Page 40 of Something New

“I understand, Anna, but you need something positive to counter some of the negative. Think about it. I’m trying to get the restaurant owner to go on the record about your conversation, but he says he isn’t comfortable without your permission. What exactly happened in that meeting to inspire such loyalty? Did you make him sign a nondisclosure agreement?”

Anna only smiled, grateful the owner and waitress stuck to their side of the bargain. One thing her parents always taught her was the measure of true character was how people acted when no one was looking. She’d embraced this philosophy since going to Hollywood, understanding how meaningful it was when it was done quietly. People knew she was truly trying to help and not for publicity. Her agent never understood that, always preferring to get everyone on camera. Witnesses were critical in their business. Privacy was nonexistent.

“No, it wasn’t necessary. We just talked. Anyway, keep me posted. I’ll be back Sunday and on set Monday.”

“Thanks, Anna. And please, try to find some good publicity. You need it.”

Anna ended the call and laid her head on the seat, staring blindly out at the rain lashing the windows. The day was bleak, the storm intensifying. Everything was going to get worse before it got better. She could only hope her career paralleled the storm, that this was the worst of it and everything was going to get better now. But she feared she was in the eye of the storm right now, in the calm before more hell broke loose, before the storm broke. Then she’d see what the damage was and, if she had survived it, if her career had survived it, or if she was destroyed, wrecked on the shore of life.

The driver's door opened, and Wyatt slid in, a spray of rain following him. He quickly slammed the door, but not before Anna was misted by the water. She shook her head, jarred out of her reverie. “What are you doing?”

“Karen sent everyone home. The storm is getting worse, and she wants everyone safe before it hits. We need to get to the hotel. Now.” He paused, as if sensing her mood. “Anna, what’s happened?”

She shook her head, not ready to talk about it. “Nothing. Let’s get going. I hope they have food for everyone. I got stuff for Caroline, and we helped Brigid, but I forgot us!”

He smiled as he started the truck. “We’re all set. I took care of it.”

She shook her head. “Of course you did. Where would we be without you?”

“Hanging out in the theater and it would be damned uncomfortable. I’m too old for that shit.” He flashed a grin and headed out to the hotel.

* * *

The hotel was busy with some tourists who were staying in risky areas deciding to stay at the safer hotel for the storm. As a result, the hotel was filled, including the restaurant. Anna had a moment of panic, thinking about eating in front of all of those people, knowing that she was losing her job. These people might not know her, but some of them did. The women and her daughters on the ferry recognized Anna and, if they heard the news, would be all over her. She couldn’t face it. The hotel said they were understaffed and room service was limited, especially since they expected to lose electricity and be on generator power for part of the evening. So, guests were asked to be patient, fill the tubs with water, and not use the elevators. Anna would be perfectly happy hiding out in their room, but she had forgotten to stock up on essentials like food and drink. So, they’d be forced to eat publicly. Damn.

When they got to their room, the bridal suite no less, candles were already set up around the room, not lit, of course. The bed was a white canopy bed, turned down, with mints on the pillows. Roses were on the mantle and the bedside table. And, on a low round table in front of the fireplace, a picnic was set up, with a candelabra, wine chilling in an ice bucket, and food under warming plates. Anna’s eyes widened, and she turned to Wyatt, totally charmed.

“You set this up for us?”

He grinned and set the bags down by the door. “I thought you could use some romance in your life. We both could, really. I tried to think back to anything romantic we did when we were together, and I couldn’t think of anything. You deserve more. I’m sure you had plenty of romantic encounters, but this was the best I could do on short notice.”

She placed her hands on Wyatt’s cheeks and held his face so he looked at her. “Wyatt, no one has ever done anything so special for me. But I disagree on nothing romantic in our past. You were always the most thoughtful guy. We were in college. Things were different back then for us. Remember my first play when I was so terrified to go on stage that I was sick? Who stayed with me, with a cold cloth, and holding my hair? You did. When I got the lead in the senior production, you made us a picnic and we had dinner in the park. And when I wanted to go to Hollywood, you offered me anything I needed to go, especially your support. You were the most romantic guy.”

His face softened at the recitation of their past. He gathered her close and kissed her gently. “I was such a jackass later, ruining all of it.”

She laughed. “Not all of it, and it wasn’t all you. We both made mistakes.” She took his hand and led him to the table. “I’m starved. Let’s eat.”

“Then will you tell me what’s bothering you?”

She sobered, then nodded. “After we eat.”

Chapter Nineteen

They sat on big pillows on the floor, leaning against the couch. The storm had intensified and lashed at the hotel, the windows rattling and the wind howling. They were on the top of the hotel, on the third floor, and they seemed isolated, private, in their own little tower. The power had flickered, maybe the generator had kicked in, but they had turned off the lights anyway and lit the candles to enhance the romantic atmosphere, bathing the room in a gentle glow.

The food was amazing. Wyatt had arranged a feast from the hotel. They started with the local special turtle soup, which was one of Anna’s favorites and something she only could get in Texas. Then they had the crab cakes and pan seared scallops, paired with a chardonnay from Ethan’s vineyard. Then they finished with chocolate-covered strawberries and a Moscato. Anna laid back on the pillow, closed her eyes, and groaned.

“I couldn’t eat another bite no matter what it was. Damn, I’m going to have to run twenty miles tomorrow, at least.”

Wyatt quirked a brow at her. “There are other ways of getting exercise that burn a lot of calories.”

She opened one eye and swatted at him. “Be serious.”

He reclined on his own pillow and studied her out of heavy-lidded eyes. “Fine. I can wait. How about you tell me about your phone call today? And what’s going on with you?”

Anna refused to look at Wyatt, couldn’t look at him, see the rejection on his face. The things she had done, the way she had acted. It was why she hadn’t come home for all those years. She couldn’t bring that taint with her, bring the darkness that seemed to follow her wherever she went. Her family, her friends, didn’t ask for that life and didn’t deserve that kind of scrutiny, but Anna had sought it out, had actively pursued it by setting up dates and appearances with the help of her agent and publicist to ensure she had maximum exposure. And she had made it, but at what expense?

What was reality? Did it matter when she could shape it into whatever she wanted it to be? Did she even know what it was anymore, who she was anymore? Or had she completely lost herself in trying to be someone else?

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