Dreaming With My Eyes Wide Open (Hollywood Legends #2) (18 page)

The sound of her father descending the staircase was the
only thing that stopped Paige from sliding her fingers into Nate’s hair and
kissing him like there was no tomorrow.

Pushing Nate into his chair, Paige checked the casserole,
hoping her father would blame her red cheeks on the heat of the oven.

“Chocolate cake. Paige makes the best dessert. You’re in for
a treat, Nate.”

Nate coughed into his coffee, spilling the contents over the
rim. He quickly wiped his mouth with his hand, trying his best to cover his
smile.

Paige knew what he was thinking. She shot him a dirty look.
This
is my father, you ass
.

Clearing his throat, Nate scooped up Beauty.

“This little lady needs some fresh air.” As he passed Paige,
he whispered so only she could hear, “And so do I.”

As much as she adored Irene, Paige wished she wasn’t joining
them for dinner. Not tonight. Rushing her father through the meal would have
been much easier if it were just the three of them. Now, she had to play
hostess while trying to keep her mind off Nate.

Taking the offset spatula from the drawer, she began
frosting the cake. This was going to seem like the longest meal in history.

DINNER WAS AWKWARD. Each of the four people around the table
had their reasons. Reasons they had no intention of sharing.

Paige kept looking at the clock, wishing the minutes away.
Naturally, instead of speeding up, time slowed down to a crawl. Her father was
to her right. The man she hoped would soon be her lover, on her left. This
wasn’t awkward. It was… Honestly? She didn’t know what it was. But Freud would
have had a field day with the thoughts pinging through her brain.

Thank God for Irene. Her bright small talk was the only
thing keeping the evening from being a complete disaster. Paige was so wrapped
in her own drama she didn’t notice the tension between her friend and her
father.

“Nate. Are you enjoying directing? I understand this isn’t
how you normally spend your days.”

Smiling, Nate shook his head.

“It’s interesting, Irene. However, this will be my debut and
my swan song. Garrett is the director in the family. I’m happy to leave it in
his capable hands.”

Unlike Paige, Nate sensed the friction between Irene and
Chuck. It was obvious the veterinarian tried to put on a happy veneer. Perhaps
it took an outsider to see the stiffness in Chuck’s shoulders or the too-bright
smile on Irene’s face.

Whatever was going on, Nate wanted to ease the edge of emotions
he felt swirling around the table. Irene gave him the perfect solution. He was
proud of his family — every one of them. When it came to their accomplishments,
he could go on for hours.

“I loved
Time Zone
. When it’s on TV, I get sucked in
every time.”

“That was an early one.” Nate’s grin widened. “Lord, what a
time he had with that movie. Bad weather and a younger brother who was a little
too full of himself.”

“Was Colton in
Time Zone
? I don’t remember seeing
him.”

Those were the most words Chuck had spoken since they sat
down to eat. Like Irene, it was obvious he wasn’t comfortable. He seemed
genuinely interested in what Nate said. Without realizing it, he started to
relax.

Irene caught on to what Nate was doing and sent him a
grateful smile. When he gave her a quick wink, she felt a little flutter in her
stomach.
Oh, my
. Nate Landis was a dangerous man. Charm radiated off him
even when he wasn’t trying. One little wink. One glimpse into what it would
feel like to be the center of his attention and Irene understood Paige’s
dilemma.

How could you resist him? Why would you want to?

“That’s an interesting story, Chuck.” Thinking about it,
Nate laughed. “Colt has a level head on his shoulders. With all the attention
and adulation he’s received in the last few years, he could have become an
egomaniacal asshole. Pardon my language.”

Irene blinked. She couldn’t remember the last time a man
apologized for using colorful language. This was Basic. Asshole was mild in
comparison to what she heard on a daily basis. With that simple apology, Nate
raised another notch in her estimation.

“What about Colt and the movie?”

Caught up in the story, Paige put her elbow on the table,
her chin resting in her hand. Nate had no problem with being the center of
attention. It wasn’t something he sought out, but this was different. These
were friends. The entertainer side of his Landis blood kicked in. The actor in
him didn’t surface often, but when it did, he showed a certain flair that would
have made his mother proud.

“Baby brother was a newbie. The part in
Time Zone
was
small. Garrett had cast him before
Our Waving Flags
was released.”

“I haven’t seen that one,” Irene said.

“It is
so
good. Colt plays a young man who joins the
Army to honor his father’s memory. Lottie and I cried buckets,” Paige sighed.
Her eyes brightened. “Then he takes his clothes off.”

“All of them?” Irene’s eyes widened with interest.

“Every stitch.”

“Oh, my. Is it available on Netflix?”

“Women.” Chuck sat back shaking his head. “Why do they
insist on drooling over an image on a screen?”

“This from the man who watched
Be Mine
how many
times?” Paige crossed her arms, waiting for her father to respond.

“I…” Chuck blushed, unable to meet Nate’s amused gaze. “It’s
a good movie. Excellent, as a matter of fact.”

“Mom has that effect on a lot of men, Chuck. I’m used to
it.”

“I’d rather you didn’t mention this to your father.”

The red on Chuck’s face rapidly spread down his neck. Three
sets of eyes watched with interest as the bright color melded with the collar
of his shirt.

“Dad has lived with this for over thirty years. Mom is a
beautiful woman. Somehow, she gets more beautiful every year. Trust me, he
would understand.”

“Still…”

Noting Chuck’s distress, Nate let him off the hook.

“Your secret is safe. Right, ladies?”

“I was teasing, Dad.” Paige patted his hand. “My lips are
now sealed on the subject.”

Smiling at the exchange, Irene was surprised when Chuck gave
her an inquiring look.

“What?” She shrugged. “Who would I tell? The bull I’m
treating for prostate problems?”

“Bulls have prostate problems?” Paige didn’t know if it was
funny or strange. From the grimace on her father’s face, she decided to rule
out funny.

“We have wandered off track. You were telling us about
Colt?”

“And Garrett, Chuck. He puts up with a lot when it comes to
family. However, if it affects his work, he isn’t as lenient.”

Nate took a sip of the excellent red wine. According to
Paige, it had been a gift from some friends who ran a vineyard in Washington.
Years of travel and good food had developed his palate. He knew a good vintage
when he tasted it. He had to remember to get the name. His mother loved wine. A
case of this would be the perfect gift for Christmas.

“As I said before, Colt rode the wave of his first success
as an actor. Unfortunately, his head had swelled a bit as a result. He thought
he should have a more important part in Garrett’s film.”

“I take it Garrett didn’t agree.” Paige smiled, sipping her
wine.

“Give the little lady a cigar.”

Nate weaved the rest of the tale, easily holding the
interest of a rapt audience. It wasn’t difficult. Not only was it a good story,
he had lived through it. He was able to add a personal perspective, drawing the
others in with humor and a brother’s love.

Our Waving Flags
was his breakout role. One he earned
through hard work.

It was natural for him to want bigger and better parts.
Garrett agreed. However, not in his movie. He had his actors. When Colt took
the small role, he had been happy to get it. If he didn’t want to honor his
commitment, fine. Plenty of actors would be happy for the chance.

“What happened?” Irene demanded, her eyes wide with
anticipation.

“He showed up. Reluctantly.”

“Your dad talked him into it?” Chuck asked, sure of the
answer.

“No.” Nate shook his head. “Mom and Dad stayed out of it.
They refused to get in the middle.”

“Smart.”

“Four competitive sons, Irene. They decided early on not to
take sides or step into a problem unless absolutely necessary. Most of the time
we find our own solutions.”

“How much blood was shed?” Chuck grew up with brothers.
Fighting came with the territory — no matter how close you were.

“When we were kids? Not much.” Nate chuckled. “We became
very good at directing our punches away from the face. Mom wasn’t big on seeing
blood all over her sons’ faces. One broken nose. The way she went on, you would
have thought I killed him.”

“Who?”

“Wyatt. He borrowed my Jedi action figure. I wanted it back.”

“Easy as that?” Paige was amused by his matter-of-fact tone.

“It was
my
Jedi.
And
, he didn’t ask. There’s a
code of behavior for that kind of thing. I was well within my rights. Besides,
Wyatt needed taking down a peg or two. He was in a particularly obnoxious
older
brother
phase. He never completely outgrew it, but he isn’t as obnoxious.”
Nate shrugged with a smile. “Most of the time.”

Paige could hear the love and affection in Nate’s voice. It
was there when he spoke of his family.
All
of his family. She loved her
father unconditionally. The fights and disagreements never lasted long. It
seemed Nate was lucky enough to have the same kind of relationship with his
parents and brothers. The knowledge gave her a warm feeling inside.

“Finish the story,” Irene urged. “What happened between Colt
and Garrett?”

“They were professional during the shoot. Though, according
to Garrett, Colt pushed the boundaries of the term as often as possible. He was
never late — but he cut it close. He would arrive with seconds to spare.
Garrett hates that. He’s known for bringing his movies in ahead of schedule.”

Colt told a different story. He complained that Garrett was
dictatorial. Overbearing. He couldn’t stand to be on the set a second longer
than necessary.

This war of wills continued longer than the family expected,
spilling over into their private lives. Callie would have stepped in if Caleb
hadn’t reminded her that they only had to work together for two weeks. This
would blow over.

“Did it?” Chuck took a sip from his wine glass, surprised to
find it empty. He had been so caught up in Nate’s narrative he hadn’t realized
he’d drunk the contents. Reaching for the bottle, he asked around if anyone
wanted a refill. Everyone declined. He poured himself half a glass, and then sat
back, ready for the conclusion of the story.

“Colt cooled down as soon as he signed on for his next
movie. A juicy script and a nice paycheck can smooth over your temper fast. On
the other hand, Garrett wasn’t ready to forgive. And trust me. Garrett never
forgets.”

His brother could go for months, sometimes years, before he
had his revenge. Some people might say that was maniacal, but they were wrong.
Garrett didn’t obsess. He didn’t stew over every wrong done to him. However, if
he saw his opportunity to even the score, he took it.

Colt paid the price faster than most. Looking around the
table at the expectant faces, Nate gave them what they had been waiting for.

“Garrett cut him out of the movie.”

“No,” Irene gasped.

“Wow! That is cold.” Paige’s eyes were round with disbelief.

“Sounds fair to me.”

“Dad!” Paige gaped at her father. “You don’t mean that. Colt
is Garrett’s brother. How can you think it’s right for him to do that?”

“Paige, honey, you don’t understand the movie business. Colt
was screwing with Garrett’s livelihood. His reputation. Brother or no brother.
That can’t be tolerated.”

“But—”

“It was brilliant,” Nate declared. “Garrett accomplished two
things. He taught Colt a much-needed lesson in humility. And, he showed the
industry that you don’t mess with Garrett Landis. If he was willing to do that
to his own brother, imagine what he would do to a non-family member.”

“Like I said,” Chuck nodded, voice filled with admiration.
“Brilliant.”

“I want to know how Colt handled it. He couldn’t have been happy.”

“He ranted and raved — long distance. He was on location in
the wilds of Canada.”

“That was it?” After everything Nate had told them, Paige
couldn’t believe Colt would leave it at that.

“Pretty much,” Nate said, a twinkle in his blue eyes. “Oh,
did I mention that Colt hired two guys to fill Garrett’s Maserati with
spaghetti and meatballs? Plus sauce. Gallons and gallons of sauce?”

Everyone burst out laughing. Nate painted a vivid picture of
revenge. The red spaghetti sauce symbolic of an effective, yet bloodless
revenge. Once they calmed down, they all wiped the moisture from their eyes.

“Garrett couldn’t have let that go.”

“What would you have done?” Smiling at Paige, Nate raised a
questioning eyebrow.

“Strangled him. I mean a Maserati. Those can go for…”

“A lot.” Chuck provided when he saw Nate wasn’t going to
name a specific amount.

“Deciding to end the war, Garrett let Colt off.”

“Scott free?”

“Not exactly. He had to get the car detailed so it could be
donated to charity. Then he purchased Garrett the car of his choice. Since the
spaghetti incident put him off Maserati, he chose a Lamborghini. Loaded.”

“That’s getting off easy?” Paige exchanged amazed looks with
Irene. “Yikes. Talk about an expensive lesson.”

“Colt knew he deserved it. He’s never taken any part for
granted since then. No matter how big or small, he treats them all the same.”

“The world you live in, Nate, is beyond my comprehension,”
Irene said with a sigh. The she grinned. “Entertaining as hell, though. Now,
didn’t I see a chocolate cake on the counter? To hell with my no sugar pledge.
I want a slice. A big one.”

“With ice cream?” Paige asked as she cleared away the dinner
dishes.

“Chocolate or vanilla?”

“Both?”

“In for a penny. Bring it on.”

The conversation during dessert was easy and relaxed.
Picking up the last crumb with her fork, Irene sat back, full and satisfied.
For a meal she dreaded all week, it had turned out to be the nicest evening
she’d had in a long time. She would have loved to linger over another cup of
coffee, but she had a flight to catch in the morning.

The prize mare of an Arabian Sheik was due to foal any day.
Acting like a nervous father, he insisted she be attended by a doctor he
trusted. Irene wasn’t one to argue with someone who paid so well. He lived in
California so she wouldn’t be gone long. And she felt the need for a few days
away.

Irene’s gaze shifted to Chuck. However, before she went, she
needed to clear up some unfinished business.