my idiot brothers wanting to uncover my deep emotional problems before I’m even fully awake.”

  Brady turned to Ethan and shrugged. “At least he admits he has emotional problems. It’s a step in the right direction.”

  “You two might be living an examined life these days, but it doesn’t mean I have to. Not everything has to be tracked back to a childhood trauma and ‘healed.’ Quit dumping your daddy issues on me. The bastard has nothing to do with me or my life. He never has.”

  “And there’s your problem.”

  “No, that’s your problem. My problem is you two.”

  “And Cait,” Ethan added.

  Only the sound of his doorbell kept Finn from going for Ethan’s throat. He’d never been quite so glad to have his sisters-in-law arrive. “I’m going to go take a shower. Lock the door behind you, okay?” He left them sitting in his living room with the sincere hope they’d be gone by the time he finished in the shower. This was not the best way to start his day.

  The pounding hot water soothed his muscles but not his mood. Why did his brothers have to make something out of nothing? Especially something that was none of their business, like Cait. The thought of her calmed his temper some. While Cait might be guilty of self-examination these days, too, at least she didn’t try to make her hang-ups his. She might be hard on herself, but she was easy on others, thank God. Brady and Ethan—and Nana, too—could use a few lessons from her on that.

  He took a deep breath and calmed himself. This was temporary. Once he went home and wasn’t quite so underfoot, his brothers and the Grands would back off. His life would go back to normal, and without Cait to fuel their ridiculous outrage they’d lose steam. They might continue to shake their heads and grumble, but two thousand miles would blunt the force.

  All of this would pass. Normalcy was only a few weeks away.

  Why, then, didn’t the thought improve his mood?

  A morning off was bliss. Caitlyn slept late, then went for a massage and a manicure. After a little shopping, where a few folks recognized her and asked for pictures, she went to the set for a couple of hours. Five minutes after she arrived, she was warned that Finn was being uncharacteristically grouchy, and one look at his face convinced her to keep her distance.

  It was a short, easy day for her, but Finn’s bad mood had rubbed off even though he’d barely spoken three words to her. She’d rather been hoping he might come by tonight, but that didn’t seem likely, and it bothered her more than it should.

  She’d given Finn an out, but he hadn’t taken it. In fact, he didn’t seem to mind the fact that she was all but using him. She didn’t like herself much for doing it, but she couldn’t seem to bring herself to give up this chance. It wasn’t as if she could have a fling with Finn in L.A. Not with the paparazzi and star stalkers there. Thankfully, what passed for paparazzi in Baltimore wasn’t exactly tenacious or on every street corner. She might as well enjoy this moment while she could. Even though it looked like she’d not be enjoying it tonight.

  Caitlyn forced herself to shake off the disappointment. She had no claim on him, and there were no guarantees—not even short-term ones. It was none of her business where Finn was when he wasn’t with her.

  She just needed to keep that foremost in mind.

  At seven o’clock that night Caitlyn tuned in to The Catner Report, which was tabloid cable TV at its sleaziest. As much as she hated the show, it would give her a good reading on the level of gossip surrounding her—if any—and get her up to speed on what was going on in the wider entertainment world.

  Carrie Catner always led with the biggest scandals, and when her name didn’t come before the first commercial break Caitlyn began to breathe easy. She felt a little sorry for Cindy Burke, who grabbed the headlines by checking into rehab yesterday. They’d done a film together seven or so years ago, and Cindy was actually a sweet girl and really talented—if a little troubled. At the same time it was fortunate Cindy didn’t have her act completely together or else she wouldn’t have the fantastic part of Rebecca. She didn’t want to take pleasure at someone else’s misfortune, but it had been a boon for her. She’d just have to deal with the guilt.

  When her picture flashed on the screen after the commercial it wasn’t unexpected—especially considering the tie-in to Cindy.

  “Caitlyn Reese is a name we haven’t heard much recently, but that seems set to change. Currently on location in Baltimore, Reese was a surprise addition to the all-star cast of The Folly of the Fury as a last-minute replacement for Cindy Burke. Reese made her name in a string of romantic comedies, then moved to London three years ago and worked in theater, only recently returning to the States for a brief—but successful—run on Broadway.”

  Way to damn with faint praise.

  “But Reese is better known for her headline-grabbing affair with star producer Finn Marshall that played out, then flamed out, just prior to her London move. Many speculated the affair might have contributed to the move.”

  Well, that’s not, too—Ugh! She stopped the thought as a clip of her and Finn on the red carpet was replaced with a picture of Finn doing a tequila shot out of her cleavage. Where’d they get that one? She had no memory of that event, but that wasn’t surprising.

  “Reese was spotted with her former flame at a fundraiser in D.C., spurring speculation that her return to the big screen might not be all business, but witnesses described the meeting as accidental and possibly antagonistic, even though Marshall’s company is heading the project.”

  That was one way to put it.

  “In an interesting twist, though, Reese and her co-star, heartthrob Jason Elkins, were spotted having a leisurely brunch at a Baltimore eatery amid a swirl of reports that the on-screen romance seemed almost too realistic. Meanwhile, Marshall has been seen escorting Naomi Harte, the film’s leading lady, to several of Baltimore’s best restaurants. Granted, Reese and Marshall may be over, but that’s got to be one interesting set.”

  Carrie Catner grinned gleefully at the camera and Caitlyn felt herself snarl. You don’t know the half of it.

  “A spokesperson for the production company claims that Reese and Elkins are ‘just friends,’ but refused to comment on Marshall and Harte. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. The Folly of the Fury is scheduled to hit theaters next spring.”

  Caitlyn turned it off. Well, she and Jason had done their jobs, but it seemed strange that the company would be floating the truth in rumor form. And by not commenting on Finn and Naomi they were practically confirming a lie. Interesting wasn’t the word she’d choose for it. Her life might carry soap opera potential, at least according to Carrie Catner, but that wasn’t too bad. That one photo of her and Finn at some long-ago party wasn’t flattering, but it wasn’t the worst photo they could have used. All and all, not too bad, she decided.

  Her phone chirped as a text came in, and Caitlyn had to dig through her bag to find it.

  The message was from Finn: “You busy?”

  The hopes she’d carefully kept tamped down leaped back up.

  “No. Why?”

  “Look out the window.”

  Okay, this was just a little weird. Why was he texting her instead of just calling? She went to the window and peeked through the slats of the blind. The street looked normal: just a few cars parked along the curb. Then, down to her right, she saw a flash. It happened again, and she realized it was the headlight of a motorcycle parked just beyond the streetlight. The rider was draped in shadow and his helmet obscured his features, but she recognized both the bike and Finn’s broad shoulders. She could see the glow of the phone’s screen as Finn typed another message. What on earth was going on?

  T
he answer pinged to her phone almost immediately: “Want to go for a ride?”

  Was he kidding? They hadn’t been caught together yet off-set, but that would be just asking for trouble. The only reason he could come here at all was because several of the cast and crew—including the director—were living in this block of condos. If he were spotted entering the courtyard it could be brushed off as visiting any number of people.

  “Are you crazy?”

  “It’s a nice night. Perfect for a ride.”

  She and Finn had used to ride down to Santa Monica or Venice Beach on nights like this. Memories rose up to greet her, but she shook them away. Sex was one thing. This teetered dangerously on the edge of Something Else. The fact that she wanted to go only confirmed it was probably a very bad idea.

  Finn’s next message seemed to read her mind: “You know you want to.”

  That was completely beside the point. “No way. Too dangerous.” “Dangerous” could be interpreted many different ways, so that wasn’t a lie.

  “Why not?”

  Argh. She needed a good excuse. “Someone might see us.”

  “Lame excuse.”

  She happened to agree, but it was the best she could come up with.

  “But true.”

  “No cameras watching now.”

  That much was true.

  Finn didn’t wait for her to reply. “Come on.”

  She dithered, fighting the part of her that really wanted to go. Not just because it was Finn—as if that wasn’t enough—but because this spoke to that adventurous part of herself she’d been keeping a tight lid on. If she took that lid off, even just for one night, would she be able to get it back on? And she now knew why Finn was texting instead of calling. He understood how to build drama and tension, and the texts added to that sense of adventure.

  Her phone beeped again: “Well? You coming?”

  No, she told herself. She wasn’t going to go. She needed to keep things with Finn behind very clear borders. But she’d already slipped her feet into her shoes and found her hoodie.

  “I’m absolutely insane,” she said aloud as she grabbed her keys and bolted down the stairs.

  Finn flipped up the visor to his helmet and grinned as she approached. “I knew you’d come.” He held out a helmet to her.

  “This is crazy.” But she was already braiding her hair and tucking it down the back of her shirt.

  The helmet went on easily and smelled brand-new, making her wonder when Finn had come up with this idea. He helped her fasten the chin strap and flipped down the visor, then revved the motor as she swung a leg over and got on behind him. Her thighs fit around his perfectly, and as she clasped her hands around his waist, her whole body seemed to sigh into him.

  With a roar of the powerful engine, Finn pulled out into the street.

  She hadn’t asked where they were going, but honestly she didn’t really care. Finn had that effect on her. And after three years of very studiously not getting onto the backs of motorcycles with men like Finn, this small act was enough to make her feel wholly alive for the first time in a long time.

  Of course there weren’t any other men like Finn.

  She laid her head against Finn’s back and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him and the sway of the bike and the rush of the air. The sensation immediately took her back in time.

  When Finn stopped at a red light and one hand came back to rub along the outside of her thigh, it literally felt like old times.

  Caitlyn lost track of how long they rode, but she wasn’t concerned. Everything just felt right at the moment, and she wanted to enjoy it. She knew they were getting a distance from the city as the streetlights got farther apart and the smells of the city disappeared. Finn finally pulled off the side of the road to a stop.

  She sat up and flipped up her visor as he killed the engine. “Where are we?”

  “Out in the county. Look.”

  She followed his finger and saw the bright lights. She did a double-take. “Are those fairgrounds?”

  Finn grinned at her, obviously pleased with himself. “Yep. I thought you might like to go.”

  She didn’t remember ever telling Finn about going to the fair with her cousins during those summers when she was young, but the chances of this being a coincidence were just too astronomical. The fact Finn even remembered something as silly and unimportant as that warmed her. It was sweet, actually, but …

  “We can’t go wandering through the fair. Someone might see us there.”

  Finn shook his head. “You worry way too much. No one expects either one of us to be here, so they won’t be looking. Even if they think we look familiar they’ll be hard-pressed to place us. We’ll be just another couple enjoying the fair. Anyway,” he said, as a sly grin crossed his face, “I happen to know that Naomi made a huge deal about exploring Baltimore nightlife today in front of the people most likely to spread the news. Anyone who might be looking for either of us will be trailing after Naomi instead.”

  It wasn’t just the fear of photographers, but that excuse still served nicely. “But still …”

  “I know. That hair of yours is pretty distinctive. So I snagged this—” he reached into the small storage compartment “—from the makeup trailer.”

  A blond wig. “How original.” She frowned at it. “Even if they don’t recognize me, surely someone will recognize you. You’re not exactly Mr. Low-Profile.”

  He shook his head. “In D.C. or L.A., maybe. At a county fair in the middle of nowhere Maryland? Not likely. Anyway,” he produced something else from the compartment, “I brought a hat for me.” He ran a hand over the stubble on his chin and cheeks. “And I didn’t shave, either. We’ll blend.”

  If Finn hadn’t shaved, did that mean this was a planned event, not just something he’d come up with spur-of-the-moment? If so … She couldn’t go there.

  “I don’t know …”

  There were a dozen dangers lurking here, not the least of which was if they were spotted, Carrie Catner and her Report would have a field day.

  His voice turned coaxing. “I’ll buy you a funnel cake. Maybe even an ice cream cone, too, if you’re really nice to me.”

  The temptation was extreme, but it had nothing to do with the promise of food. “Fine. If this backfires, though …”

  “You can kill me.” The grin said he wasn’t the least bit worried either way.

  “As long as we’re clear on that.” She took off her helmet and let Finn help her adjust the wig. The blond bangs fell to her eyebrows, but a look in the side mirror had her groaning. “I still look like me. Only as a blonde.”

  “But no one is looking for you.” He cocked his head and studied her. “I prefer you as a redhead, though.”

  The helmet didn’t fit quite as well over the wig, but it wasn’t much farther to the fairground parking lot. Caitlyn mentally crossed her fingers as they joined the line at the ticket window.

  She held her breath, but no one seemed to spare them a second glance. Most of the crowd was made up of teenagers, who were far too interested in their own groups to pay attention to two adults.

  Finn had the brim of his ball cap pulled low over his eyes as he bought their tickets, and after several more minutes of winding through the crowd where no one seemed to even notice them, she began to relax into the sights and sounds and smells.

  “So, is it like you remember?”

  “Yes and no. I would have been about fifteen the last time.” Once she’d turned sixteen and had outgrown a little of her teenage awkwardness, she’d started working more and quit spending summers with her aunt. “What about you?”

  Finn shook his head as he bought an enormous cotton candy and handed it to her. “I’ve never been to one.”

  She pulled off a hunk of the spun sugar before offering it to him. “Ever?”

  “Nope,” he said around a mouthful. “Wait—I take that back. We stopped at a fairground during one of my grandfather’s campaigns. I didn’t really have
much exploration time, though.”

  She understood that. How many places had she been with her parents without actually seeing them? “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Geez, Cait, you make it sound like I was deprived somehow.”

  “Maybe you were.” Her childhood had been pretty screwed up, but she’d had some periods that resembled a normal life—like the summers spent in Oklahoma. It had been the one upside to her parents’ schedules. She hadn’t appreciated it at the time, but in retrospect …

  “Then you are the only person in the world to think my childhood was deprived in any way.”

  He said it with a laugh, but it brought another memory to mind. Finn’s childhood had been really screwed up. Her parents were paragons compared to his, and he only spoke of them in passing, if at all. It was a touchy subject for him, and one she knew to stay away from. “If you never even went to a fair, maybe it was.”

  “My grandparents set one up in the grounds at Hill Chase for my tenth birthday party. There was a small Ferris wheel and a carousel. Does that count?”

  Since her parents had done something similar, she could honestly say, “No, I don’t think that counts. For a kid, the fair is all about the rides and the junk food, but for a teenager, it’s a social experience. It’s all about the boys.”

  That made him laugh. “Then I’m glad I missed out on that. I wasn’t much interested in boys. Still not, ya know.”

  She tucked her hand under his arm and leaned in. “Look around. You can practically see the hormones in the air. The boys and girls travel in separate packs at first, but they’ll start mingling soon enough. The girls are already hoping the right boy will ask to ride through the Tunnel of Love with them.”

  “That would hold appeal.”

  “And the boys will show off at the midway games to win the girls giant teddy bears. It’s a very complicated and important part of adolescence.”

  Finn snorted. “A couple of summers spent in middle America and you’re an expert on teenage courtship rituals?”

  She straightened her shoulders and said primly, “The most successful actors will look back and realize they have always been avid students of human experience.”