Spotlight (13 page)

How in the world did you convince them to let me do this?!

See?! This is the too good to be true part!

Lily

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Some Professional Advice

Lily,

Simple. I told Nate to tell them that I wouldn’t do it without you.

I’m so glad you’re going to be writing it.

Thanks for helping out!

DB

Lily’s boss had no problem with her taking a couple of days off for this, and Devon was ecstatic that one of his writers would be featured in a publication like
Vanity Fair
. Her parents didn’t question Lily wanting to fly to Los Angeles by herself this time. Instead, they beamed with pride and wanted to know what month they needed to buy out the
Vanity Fair
stock at the local Barnes & Noble.

Then Lily allowed her inner fangirl one indulgence. She screamed with her best friends when she told them the news. It was a very girlie scenario full of “ohmigods” and a champagne toast to—as Maggie put it—Lily’s awesomeness.

Lily and Daniel e-mailed each other frequently over the following weeks, setting everything up for her trip. She spoke to the assigning editor at
Vanity Fair
often as well and sent him samples of her work, including the pieces she wrote at the
Borderlines
junket.

Daniel seemed to be looking forward to talking with her again, which made Lily’s heart flutter. Even though he was her friend, she wasn’t immune to his handsome smile. And now she’d have to speak to him face-to-face without being affected by his charms. She had a lot riding on this interview—both personally and professionally. Not only did she want to impress Daniel, but she also knew just how important this story could be for her career.

She hadn’t treated him any differently than she would any other person she interviewed, and he appreciated that. Sure, it wasn’t the same as interviewing a public official or even a painter featured at the local art museum. But she made it a point to be fair to him.

By the beginning of April, all the arrangements had been made. During the first week of May, Lily would fly to Los Angeles. The plan was that she’d fly in, spend the following day with Daniel interviewing him, and then fly home the next afternoon.

Lily was surprised by his inquiry a couple of days before she was scheduled to be in California.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Interview

Lily,

I was thinking . . . it would probably be best if you sent me your phone number. I figure that’d be the easiest way for us to get in touch while you’re here. Only if you feel comfortable with that, of course.

How are the plans coming along?

DB

Lily laughed.
The
Daniel Brighton was asking for her phone number. It wasn’t the first time she wondered how she’d gotten so lucky.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: Interview

Daniel,

Hmm . . . you’re going to pass it along to Matt Damon, right? I mean, I know he’s married and all, but . . . gosh he’s gorgeous! (Smirking yet?)

In all seriousness, good idea. I’ll have my laptop with me but might not get to check my e-mail, so texting will probably be faster. My number is 931.555.0189.

See you soon!

Lily

Nerves plagued her in the days leading up to her flight, but Lily felt strangely calm the morning she boarded the plane. More confident. Like she belonged there. She knew pinning her professional hopes on this trip was a bit premature. After all, it was one story in one magazine. But she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the start of
something
. So much was riding on this experience.

Upon arrival, she took a deep breath as she exited the plane. Since it was a short trip, she’d only packed a carry-on, but Daniel said someone was going to meet her at baggage claim so she followed the signs in that direction.

She saw the small poster first. Her name was printed in neat, black, block lettering. And then she saw the man holding the sign—and his familiar green eyes. Dark brown dress slacks, a matching shirt, and butterscotch tie gave him a refined air, as did the brown Prada loafers he wore. (Naturally, they were the perfect complement to his Prada eyeglasses.) Unlike the last time she saw him, his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, but his tie was still in a perfect Windsor knot. She felt underdressed in her raspberry tunic, indigo skinny jeans, and silver ballet flats.

He seemed nervous as he subtly shifted his weight from foot to foot.

She slowed down as she approached him. He didn’t seem to notice her at first and was still looking into the crowd.

“So it’s you,” she said, stopping in front of him.

He glanced down, surprise registering in his expression. She offered him her hand. “I’m Lily.”

Meeting her gaze, he gently took her hand. “And it’s you. I’m Nate. Nate Brennan.”

Nate was the summer to Lily’s winter. His wet-sand colored hair, hint of a tan, and grassy green eyes looked like the middle of July to Lily. With her straight black hair, icy blue eyes, and pale complexion, she felt like December. The warmth of his hand surrounded hers and settled into her bones, thick and heavy. She shivered a little, but she wasn’t the least bit cold.

She continued to stare at him even after their hands dropped. He stared back, making her wonder if he had felt the same spark. It set her on edge, if she were being honest.

“Ah, Nate. Well, it’s nice to finally meet you.”

His lips turned up into a slight grin. “You, too, Lily.” He gestured toward the doors. “Shall we get going?”

They made their way out to the parking area and Nate’s sleek black Mercedes.
Of course
, Lily thought, inwardly rolling her eyes. Not that she could talk—the assigning editor booked her a room at the Four Seasons again, since she already knew the area to some degree.

“Thank you for picking me up,” Lily said as Nate pulled out of LAX.

A small smile played on Nate’s lips. “You’re welcome. I know Daniel wanted to, but that’s a bad idea with all the paparazzi here. And since I was free this afternoon, I offered.”

They spent the next thirty minutes engaged in small talk about her flight, the weather and some of the sights they passed along the way.

“So Daniel seems to think a lot of you,” Nate commented as they entered Beverly Hills.

She smiled. “Well, I think a lot of him, too. He’s a great guy. You’re lucky to have him as a client.” Lily thought for a moment. “And he’s lucky to have you, too. Not every publicist would have been so adamantly . . . proactive . . . with me.” She raised one eyebrow and gave him a knowing glare.

“Just looking out for him,” he responded noncommittally as he pulled into the hotel’s entrance.

Lily unbuckled her seatbelt and opened her door before turning to look at him. “Well, Nate, surely I’m not as bad as you think I am?”

Nate didn’t flinch. “Look, it’s not personal. It’s just my job to protect him in the press—even from you, if need be.”

Lily heard the serious tone in his voice. “I get it,” she said, sitting straighter. “But as you pointed out, you don’t know me.”

She exited the car quickly, nonplussed when Nate got out and opened the trunk without another word.

Chapter Ten

Lily decided that room service, an in-room movie, and a good night’s sleep were in order after her long flight, and seemingly longer drive with Nate Brennan.

She had no idea what the next day would entail. Her only clue came in a text message as she finished her meal.

Be outside at 8. I’ll be waiting.

It was from a number she didn’t recognize but assumed was Daniel’s.

Her nerves flared but were different from her previous stay at the hotel. She was going to talk to Daniel, and she wouldn’t have to fight with other journalists to ask her questions. The next morning she woke up nervous and hoped some toast would settle her stomach.

She paired a casual but elegant Tiffany blue and white paisley dress with a white cardigan and white ballet flats. A straw tote contained her clutch, several notebooks and pens, and her digital recorder.

Lily glanced at her watch as she made her way from the lobby to the entrance of the hotel. As she made her way through the doors, she looked left, then right. A smile lit her face as she saw a tall figure leaning against a sleek, dark gray Audi coupe, taking one last drag of a cigarette. He was dressed indiscriminately in worn jeans, faded concert T-shirt, old Nikes, and a Dodgers hat pulled low over his forehead. But Lily could still see Daniel’s answering smile when he caught sight of her.

“Lily,” he said, sounding almost relieved. “It’s good to see you again.”

A blush tinted her cheeks as she made her way toward him. “You, too, Daniel.”

She’d expected this to be awkward. After all, they didn’t know each other that well, despite their months of back-and-forth e-mail. That disappeared when he pulled her in for a quick, gentle hug. Her eyebrows went up in surprise as she hugged him back, her blush deepening.

She cleared her throat as he dropped his arms from around her. “So where to?” she asked as he opened the passenger side door for her.

Daniel’s lips turned up into his patented grin. “Oh, you’ll see when we get there.”

On the drive through Los Angeles, they caught up. Lily told him all about the annual travel guide she was finishing for the paper, and Daniel filled her in on the last of the reshoots for
Life Saver
.

“I thought you might like to visit the set in a little bit,” he offered. “It won’t be as busy as it was during principal photography, but you’d get a good idea of what a movie set is like.”

Lily had a hard time containing her excitement. “Seriously? That would be amazing! Will I get to see you work?”

Daniel shook his head as he continued to weave through traffic. “No, I’m off today, but they know I’m stopping by.”

“Well, good. That way you can show me around.” Lily had never been on a movie set and was glad to have someone knowledgeable give her the tour.

Daniel pulled into a lot beside what looked like a school, parking out front. “First, we’re going in here.”

Lily glanced over at him with a confused expression, and his grin widened.

“Are you going to tell me what we’re doing here?” she asked.

Daniel pretended to think about it for a moment. “Hmm . . .” he said, tapping his finger on his lips. “Okay, okay. At the
Borderlines
junket, I told you that I volunteer at an after-school arts program for underprivileged kids. Well, they’re putting on a show, and I’ve been helping out. They’re in rehearsal right now. I thought you might like to see it.”

His eyes drifted toward the ground, and he gave her a self-deprecating shrug of his right shoulder before pulling that arm behind his head and rubbing his neck nervously. It was unexpected, like his invitation to share something so special to him, and she marveled at the thought he put into her visit.

“Daniel,” she said, getting his attention, “I’d love to.” He grinned at her response.

As Daniel opened the door to the auditorium, a sparse set greeted them. A few students milled about on stage as a guy Lily thought was probably around Daniel’s age—the director, she guessed—talked to two of them upstage.

“Let me guess.
Our Town
?” The set seemed vaguely familiar to Lily, and the students looked around the right age for the production.

“Yeah. The curtain goes up in a couple of weeks. They’ve been working so hard on it.”

She studied his expression as they sat down in the middle of the auditorium, wanting to be able to describe it perfectly in her article. Not many people got to see this side of Daniel. He looked . . . proud. He watched the kids intently, studying every word and movement on the stage.

Lily leaned toward him. “So how have you been helping?”

He looked to the stage before answering. “Well, I helped build the sets with the rest of the drama students,” he said, pointing to a couple of the more elaborate pieces on the stage. “And I’ve been giving the actors some pointers as well.”

They watched for another half hour before the rehearsal came to an end.

“Do you mind if I go talk to the director for a minute before we go?

“Not at all! Go right ahead.” Lily eyed the two leads as Daniel made his way backstage. As they gathered their things, Lily wanted to get some comments from them. She cleared her throat as she approached them.

“Hi guys. I don’t know if you saw me in the audience earlier, but I’m writing a story about Daniel Brighton for a magazine, and I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment about him?”

The kids looked at each other and then shrugged. “Sure,” they replied in unison.