Spotlight (19 page)

Now that the photos from “the lunch incident” aren’t everywhere I look, I’m starting to see the humor in it, too. My friends had a fantastic time playing fashion critic with them. (It was decided that despite my terrified expression, I did indeed “wear it better” than some celebutante who was photographed wearing the same dress a couple of weeks before. Just in case you were wondering.) It hasn’t been that bad. My work phone rang off the hook for a couple of days, but that’s it. I appreciate your concern.

As for the premiere, I should be the one thanking you. I look forward to it as well.

Lily

And she wasn’t lying. It was nice knowing when she would get the opportunity to see Daniel again. She admitted to herself that she was curious to see Nate again, too. Few people sparked such a fire within her. She looked forward to her next jolt of electricity.

Lily decided to take a first person approach to her
Vanity Fair
story. When she asked her assigning editor about the change in voice, she explained the situation and “the lunch incident.” She felt her own perspective on the event—and Daniel—made the story stronger. Her thoughts and feelings as a fan spoke for the rest of Daniel’s devoted following. She understood what they would want to know and the small details they’d dissect for months to come—things like what he ate for lunch.

But her unique viewpoint also presented a problem. She had a personal relationship with her subject. While it wasn’t the first time she’d interviewed a friend, it was the first time knowing that friend didn’t want the details of his life splashed on the pages of magazines. Yes, he was selling something—the films he made. That was the extent of his press responsibilities as far as he was concerned, and Lily wanted to respect that.

She didn’t want to mention Sam in her story but wondered if it would be expected. Her assigning editor expected a piece on Daniel Brighton, the actor. It was a piece on young Hollywood, after all. When she mentioned to him that she had no desire to write about his romantic life, he reluctantly agreed. He knew that one reference to her would increase sales exponentially. He’d seen it firsthand with Brian Mason. But he agreed that Lily had a point. This was about the biggest movie series he’d seen in decades, not this kid’s love life. When they discussed it, he told Lily to submit what she thought was a fair profile of Brighton—in whatever perspective she’d like—and they’d go from there.

Lily wanted to be worthy of Daniel’s trust. She knew he did trust her at this point—he would not have let her break the news about the
Borderlines
sequels otherwise. This would be her biggest chance to prove herself worthy of that trust. He’d never specifically asked Lily to keep her out of the story, but Lily could tell that he didn’t want this to become about his relationship. She didn’t tell Daniel about the conversation with her assigning editor. She’d rather him read it without that knowledge coloring his judgment.

She was a mass of nervous and excited energy as she e-mailed her final draft to her editor. The previous week had been intense as she finished her story. A flurry of e-mail passed back and forth between Lily and Nate double-checking small details about Daniel’s filmography. He was enormously helpful, and his patience with her endless requests surprised her. On a couple of occasions, he’d calmed her late at night, sending her the information she needed along with words of reassurance that she needed even more.

In the end, she was proud of her work.

That work impressed the people at
Vanity Fair
who read it. She’d written a thoughtful piece that touched on Daniel’s philanthropic work, the pride he took in the movies he made, and his views on the paparazzi. It was eloquent and well put together. It was Daniel Brighton in a thousand words.

During the next month, Lily and her editor sent corrections back and forth. She worried about the amount of changes she was asked to make, but her editor assured her that the bones were there. They were simply refining it. She corrected a handful of grammar mistakes, and the two of them worked to tighten up the wording of her story. Lily had learned quite a bit by the time they finished. The final version pleased Lily. It still sounded like her, but her words were now polished and buffed to their full potential.

The summer days continued to be hot and long. The humidity settled into Lily’s being, making everything feel heavy and sluggish. But Lily had no time to slow down. Her work at the newspaper always picked up in the summer, and her duties with FilmInsanity.com filled her spare time, thanks to all the summer blockbuster releases.

Lily wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the few minutes she could steal for herself, she joined Maggie and Colette for dinners of cool, crisp salads and refreshing mojitos or splashed around with her niece and nephews in her brother’s pool. All this helped pass the time until the issue with her story hit newsstands.

Nate and Daniel both kept in touch with Lily with the occasional e-mail. Their summer had been easier, but no less hectic than hers. Daniel finished the reshoots then enjoyed a short vacation in London. When he returned, Nate had him reading scripts, considering them for his next project, while they prepared for the media blitz surrounding the release of
Life Saver
in the coming months.

The seasons were less noticeable in Los Angeles, but Lily felt them clearly in Tennessee. The first dip of temperatures meant college football, color tipping the leaves on trees, and pulling sweaters out of storage. Lily normally didn’t look forward to this time of year. She loved the flowers of spring and warmth of summer and—most of all—not having to wear a jacket. But now she was anxious for fall because she would see her byline in the October issue of
Vanity Fair
.

Lily found out from the Barnes & Noble manager what day the magazine would be on the shelves, and that morning, she, Anne, Colette and Maggie lined up and were the first four people in the store. They each bought five issues.

It was the first time her name had appeared in a national magazine, and she wanted to preserve the memory.

She waited until she was back at her apartment, in the privacy of her own home, before lifting the cover. She barely noticed who was on it. She carefully flipped to page one hundred fifteen. A close-up of Daniel’s face stared back at her. He looked relaxed. Content. The headline read “Bright Lights,” playing on his name. Her name appeared under that. For the first time, she got to see the photos taken on her last day in Los Angeles. They suited the story well. Daniel posed in everything from jeans and T-shirts to a black Hugo Boss suit. Like her story, they covered every aspect of his personality.

She hoped it would be well received.

If not
, she thought,
at least I can say I’ve had one story in
Vanity Fair.

It wasn’t long before she heard from her most anticipated reviewer.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: magazine

Lily,

Wow. That’s the first thing that comes to mind.

I just read your story, and I am beyond flattered. I think that might be the most honest piece anyone’s written about me. But I shouldn’t be surprised. I knew you were good. (Go ahead. Smirk.)

Thank you for talking to the kids—that part made me laugh. And thank you (yes, again) for being understanding about the paparazzi. And thank you for not dragging other people into this. (Wonderful cooks, though they might be.) But mostly, just . . . thank you. I’m not sure I deserved your kind words.

DB

Relief washed over Lily when she read it, and her grin widened as she typed her response.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: magazine

Daniel,

Oh, hush. Of course you deserve kind words, and not just from me.

I can’t tell you how relieved I am that you liked it. I’ve been worried since I left Los Angeles!

You don’t have to thank me for including the kids. They were so much fun to talk to! And you definitely don’t have to thank me for not mentioning “other people.” The story was supposed to be about you and your career, not your relationship(s). (Please tell her hello for me, too. I hope she liked it, as well!) Actually, you don’t have to thank me at all. But since you did, I’ll just say that you’re very welcome.

So, has Nate figured out just how good I am? (I’m betting there was an eyebrow quirk along with your smirk . . .)

Lily

She clicked send before overthinking what she’d written. It was the first time she had intentionally asked Daniel about Nate—even if it was in a playful, vaguely flirtatious, manner.

Lily heard from Nate not long after that.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: The story

Lily,

Okay, I admit that I am completely impressed by your work. You have a true way with words, and I can see why Daniel pushed hard to have you write this. You’ve earned that trust. Well done—I mean it.

I also wanted to let you know that the date for the premiere has been set. It will be Nov. 16 in New York. I’ll send you more details as I get them. I hope you still plan on coming. It will be nice to see you again.

Nate

Lily’s cheeks flushed.
Why does he have that effect on me
? she wondered.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: The story

Nate,

I’m genuinely glad you liked it. See? You had nothing at all to worry about. But it means a lot to me to hear you say that I’ve earned your trust.

Of course I still plan on coming to the premiere. I’m planning on being at the junket, too. Thank you again for asking me and for letting me know when and where it will be. I’m looking forward to it—and to seeing you again, too.

Lily

To celebrate her story hitting newsstands, Maggie and Colette took Lily out the next weekend for an indulgent brunch with fancy food and Bellinis at a lovely little café. They planned to spend the rest of that Saturday shopping. Lily wanted to treat herself to a new dress for the premiere, so she brought her favorite fashion critics along for their always honest opinion.

Four boutiques later, she spotted it. A simple black Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. Lily knew it was the one before she even tried it on. It was appropriate for her age. It was elegant enough for a red carpet premiere but still professional enough for whatever Nate had for her to do. And it hugged her every curve with a subtle sexiness. It made her feel comfortable, grown up, and feminine.

The reaction when she stepped out of the dressing room let her know she’d made the right decision.

“Lil, you look amazing,” Maggie said quietly.

Colette agreed. “It’s perfect.”

Lily rolled her eyes at her friends’ compliments, but her smile gave her away. She loved it. It was more than she wanted to pay for a dress, but she knew it would be money well spent.

“Okay, you’re totally getting this dress,” Maggie said. “Now, what about accessories?”

After much discussion, they opted for Lily’s first suggestion. She thought it would be striking to play on her own coloring. The rectangular onyx pendant she chose nestled beautifully in the V of the dress against her pale skin. The matching earrings seemed like an extension of her jet black hair. A gunmetal clutch and her trusty black leather Calvin Klein slingbacks would complete the look.

Maggie clapped her hands as Lily made her way back into the dressing room to change. “He’s going to love this!”

Lily’s brows furrowed. She closed the door and stared back at her reflection.

It wasn’t Daniel Brighton she wanted to impress.

Chapter Thirteen

Two weeks later, the neon lights of New York City beamed like the entrance sign to an alternate universe. A long week at work exhausted her, but Lily felt revived by the liveliness of the city as soon as she caught sight of the skyline. Her schedule had allowed her some flexibility, so she was able to take a few extra days off to cover both the press junket and the
Life Saver
premiere. She was thankful they were scheduled closely together—the premiere being just two days after the junket.

Upon arriving at JFK, Lily hailed a cab to take her to the W Hotel on Lexington Avenue. The ride took longer than she expected in the early Friday afternoon traffic. By the time she got to the hotel, she had just enough time to change and grab a bite to eat before the screening.

As much as she loved traveling, she couldn’t fathom keeping up with this pace the way Daniel did.

Many of the things that had impressed Lily about
Borderlines
carried over into
Life Saver
. The two films had a similar humanity to them, but Lily felt the conflict in
Life Saver
was even more pronounced since the story took place in the United States. She even knew what she wanted to ask at the next day’s junket—just how close to reality is the film? Was it meant to be a political statement?