Hollywood Ever After (28 page)

“It had some blue and brown too,” I added.

Natalie and Helen looked at me doubtfully.

“Yeah, and some gray. It sparkled a little, too.” Will took another bite of his roast. “Mr. Wiley, this is the best roast I’ve ever had.”

My mother scowled at her plate, chewing her food rather aggressively. “It
is
delicious.”

Nathan stared at the top of my mother’s head with an odd expression. I decided not to try to decipher it and turned back to the quizzical faces of Natalie and Helen.

“Find anything in the shops?” Josh asked.

Natalie pulled out a newspaper, smiling and pointing. “This.” It was a picture of me and Josh in the elevator. I felt my cheeks growing warm.

“You make a fetching couple.” Nathan nodded. “It was in the
Mail
, too. Interesting article.”

Josh took the paper and stared at the picture, a small smile on his lips. “It
is
a good shot.” I shook my head.

“Mom, you’re going to have to get used to this kind of thing. I mean, you
are
dating the most eligible movie star on the planet.” Natalie shook her head. “Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Lautner aside, that is.”

Josh stared at Natalie. “Should I be offended?”

“No. You’re just right. For Mom.”

Nathan laughed. “Well said, Natalie.”

Will looked at the picture, chewing his roast. “Why are your cheeks all red?”

I felt my cheeks growing hot once more, but Josh saved the day again. “They surprised us, Will. And it was a bit of a shock.” He smiled.

Will handed the paper back to Natalie. “Can I have some more beans, please?”

“You want seconds? You
want
more beans?” My mother was on the verge of a meltdown.

“They’re good,” Will said simply.

Dinner ended without Mom doing anything more than leveling lethal stares at Nathan, while Nathan continued to regard her with an inscrutable expression. The girls did most of the talking, though Will did interrupt now and then to ask for more food or mention the dragon.

After dinner, we moved into the sitting room. Grams and Will played checkers while Natalie and Helen played chess. Nathan found a book and sat in the recliner to relax.

Josh delighted me by singing one of his songs to me, playing the piano that had been covered by a large white dust cover. Helen played too, her fingers flying across the keys with grace. I knew I wasn’t the only one who was saddened to realize that our time was almost up. One more day and then we had to go back. And that was something I didn’t want to contemplate.

I volunteered to wash dishes. Mom and Nathan had decided to play chess. The room was so charged with competitiveness that Helen and Natalie decided to give Will his bath and put him to bed. An occasional squeal would emerge from the bathroom, then a shout and some laughter. Silence followed. I smiled, washing the dishes and placing them on the dish rack. I felt very peaceful.

Josh’s arms came around me from behind, his nose against my neck. “I feel very fortunate,” he murmured.

I looked at him over my shoulder, the smile that covered my face beyond my control. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

He turned me to him, pulling my soapy hands around his neck as he bent to kiss me. My wet hands pulled him to me, relishing the feel of his lips on mine. The kiss elevated quickly, an electric current crackling between the two of us. He pulled away reluctantly, his cheeks flushed, with a short laugh. “Let me finish while you put the rascal to bed. I’ll put on the kettle?”

I smiled and nodded, taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart. I went up to find Helen and Natalie settled on my bed with a freshly-scrubbed Will propped up on a pile of pillows. He was attentively listening to Helen reading. She stopped when I came in the room, asking, “Can I put him to bed tonight, Claire?”

I smiled at her and nodded. “Kisses,” I told Will, catching him as he leapt from the bed to deliver a wet smack of a kiss.

“Night, Mom. I love you.” Will giggled as I gave his cheek a butterfly kiss.

“Night, Will.” I dropped a kiss on his head and deposited him back on the bed, smoothing the blankets over him with a smile. “Lights off as soon as Helen finishes, okay?”

“Mom, is Helen our sister now?” Will asked. “Or our aunt? ‘Cause she seems kind of young to be an aunt. But she’s older than Natalie and she likes me, so she can’t be my sister, can she?”

“I like you, Squirt,” Natalie argued, her cheeks coloring. “But I spend more time with you than Helen does, so I know what a little monster you can be.”

“I’m not a monster. I’m a prince,” he corrected her before turning back to me. “So what is she, Mom?”

“She’s your…Helen.” I smiled then shrugged.

Helen smiled back. “We’ll have to come up with something in the way of a special name.”

I nodded. “Okay, but don’t stay up too late working on it. Nat, how’s the packing going?” I held the door open for her, inviting her to follow me into her bedroom and leaving Helen and Will to brainstorm. I surveyed the mess in Natalie’s room with frustration. “What happened?”

“Mom, do we
have
to go?” Natalie sighed and stared at her suitcase open and neglected on the floor.

“Would you want to stay?” I asked her, picking up some of her belongings and placing them into the suitcase. “It’s kind of a big change, Nat. I mean, I have no idea what the curriculum is here, what their required classes are versus those in America. I’m not even sure you could attend school here since we’re not British citizens.” I added, “And you’d have to wear a uniform, Natalie.”

Natalie wrinkled her nose. “That would suck. Still, I don’t think it’d be that bad,” she said, her dimple peeking out as she smiled.

I sat on the edge of her bed. “Oh?”

“I like it here, Mom. I like having a big sister and a whole family.”

I laughed a little. “We’ve always had a family, Nat.”

“I know, but this seems more…
complete
.” She looked at me then. “You’re happier.”

I leaned back against the headboard and looked at her. “Things aren’t
bad
in Texas.”

She shrugged then shook her head. “It’s not just that, Mom. I mean, we have friends back home, but they do talk about Dad, the divorce, and you sometimes too. It’s not cool, some of the stuff they say. It’s not all the time, but it’s enough to make school suck sometimes,” Natalie muttered.

I watched her. “I’m sorry, Nat.”

“I don’t want to bum you out with that too. I mean, I get why you worry a lot. And I know there’s a lot of stuff you don’t want Will and me to know, which is fine by me. But I do know that there’s a lot of junk that you have to deal with there.” She paused, her voice soft. “It’s kind of nice not to have to deal with it.”

I sat forward, a frown pulling my eyebrows together. “You need to tell me what you’re feeling, kiddo. I may not be able to fix it or make it all better, but we need to know what’s going on in each other’s lives, okay? If I knew you were getting grief at school I would’ve tried to change it.”

Natalie sat by me. “I know. It’s not like I can’t handle it, but I won’t miss it if things do end up changing. That’s all I’m trying to say. Okay?”

“Okay.” I started putting things into the suitcase.

“So what
is
going on with you and Josh?” I felt her eyes regarding me.

“We really like each other.” I smiled.

“So you guys haven’t worked
something
out?”

“Like what?” I looked at Natalie and waited.

She smiled, blushing. “I dunno. You guys are pretty serious, though.”

“It’s getting there. Is that okay?”

“Totally, Mom. Josh is great. And I can tell he really loves you,” Natalie gushed. “I like him, Mom. Will likes him too, lots. And you’re happy, too. So it’s all good.”

I shrugged. “It’s hard to have…a boyfriend—” She smiled broadly when I said the word. “—when I’m also a mom. I’m figuring this out as we go, okay? But I’m your mom first and I need you to talk to me. I don’t care how hard it might be, promise me you’ll always talk to me. I’ll keep you in the loop, but you have to do the same.” I hugged her, kissing her forehead.

“Okay, I promise.” She yawned. “I need to take a shower. Can I hang out with Helen a little before I go to bed?”

I nodded. “I’ll help you finish your packing in the morning. But please don’t stay up too late. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I love you.” I helped her get her things together and into the bathroom.

“Love you too, Mom,” she said before closing the bathroom door.

I met Helen in the hall as she closed Will’s door. I smiled. “He go down without a fight?”

She nodded, following me down the stairs. “You must have led him through the entire countryside searching for his dragon. He was falling asleep before we even finished the story.” We both laughed.

Josh was sitting at the piano, his eyes catching mine as I came into the room with Helen. The butterflies in my stomach went crazy as a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. Nathan and Mom sat staring at a chessboard between the two of them. I shook my head at them and went to perch on the piano bench by Josh. It all seemed so normal, so blissfully right.

He finished his song and turned to me, his eyes serious. “Is Will sleeping?”

“I’m not sure. Helen was in charge of bedtime tonight. He was exhausted, though, so I don’t expect to hear from him again tonight,” I answered softly.

He nodded and started playing, his eyes straying to me now and again. I watched his hands flying over the keys, amazed and a little envious at his ability to produce such beautiful melodies. I glanced at him, my breath catching as our eyes met.

“There’s tea for you, Claire.” Nathan inclined his head in the general direction of the tray holding my mug.

“Thank you.” I stood and doctored my tea, softly humming along with Josh as he played.

“Do we have everything ready for tomorrow?” Mom asked me while considering her next move.

“Not entirely. Natalie’s not cooperating. I had to explain that not packing her things won’t prevent us from going.” I tried to sound light-hearted.

Nathan chuckled. “Can’t blame her for trying.”

“I don’t.” I laughed too.

“Will and I were trying to come up with a good name for me. We’re torn between Aunt Helen and Helen the Great. But Will did request that we find something a bit shorter altogether. Lenny was his pick.” She giggled then sighed. “I’m going to miss him terribly!” She looked at the chess board, then leaned down and whispered something in my mother’s ear.

“Now, now, that’s hardly fair, Helen. Marty has trounced me the last two games,” Nathan moaned.

“What did you decide, then?” Josh waited. “As a suitable name for yourself?”

“We decided we should think on it a bit more.” She shrugged, looking crestfallen. Her father picked up a chess piece and moved, causing her to cluck her tongue in disapproval.

I took a sip of my tea then returned to Josh’s side, kissing his cheek.

“That was very nice,” he whispered against my ear. I was very content to look at him, let my eyes travel over him leisurely.

“Ha! Checkmate!” My mother clapped her hands and Helen laughed.

“Damn.” Nathan rubbed a hand over his face, truly displeased.

“Da, I’ll go easy on you if you’d like another match?” Helen patted her father on the shoulder.

“Go ahead, Helen,” Mom said, shaking her head. “After such a delicious meal, I feel a bit guilty beating him so soundly.”

Josh watched the exchange with a tolerant smile on his lips. He caught me watching him and his eyes narrowed a bit, his voice low as he asked, “Can I do anything to help?”

“Packing?” I paused. “No. Other than Nat’s rebellion, I think I have it handled.”

“What time is your flight tomorrow, then?” Nathan came to stand at the piano.

“Twelve-fifteen I believe?” Josh answered, cocking his eyebrow at me in question. I nodded.

Mom and Helen were setting the board up for another match.

“And you’re going through New York on your way back to Los Angeles?” Nathan asked.

Josh nodded. “We’re staying the night in New York and going on to LA from there.”

Nathan smiled at me. “Then I won’t have to worry too much about you and Marty managing everything on your own.”

Josh looked at his father. “She does it every day. I might slow her down, actually.”

“Well said,” my mother added.

The evening progressed. Mom trounced Helen before Helen decided she’d rather head upstairs to spend time with Natalie. She challenged Nathan again before calling it a night. Josh pulled out his next project’s script and I went through it with him. It was a great read. I knew it would be a fantastic film by the time it was all put together.

“I’m turning in.” I’d slipped toward him as we’d read and I was propped comfortably against his side. “I don’t think I can avoid it any longer.”

He sat forward as I stood, as if about to say something.

I smiled at him and kissed his forehead. “Night.” I touched his cheek, lingeringly. I said good night to Nathan, who sat reading in his chair, glasses perched on the end of his nose.

“Night, Claire. Sleep well. I must admit, I’m sad to think that this will be our last quiet evening at Summer House for a bit.” He winked at me.

“You might enjoy some actual quiet time here once the kids and I head out tomorrow.” I patted his shoulder as I made my way to the stairs.

“Too quiet, dear girl,” he mumbled under his breath.

I heard Josh saying something to his father before I hurried up the stairs to the bathroom. I took a quick shower, then slipped into the nightgown I’d acquired once I knew I was sharing a room with Will. I brushed my teeth, my mind racing over the next few days. It was going to be chaotic, so many things to be scheduled and planned. But I felt surprisingly ready and eager to set things in motion.

My phone beeped from the recesses of my toiletries bag, and I picked it up. I hadn’t checked it in a few days. I supposed I needed to get into a better habit. But everyone I thought might contact me was here. I pressed the button and froze.