Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) (20 page)

“Afghanistan.”

“Six
months. By the time we get back, I have to have a game plan.”

“We’ll
figure something out.”

Sable
hoped so. Beyond giving in to his demands, her options were limited. She could
report him. The chances of winning a he said/she said battle with her superior
officer were zero. Her career would effectively be over. Or she could turn him
down flat. The results would be the same.

Another
solution slipped in and out of her subconscious. One she didn’t want to
consider. The last resort that she wouldn’t think about unless all else failed.
Sable couldn’t imagine a life outside the Army. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have
to.

SIX MONTHS LATER

THE BASE LOOKED the same but everything had changed.

“Welcome
home!”

A
group of wives, husbands, and sweethearts greeted them as they left the bus.
Reunions were exuberant, especially after a six-month deployment. Kisses. Hugs.
And buckets of joyful tears.

There
was never anyone there to welcome Sable home but she always enjoyed the show.
Getting home in one piece was a victory worth celebrating. Even secondhand.

“Sable?
Sable!”

A
pair of arms enfolded Sable, the grip tight—almost desperate. She heard
weeping.
God, please no
. The last thing she wanted was more tears. Hers
or anyone else’s.

“I
couldn’t believe it.” Geri wiped at her cheeks but didn’t let Sable go. “When
word reached us last month, I was certain it had to be a mistake.”

“There
was no mistake.”

Sable
remained stiff and unresponsive. She held herself and her emotions in check. If
she gave in, she was afraid she would break into a million unmendable pieces.

“I
keep asking myself why. Why Doreen?”

“The
risk is part of the job.”

Sable
grew up hearing those words. From her father. From fellow soldiers. She had
lost count of the times she had said them. It was an easy way to justify the
unjustifiable. They rolled off her tongue with little thought. But this time,
she could barely spit out the phrase. It left her throat dry and her tongue felt
like it was coated with sawdust.

“You
look worn out. No wonder.” Geri blew her nose. “Come to my place. I have an
unopened bottle of pure Kentucky bourbon. We’ll break the seal, drink to
Doreen, and get shitfaced.”

“Another
time. I have an appointment.”

“Already?
You just got back.”

“It
was scheduled before I left.”

Sable
left Geri gaping at her retreating figure. The world had changed while she was
in Afghanistan. It changed the day Doreen and six other soldiers didn’t return
from a routine patrol. The roadside bomb that took out their truck didn’t leave
much behind to identify. But there was no mistake.

Doreen
was dead. No more delays. No more games. It was time to end this. Once and for
all.

“I
don’t have you in my book, Sergeant Ford.” A dark-haired, be-speckled man who
appeared to be in his late twenties gave her a sympathetic look. It was the
same one she had received on the way over here every time she passed a fellow
soldier. It was a tight-knit community. They knew that she and Doreen had been
close. “Is the colonel expecting you?”

“No.”

Sable
reminded herself that the corporal was only doing his job. And that she was a
soldier. There was protocol to be followed at all times. She couldn’t punch out
the corporal or barge into Montgomery’s office, no matter how satisfying it
would be.

“Please
tell him I would appreciate a few minutes of his time.” Sable plastered on a
fake smile. “I’ll wait. Or come back whenever he’s free.”

“I
can’t guarantee anything.” He picked up a stack of papers. “Let me see what I
can do.”

Sable
paced the outer office. Her uniform was dusty and a coating of dried sweat
covered her body. She didn’t exactly smell like a rose. And she didn’t give a
damn.

Another
time, she would have showered and changed. Perhaps waiting a day or two for
this inevitable confrontation. But her temper was on a low but steady burn. It
began six months ago. The death of her best friend only added to the flame.

“Colonel
Montgomery will see you now, Sergeant Ford.”

“Thank
you.”

“Welcome
back, Sergeant.” Montgomery looked her up and down. “Never again enter this
office looking like that. Understood? Good Lord, you smell like a locker room.
Worse.”

“I
wanted to settle things immediately, Colonel. There wasn’t time to get cleaned
up.”

“There
is always time.” He wrinkled his nose. “Stand back.”

Ever
the good soldier, Sable moved two paces to the rear.

“Don’t
get me wrong. I’m glad you’re anxious to see me. But you won’t be touching me
until you’ve showered. And a light perfume. Something spicy.”

“No.”
Sable gritted her teeth. It caught in her throat but she pushed the word out. “Sir.”

“I
beg your pardon?”

Sable
was certain it wasn’t a word he heard often. It made her sick to think of how
many women he had forced into this untenable situation. How many caved under
the pressure? She refused to think of how many would come after. Right now, she
had to think about herself. Her survival. Because no one else would.

“I
came here to find out one thing. If you had changed your mind—your terms. I see
now that you haven’t.”

“Don’t
be a fool. I can give you everything you want. A future with no limits.”

“At
what price?”

“Women
fall to their knees every day, Ford. It’s natural. You were made to service a
man. Many men. Be grateful that I’m willing to reward you for it,” Montgomery
sneered. His attractive features morphing into a living, breathing embodiment of
the devil.

Behind
her back, Sable’s hands clenched and unclenched. The urge to wipe the
grotesquely smug expression from his face was almost too much. But she
respected the uniform, if not the man. Perhaps another time and another place.
But not today.

Without
a word, she pulled some papers from her back pocket. Calmly, she handed them to
him.

“What’s
this?”

“The
term of my enlistment ends on Friday. I will not be re-upping.”

Montgomery
read the papers, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“Does
Colonel Ford know about your decision?”

Sable
hadn’t expected the colonel to bring up her father. It took a lot of nerve.
Even for him.

“It
has nothing to do with him.”

“No.”
He sat back in his chair, his eyes cool. “It’s best for everyone that it stays
that way.”

The
threat was clear. There was more at stake here than Sable’s career. A scandal
would have far-reaching effects. All the way to her father. It was the only
thing that kept her silent. If it were only about her, Sable would have pressed
charges—damn the consequences. But nothing—not even the satisfaction of putting
a stain on Colonel Baker Montgomery’s record—would make her endanger what her
father had worked so hard to build.

“May
I be dismissed? Sir?”

“You’re
a fool, Sergeant Ford.”

“If
you say so. Sir.”

Again,
Montgomery’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t call her out on insubordination. But that
little pause every time she called him sir? Sable could tell it grated.

“Dismissed.”

Sable
gave him one last salute. And head high walked out of his office.

SABLE BLINKED. IT took her a few seconds to remember where she
was.
When
she was. Los Angeles. Colt’s living room. Present day.
Sometimes the Army seemed a lifetime ago. Then in the blink of an eye, she was
back there. Reliving it all over again.

“I
wondered where you were.”

Colt.
God, his voice sounded good. He looked even better. Sable held out her hand.

“Your
hand is like ice.” Colt sat beside her. He kissed her icy fingers, one by one. “Why
are you sitting out here when you could be curled up next to me? All toasty
warm.”

“I’m
an idiot.” Sable met his gaze. So blue. So kind. Suddenly, more than anything,
she wanted to curl up in Colt’s arms and cry.

“Hey.”
Concerned, he gently pulled her close. “What happened? What’s wrong, Sable?”

Sable
handed him her phone.

“Read
this.”

She
rested her head on Colt’s shoulder, waiting for him to finish her father’s
brief text.

“I
know you love him,” he growled, his lips brushing her forehead. “And I’ll take
your word for it that he’s a good man. But, honey, your father is an asshole.”

“Yes.”
How could she argue? “But he’s my asshole.”

“Fair
enough. Want to go back to bed? There is still a good hour before we have to
get up.”

“That
sounds good.” Her lips curved when Colt lifted her and carried her to the
bedroom. She wasn’t the type to be swept into a man’s arms. But Colt didn’t
seem to know that. And she wasn’t in the mood to tell him. “But I don’t want to
cuddle.”

“Music?”
He slid in next to her, tucking the covers around them. “We can listen
and
cuddle. I promise I won’t get handsy.”

“No
music. Not tonight.” Sable turned to face him. “I’ve never told anyone why I
left the Army. But if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to tell you.”

“I
wouldn’t mind a bit.” Reaching for her, Colt tucked Sable against his side, his
arm holding her close. “You go right ahead. I can listen and cuddle at the same
time.”

COLTON KNEW WHAT he wanted to do with his life for as long as
he could remember. He hadn’t gone through the fireman or cowboy stage. There
were no dreams of shaping young minds as a teacher or saving lives as a heart
surgeon.

Acting.
It was his passion before he understood what that meant.

Dressing
up. Losing yourself in a character so different from the real you that you
forgot your name—your life—outside of that moment. You became the
character—fully. It was exciting. Thrilling.

Colton
loved the craft. He studied to hone his skills. Watched the masters at work.
Olivier. Tracy. Davis. Hepburn. Hoping to find something—anything—he could use
to make himself a better actor.

He
would have done it for free. Luckily, he didn’t have to. Producers threw
ridiculous amounts of money at him. They threw in perks. Private jets. Villas
in the south of France. An island off the coast of Greece. One even offered to
put his supermodel wife at Colton’s disposal for the duration of the shoot.
Colt turned down the offer—and the movie.

The
life he lived was a dream. A fantasy world few people would ever experience or
fully understand. Hell, sometimes
he
wondered at it. He was loved by
successful, smart, take no shit parents. His brothers were his best friends.
Nothing bad had ever touched him. The closest was Wyatt’s marital drama, but
that was a secondhand hurt. He could never understand what it felt like to
experience that kind of betrayal and loss.

Some
might say he lived in a velvet-lined bubble. Protected from the real world.
Until a few days ago, Colt would have ignored it. Shrugged off the accusation
with his usual ease and good humor. Now he wondered. Sable had lost so much all
at once. She was such a strong woman. Funny. Intelligent. Brave. God, she was
brave. Colt didn’t know how he would have handled what she went through.

The
death of a friend was hard enough to fathom. But Sable walked away from the
life she loved because she was given no other palatable choice. As a result,
her father cut her from his life. Not a clean, merciful break. It festered. Her
mother periodically gave a jab with her ego-riddled rants.

Admiring
Sable had always been easy. His family adored her. She made friends easily and
was loyal to her core. But now his admiration had taken on a new, deeper tone.
And, if he were completely honest, the little corner of his heart that already
belonged to her encroached on the rest.

“You’re
quiet.”

“Am
I?” Colt smiled at his mother. Sunny as always, both in temperament and
wardrobe, her yellow dress brightened an already cloudless California day. “Maybe
by comparison. Between the ruckus raised by Nate’s dog and the beautiful women
chasing her around, anyone would seem subdued.”

“I
love a noisy, happy house.” Callie sat beside him. She smoothed her skirt, then
settled back with a sigh. “Are you happy?”

“Aren’t
I always?”

“Yes.”
Callie kissed his cheek. “I swear you were born that way. No crying for my
Colton. You greeted the world with a smile and that’s the way you’ve continued.”

“There
you go,” Colt said absently.

Following
his gaze, she wasn’t surprised when she discovered what, or rather who held his
interest.

“You
and Sable have caused quite a stir.”

Colt
looked at his mother and shrugged.

“It
goes with the territory.”

And
when he thought about the text Sable’s father sent her, he wanted to rip the
territory to shreds.

“What’s
wrong, Colton?”

“Everything
is good.”

“Then
why do you have those armrests in a death grip?”

“Gas.”
Colt relaxed his fingers.

“Colton.”

“Mom.”

When
it came to stare-downs, Callie always won. Her sons were no match for her Mom
powers.

“It
isn’t my story,” Colt sighed.

“Sable.”
Callie’s gaze shifted to the lawn where Sable, Jade, and Paige were playing
with Beauty. “She looks happy.”

“She’s—”

Colt
almost said perfect but caught himself at the last second. His mother would
read too much into that one little word. Though it certainly described Sable to
a T.

It
had been a week since her father’s text. Colt’s feelings were mixed. He wanted
to ream out the man for treating his daughter so callously. But it was the
catalyst that let her finally open up. He was humbled that she trusted him. And
sick that she had to go through something so traumatic.

Sable
was perfect. Colt was the one reevaluating his life.

“Sable
is fine. Mom.” Colt hesitated. “I’m kind of worthless, aren’t I?”

“Where
did you pick up such an asinine idea?” Callie’s eyes flashed indignantly. “Did
Sable tell you that?”

“No!
Of course not.”

Callie
relaxed. “I didn’t think that sounded like her, but you never know.” She looked
closely at Colt. “What’s going on, baby?”

“I
want to make more of an impact on the world.” Colt had thought about this but
putting it in words was harder than he expected. “I’m proud of my work. You’ve
always said not to diminish the worth of a good movie.”

“That’s
true. Shutting off your brain for a few hours is amazingly beneficial. How many
times has a fan thanked you for giving them a laugh, or making them cry,
exactly when they needed it most?”

“That
feels great. But I want to do more.”

“Charity
work?” Callie poured herself a glass of iced tea. “You never turn down a good
cause.”

“It’s
time for me to find something of my own. Something that I feel passionate
about. I have a name and a face that gets attention. It’s time to use that for
something important.”

“I
think that’s a wonderful idea. Your father and I have our foundation and we sit
on the board of several charities. We have always encouraged you and your
brothers to give back.” She squeezed his hand. “You, all of you, make us proud.
Do you have something in mind?”

A
shout followed by a burst of laughter caught his attention. Across the lawn,
Sable held the end of a thick piece of rope. On the other end, Beauty tugged
with all her might. He didn’t know who was winning the battle, but it was
obvious they were having a great time.

Colt’s
lips curved when Sable threw down the rope and picked up the exuberant dog.
When Nate and Paige brought Beauty home from Montana, she was a growing puppy. How
big she was going to be when the growing stopped was anyone’s guess.

At
the moment, Colt estimated the dog weighed close to seventy pounds, but Sable
lifted her with ease, laughing when Beauty tried in vain to swipe her face with
a big, wet tongue.

Colt
had known the answer to his mother’s question before she asked it. But looking
at Sable reinforced his choice.

“Something
for returning soldiers.”

Callie
couldn’t hide the tears that welled up in her eyes.

“I
had hoped that would be good news.” Colt handed his mother a napkin.

“It’s
perfect.”

“Perfect?”
Colt frowned. Why would she pick that word?

“For
Sable.”

“I—”

“Are
you going to try and deny she’s the inspiration?”

“I
suppose spending time with Sable has made me think seriously about our military
and what they face when they return home.”

“You’re
falling in love with her.”

“Mom.”

Jesus
. What was he supposed to say to
that? How could he admit it to his mother when he wasn’t ready to admit it to
himself? Colt shook his head. And there it was. He didn’t know if she had done
it on purpose, but she made him face the facts. He
was
falling in love.

“I
have an Academy Award nomination.”

“I
know. I popped the cork on the celebratory champagne.”

“Then
why can’t I hide my feelings from you? I’m not as good an actor as I thought.”

“Sweet
boy.” Callie’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “Turn on a camera and you can fool
the world. But here? In real life? You can’t hide your emotions. You never
could. Those eyes of yours give you away. Just like your father. Transparent as
glass.”

“Great.”

It
was too soon. Sable wasn’t ready for declarations and he wasn’t ready to give
them. According to his mother, his eyes were big expressive pools of goo. Colt
couldn’t think of a better way to make a skittish woman hightail it out of
town.

Callie
grinned. “Don’t worry. It takes time and experience. Right now, Sable isn’t
looking. She won’t until she’s ready.”

“What
if that never happens? What if I’m in this alone?”

The
thought made his stomach do a sickening flip. Unconsciously, Colt’s fingers
tightened their hold on the chair. He couldn’t make Sable love him.

“I
used to dream of days like this.” Callie rubbed the back of his hand. Slowly,
Colt relaxed. But his insides weren’t as quick to settle.

“We
visit all the time.”

“Look.”
Callie inclined her head. “In love. Settled.”

Garrett
and Nate had joined the fun on the lawn. It seemed to Colt that they were more
interested in flirting with their women than playing with the dog. But who
could blame them? Jade and Paige were more than beautiful. They were the whole
package. Smart. Funny. And more important? In it for the long haul. They wouldn’t
wilt at the first sign of trouble. Or run when things got hard. His brothers
loved, and were loved, by women of character and strength.

“Sable
fits.”

“Yes.”

Callie
laughed. “Is that surprise I hear?”

“She’s
not what I expected.”

“Let
me guess. You wanted delicate. Sweet. Uncomplicated.”

His
mother’s description wasn’t far off. Colt didn’t have a type per se. He knew
what he liked. The type of women he gravitated toward. Easy to be with hit the
nail on the head.

Not
that Sable was high maintenance. Far from it. But she
was
complicated.
She came with a truckload of baggage. Big, heavy pieces that had a tendency to
shift at inconvenient moments. If a man weren’t prepared, it could send him
careening off the road and into a tree.

Until
the other night, Colt hadn’t thought he wanted to deal with the kind of drama
Sable brought with her. He was wrong. For the right woman—for Sable—he was
willing to take on anything.

“Tastes
change.”

“SABLE? MAY I speak with you for a minute?”

“I
should hope so. If you don’t speak to me, how will we pass the time?”

Sable
handed Jade a washed crystal goblet. She, Jade, and Paige had volunteered to
clean up the kitchen. After another amazing meal, it only seemed right. Callie
demurred, but the Landis men had no problem with the suggestion.

“We’ll
be in the game room,” Garrett called out as he and Nate hustled their mother
along.

Chuckling,
Caleb and Wyatt followed.

“Where
did Colt disappear to?” Paige handed Sable two more glasses.

“He
was the first one out the door. The man loves to cook, but he hates the cleanup.”

“Colt
cooks?” Paige and Jade asked. Shocked didn’t begin to describe their
expressions.

“I
had the same reaction. He’s very good at it. Excellent, in fact.”

“Garrett
can open a can. Barely.”

“Nate
does a mean scrambled egg.” Paige put the last of the plates in the dishwasher.

“Neither
of you are marrying them for their culinary skills.” Sable dried her hands. She
pumped out a dab of lotion from the bottle by the sink and smoothed it over her
skin. “Let’s sit down and you can tell me what has you looking so serious.”

“It’s
nothing bad,” Jade assured her.

When
they had first met, Jade was fifteen pounds underweight and unnaturally quiet.
Now, she glowed with good health and had no problem speaking her mind. She
found the strength to change her life and Sable admired her for it.

“We
need a favor.” Paige joined them, bringing three cups and a full pot of coffee.

“We?”

“I
told Paige about an idea that I’ve been mulling over for a while now. And she
suggested talking to you.”

“So
talk.”

“I
belong to a group.” Jade took a deep breath. “A domestic abuse survivors group.”

“That’s
wonderful, Jade.”

“It’s
been a big help.”

“Tell
her about the video,” Paige urged.

“A
few of the women in my group saw the video from the other night at the bar.”

“The
one where you had that creep crying for mercy?”

Jade
smiled sheepishly. “That’s the one. I can’t understand why it caused such a
fuss.”

“Can’t
you?”

Paige’s
name drew attention. Plus, she was a beautiful redhead. That always drew
attention. Those things coupled with her high-profile fiancé tended to up the
interest factor.

“Fine.
By now I should be used to it.”

“Nate
says you never get used to it. You simply learn to tolerate it.”

Jade
nodded. “Paige is right. But never mind the attention. It’s died down, thank
goodness.” She laughed. “I was about to say
, to make a long story short
,
but that train left the station long ago. Sable, the women in my group wanted
me to teach them the move.”

“You
should.”

“I’m
not qualified to do it.”

“It
doesn’t take any special training.” Sable took a sip of coffee. “Take it step
by step. The way I did with you.”

“I
was hoping you would show them.”

“Me?”

“One
class.” When Sable hesitated, Jade hurried on. “When I was frightened and
unsure of myself, you gave me confidence, Sable. You made me believe I could
take care of myself. That I didn’t have to be a victim ever again. That’s what
these women need.”