Hello, Hollywood! (15 page)

“You’re nuts.” Kat shook her head.

“Must love fishing?” Larisa mumbled. “Crazy.” Her gaze narrowed. “Do you even eat fish?”

“Sometimes. I had salmon last month.” I squared my shoulders. “Anyway, ‘must love fishing’ is on my list and I’m leaving it there. That’s how I’ll know Mr. Right for sure if he comes along. Unless, perhaps, he has all of the qualities except that one.”

“If he’s missing one, then he’s not Mr. Right,” Larisa said. “That’s my theory.”

“I’m not sure I agree.” I shook my head. “Because, honestly, preferences change. Today I might want outgoing and fun—just like today I wanted lamb on my sandwich. But tomorrow, quiet and reserved might sound more appealing. You know?”

“If you’re still torn between lamb and beef, then you clearly haven’t found Mr. Right,” Kat said. “Because if you’d found him, you would know exactly what you wanted when you saw it. There wouldn’t be any doubt in your mind.”

“Wouldn’t be any doubt in your mind about what?”

I turned as I heard Stephen’s voice. In that second, that nanosecond, I had absolutely no doubt in my mind about what I wanted. I wanted the beef. Tall, dark, and handsome beef. My gaze lingered on him—perhaps a bit too long. Long enough for Kat to clear her throat.

“Hey, Stephen,” she said. “How’s your day going?”

“It’s been great.” His gaze darted my way and then shifted down to the display of meats and veggies. “Just wanted to come over and thank you ladies for letting Brooke join your assembly line. I can’t believe she wanted to do it.”

“She’s a great girl, Stephen,” Larisa said. “And she’s been wonderful with my kids. I can tell you’ve taught her well.”

“Thanks.” He sighed. “I’ve done my best.”

“I think she’s lonely for family,” Larisa added. “So bring her by any time. She seems to be getting along great with Trina and Mary.”

“Yes, she’s so excited about the sleepover tonight.” Stephen shrugged. “I guess girls get worked up about that sort of thing.”

“Yes, they do.” Larisa looked my way. “Oh, I have an idea. While you writerly people are doing your thing tonight back at the house, I’ll hang out with the girls upstairs in my old bedroom. We’ll do pedicures and watch romance movies and talk about boys.”

“But you’re married,” I said. “Do you still talk about boys when you’re married?”

“We’ll talk about the boy
you
will one day marry,” Larisa said with a grin. “It’ll be lots of fun.”

Great. Now they were talking about my love life behind my back. At least she had the courtesy to warn me in advance.

“You’re getting married?” Stephen asked, giving me a curious smile. “I must’ve missed that memo.”

“Well, someday. Maybe. I guess. I mean, I don’t know.” A sigh followed.

“We were just discussing the qualities Mr. Right would have to have,” Kat said. “He would have to be—”

When I kicked her, Kat stopped talking. Okay, she glared at me, but she would get over it. I hoped.

“Anyway, enough about all that,” I said. “Are you and Paul still keen on spending the night at my parents’ place tonight, or have we already scared you off?”

“Oh, we’re spending the night. Bob’s coming too. But I need to slip away for a few minutes to fetch Zeus on my way.”

Fetch Zeus. Ha!

“Poor little guy’s probably dying to get away from the doggy day care. Can I bring him to your place? I’ll keep him crated, I promise.”

“Sure. Bring him over. Surely with all of us watching he’ll be okay.”

My brother approached with an empty trash bag in hand. “What’s this I hear? That mangy dog is coming back? Can’t we shake him?”

This drew the attention of my parents, who joined us. “What? The dog’s coming back?” Mama asked.

“Can’t we send him out on some sort of a hunt and hope he gets lost?” my father said.

“Hey now. My daughter happens to love that dog,” Stephen said. “And you never know . . . Zeus could turn out to be some sort of saving grace in all of our lives.”

“If that mutt is a saving grace, then kill me now.” My father chuckled. “You comedy writers are nuts. You know that, right?”

Stephen and I nodded.

“But you’re growing on me,” my father said. “And you certainly keep things interesting.”

Niko looked at me and sighed. “According to Stephen, I’m only on Step 2 in the plotline of my life. This wrestling thing is part of my ‘Call to Adventure.’ But I have a long way to go before I reach my final goals. What do you think of that?”

Good grief. Again with the plotline? Would we ever hear the end of that thing?

“You’ll meet a wonderful girl someday and get married,” Mama said. “Then you’ll skip all of the other steps and go straight to the happily-ever-after part.”

“Trust me, any girl I find will
never
pass Babbas’s test.” Niko sighed.

“Your test?” Stephen looked at my father. “People who marry into your family have to pass some sort of test?”

Why this intrigued him, I couldn’t be sure. Maybe he was just taking notes for a future episode.

“That’s right.” My father squared his shoulders. “Anyone who wants to marry one of my children has to memorize all of the verses to the Greek national anthem.”

Stephen didn’t look terribly shaken by this news. “How hard could that be?” he asked. “Anyone can learn a song.”

“The Greek national anthem has 158 verses,” I explained. “I’ve never met a living soul who knew all the verses.”

His expression shifted to one of disbelief. “Wait a minute.” Stephen shook his head. “What about Larisa’s husband? He must’ve learned all of the verses, right? Otherwise, how did he end up marrying her?”

Babbas grunted. “Crazy kids. They ran off and eloped. But don’t you worry about that. I’ve got him up to verse thirty-seven. Before he dies, he’ll pass the test. You can bet your life on it.”

“Sounds like you’re taking this very seriously,” Stephen said.

“You betcha.” My father gave him a pensive look. “Children are a heritage from the Lord. They’re God’s gift to me. I wouldn’t give them to just anyone. They must find mates who are worthy. No one marries one of my children without passing the test.”

“I’m never getting married,” I muttered.

Stephen turned my way. “Oh, I’m sure there are a few guys out there who might be able to pull off the verses of that song. If they cared enough.”

For a moment time stood still. I had the eerie sense that, for the first time, someone might actually care enough to give it a try.

From across the room, something—or, rather, someone—caught my eye. I watched Milo make his way from the counter to the tables. He passed Aunt Melina, who looked his way with a girlish smile. Melina—never one to speak much—lifted her glass as if to offer a toast. He gave her a little wink and just kept walking.

Looked like we’d had a lot of bread baking at Super-Gyros today. Someone had better cue the band. Before day’s end, we just might sing a verse or two of the Greek national anthem.

In the meantime, I needed to spend a little time figuring out why I’d added “must love fishing” to my list. Chances were pretty good Stephen Cosse didn’t even own a fishing pole.

We spent the rest of the afternoon pounding out ideas based on our observations of my parents. Turned out Scott was loaded with ideas and fit right into our little writing circle. Even Kat chimed in with her thoughts. Around five o’clock Lenora began to look winded, so they all headed back to Beverly Hills. I promised to call Kat later. From the look in her eyes, I could tell she suspected my feelings for Stephen were growing.

My parents closed up shop earlier than usual that night so we could reconvene at home. I couldn’t remember ever having such a great day. As I drove Brooke, Mary, and Trina back to my house, I listened in on their girlish chatter. Glancing at Brooke in the rearview mirror, I realized a light had come on. Her eyes shone with a new joy. Being part of a family would do that to a person.

When we reached the house, the girls changed into their swimsuits and headed for the pool.

“You joining us, Athena?” Mary asked.

Ugh. Me in a swimsuit . . . in front of the guys? At least the sun was going down. Maybe they wouldn’t notice the cellulite on the backs of my thighs. And maybe—if I hurried—I could be in the water before Stephen got back with Zeus. That would be my only saving grace.

I scurried into my olive-green bathing suit—the one I’d paid a fortune for because it supposedly covered up many of my imperfections—and slipped on a cover-up. By the time I reached the pool, Paul and Bob were already in the water. They hovered in the shallow end, as far from the girls as possible. No doubt all the squealing was painful to their ears.

I’d no sooner gotten in the water than Stephen arrived with Zeus in tow. I’d made it just in time.

“Oh, Zeus!” Brooke scrambled from the pool and grabbed the pooch by the neck to give him a hug. “You look so beautiful. They put a bow on you!”

“They put a bow on him, all right.” Stephen chuckled. “And for the price I just paid, they should have dressed him in a ball gown and given him a tiara.”

“Oh, it was worth it, Dad. He’s gorgeous. Thank you, thank you!” Brooke reached up and threw her arms around her dad.

I half-expected him to complain because she was wet, but Stephen just pulled her close and planted a kiss on top of her head. Sweet.

Then he looked my way.

I’d never in my life been more grateful to already be in the water. Getting to know a guy was one thing. Getting to know him while wearing a bathing suit was another. Then again, Mama had turned on the light in the pool. Maybe I wasn’t as well hidden as I’d hoped.

Brooke jumped back in the water, hollering, “Come and get in the pool, Dad!”

Unfortunately, Zeus must have thought she was talking to him. The mongrel raced to the edge of the pool and did a swan dive over the edge.

All of the girls began to scream, myself included.

“So much for the grooming job.” Stephen knelt at the pool’s edge, calling out to Zeus.

I helped Brooke get the half-crazed animal under control and out of the pool. By now my thighs were in full view of everyone in attendance, rippling under the glow of the setting sun. Not that Stephen seemed to notice. No, once the dog shook off the excess water, Stephen was soaked head to toe.

“You have no choice, Dad,” Brooke said. “You have to get in now.”

“No kidding. Just let me get him into his crate and I’ll join you.”

He disappeared around the corner of the house, and I felt my heart go with him. Okay, when had that happened? During our conversation earlier today, perhaps? All of his glowing comments about my writing skills had gone to my head, maybe. They’d somehow linked my heart to Stephen’s. Crazy.

I got back into the pool and chatted with the girls, but my thoughts—and my heart—were elsewhere. And when Stephen returned moments later in his swim trunks, I suddenly wished the sun hadn’t gone down.

Could you turn up the lights just for a minute, Lord?

He got in the water, and the girls headed straight for him. Brooke jumped him and tried to shove him under, but he wasn’t having it. Instead, he flipped her around and dunked her. She came up laughing. The wrestling match went on for a while, eventually involving everyone in the pool. I would have complained about being pulled into it, but as I felt Stephen’s arms slip around my waist to propel me into the deep end, two things flashed through my mind. One,
Who has abs like that?
And two,
Dear Lord, please let this day last forever.

The fun did go on for quite some time. Bob and Paul headed indoors when the smell of my father’s cooking wafted through the air. And the girls decided they’d had enough when Larisa appeared with her toddlers, asking for assistance from the babysitters’ club.

That left me alone in the pool with Stephen. Not that I was complaining. Oh no. By now, I’d pretty much decided that this had been the Lord’s plan all along. Well, minus the whole bathing suit/cellulite part.

With the chattering girls gone, the backyard grew eerily quiet. Except for the crickets and tree frogs. Stephen flipped over on his back and began to float. I fought the temptation to dunk him. Only when his hand reached for mine did I realize he’d actually been waiting for the chance to be alone with me too.

I took his hand and began to float alongside him. For a moment neither of us said a word. From inside the house, I could hear the voices of the others raised in joyful chorus.

“Sounds heavenly, doesn’t it?” I said at last.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“All of it,” I whispered.

He righted himself and pulled me close. “I could stay in here all night. You have no idea how much I’m enjoying this.”

“Me too.” My feet found the bottom of the pool, and I faced him, my heart going crazy. “Stephen, I may not get a chance to say this again tonight with so many people around, but Brooke is an amazing girl. You’re so blessed to have her.”

“I am.” He brushed a damp hair out of my face and smiled.

“She’s really in her element here.”

“Oh, trust me, I’ve noticed. She’s changing in so many ways when she’s with you. All of you, I mean. So much of the time she’s going through the motions. But here she seems to come alive.”

“Well, of course she comes alive! She’s eleven. Such a great age. What did you want when you were eleven?”

“Honestly?” He stared into my eyes so intently I could almost sense his emotions. “I wanted my parents back. And my grandmother. She died when I was ten. It almost killed me.” He let go of my hands and took a couple of steps toward the side of the pool.

“You mentioned living with your grandmother before, but I don’t know the story about your parents.” I grabbed onto the side of the pool and stretched my legs out behind me.

“The state took me away from them when I was six and sent me to live with Nona, my mother’s mother. She was the only saving grace in my life.”

I wanted to ask why but didn’t dare. Thankfully, he filled in the blanks for me.

“My parents were both drug users. They had me when they were young, but apparently they didn’t take care of me. So when I started school, the teachers got wind of the fact that something was wrong, and CPS got involved. I remember the day they came and took me to my grandmother’s place in upstate New Jersey. I was terrified, but at the same time, being with her gave me the only stability I’d ever known.” He looked at me. “And that smell . . .”

“What smell?”

“The smell of lamb. And garlic. And cumin. And peppers. And bread baking.” I could hear the catch in his voice. “Those are all smells I associate with Nona’s house.”

“I’m convinced God uses smells to minister to us.”

“I agree. I think he uses the senses to touch us in ways that we can’t otherwise be touched. Certain foods always remind me of my grandmother, and those memories are precious and few, so I love it when it happens.” He paused, and for a moment I thought I’d lost him to his thoughts. When he spoke again, his words were laced with emotion. “I think that’s why I like Super-Gyros so much. When I’m there, it’s like she never died. Like she’s with me all over again, standing in her kitchen, cooking for me and telling me stories about her parents growing up in Athens.”

“Wow.” I felt the sting of tears but didn’t bother brushing them away.

“Like I said, my grandmother died when I was ten. And the years after that were hell on earth.”

I opened my mouth to ask but never got the chance to. He plowed forward, his words coming faster now.

“I was put in the foster care system after she died. The only person I’d ever loved—the only one who’d truly loved me unconditionally—was gone. And I spent the next eight years being a nuisance to family after family after family.”

No way.
“What do you mean, being a nuisance?” I asked. “You were a bad kid?”

“No. In fact, I went out of my way to be the best I could be so I’d be accepted. But you have no idea how hard it is to fit in with someone else’s family. And just about the time I’d get settled into one place, their ‘situation’ would change and I’d be booted someplace else.”

“Man.” The strangest feelings swept over me. I’d grown up in such a safe, happy environment. Oh, sure, I thought my family was a little kooky, especially after some of the comments my mama had made today. But even during the worst of times, I hadn’t come close to experiencing what Stephen had. My heart went out to him.

“Now you see why I’m so determined to make a good life for Brooke. I don’t want her to feel like she’s a misfit. And maybe I’m overly concerned about her well-being, I don’t know. But I can sense when she’s unhappy. I see it in her eyes. And every time that look comes over her, I remember being that age, looking in the mirror, and wondering if anyone would ever just love me . . . for me.”

“Oh, Stephen.”

“She might be emotional. She might be a pain at times. But I love her more than life itself.”

“That’s all anyone could ask for,” I said. “And you’re such a great dad. I’ve seen you with her. She’s so blessed to have you.”

“No, I’m blessed to have her. And I want to give her the life I never had—the idyllic life, with the dining room table and lots of siblings seated around it. The life with the pool in the backyard and the mother teaching her how to . . . I don’t know . . . be a lady.”

He paused, and silence wrapped us in its embrace. “When her mom took off at such a young age, it was like revisiting my childhood all over again,” he said at last. “Those feelings of abandonment are hard to erase. And I feel like I’ve spent a lot of my life trying to be the funny guy so that I don’t have to deal with the harsh realities of single parenting. I don’t want Brooke to spend the rest of her life in counseling, trying to get over the awful life she had as a kid. I just want her to be carefree. Have fun.”

“She doesn’t have a horrible life,” I said. “And just for the record, all girls go through a bunch of emotions when they’re preteens. I remember crying for absolutely no reason.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. I was a mess. And I had the ideal family situation. Honestly, being eleven, almost twelve, is so hard. Your body is changing. Your emotions are changing. And I’m sure this move from Las Vegas to L.A. was pretty startling too.”

“I thought she could have a better life here than in Vegas. That’s such a strange place for a kid to grow up.”

“She can have a better life here.” I felt a smile wriggle its way up from deep inside me. “And now that she’s landed on the Pappas doorstep, we’ll do what we can to help. I promise.”

“That’s just it.” His expression shifted. “You don’t know how many times I came close to having an ideal situation as a kid. A couple of the homes I stayed in were really nice. But something always happened. The rug got yanked out from under me. What happens if I lose this writing gig at
Stars Collide
and have to look for work in another city? Then what? She loses your family and all of those relationships.”

I hardly knew how to respond. First of all, it had never occurred to me that Stephen really thought his job might be in jeopardy. Second, I couldn’t imagine my family leaving Brooke hanging like that. She’d become part of us. Even if she moved away—my chest began to ache at that thought—she would always know she was loved.

“Why do you think I’m trying so hard to come up with new and original ideas for the show?” he asked. “And why do you think I’m taking that plotting class?”

“To drive me crazy?”

“No.” He laughed. “That’s just an added benefit. I’m doing all of this to let Rex know he hasn’t made a mistake in hiring me. I have to stick around. Being in L.A. means the world to my daughter. And now that she’s met you . . .” He looked into my eyes and smiled. “Well, you and your family. Now that she’s met all of you, it would rip her apart to pull her away.”

“You won’t have to. I have a feeling you’re here to stay.”

“I hope so,” he whispered. His hand reached for mine, and he pulled me close. “That’s what I want.”

My heart began to race as I whispered, “Me too.”

“Just for the record, I love working with you. And there’s something to be said for being a sitcom writer. We have the most powerful job in the world. You know that, right?”

“Most powerful? What do you mean?” Most of the time I felt pretty powerless, actually.