Page 162 of Haunt Me

Juliet with Lizzie

And Jane with Tess of the D’Urbervilles

Don’t press me, man

I’ll recite it right now

At the end of the show, as I kneel on the stage floor, trying to catch my breath, my violin at my side, I feel proud and humbled atthe same time. Everything is different; I can feel it in my bones. I bring the mic to my lips, panting and tasting sweat on my tongue.

“Now, that’s what I’m talking about,” I gasp into it, and the crowd lets out a series of deafening screams.

What a perfect way to end the show. With my real name out there.

I can hear Skye’s voice in my head, almost as if he’s saying to me:‘It’s out there now, forever. You can’t take it back once you let it lose.’

I know it’s out there and I can’t take it back.

I don’t want to.

…

Nothing horrible happens once I’ve put my real name out there.

For a few weeks, everything is fine. Calm. And so it must follow, as the night the day, that Weston Spencer, he of the brooding Regency gentleman fame, has to call me one day out of the blue and ruin everything.

“Sup,” I tell him, just to annoy him.

He, of course, wastes no time with small talk. Oh, no, that’s not Weston’s style. He goes straight into being an idiot.

“I have invited Eden to come and visit my film shoot. We’re in Dorset for two weeks, filming my historical series—it’s just a few hours away from you.” I sit down abruptly, blood rushing from my head. “I thought she might like it,” he adds more softly. “She might enjoy meeting Ari, too.”

He’s gone and done what?

He and Ari are shooting the final scenes for a Regency historical romance set in Greece. Spencer is directing and starring in the mini-series, shot mostly in Vermont. Ari is doing the stunts. It is disgusting how incandescently well they work together. Wes’ Regency series, his directorial debut, has already generated tons of buzz. It’s based on a book series. Wes’ best friend and latest Hollywood heartthrob, Oliver Sikks—Ollie—is set to star in the next season in a year or so.

It's a historical period drama, which takes place during the Greek Revolution of 1821. Wes keeps blowing my mind with his dedication to his art and how serious he is about his love for Greece. He scoured the bookstores for a good story set in Greece, finding nothing for months, and then he finally did. He nearly lost his mindwhen he found those books which combine his two loves: Austen and Greece.

He purchased the rights to produce and star in it within a few months.

Of course, the publishers are no idiots: Weston Spencer in a white shirt and breeches, looking like a hotter, younger, golden-haired version of Mr. Darcy, is bound to break the box offices come release day.

Wes is calling itThe Rakes.

People underestimated Spencer in the industry for years. All they saw was his golden locks and killer smile, and then he was the child star who had ended up with a life-threatening alcohol addiction. He was a has-been before he had reached his twentieth birthday. Well, an Academy Award later, he is proving them all wrong.The Rakesis set out to be a huge success, but I know that Spencer is not looking at the financial aspect of it. He wants the stories to reach as many people as possible.

To reach their hearts.

He has something to say through these stories.

He plans to change the world, one Regency story at the time. I fully believe he will.

Oh, to do something that you believe in, my heart sings as I hear the passion in his voice.Oh, to matter.I am so jealous of the purpose and peace he has found in his work, that I get distracted for a second.

Then what he actually said crashes me back to reality.

“Excuse me,” I almost yell, “you’vewhat?”

“I’ve invited Eden to Dorset,” Spencer repeats calmly. “Do you want to come visit me and bump into her accidentally on purpose?”

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