Family (26 page)

When they reached the champagne fountain, Randi took hold of the table and lowered her head.

Dayne put his arm around her and patted her arm. “Hey … you okay?”

She slipped her hand around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. “He was sleeping with the nanny.” She sniffed. “Remember the tabloid story a week ago? It was true.”

“I didn’t see it.” His heart went out to her, and he wondered if she would have the emotional energy to pull off the film if her life at home was a mess. He hoped so. He cared for her more than many of the women he couldVe starred with.

Randi had appeared with him in his first film, and they’d dated seriously for a year afterwards. He moved in with her for a season, and he would’ve married her, but he was only twenty-three, and everywhere he went another girl was inviting him over for drinks or making passes at him on location. His life had been that wild.

They parted as friends and had stayed so ever since.

Randi stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad we’re doing this film together.” Her eyes shone with the hint of tears. ‘“You’re a good guy, Dayne.

One of the last good ones.”

Her comment pierced him with guilt. The guy he’d been when he dated her was hardly good. He had been only a handful of years removed from his boarding school, fully aware of what his teachers had taught about right and wrong, but he’d used her the way everyone seemed to use everyone in Hollywood. And the whole time he’d known better. The memory made him suddenly uncomfortable around her, and he made himself a promise. Sometime while they were working together, he’d apologize to

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her. She deserved that at least-even if she might think him strange for being sorry.

He gave her another pat and took a step back. They’d spent enough time together. Anything more-especially once the press joined them-and speculation was bound to begin. Randi Wells on the outs with her husband, playing the forgotten love . of Dayne Matthews. Katy Hart back home in Bloomington. Was ; there a new love in the works? Dayne took another step away from her. With their history the whole setup was a little too close for comfort. To avoid rumors he’d have to balance being her friend with staying far enough away.

A producer approached him and motioned him over. “Dayne, I have someone you need to meet. …”

The night passed in a blur, and before it was over, Randi found her way back to him. “Dayne-” she stood a little too close, her words slightly slurred from the partying she’d done”let’s hang out tomorrow, ‘kay? Jim’s taking the girls to the ‘, beach and I-” her lips curved in a smile that was more suggestive than cutesy-“I don’t wanna be alone.”

While she was talking to him, a dozen cameraman caught the
moment. In a rush, an image filled Dayne’s mind. Katy Hart buy’ ing milk and eggs at the Bloomington supermarket and seeing a , cover story about Dayne Matthews moving on. The idea made his heart race, made his hands clammy. When Randi talked ‘<

about needing company, he knew exactly what she had in mind. He backed up and crossed his arms. Let the body language experts analyze that. “Randi, I can’t.

I’ve got… well, things have changed for me.”

“Changed?” She pouted, and the look was exactly the one they’d brought her into the film for. She ran her finger along the side of his face. “You don’t like me anymore, Dayne?”

He wanted to run, but he had to deal with her. Otherwise she Would feel rejected or more determined with him. He stuck his hands in his pants pockets and raised his shoulders a couple

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times. “I gave my life to God.” He gave a surprised laugh, knowing she would be frightened by the idea unless he kept the moment light. “Went back to my roots, I guess.”

“You?” Her eyes got big, and she held her mouth open. “Handsome playboy Dayne Matthews gone and given his life to God?” A disbelieving chuckle sounded in her throat. “Nah!”

“Hey, I’m serious.” He gave her a tender smile. “I’m reading my Bible and everything.”

“Wow.” As if he’d put a gun to her ribs, she held up both hands. “Well, don’t let me get in the way of that.” She sidled back, putting distance between them.

As she did, she stumbled and pointed at him. “You sure this isn’t about that pretty little Indiana girl of yours?”

His heart warmed. He felt the familiar grin tug at the corners of his mouth.

“Maybe a little bit of both.”

She raised her brow, as if she was concerned for his mental health. “I’ll try to look past all that.” She closed the distance between them and kissed his cheek.

“You’ll always be my same old Dayne.”

He put his hands on her shoulders to give himself room but also so he could look into her eyes. This was something he wanted her to understand. “I’m not the same old Dayne, Randi. But I’ll be your friend.” He gave her a hug. “I’m sorry about Jim.”

“Thanks.” There was a catch in her voice. She pressed her cheek to his. “I’ll get through it.” She looked over her shoulder at a sea of photographers, then back at him. “I just wish we could lick our wounds in private.”

“I know.” Dayne flexed the muscles in his jaw. The cameramen weren’t ten feet away. The mass of them were shooting Randi and him in rapid-fire mode, capturing every second oi the kiss on the cheek, the hug, the closeness-the entire exchange. There wasn’t a thing he could do about it. Their agents and the movie execs had invited them intentionally.

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doing what Hollywood often did-using the tabloids and every other venue of media to their advantage to promote an upcoming film.

Still, at a publicity party like this, even dressed in tuxedoes, the paparazzi felt like a flock of scavengers, representatives from the seedy underground, the voyeuristic side of society.

Randi ran her thumb above his ear and wrinkled her nose. “I think the whole giving-your-life-to-God thing is a little weird.” She smiled, and her eyes danced. “But I won’t hold it against you.”

“Thanks, Randi.” His smile let her know that he wasn’t going to be baited into letting the conversation turn into a debate on faith. That could come later, and Dayne hoped it would. For now he needed to remember what Bob Asher had told him in a recent phone call.

“Your Hollywood friends are going to think you’re a freak, Matthews.” Bob had sounded matter-of-fact and at ease. The way he always sounded. “As soon as they find out something’s different you’ll no longer be one of them.”

Instead, Bob had said, Dayne would be strange, a pariah. Especially in the movie crowd where Christians were considered out of touch and insensitive-bigots even.

Dayne understood. In his world of celebrity, where thinking seemed to be done corporately, how could any of them understand what he’d done?

“Let your life be your testimony,” Bob had told him lastly. “Don’t preach at them. Not when they wouldn’t understand, anyway.”

That was Dayne’s plan exactly. But sometimes-when a friend like Randi Wells was making herself available in every possible way-he needed to be very clear where he stood. No matter what she thought.

Before the party was over, the producer caught up with him. “Big things, Dayne.

This film is going to do big things for you 218

and Randi and Maria.” He made a fist and tapped it over his heart. “I can feel it in here.”

Dayne gave a thoughtful nod. “I agree.” Across the room, Randi and Maria were talking and giggling about something. A dozen guys, involved one way or another in the film, hovered around them. Randi would be fine. There would never .be a shortage of people willing to keep her company.

Dayne focused on the producer. “Everything the same for the shooting schedule?”

‘Definitely.” The producer was a black man, fifty years old, highly successful, and serious about his films. He had been an actor in his twenties and thirties, a professional with two Academy Awards on his list of credits. “We’ll start the first week of June, and even with reshoots, we should wrap up by the end of August.”

“Good.” It was a longer schedule than some. They were shooting most of it in Los Angeles, but they would have a week

I’in Maui near the middle of the schedule. The location team had I

,all the details worked out.

IThe producer took a step closer. He shot a glance at Randi and i)Maria. “Look, Matthews, I know you and that Indiana woman ,iare over. She’s back there and you’re here. But I have to tell you-” he smiled-“I wouldn’t mind seeing you and Randi together a little more often. Her marriage is a mess, and, well… ,you know the drill. Publicity is everything.”

Dayne forced a chuckle. “Tonight should take care of that for a while.”

“Right.” The man gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. “I’m just saying.”

They talked for a few more minutes, and then the producer ambled over to another group.

The break gave Dayne a chance to look at his watch. Almost five-thirty.

Eight-thirty in Bloomington. He sighed. The mentions of Katy were getting to him. Not so much because there

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was anything he could do about the distance between them. But because he had another six hours of party life and plastic smiles ahead of him, a reminder that he wasn’t where he desperately wanted to be.

In his favorite seat at the Bloomington Community Theater, watching Katy work her magic for the opening night of Narnia.

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John Baxter took his seat in the Bloomington Community Theater next to Cole and Maddie and Jessie. The play was set to begin in five minutes, just enough time to send his grandkids to the snack stand. He took a handful of dollar bills from his pocket and handed four of them to Cole. “You and Maddie get popcorn, okay?”

“Really?” Cole’s eyes lit up. He grabbed Maddie’s hand and took the bills from John. “One each, Papa?”

“Let’s see …” He looked down the row. Ashley and Landon were here and Kari and Ryan. Brooke and Peter had stayed home with Hayley, who wasn’t feeling well.

Little Devin was asleep, and Ryan was too young. “Let’s get four, Coley. That way we can all share.”

Cole gave a serious nod. “Yeah, but more for us kids, right? Since grown-ups don’t eat much popcorn.”

John chuckled. “We’ll see.”

“Come on, Jessie.” Maddie turned and motioned to her cousin. “Let’s help Cole.”

They ran off, and Ashley leaned toward John, her eyes 222

shining. “You’re the best grandpa ever, Dad. Just thought I’d tell you.”

He smiled and patted her hand. “The kids make it easy.”

The coordinator for Christian Kids Theater took the stage and explained that the show would start in a few minutes. “Please turn off cell phones and cameras.”

She smiled. “And let me take this time to tell you a little about the CKT summer schedule….”

Bethany Allen’s spiel gave John a chance to turn around and check the balcony, the place where Dayne would be if he’d come. He wanted to be here; he’d told John as much a few days ago when they last talked. “I haven’t missed a show in a while.” He sounded torn about the situation. “But I’m pretty sure we’re having a prepub party that night.”

Dayne’s tone had reminded john about the strange life his firstborn son led, the very public nature of it. If he was attending a prepublicity party, then no doubt the pictures would grace the covers of every tabloid for the next week.

Part of the plan certainly. But that hadn’t been all that was troubling Dayne.

“I’m not sure I can keep up the pace.” He had sounded tired, drained. “The new film hasn’t even begun, and the paparazzi won’t quit.”

Then he talked about something he hadn’t shared before. He and Katy had been chased by cameramen before Katy returned home. “We were nearly killed.” Defeat rang in his tone. “That’s when I knew.”

“Knew?” John had been outside, checking on the fish in his pond. He waited for Dayne’s answer.

“That’s when I knew I had to let her go. It’s one thing for me to live this crazy life, but Katy … she never asked for this.” There was heartbreak in his voice.

John hurt for the pain his son was in. “You don’t mean you’re thinking of letting her go forever … do you?”

“Yes.” He sighed. “I don’t know what else to do. Maybe I’m supposed to love her enough to let her go, let her have the life ifshe’s used to living.”

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The conversation faded, and the kids returned with the popcorn. At the same time, Katy Hart buzzed across the front of the theater and up a set of stairs toward her spot in a box on the left side of the theater balcony, the place she’d sat for every performance John had ever attended. He watched her, tried to imagine what she might be feeling.

He didn’t know Katy well, but he couldn’t imagine that she was happy with the way things had ended in Los Angeles. Dayne had talked about how close they’d become, how he’d never felt for anyone what he felt for Katy. Every indication suggested she felt the same way for him.

She took her seat, and John was almost certain he saw her turn and look across the theater at the spot where Dayne might’ve been sitting. Yes, she was dressed nicely for the opening of the play-wearing a stylish summer skirt. But her glances ‘at the empty seat across the theater told a different story.

John exhaled and looked down at his knees. God, You’ve made me a perceptive man, able to know my kids’ hearts long before they are sometimes willing to share with me. Now, God Katy Hart isn’t my daughter, but I know she must be hurting.

So especially tonight, Father, will You put Your arms around her and let her know You love her? He paused as the houselights dimmed and the stage lights came to life. And give her answers about Dayne, Lord. He loves her so much. Thanks ahead of time, Lord. Amen.

John looked at the stage, and a sense of expectation began to build inside him.

He loved the old C. S. Lewis classic, the idea of children discovering the fictitious kingdom of Narnia.

The curtain rose and the play started. The CKT kids did a Wonderful job telling the early part of the story. With their father ighting in a war and their mother worried about their safety, the tour children travel together to a safer house, a place in the country owned by a professor. The point was to establish the characters and the grand old house where they quickly find a Mysterious wardrobe.