Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) (16 page)

Maybe he was making too much of this. Nate frowned. He
wasn’t keen on the idea. If Paige wasn’t upset, that meant she didn’t care. Was
he in this alone? He cared? Paige didn’t? Shit. How fucked up would that be?

“Nate?”

Nate looked up happy for the distraction. Homer hung on the
mudroom door, half in, half out.

“What’s up?”

“You better come. We have a problem.”

“WHAT DID HE say?”

Lottie pulled herself into the cab of Paige’s truck,
adjusting the hem of her short flirty skirt. Paired with the eye-popping
cleavage she displayed, any man would have a hard time carrying on a reasonable
conversation. Nate hadn’t glanced at her boobs. The man was either inhuman or
so far gone he didn’t see anyone but Paige. Lottie smiled. She knew the answer
even if he didn’t.

“You’re smiling.” Paige turned in her seat. “Why? What’s
going on?”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into that.” Secretly,
Lottie loved every second. However, there was no reason to let Paige know.
“Sending your best friend to find out if a boy likes you? It is
so
high
school. Except we never did that in high school. We were too cool for this kind
of shit.”

“I didn’t ask you to do that,” Paige exclaimed. “Please tell
me you didn’t ask him if he likes me?”

“I asked him why he wasn’t screwing your brains out,” Lottie
said.

“Not using those exact words. Right? Lottie?”

“Relax. Boy, do you need to get laid. It does wonders for
your nerves. And before you blow a gasket, I was much more circumspect.”

Paige let out a relieved breath. “So?”

“He’s a gentleman.”

Paige wanted to scream. Lottie loved to draw out a story.
Normally, Paige enjoyed the telling. Not today. She wanted details. Now!

“He’s a gentleman. What does that mean?”

“What happens when his pants are off stays between him and
his partner. Wait.” Lottie thoughtfully tapped her chin. “You haven’t seen him
with his pants off.”

“Because he decided to play the—” Paige groaned.

“Yes?” Lottie urged, her eyes twinkling.

“He decided to play the gentleman.” Paige slapped her
forehead. “Shit. Double shit. Shit on steroids.”

“Exactly.”

Five days
. It had taken her that long to get it.
Sleepless nights. Making sure she spent as little time with him as possible.
Silently fuming. Except when she was alone with the horses. Man. If they could
talk. Would that be embarrassing?

It took Lottie to dig out the answer.

“Thank you.” Paige wrapped Lottie in a warm hug.

“Have sex.” Lottie laughed, her arms squeezing Paige back.
“We’ll both be a lot happier. You get to bite into the tasty Nate Landis, and I
get the juicy details.”

“Up to a point.”

“Fine.” Lottie took out her lip-gloss. Like a good man in
her bed, she hated to be without her peaches and cream. “Set me up with his
brother and we’ll call it even.”

“Which brother?”

“I don’t care. If his last name is Landis, I’m in.”

“I still have the problem of how I’m going to get
this
Landis.” Paige frowned. “There isn’t anywhere on the ranch suitable. Except for
a quickie. With all the people wandering around, I wouldn’t take a chance on
that.”

“My place is free.” Lottie closed her purse with a decisive
snap. “Danny Floyd has been after me for months to spend the night.”

“That’s perfect. Wait.” Paige suddenly remembered. “Irene is
coming to dinner tonight. I have to be here.”

“You have an extra key. When Irene leaves, grab Mr. Gorgeous
and head to my place. It’s only fifteen minutes away. You can play to your
heart’s content and be back before your father wakes up.”

“It feels… I don’t know. I understand the reason, but
sneaking around? We’re adults.”

“You share a house with your father. What’s the
alternative?”

Exchanging smiles with Lottie, Paige nodded.

“Your place it is.”

“THE EXTRA CAMERA is broken. This door is always locked, Nate.
I swear.”

“Easy, Homer.” The young man wrung his hands, obviously
distressed. “I believe you. It looks like someone jimmied the doorknob.”

“Why?” Homer leaned next to Nate. There were definite signs
that a tool had been used to open the lock. “I can see stealing the equipment.
You could sell it for some cash. A nice bit of change, if you know the right
person. What reason could they have for destroying it?”

“That’s what I need to find out.”

Nate looked around the small room. This was his fault.
Storing expensive equipment in the barn? What had he been thinking? He rattled
the doorknob. The perpetrator wasn’t an expert. Someone with any experience
could have picked the lock without leaving the telltale signs. Unless they
wanted him to know.

Nate shook his head. Christ. He didn’t need to complicate
matters. It was probably kids causing mischief. That was the least ominous
explanation.

For now, Nate preferred to keep things simple. Local
vandals. That’s what he would tell the cast and crew. And it was the theory he
would pitch to the police.

“Have you told anyone else?”

Homer shook his head. “I came to you as soon as I discovered
it.”

“Good. I’m going to fill in Chuck. He can call the cops.”

Homer fell in beside him, his long legs matching Nate’s
stride step for step. “No one comes out here. I mean. There isn’t any reason
to. The stuff is extras. Lights. Cable. And the camera. If the cable I was
using hadn’t gone wonky, we might not have known about this for days. Maybe
weeks.”

Nate had thought of that. It lent weight to their theory.
Random. It was scary. However, knowing someone was purposefully targeting the
movie was worse. Much worse.

“You take the camera with you at night?”

“Well, sure.” Homer swallowed nervously.

“I’m asking a simple question, Homer. This isn’t a trap.”

“Too many movies,” the young man laughed.

“Join the club.” Nate gave Homer’s shoulder a friendly pat.
“I grew up with them. Murder. Intrigue. My world was filled with it — depending
on the kind of project my parents were making.”

“Lucky,” Homer sighed, his eyes filled with awe.

“Sounds great, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“It was the best childhood imaginable.”

“Montana doesn’t compare,” Homer said with a wistful sigh.

“Apples and oranges. Do you have good parents?”

“Sure. Mom and Dad are great.”

“Then consider yourself lucky, Homer. You can pick any
future you want. Stay in Montana. Move to Los Angles. Your choice. What you get
as a child is a crap shoot.” Nate turned, his blue eyes curious. “How did you
do?”

“Sevens all the way.”

“Good man. If you want to make your mom’s day, tell her that
when you get home.”

“Geez, Nate,” Homer kicked at the dirt. “Isn’t that, you
know, mushy?”

“Absolutely.” Nate lightly punched Homer on the arm. “You’re
old enough to survive a little motherly mush. Trust me; you’ll be glad you did
it.”

“Okay.”

“And Homer?”

“What?”

“Leave the camera here from now on.”

“But…” Homer started to protest.

“I trust you, Homer. It’s for your safety. Until we know
what’s going on, I don’t want someone breaking into your house to get the
camera. Understand?”

Homer swallowed when all the possibilities rushed through
his vivid imagination.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I’ll keep it safe.” Nate gave him a reassuring smile.
“And don’t worry. This is a precaution. Nothing more.”

Nate stopped in the kitchen, glancing at the clock. Everyone
was gone for the day. Before he filled Chuck in on the vandalism, Nate wanted
to speak with his father.

“Come on,” Nate said to Beauty.

She trotted happily after him, taking the stairs one at a
time like an old pro. Her rump still got stuck now and then, but she powered
through, making it to the top. The first few times she tackled them was a
different story. She struggled mightily. Patiently, Nate walked behind her,
pushing her up to the next step when she faltered. For both their sakes, he
always carried her on the way down. It wouldn’t take long before she raced up
and down the steps without a second thought. For now, he didn’t want to take
any chances on her tumbling headfirst.

“I know.” Nate set the puppy on the neatly made bed. “You
think that is yours. My mistake for letting you sleep there.”

Beauty rolled on her back. She knew what would come. Nate
was a pushover. Her faith was rewarded with a thorough tummy scratch. Her eyes
closed, a whimper of happiness escaping her mouth.

Nate took out his iPad. As technology went, was there
anything better than seeing your family when you spoke to them? For a man who
spent so much time traveling, it was a godsend.

“There’s my boy.” Caleb Landis grinned.

In life, his father’s personality filled a room. The small
screen barely contained it.

“How’s it going, Dad?”

“Good. Great. Your mother is having dinner with her
co-stars.”

“That’s a trio that will draw a crowd.” Nate could picture
the paparazzi having a field day. Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren,
and
Callie
Flynn. You didn’t score like that every day. “Which restaurant hit the movie
star jackpot?”

“Are you kidding? Callie organized a sleepover. I’ve been
kicked out of my bedroom. Junk food and…? I have no idea. Pillow fights? I like
pillow fights.”

“Down, boy.” Nate had no problem picturing his mother doing
such a thing. Apparently, neither did his father. “I’m working with Dame Helen
next year. Show some respect.”

Caleb chuckled good-naturedly. “Garrett filled me in. How
are you holding up?”

“I don’t hate it.”

“With that kind of enthusiasm, you must be a joy to work
with.”

This time, Nate laughed. “I know Chuck has been in touch.
What does he say?”

“Fishing for compliments?”

“You found me out. My ego is now second only to Colton’s.”

“Hey,” Caleb protested. “My ego is king in this family.
Don’t forget it.”

“As if I could.”

Nate loved this man. Ego and all.

“You look good. Rested.” Caleb looked Nate over. A clear
blue, they shared the color. Knowing his son, his gaze sharpened. “Who is she?”

“She.” Shit, how could his father know? Lusting after his
friend’s daughter. Nate held his breath, waiting for the tongue-lashing he
probably deserved.

“You never look that rested when you aren’t at home. Unless
you’ve found someone to share your bed. Tell me it isn’t Paige.”

Not yet
.
The way things were going, maybe not ever
.
Struggling with an answer, Nate found his reprieve when he felt a cold, damp
nose nudging his hand.

“Dad, meet Beauty. She’s been my bedmate for the last four
nights.”

“The name fits.” Caleb grinned at the wiggling puppy. “She
an upgrade. What was her name? Mistletoe? Eggnog?”

“Hollee.”

“Right. Double E and Double D.”

“Jesus, Dad.”

“Hey, that was how she introduced herself.” Caleb felt a
wave of satisfaction when he saw Nate flush. “No one can say your taste isn’t
varied.” His laughter rang out until he doubled over.

Rolling his eyes, Nate waited patiently.

“Finished?” he asked. His father nodded, wiping the tears
from his face. “Good. Something happened today. I need your advice.”

It didn’t take long for Caleb’s demeanor to change from
teasing to serious. He listened as Nate explained about the break-in and the
damaged camera.

“What does Chuck think?”

“I wanted to talk to you first. I need another camera and I
don’t want him to know you’re sending me one until it’s arrived.”

“You think he’ll balk?”

Nate shrugged. “I don’t know, Dad. He put the movie together
on his own. You wouldn’t believe it. We have more volunteers than we can use.
The equipment that he borrowed, or was donated, is top of the line. Chuck is a
proud man.”

“I agree. You can’t go behind his back, Nate. No matter how
good your intentions. Is he in the house?”

“In his office.”

“What are you waiting for? Let’s go.”

His father was right, but that didn’t make Nate feel any
less like a chastised little boy. By the time he reached Chuck’s office, he
felt a little better. With a sigh, he knocked.

“Come in.”

“Mind if I interrupt?”

“You aren’t. I’m done for the day. Sit.” Chuck motioned to
the wing-backed chair opposite his desk.

“Chuck,” Caleb called out. “Damn it, Nate, turn the screen.”

“Caleb.” Chuck took the tablet. “I hoped to see you soon,
but I didn’t expect it to be like this.”

“There are days I would like to toss my cell phone in the
ocean. But it allows me keep up with my family and friends. How can I complain
about that?”

“It’s a wonder.”

The men exchanged pleasantries, giving Nate time to wander
around the office. This was the first time he’d been in here for more than a
few seconds. It was warm and welcoming. Like Chuck, himself.

Built-in bookshelves covered one wall. Pictures littered most
of the area. Chuck and Erin. Years younger and grinning like fools at whoever
was taking their picture. Nate’s eyes sharpened. Paige. As a baby. Chubby —
adorable. Older, proudly showing the gap left by her missing front teeth. The
early teenage Paige, all legs, and elbows, but glowing with an unfinished
beauty as she rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.

The resemblance was remarkable. He wondered how Chuck felt
when he looked at the picture. Did it make him miss his wife even more? Or did
it give him comfort, knowing she lived on in their daughter? Nate imagined it
was a little bit of both.

“I’ll let Nate give you the rundown, Chuck. Something he
should have done immediately.” Nate took his seat when he heard his father’s
comment. “Then you can tell us what you want to do.”