by Cybill Cain
“Yeah,” I needed to call him back. I had twelve voicemails waiting that went from worried to pissed off. He wanted to put out a statement, but I wasn’t sure yet what I wanted to say. We had been cleared of any wrong doing regarding the death of Jackson Bartley, but the trouble with the press was that once they scented blood, they wouldn’t let go. My relationship with Annie was about to make a splash. I needed to talk to her before I said anything publicly.
“Does James know?”
“Yes, I informed him before coming to the hospital.” I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling exhausted as I added another call to the list I needed to make.
“How’s he doing?”
“The same,” Meenan said, saying nothing. “I’ve made provisions to cover all of Ms. Clemons medical expenses,” he added, probably trying to distract me from asking more about James. I missed his friendship. It would be nice to talk to him about some of this, just to get his perspective. “Do you think he would take my call?”
“It never hurts to try, Mr. Alexander.”
“Last time it went straight to you.”
“And it might next time as well, but, I say again, it never hurts to try.”
“I’ll be out here when you are ready to go,” Stacy added, speaking for the first time since he arrived. He looked seriously unhappy. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, but he didn’t seem to be in a listening mood. I didn’t want him to feel badly about what happened, but it warmed me a little to see that he was so invested in Annie’s welfare, even if he was just doing his job.
“Thanks,” I told him, “Thank you both.” They nodded and departed to a discreet distance, talking quietly as I went back to Annie. I sat down on her bed, the excitement of what lay ahead of us bubbling up for me again, washing away some of the exhaustion and all the fear that had held me for the past twenty-four hours.
“You’re really coming with me?” She slid over in the bed to make room for me, and curled up on my chest once I was situated.
“Just before I went over the edge, I realized that of all the things I’d done in my life, loving you was the best of all. If you have to go, then I have to go with you, because I don’t want a life that doesn’t have you in it. I want to be with you Max, for as long as you will have me.”
“That’ll be just the other side of forever. You got that kind of time, beautiful?”
“Only for you, Max.” I kissed her softly.
“You were right. I did know The World when I saw her. It’s you, Annie. You’re The World to me.” I told her quietly, meaning it more than anything I’d ever said before in my life. She sighed sweetly, and smiled at me, before closing her eyes and nodding off. I laid my head back on the pillow and closed my eyes, too, just for a minute. I had a life to plan for us, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
Epilogue
Four years later
“Annnnd the winner for Best Picture of the Year goes to…” a hush fell over the crowd as we all waited. Annie was holding my hand under the table, her face alight with excitement. “Max Alexander for Salvation!” My heart nearly exploded out of my chest. I froze in my seat, sure I’d heard wrong. How did the screenplay I never thought I would finish turn out to be the Best Picture of the Year?
“Go, honey!” she whisper screamed at me, leaning over to kiss my cheek, as she urged me to stand. Dazed, I stood up and made my way to the stage as the applause went on and on. I hadn’t prepared anything to say, and I deeply regretted that now.
I took the gold statue in my hand, feeling myself tearing up as I looked out in the crowd, who were all standing up for me. I closed my eyes, and prayed not to make a fool of myself when the whole world was watching.
“Thank you,” I started, and watched as the applause died off, and people took their seats again. “I’m here tonight because of my beautiful wife, my muse, my Annie.” She beamed at me, and blew me a kiss. “When I first met her, she showed me that life is a tapestry. That everything is connected, and that each and every one of us impacts the people and the world around us with everything we do. Salvation was a dream. A dream made real by the hundreds of incredible people who gave their best to make it happen. I accept this on their behalf. On behalf of the other artists who lent their talents in all the right places to help me make magic. Thank you, all, and thank you, Annie. I love you!” I held the statue up for her, already thinking of all the ways she promised me we would celebrate when I won.
***
A Week Later
Annie
I had almost everything set up when I heard him coming up the steps to my studio. I closed my eyes for a second, breathing in the air of home. Escape would always be my favorite place in the world. Thomas Meenan had retained partial ownership, making sure that the place was taken care of while I traveled the world with Max, and allowed us to return here whenever we wished. I’d gained the world, and given up nothing.
“What are you doing up here?” he asked as he stepped in, stopping short when he saw that I had set up a blank canvas, my paints, and that I was naked. I slid the stool over in front of the canvas with my foot, and arched an eyebrow at him in answer. He smiled at me, going from curious to simmering in two seconds flat. I could feel the heat of him from across the room. “Now, that’s what a man likes to see when he comes home.” I giggled, high on how I knew this night was going to go.
Over the years it had become a ritual for us to make a painting together, as we had that first night, for every special occasion in our lives. They hung all over the world, in places we owned from Malibu to Paris. The clothes he’d framed from our first night hung here in the studio. They were the most inspirational thing in my life, aside from the man who had gifted them to me.
“Before we start, I have a gift for you,” I told him, gesturing to the big gold box I’d placed on the daybed. He loved getting presents, and I was delighted to watch him shift from smoldering and sexy to young and charming as he plopped on the bed and grabbed his box to shake it, already trying to guess what was in it. I sat down beside him, unable to stop smiling.
“You could just open it,” I told him.
“But half the fun is guessing,” he told me, breaking my heart with his sexy grin. I sighed dreamily, as captivated by him now as I had been when I’d come down my stairs to find him standing in my foyer.
“Guess away then.” He shook it again.
“A yacht?”
“Nope.”
“A jet?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, my God! It’s a pony! You got me a pony!” I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Yes, it’s the keys to a pony, just for you.” He frowned.
“I’ve never had one before, but I’m pretty sure ponies don’t have keys.”
“Maybe it’s a special pony.” He snickered, and lifted off the lid. I watched closely as he lifted out his gift. It was all straps and foam padding, and even though it said Baby Bjorn right on the label, it didn’t click at first. When it did his eyes widened, and he took a deep shaky breath before looking at me.
“To make our baby a traveling baby, like his parents,” I told him, waiting to see what he would do now.
“Our baby?”
“Yep.” He stared at me for so long I was starting to be worried. Then his big hand reached out, and pinched my arm.
“Ouch! What the hell, Max?”
“I had to be sure I wasn’t dreaming.”
“You’re supposed to pinch you for that, not me. Don’t you know anything, Mr. Best Picture of the Year?”
“Right now, no, I don’t know anything at all, except how much I love you.” The way he said it made me tingle all over, but he wasn’t getting off that easy.
“Fine way to treat someone you love. Pinching them like that.” He knocked the gift to the floor, and pulled me into his lap facing him. His warm breath caressed my face as he stared into my eyes. I saw him tear up before he closed his eyes, and leaned in to rest his forehead against mine, while holding me t
ightly in his arms.
“Can we call him Oscar?” he asked me, sounding almost like he meant it.
“I just don’t think you’re taking this seriously at all,” I sighed. “Maybe I should just get you that pony instead.” His arms tightened more, threating to interrupt my breathing.
“Don’t you dare,” he growled at me, before he opened his eyes again and leaned back to look at me. The emotion I saw there brought tears to my eyes, too.
“You’re going to need a lot of blue tonight,” he told me, starting to simmer again.
“Because blue burns hotter?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“Oh, hell yes,” he told me, right before he set me on fire from head to toe.
The End
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Special Thanks
First to my Queen Beta, Kathy. You are amazing and wonderful, and I owe you more than I could ever repay in a thousand lifetimes. Your patience and support have helped give me the courage to write.
And to Pam, the sharp eyes I wish I had at Love2ReadRomance Proofreading,
To Jenny, and the team at Indies Ink,
And to Ginger at Exclusive ARC,
And for the lovely soundtrack in my head as I wrote this story:
Fleetwood Mac- Gypsy
Blue October- Ugly Side
Susie Suh & Robot Koch- Here with Me
The Sisters of Mercy- Never Land (A Fragment)
And thank you, dear reader, for spending your time here with me. – Cybill Cain