“I’m looking out for you,” Quinn says, clearly frustrated.
“Next you’ll be saying that I shouldn’t live on my own anymore and you’ll all try to put me in a home or something. And let me tell you right now, I’m not going to live in any home.”
“No home,” Finn confirms.
“We can afford a full-time caregiver,” Quinn suggests.
“I’m not going to have a stranger living in my house,” Maggie says.
“Mom,” Finn says with a sigh. “Why don’t we back it up again. Why did you pass out?”
“I don’t know,” she says with a shrug, and examines the handle on her bag.
“What was happening?” Carter asks.
“I just walked into the bathroom, and then I woke up on the floor and called Quinn. Which I now regret.”
Quinn covers his face with his hands and rubs hard.
“You said you had a headache?” I ask, and sit at her hip, take her hand in my own, and watch her carefully.
“Oh no, you’re starting on me too,” she says.
“No, ma’am, I’m just a friend, not your child, so maybe I’m easier to talk to.” I give her a wide smile and she laughs for the first time since we got here.
“You might be onto something there. I do like you, London.” She pats my hand. “I hope my son plans to hang on to you for a while.”
I lean in as if I’m about to tell her a secret. “I plan to hang on to him for a while.”
“Good.” She nods and closes her eyes, as if she’s suddenly very tired. “I did have a headache. I’ve been getting them more often lately.”
“And then you went into the restroom?”
“I did. I was looking for some Tylenol. Suddenly the room started to spin, and before I could sit on the toilet seat, I fainted. It was the damnedest thing.”
“How long do you think you were out for?”
“Now you sound like the doctor,” she says, and pats my hand again. “Not long, dear. My test results should come back soon, and I’ll be on my way home. But I would prefer if Finn or Carter give me a ride home because Quinn is on my last nerve. Although, he’s lived on my last nerve for about thirty years.”
“I’m your favorite,” Quinn says with a smile just as the doctor walks into the room.
“Well, look at this party,” she says, and opens her laptop. “Mrs. Cavanaugh, I’m happy to report that you did not have a stroke, and your heart is healthy as well.”
“I told you,” Maggie says.
“However, your blood pressure is elevated, so I’d like you to see your doctor this week to get on medication for that.”
“It’s elevated because I’m in the hospital.”
“That could be,” the doctor says with a nod. “So it’s a good idea to see your doctor this week, and they will take it again to see if it’s back to normal, or if you need that medication.”
“She’ll go,” Quinn says, earning a glare from his mother.
“High blood pressure can cause those headaches, and the wooziness,” the doctor continues. “So be sure to do that for me. I’m going to give you something to bring it down temporarily.”
“Thank you,” Maggie says. “Does this mean I get to go home?”
“I don’t see why not. I’m going to order that medicine, and we’ll finish pushing these fluids so you’re nicely hydrated. That’s another thing, be sure to drink lots of water. Being dehydrated can also lead to those headaches.”
“I drink plenty of tea.”
“No, ma’am,” the doctor replies. “You need just plain old water. Add some lemon to it if you like.”
And with that, she leaves, and we’re left with a moody Maggie.
“I’m seventy-two years old,” she says with a scowl. “I think I know what I need.”
“You’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met,” Quinn says.
“I’ve met another,” Finn says, and points at me.
“Me?” I demand.
“Oh yeah. You.”
“Pfft. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I really like her, Finn. You hang on to this one.”
Finn just smiles at me from across the bed.
“So, what did Quinn mean earlier?” I ask when we’re finally on our way back to Finn’s place a couple of hours later.
“About the medical issues thing?”
“Yeah.”
Finn rubs his fingers over his lips and then switches lanes.
“When my sister got sick, she and Carter kept it to themselves for a while. I know that neither of them thought she would die from the cancer, given her age and her previous health history.
“So, they decided that they’d keep it quiet for a while and let her get some treatments under her belt before they worried the rest of the family. By the time they told us, she only had about a month left to live.”
“Oh, that’s just horrible, Finn. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, I was very angry with Carter for a long time. As you can see, I wasn’t the only one. My dad didn’t take it well either, and ended up passing from a heart attack not long after Darcy died. It was a hard time.
“If we’d known that she was sick sooner, we all would have taken more time to be with her, to spend more precious time with her before she left.”
“It never would have been enough time,” I reply, and lay my hand on his thigh.
“I know,” he says softly. “I get that now. And it was important for her to spend time with Gabby and Carter, to have a life with them for as long as she could. Darcy deserved that. But it was rough to find out that she not only had breast cancer, but that she’d already been through treatments that didn’t work. To be told, Hey guys, I have cancer, and we’ve already tried treatment. I have about three months to live is quite the shocker.”
“They thought she had three months?”
He nods. “But she had one month. We all went to live at my mom’s house so we could be there around the clock and spend as much time with her as we could. I know that wasn’t easy for Carter to have to share Darcy with the rest of us. But we loved her too.”
“Of course you did. There weren’t any other treatments they could try?”
He licks his lips, and his hands tighten on the steering wheel. “There were, but they were expensive, and I don’t come from a wealthy family.”
I stare at him, completely taken aback.
“We weren’t poor, but we weren’t wealthy. The treatment they suggested was in Europe, and we were ready to sell property, take out loans, whatever we had to do, but there was only a twenty percent chance that it would have worked.”
I pat his leg, and he takes my hand in his, then pulls it up to his lips.
“I broke out in my career the following year.” He spares me a glance, then returns his attention to the freeway. “A year too late. I couldn’t save her. I couldn’t help her. And if you think that I don’t think about the twenty percent chance that she could still be here, well, you’d be wrong.”
“It’s not your fault, Finn.”
“We all took it hard,” he says, not acknowledging my comment, “but Quinn really struggled with it, and still does. Losing Darcy and Dad so close together, Quinn now watches Mom like a hawk. He checks in with her every day, and takes her to the doctor for every little thing.”
“No wonder he’s on her last nerve.”
“She’s strong, and she’s healthy. We’ll get the blood pressure thing straightened out. I know she’ll be okay.”
“She will be,” I agree. “But Quinn’s entitled to his feelings, and he loves her. He wants to protect her.”
“He’s always been very protective of all of us,” Finn agrees. “You would have thought that he was the oldest sibling. But it’s gotten worse, and he needs to lighten up on Mom. He can’t micromanage every day of the poor woman’s life.”
“He’ll figure it out,” I reply as he pulls into his underground parking garage. “It was fun to see you all together t
onight. Especially after we realized that she’s okay.”
“Why is that?”
“You’re a family,” I say, not sure how to explain it. “You joke with each other, and care about each other. I had that with my parents, but not with my brother. So it’s interesting to see siblings who get along with each other.”
“They drive me nuts, but I love them,” Finn says with a nod. “And I’m glad they like you too.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Because I plan to hold on to you for a while too. A long while.”
“Good to know.”
Chapter Eleven
~London~
Sunday mornings have proven to be my favorite with Finn. It’s the one day a week that we sleep late, have lazy sex, and then coffee, breakfast, and more lazy time.
It absolutely does not suck, and I look forward to it every week.
This week is no different.
He’s reading articles on his iPad, and I’m watching a cooking show on TV. We’re curled up on his bed, our legs tangled, enjoying the quiet.
“I’m totally going to make this for dinner tonight,” I announce, already salivating at the thought of the chicken dish that Chef Alex is whipping up on the screen. “It looks easy enough.”
Finn looks up from his article to watch with me for a moment. “I think I have most of those ingredients in the kitchen now.”
“I’ll double-check and go to the store later if I have to. Oh, maybe I should bake banana bread.”
“Why?”
“Because it sounds good,” I say, and laugh when he just pinches the invisible flab on his belly. “I’m not making you fat.”
“If you keep whipping up delicious baked goods, you will,” he says, and pulls me into his arms for a long kiss. “Besides, this is all the sweetness that I need.”
“Aren’t you the charming one?”
His hand travels up between my thighs, and his fingertips flirt with my lips, making me squirm.
“Are you trying to talk me into or out of the banana bread?”
“Does it matter?” he asks with a grin. My back is arched, my hard nipples are pressed against the thin cotton of his old T-shirt, and he dips his head to pull one into his mouth, making me moan. His fingers dip into my pussy now and he makes that “come here” motion that makes my eyes cross.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he growls, and brushes his nose over my nipple before pulling it back into his mouth.
“I think you just changed the subject.” I swallow hard when he laughs against my breast. “What are we talking about?” Of course, at this very moment, my phone rings. I sigh and check the caller ID. “I have to take it.”
“Let’s not forget where we were,” he says as I press the green button.
“Hello?”
“Hello, darling, how are you?”
“I’m great, Jeffrey. How are you? Are you back in the country?”
“Yes, and let me tell you, it feels damn good.”
“Welcome home.”
“Thank you. So, I’m calling because I was talking with Gerald yesterday, and he would like to see us in his office on Thursday.”
“This Thursday?” I sit up and reach for my planner, flipping it open and staring at the coming week.
“This Thursday, if you can swing it.”
“I can swing it. Where am I going?”
“L.A., of course.”
“You want me in L.A. by Thursday.”
“Yep. We’ll do some reading, and go over some of the songs with him. It’s really a way for all of us to decide if this is a good fit. If it is, you’ll have to come back to L.A. in a few weeks for contracts and such, but I’ll let your agent deal with that.”
“I’ve been in touch with her,” I reply, still not quite believing that this is happening. “Send me the address and time on Thursday and I’ll see you then.”
“Fantastic, I can’t wait. Safe travels, doll.”
And with that, he hangs up and I can just stare at Finn. “This is happening.”
“On Thursday, apparently.” His lips twitch as he sits up and wraps his arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know about this,” I reply. “Maybe it’s not a good idea. It’s not like I can’t find an acting job in New York. I don’t have to sing and dance.”
“Hey London, this is a great opportunity. You should see the way your face lights up when you talk about it. I think you should absolutely go out there and meet with the director and do your reading. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. But you need to know. If you turn this down, I think you’ll regret it. Besides, you’ve already made it clear that I can’t be your sugar daddy.”
“You’re right.” I shrug a shoulder and bury my face in his neck, holding on tight. “This is just so far outside of my comfort zone.”
“I can tell. You’re not even laughing at my joke.”
“It’s not a joke. Will you go with me?” I look up at him, and then immediately shake my head. “Never mind. That’s ridiculous, you don’t need to babysit me.”
“It’s not ridiculous,” he says. “It’s not babysitting, it’s having someone you trust with you because you’re outside of your comfort zone.”
“You can say no.”
Please don’t say no.
“I can absolutely go,” he says, and brushes my hair aside, exposing my shoulder. He leans in and presses a kiss to the skin there. “We can stay through the weekend if you like.”
“That could be fun. I’ve actually never been.”
“You’ve never been to L.A.?”
“Nope.”
“Well, then we should definitely stay for a couple of days. Feel free to set up several meetings if you like. I’ll have enough work to keep me busy while you’re working.”
“You’re wonderful,” I murmur, and kiss his chest. “Thank you.”
“Are you kidding? I’m banking on you taking me to Disneyland.”
I lean back and laugh. “If that’s what you want, you got it.”
“Right on.”
“You know I love you,” I say to Jeffrey and cross the floor to him, laying my hand on his chest and pleading with my eyes. “You know this isn’t the way it looks.”
“I don’t know what to think, Celeste,” he replies, and shoves my hand away.
“Less shoving at her,” Gerald says. “You’re not just angry, you’re hurt.”
I put my hand back on his chest. “You know this isn’t the way it looks.”
“I don’t know what to think, Celeste.” He takes my hand off him and lowers it, then pulls his hand away.
“Better,” Gerald says. “You two do have excellent chemistry together. I’ve seen your shows.”
“You’ve seen the shows Jeffrey and I did together?”
“Yes, and all of the others. I’ve seen all of your shows,” he repeats, and sits on a sofa, as if he just told me he loves cheese.
Gerald has been a Hollywood powerhouse for twenty years. To hear that he’s seen my work is beyond humbling.
“I’ve wanted to work with you for a long time,” he continues, “but your agent always told me you were content in theater.”
“She didn’t tell me that you were the interested director,” I reply, making a mental note to have a conversation with my agent, Liz.
“Would that have changed your mind?” Gerald asks.
“Honestly, I don’t know. Maybe. It’s an honor to be considered for this role.”
“This role could change your life,” he says. I look over to Jeffrey, who just smiles that wide, handsome Cheshire cat smile.
“Like I said, I’m honored to be here. If this is a go for you, and if the contracts work out, I’m in.”
“I have to warn you,” Gerald says, never looking away from my eyes. “There will be a lot of choreography. This film is a full-fledged musical, similar to Chicago, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman in intensity. You’ll be singing and dancing ev
ery day. I want to be in the studio a month before we start filming for choreography and to record the music.”
“I can do that.”
“Are you sure you’re healthy enough for the physical demands?”
I lick my lips and hold Gerald’s gaze. “I am healthy enough. My physical therapist released me fully, and I can have those records sent to you if you’d like. I’ve started dance classes again, and I can pick the pace up on that. I’ve not let up on my vocal training, so that’s as strong as it ever was.”
“That’s good to hear,” Gerald replies, and nods. “Very good to hear. Would you mind meeting with the choreographer tomorrow to go through some of the basics?”
“Is my getting the part dependent on this?”
“No.” He looks over at Jeffrey, and then back to me. “You’ve already got the job. I’d just like to take advantage of you being in town.”
“I’ll squeeze it in,” I reply, and stand when he does. “Thank you, Gerald.”
“Thank you, London. This is going to be a lot of fun.”
Jeffrey walks me outside and stands with me while I wait for my car.
“You did so great in there,” he says, and pulls me in for a big hug. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Are you kidding? Thank you for thinking of me for it. We’re doing a movie together.”
“Yes, we are. How long are you here?”
“Finn and I are here through the weekend.”
“So, things are serious with Finn?”
“I’d say they are, yes.” I look up at him and then roll my eyes. “Okay, overprotective friend.”
“He’s not an actor.”
“Thank God.”
“Nonactors don’t get it, London. The fame, the money.”
“He has plenty of his own money.”
“Okay, the fame, then. It’s not easy.”
“Well, I guess we’ll see what he’s made of, then, won’t we?” I shrug and climb into the back of my car, waving at him as we pull away.
The drive to the hotel doesn’t take long, and when I walk into the suite, I don’t immediately see Finn, making me frown.