Star Crossed (11 page)
Chapter Ten
“Did you pack your swim trunks?” Kate yelled at Chris from the bathroom.
“Yes.”
The doorbell rang.
“I got it.” Chris ran through the house.
For a moment, the house went silent. Kate was always comforted that she could hear the ocean even through the walls of her beach house. But now, she couldn’t even hear her precious waves. She couldn’t hear Chris in the house. She was scared. Then all of a sudden the world seemed to go forward again after being on pause for that brief moment.
“Kate!”
“What?” The tears began to fall even before Chris reached the bathroom.
“That was Connie, Clara’s housekeeper. Marvin died this morning.”
* * *
By the time Chris and Kate made it to their house, Clara was inconsolable. Kate tried her best to comfort her, but she was in need of some comfort herself. Chris immediately canceled their trip and informed Clara that he and Kate would be there for whatever she needed.
Marvin had everything spelled out in his will, so all they had to do was read the instructions he’d left and follow the steps. Leave it to him to have organized his own burial. Clara spent most of her time in her bedroom crying while Kate tried to get her to eat something.
After the funeral, Marvin’s closest friends converged on the beach house in memorial to a great man. There were people there so powerful Kate wondered how Hollywood was functioning without all the major players stapled to their desks. Kingston Shane seemed to be taking it exceptionally hard, crying one minute then laughing the next. Since working with him on his new album Kate knew this was just how the man was. Henry Weismann came and was on his best behavior for Clara. Kate remembered Marvin’s reservations about his son and vowed to take care of Clara even if Henry wouldn’t.
It was getting late in the day when Clara finally emerged from the bedroom. She went directly to Marvin’s attorney, Joel Goshen, and asked him to begin. Joel asked for everyone’s attention and instructed them that Marvin left a video of his last will and testament and wanted it to be played.
Marvin’s face appeared on the plasma television. He looked larger than life. “My family and friends, if you are listening to this then it means I am no longer with you. And if you’re asking yourself why I did something so corny like a taped last will and testament, then you’d know this is my way of reaching beyond the grave to touch you one last time.”
Everyone laughed.
“My darling Clara, thank you for loving me all the years of my life. Without you I would have been half the man I became. It was your dedication, faith, love, and loyalty that endeared you to me long before we married. You are and always will be the greatest love of my life. As I promised, you will keep living in the lifestyle you are accustomed to and will retain all of our homes. I leave all my personal property and assets to you.”
Clara started crying.
“Many of you know I am a man of many faces. From my time in Hollywood I have been able to take advantage of unique opportunities that left me a very wealthy man. I always regretted that I wouldn’t have anyone to step in my place and continue what I started. As you all know my son Henry has struggled with a lot of things most of his life, and I hope that one day my son will be the kind of man he was meant to be. But I have to be more prudent about my legacy. I am happy to say that one day strolling on the beach I met her. I leave my friend and neighbor, Kate Garrison, Blue Vinyl Records, the buildings in Los Angeles that holds the Blue Vinyl offices, my thirty-seven percent share in Pinnacle Studios, and all of my commercial real estate and business ventures. I have confidence that Kate will make good business decisions. And keep practicing the piano, kid.”
Kate couldn’t breathe and suddenly felt as though she were under a microscope. Blue Vinyl had a net worth of five hundred million dollars. She couldn’t fathom how much his shares in Pinnacle were worth.
Henry Weismann threw down his scotch glass so hard it shattered and left the house. Clara didn’t follow him.
People were coming up to her congratulating her and telling her that after she’d had some time to mourn Marvin, they’d love to have lunch with her. Kate looked for Chris only to find he was right by her side. She reached out and held his hand.
* * *
Kate stood out on the deck, watching the ocean. It had been a month since Marvin’s funeral. She’d kept a low profile, opting to stay home with Chris, checking in on Clara daily. Merlot seemed to be a bit sad, but Chris kept him busy. Life had changed so much in such a short time.
The Knock-Around Boys
was a box-office hit. She would have been happy to revel in the joy for Chris and even Jack, but now she had to view their success from a business angle as well.
Marvin’s will was ironclad, but rumors were circulating that Henry was trying to find a lawyer who could help reverse the decision to give her all that power. No one in the state of California was foolish enough to challenge Marvin Weismann, dead or alive. She knew it wasn’t the end of Henry, so she needed to be prepared. She had a chat with Andre and asked him to keep tabs on Henry. She assured John that her life wouldn’t change because of all that transpired, but he assured her it would. He told her people had been calling Atlantis for a week, hoping to do an interview with her. The magazine that caught his attention as Sabrina rattled them off at a staff meeting was
Jetlag
, a premier entertainment magazine that wouldn’t give them the time of day before. They wanted to do a feature on her, and John thought it was a good idea. John even admitted that he broke up with Siobhan, citing irreconcilable interests. He didn’t want to go into it any further, but she knew she’d get the scoop from Sabrina.
She called Billie and talked to her cousin about this crazy turn of events. Billie assured her that everything would be all right and if she needed her all she had to do was call.
“How’s the most powerful woman in Hollywood?” Chris came onto the deck with a plate in his hand and kissed her.
“How’s the toast of the town?” Kate put her arm around his waist.
“I woke up this morning with you. I’m just fine.”
“I was watching the news, and there’s already Oscar buzz about your performance. I knew you would kick ass in that part.” Kate smiled and put her head on Chris’s shoulder. “You just needed the right creative vehicle coupled with the right amount of personal scandal. Timing is everything in this town.”
“It sure is. Do you know how happy I am to have run into you in the men’s room at Coriander?”
“Happier than getting eight figures for your next movie role?”
Stan had called him yesterday and to tell him he’d brokered a deal for a new movie.
Malediction
was due to bring Chris even greater acclaim than he was receiving for
The Knock-Around Boys
.
“Much happier than an eight-figure movie deal.”
“I know you have range and all, but you were born to be an action hero. You have it, as they say.”
“So do you. Finally signing Lana?”
“John says it’s a controllable situation. I hope so.”
“Kingston behaving?”
“He’s a little melancholy over Marvin, but he’s getting back to his old Hell Cats sound. He still has a lot of energy for someone supposedly in his twilight years.”
“I think rocker twilight years are a bit different than that of the average person.”
“I suppose he still has some swivel left in those boney hips of his.” She laughed.
“Well he better keep those hips pointed out of your line of sight.”
“I have enough crazy overprotective people in my life.”
“Well, you have one more. I don’t want some sleazy rock legend hitting on my woman.”
“Kingston only looks at me with respect. Well, after the benefit he does.”
The wind was blowing, and the sun was shining bright. Kate felt as though she were getting back to her old self. She wished she didn’t miss Marvin and the music lessons so much.
“I love you, Chris. If nothing else seems real in my life, you are.”
“I love you too. When you’re feeling better about it, I’d still like to take you to paradise.”
“A vacation does sound nice, but paradise is with you.”
“We have to do something to celebrate your divorce being final.” He kissed her temple. “How did the interview go?”
Spinner
magazine had asked to do a feature article on Kate. The world was waiting to see how she integrated two record companies, oversaw controlling interest in a movie studio, and lived with the studio’s most bankable actor. The scandal with Jack and Brianna seemed like small peanuts compared to the new arena she was thrust into. When she finally sat down with Marvin’s attorney, she understood his quip about Blue Vinyl and Pinnacle being the tip of the iceberg. Marvin Weismann was a brilliant man whose Hollywood branches were far reaching, even beyond the scope of Kate’s comprehension. Things were going to change quickly.
“I think it went well. They said they were sending over a copy of the cover.”
“I think the whole world is curious about you.”
The doorbell rang. Chris and Merlot went for the door. “Your cover is here.”
Chris handed her the envelope, but she didn’t want to open it. “I can’t. You open it.”
Chris opened it and smiled.
“Well?”
“Well…I think it speaks for itself. Sexy.” He turned the cover around.
Kate posed leaning against a wall, wearing a black double-breasted suit. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and a fedora topped her head on a slant. The
pièce de résistance
was one of Marvin’s trademark unlit cigars dangling out of her mouth. The caption read: The New Queen of Hollywood.
“Now that the ink is finally dry on your divorce papers and we’re pretty sure Jack didn’t sign them with invisible ink, there’s something I want to ask you.”
Kate’s heart started racing when he pulled out the biggest rock she’d ever seen in her life.
“Kate Mitchel Garrison, will you do me the honor of being my wife? To surf with me, ride on the back of my motorcycle, do crazy yoga poses that sound dirty, and take long walks on the beach with our Havanese toy dog named after a red wine?”
Kate giggled. She’d never get enough of this man. “Yes. After all, you fixed my deck.”
“I had to. I threw your husband through it.” Chris smiled and kissed her.
“So how much time have we got?”
“The new movie starts shooting in three months.”
“And I haven’t even begun to sort out of all this business stuff of Marvin’s. How about we—”
“Don’t say go to Vegas. That didn’t work out so well for you before.”
“Well…something quick. I don’t want to wait forever to marry you.”
“And I don’t want to sneak away. I want to have a huge wedding. I want the whole world to know how much I love you.”
“So we’re agreed. Wedding of the century in two months?”
“Deal.”
Kate never imagined that she would find happiness in the middle of her pity party that night at Coriander. She was right when she told her mother she needed to feel the pain of the betrayal with Jack. How else could she have realized what she had with Chris? She wasn’t in danger of being number one on some wretched breakup countdown show now, but she was pretty sure she’d appear on some shocking Hollywood power play list. For a moment she just wanted to take a walk on the beach with Chris and remember this day as one of the last quiet ones they would have for a while. When the news of their wedding broke, they wouldn’t get a moment’s peace.
The price one paid for being a star.
~ About the Author ~
Rhonda Laurel is a contemporary romance writer whose two great loves are writing and landscape photography. She uses both as a vehicle to convey the complexity of the human spirit and the beauty of the world around her. Her writing career has spanned two decades but has recently gained momentum in 2012 with her debut novella
Ebb Tide
. Contemporary, interracial/multicultural romance that is “A little heat mixed with sassy and sweet” is her writing style in the form of novellas and novels, but the author also writes poetry, inspirational quotes, designs greeting cards and the occasional essay.
For the Love of the Game
,
Masquerade
was released in 2012 as well.
Shutter
and
Star Crossed
are tentatively scheduled to be released this year and 2013. She is happily working on building her backlist.
Discover more about Rhonda Laurel here
Musings of Dreamer…
www.facebook.com/authorrhondalaurel
~ Also by Rhonda Laurel ~
For the Love of the Game
This quarterback is making the greatest play of his life…
Quiet bookstore owner Morgan Reed can’t wait to lie on the beach on her much-needed tropical vacation, but getting tackled by a tall, green-eyed stranger playing touch football isn’t exactly what she had in mind. Neither is falling for said stranger, or going along with the eccentric islander who sends them off with a mock wedding. But all’s fair when it comes to vacation romance, and Morgan has plenty of time to get back to reality when she gets home.
When he slams into the beautiful Morgan on the beach and sends her to the infirmary, superstar quarterback Seth Blake insists on helping her recover—if she agrees to share his bungalow with him. Seth is nothing less than smitten, and the best part is that the beauty has no idea who he is.
But when he finds out that their little “wedding” was the real thing, Seth finds himself in a sticky situation. Especially when Morgan finds out the man she fell for isn’t at all who he made himself out to be…
Ebb Tide
Simmering passion at play.
Natalie Griffin is an attorney who is practical, smart and good at her job. Legalese is the least of her worries, for much of her time is spent keeping her employer, playboy extraordinaire Evan Darchon, out of trouble. Natalie has managed organize everything for him--his company, his home, and his women--but if she could teach him to control some of his wilder impulses, her job would be a heck of a lot easier.
But what about her impulses? Her cool, controlled demeanor is the perfect complement to Evan’s wild side, but she craves the carefree way he makes her feel. His attraction is obvious, but can either of them afford to rock the boat of their professional relationship?
Shutter
Photographer Antonio De Soto’s life is out of focus. Everyone in his family thinks it’s time for him to settle down. He doesn’t want to be strong-armed into domesticity, even if he does feel the bachelor lifestyle is starting to wear thin. So when his friend invites him to do a pictorial on the community theater, Antonio’s prepared to do his thing and follow his normal womanizing M. O. Instead, he finds himself sparring with the resident artist, Lucy Marceloni. Lucy’s dime-store analysis of his love life—and him—leaves him angry and shaken, but it’s too close to the truth to dismiss. The quirky artist is not his type, but their passionate fights generate a deeper heat between them he can’t ignore…
Lucy wants a man who’s sensitive and intellectual, the exact opposite of Antonio De Soto. The moment she meets the handsome photographer she pegs him as arrogant and self-centered, but that doesn’t protect her from the sizzling chemistry between the two of them. Being drawn to the rogue’s charm and subtle seduction tactics is the last thing she wants. Working with him on the community theater fairytale production could prove to be more than she can handle...