Kitabı oku: «Redemption of a Hollywood Starlet»

“Just because I wasn’t consulted before you were brought on board, don’t think for a second that I haven’t verified you can actually pull this off. This film is my responsibility, and Rebecca falls outside your known range.”

Cait’s jaw tightened. Oh, he’d hit a nerve with that one.

She recovered quickly, though. She always did. She stood and stepped away from the bench before turning on him. “You know, if you spent more time actually working, and less time playing beach blanket bingo in Europe, you might not have to find out what’s happening with your own projects after the fact.”

The disdain in her voice chased off any desire he’d had to play nice. Where did Cait get off, acting all high and mighty? “So you’ve been keeping up with my love-life? That’s kind of … sad, actually.”

“Oh, please. Would you get over yourself? The last thing I care about is who you’re sleeping with now. I’m here for one reason and one reason only. And, believe me, it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with you.”

Dear Reader

Writing this letter to you makes me quite sad, as it means that my time with the Marshall family has come to an end. There’s always a little twinge of that every time I say goodbye to characters—by this point in the process I’ve spent so much time with them that it’s hard to let them go. But the Marshall brothers have been with me for three books now—almost a year of my life—and I’m feeling this loss a little harder than usual.

I adore all three Marshall brothers equally, but Finn holds a special place in my heart. He’s the black sheep, the wild child, the one no one really understands but everyone can’t help but love. While these traits are part of what makes Finn so irresistible, they also made it hard for me to figure out who his heroine would be. She couldn’t be your average girl-next-door. Finn needed a heroine who wouldn’t be overly impressed by his fame and fortune, or fazed by his fast-lane celebrity lifestyle. She had to be able to keep up, and connect with him personally and professionally. Cait met all my criteria nicely—and brought the sparks into this story!

I hope you enjoy Finn and Cait’s adventure, and that the Marshall brothers have been as much fun for you to read about as they were for me to write.

All my best

Kimberly

About the Author

KIMBERLY LANG hid romance novels behind her textbooks in junior high, and even a Master’s programme in English couldn’t break her obsession with dashing heroes and happily-ever-after. A ballet dancer turned English teacher, Kimberly married an electrical engineer and turned her life into an ongoing episode of When Dilbert Met Frasier. She and her Darling Geek live in beautiful North Alabama, with their one Amazing Child—who, unfortunately, shows an aptitude for sports.

Visit Kimberly at www.booksbykimberly.com for the latest news—and don’t forget to say hi while you’re there!

Recent titles by the same author:

THE POWER AND THE GLORY

Kimberly also writes for Mills & Boon^® RIVA™. Her titles include:

THE PRIVILEGED AND THE DAMNED

GIRLS’ GUIDE TO FLIRTING WITH DANGER

Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

Redemption of
a Hollywood
Starlet

Kimberly Lang

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Happy first birthday to James,

my gorgeous, brilliant and sweet nephew.

I have every confidence that

you will grow up to be a hero.

CHAPTER ONE

HE’D only been gone for three weeks. When he’d left, everything for this film had been fine and in place, but a mere twenty-one days later he’d returned to find the entire project sliding into hell.

Finn Marshall sat back in his chair in the trailer that served as their temporary offices while they were on location here in Maryland and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He was jetlagged and had hoped to have a couple of hours of sleep before he had to be in D.C. for the fundraiser tonight, but that wasn’t looking to be in his cards. He had to sort out this God-awful mess first, and the more he heard, the less likely it seemed he’d even make it to his brother’s in time to shower first.

Dolby Martin, his partner in Dolfinn Pictures, seemed remarkably upbeat for someone who had just rammed the Titanic into the iceberg. “We’ve been filming for a week now, and we’re almost back on schedule.”

Finn took a deep breath and tried to remember it would do no good at all to punch Dolby in the mouth. “And you saw no reason to tell me any of this while it was unfolding?”

“You needed to concentrate on getting us those permissions to shoot, and really there was nothing you could do from Monaco, anyway.”

“I could have talked Cindy down.”

“After Farrell told her he’d seen better acting in low-budget porn? Sorry, Finn, not even you could have charmed that snake back into the basket.” Dolby shrugged. “Personally, though, I wasn’t sad to see her go. I’ll bet Cindy’s in rehab before the premiere, and would you really want that hanging over the release?”

Dolby had a point, as much as Finn hated to admit it. Cindy had been perfect for the part of Rebecca: the right looks and a strong talent, coupled with a name guaranteed to get attention without overshadowing the leads. She’d sworn that she was clean the day they’d signed the contract, but he’d seen this story too many times before.

Maybe it was for the best. Technically, Dolby and the director had done the right thing, finding a replacement quickly and getting her on the next plane to Baltimore so that production was not shut down for long. On a professional level, Finn should be pleased. He should even be personally touched that Dolby understood the importance of this film to him and had reacted quickly to mitigate the damages. But Cait Reese? He shook his head. Focus on what’s important.

“Caitlyn has been a real life-saver and a complete pro. She had her script memorized in days and jumped straight into rehearsals. Wait until you see what we have in the can already. She’s perfect for Rebecca. Better than Cindy, even.”

Finn didn’t necessarily agree. The Cait he remembered was too primal and wild. She’d been able to channel that into light frothy characters, but the earthy, quiet strength of Rebecca? It had been three years, but …

“Trust me, Finn. You’re going to be really pleased.”

“If you honestly believed that, you wouldn’t have signed her to Folly behind my back.” He picked up his phone and scrolled through the voice mail messages. “Naomi is fit to be tied. You want to hear?”

“I’ve heard enough, thanks. Naomi doesn’t want to share her spotlight with anyone. She’s a real diva.”

“That’s a privilege she’s earned and one we’ll tolerate to keep her happy on this film.”

Naomi Harte was one of the biggest names in Hollywood right now, and based on star power alone she had no reason to worry about anyone stealing any of her limelight. But this was personal for Naomi, too. She and Cait had launched at about the same time, and their rivalry went back to the years when they’d both still been playing teenagers in high-school romantic comedies and slasher films. Cait had always managed to stay a rung above Naomi on the ladder, though, her trajectory seemingly unstoppable until she’d flamed out so spectacularly. Many people said that Naomi wouldn’t be where she was today if Cait hadn’t left town when she had—and Naomi knew that. They were probably right.

“You know there’s bad blood between Naomi and Cait. Did you intend to turn the set into a battlefield?”

Dolby snickered. “It’s actually working out well. Naomi’s real-life problems with Caitlyn make their on-screen animosity even more realistic.”

“And Cait?” She wasn’t one to keep her mouth closed or her opinions to herself.

“Is being far more adult about this. Caitlyn has been very up front about her desire to re-create herself and relaunch her career. Folly is the perfect vehicle for her return, and she’s not too proud to admit that.”

Folly might be perfect for Cait, but Cait might not be perfect for Folly. He wasn’t in the business of providing starlets with second chances. Especially with a project like Folly. He had too much invested—professionally and personally—to let this become some kind of experiment.

“I’m still not sure Cait is the smart choice here.”

“I gave Farrell full directorly discretion to find the right person for the role and make sure it was someone he could tolerate. Caitlyn was his choice, and unless she decides she wants out of her contract we’re bound.” Dolby shook his head in censure. “I’m not courting her parents’ wrath because you don’t want your ex on the set. I like my career, thanks very much.”

Talk about having the tables turned. All his life he’d been the one no one wanted to cross out of fear of retaliation from his family. That was simply one of the perks of being a Marshall. But the Marshalls ruled the East Coast. In L.A., John Reese and Margaret Fields-Reese were the sitting monarchy. It wasn’t false pride or ego to say that he was pretty damn influential in the business, but even he couldn’t touch the power of Cait’s parents. One day, maybe, but not today.

“Anyway,” Dolby continued, “all reports indicate that Caitlyn is sober and stable now.”

Caitlyn had never had a problem—beyond partying a little too hard—and he wasn’t one to throw stones there. The press had just played it up until she’d looked like a good candidate for rehab in order to sell papers. She’d been all but set up to crash if she slipped even the tiniest bit. “I’m sure she is, but that won’t stop the press from going insane with this.”

Dolby’s grin didn’t help Finn’s mood much. “The buzz is amazing. Between the return of the exiled princess and the possibility of a Naomi-Caitlyn catfight, everyone is talking about Folly already.”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Dolby laughed. “You have to admit the possibility of a Finn and Caitlyn reunion will make all kinds of headlines.”

“Which is exactly why you should have consulted me before you signed her.”

“If we have to avoid your exes every time we try to cast a film, pretty soon there won’t be an actress under thirty available to us.”

But Cait wasn’t just any ex. She was the one ex that made all his other exes look like good choices. The bitterness surprised him. “I don’t want my personal life making more news than this project.”

That sobered Dolby. “Folly will stand on its own.”

Dolby was an idiot occasionally, but he, too, took pride in Dolfinn’s reputation. The Folly of the Fury might be Finn’s pet project, but Dolby was committed one hundred percent.

“I know it will, but since we just stepped into soap-opera-waiting-to-happen territory, I want everyone crystal-clear in their understanding of what will and won’t fly around here. All the drama needs to be kept on camera.”

“Agreed.”

Finn sincerely hoped it would be that simple.

Caitlyn Reese breathed the humid night air deep into her lungs as the door swung shut behind her and the noise and lights of the party inside died as if she’d hit a mute button. She’d done well in there—she knew that—but she needed a few moments of relief from the stress of the evening. Looking around, she was happy to see that the terrace was deserted—not that she was surprised. Between the heat and the fact that anybody who was anyone was inside … The air-conditioning inside was almost worth the noise, but she crossed to the balustrade, anyway, and leaned against it as she exhaled.

She chuckled to herself when she realized her hands weren’t quite steady. She’d been mingling at cocktail parties since before she could walk, so there was no real reason to let a simple fundraiser—regardless of the prestige of the guest list—to give her stage fright. And the crowd was friendly enough. Whatever they might think of her personally, no one was stupid enough to do anything that might limit their access to her parents and her parents’ friends. There was way too much Hollywood money they’d like to see in their campaign coffers at stake for anyone to treat her with anything other than friendly respect.

Maybe a D.C. charity fundraiser peopled by the city’s social register was exactly the right place for her to make her first official reappearance. Her plan was working out better than hoped for. She wanted to call someone and share her success, but she wasn’t exactly close with anyone on this continent anymore, and it was the middle of the night in London. Her parents both happened to have releases this month, so they were on their respective junkets and she had no idea what their schedules were like. Even if she did have someone to call, she wasn’t sure what she’d say. My career may not be dead anymore? Oh, well. She shrugged and smiled. She was still proud of herself.

“Miss Reese?”

Caitlyn turned to see that she wasn’t alone now. The tall blond man she’d been speaking to earlier was approaching her with a cautious smile on his face. She racked her brain for his name. He worked for one of the congressmen, and he was a big fan of her parents’ work, knew all of her movies … Bits of their conversation came back to her, but not his name. He’d been a little over-enthusiastic, bordering on creepy, and the fact they were now quite alone didn’t sit well.

Be nice, but not too nice. “Hi, again.”

“I saw you leaving.” His forehead crinkled in concern. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just needed a little air. It’s a little crowded in there.”

He nodded. “It’s a good turnout, so that’s good for the fundraising part. But it does make it hard to really talk to people.” The man stepped a little closer than was comfortable. Caitlyn eased back a step herself. “And I very much enjoyed talking to you.”

She nodded slightly, not wanting to encourage him with anything more.

“In fact, I’d like to take you to dinner so we can get to know each other better.”

Caitlyn kept her face neutral even as alarm bells began to clang faintly. Don’t overreact. Give him the benefit of the doubt. She took another step back, anyway. “My schedule is quite tight, I’m afraid.”

“How about tonight, then, since you’re already here. There’s a nice bistro not far away …”

She shook her head. This shouldn’t be happening here. The guest list was very exclusive and supposedly kept situations like this from even coming up. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

He was not to be deterred by the gentle brush-off, though. Maybe she was overreacting, but the alarm bells rang louder as he leaned closer and she smelled the alcohol on his breath.

“Then we’ll talk here.”

“Actually, I was just about to go back inside when you caught me.” She picked up her purse and indicated they should walk. “Shall we?”

“Miss Reese …” He didn’t take the hint, so she moved past him. “Caitlyn, wait, damn it.”

She was two steps past him when he caught her arm and tried to stop her with a too-tight-to-be-casual grip. At that moment he crossed the line. Her training kicked in, and a second later he was on his knees whimpering in pain from the way Caitlyn had his fingers pulled back. “Do not touch me. We don’t know each other well enough for that, so it’s quite rude.”

“I just wanted to talk to you.”

She tightened her grip just enough to make him gasp and understand that she was serious. “That’s not going to happen. You’re going to go back inside so that I don’t have to have you arrested for assault and make a scene in front of all those people.”

At his nod of assent she released his fingers and he flexed his fingers experimentally. “No need to be such a bitch about it.”

This was not what she’d signed on for tonight. “Go away. I’m done talking to you.” She stepped away and pinned him with a stare that hopefully would convince him she meant business. The adrenaline pumping through her system left her shaky but energized.

“Caitlyn …”

“I think Cait was very clear in her instructions. I suggest you do as you were told.”

The voice hit her like a brick wall. Her stomach sank at the same time electricity sizzled up her spine. Damn, damn, damn. This was not how she’d planned on seeing him again.

Maybe it wasn’t him. It had been three years; she’d probably just confused his voice with a stranger’s. She’d been tense about seeing him, and her mind was surely just playing tricks on her. Because anything else would just be really unfair. Holding on to that hope, Caitlyn looked over her shoulder as the owner of the voice emerged from the shadows.

Finn.

Great. What had she done to karma to deserve this? She just seemed destined to have Finn a part of all the times of her life she’d just like to forget.

At least Finn wouldn’t blab about what he’d just witnessed to the papers. It was a small consolation, and Caitlyn grabbed on to it like a life raft in the swirl of emotions and memories that low, rich voice stirred up.

She could tell the guy—she still couldn’t remember his name—recognized Finn, which wasn’t surprising since Finn garnered almost as much press as the stars in the films he produced. And, of course, everyone on the planet knew about her past with Finn. The double whammy for her admirer, though, had to come from Finn’s family ties: smart people didn’t make enemies of the Marshalls. Especially if they wanted any kind of future in politics. They were simply too powerful a family to mess with.

But this guy, proving again he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, got belligerent instead. “This is a private conversation, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, I mind.” Disdain dripped off Finn’s words.

The men sized each other up, and Caitlyn couldn’t help but do the same. She hadn’t exactly forgotten Finn—how could she?—but reality was slapping her in the face now. Finn could give his leading men a run for their money when it came to heartthrob status. He had strong, aristocratic features made less harsh by a deep tan earned from his love of all things outdoors. His dark blond hair had sun-bleached lighter streaks, and, as always, it had that casual windblown look that all men who weren’t Finn had to work hard to achieve. The dim light made it hard to see the color of his eyes, but she knew how their deep green could suck a girl in and melt her insides.

Finn had a good four inches in height on her admirer and, while both men were lean, he looked athletic and strong even in his suit. He might have the bluest of blue blood in his veins, but he had an edge that belied the DNA—not enough to make him look out of place in the throng of political and social elite inside, but it certainly set him apart.

It made the red-faced young man look ridiculous even trying to match up. He just fell short all the way around.

And his scowl was nothing compared to Finn’s.

Which brought her nicely back to the real problem at hand. Finn had an odd gallant streak when it came to damsels in distress. At the right time it could be endearing—sweet, even—but this was not the right time for Finn to channel his inner caveman.

“I distinctly heard Cait tell you she was done talking. Do you really need to resort to assault?”

What’s-his-name bristled visibly. Lord, the man was too stupid to realize the danger lurking behind Finn’s controlled cadence. She knew better, though, and launched into damage control before this got worse. “That was just a—”

“I know what that was, Cait,” Finn snapped. He took her arm and moved her a few feet farther away, putting himself between her and the man like a bodyguard. He looked her up and down, then asked quietly, “Are you okay?”

“She’s fine,” the other man answered testily. “It’s just a misunderstanding.”

Finn’s green eyes flicked in his direction. He obviously wasn’t impressed with the man. “I didn’t ask you.”

He puffed up like a blowfish and Finn squared his shoulders. With all the testosterone in the air, this was about to get ugly.

Caitlyn cleared her throat. “I’m fine, Finn, thanks. And I would like us to all go our separate ways now so that this just remains between the three of us. There’s a lot of press and a lot of people inside who don’t need to be party to this.”

Finn’s eyes narrowed as he looked her over. “Are you sure?”

She nodded and saw Finn un-bow his shoulders a little bit as he released her arm. “Fine. No sense embarrassing you unnecessarily.”

Thank goodness. “I’d appreciate that.”

He turned to the other man, who seemed to get younger and weaker-looking as each second ticked by. “Go.”

He shot them both a dirty look, then stalked away. She heard the noise of the crowd inside as the door opened, and then silence, blissful silence, broken only by the sound of the traffic on DuPont Circle, settled over the balcony again.

Caitlyn moved to sit on the bench against the balustrade and sighed as she pushed her hair back from her face. She needed a minute to get herself back together. First that guy, then Finn … It was all a little too much to process in such a short time.

“What the hell were you thinking, Cait?”

The heat in his voice hit her like a slap across the face. “Excuse me?”

Finn stood in front of her and crossed his arms over his chest. She could see the muscle in his jaw twitching. “What were you doing out here alone? Where’s the damn security?”

How dare he jump on her over this? She gritted her teeth to hold her temper in check. “They’re probably inside with everyone else—which is kind of the point, because I wanted a moment alone.”

“Have you lost your mind? You don’t get to decide to be ‘alone’ in a place like this.”

“A place like this? It’s a cocktail party, Finn, not a drug den. A ‘place like this’ should be the one place I can grab a minute to myself without worry.”

Finn didn’t seem to hear her. He was too busy glaring. “Then when some guy assaults you you try to arm wrestle him yourself instead of calling for help?”

“Like anyone would have heard me inside even if I did.” Finn’s eyes narrowed and the thin thread holding her temper snapped. Anger surged through her. “I didn’t want to make a scene. And you’ll please note I had the situation under control just fine before you even made your entrance.” She lifted her chin. “If you want to play the hero, you might want to work on your timing.”

He frowned. “You should know better.”

“Why do you care?”

Finn’s eyebrows went up, but before he could answer a door opened and three people came out to the balcony. They passed without speaking, but Caitlyn felt her face flush, anyway. She did not need to be seen in a shouting match with Finn. The list of things she didn’t need was growing longer each day. Maybe signing on to this project wasn’t the best idea, after all.

No. Folly is perfect. It’s a gift, so don’t screw it up. And, since Finn was running this project, she’d have to swallow her anger and pride and act like a professional.

Caitlyn forced herself to smile. “However, I appreciate your concern and will keep your warnings in mind for the future.”

There. That was the proper thing to say to set the right tone for their future working relationship. She was pleased she’d made the effort. The look on Finn’s face was just a bonus.

She thought he might be about to say something more, but Finn just shrugged, a signature movement showing that this was no longer worth his time. “So, who was that guy, anyway?”

She looked around. While more people had drifted onto the terrace, no one seemed to be paying them undue attention. She had to quit worrying so much about that. There was nothing attention-worthy about her and Finn speaking together. They had to: they were coworkers, colleagues working on Folly. There was nothing remotely scandalous about the two of them talking.

At a respectable distance from each other, of course.

“I don’t know his name. All I really know is that he’s a fan of the whole Reese clan and that he works for someone in Congress.” The eyebrow that went up told her that Finn would be able to provide a name shortly, and she almost felt a touch of sympathy for the young man. “We spoke briefly inside. Obviously that wasn’t enough for him.”

“Obviously.”

“I think he’s had a couple of drinks, and we all do stupid things after we’ve had a couple of drinks, you know.” Finn seemed to agree to that with a minuscule tilt of his head, and she blew out her breath in a long sigh.

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

“I’m fine, Finn, really. It was a surprise, but that’s all. I appreciate your rescue, but I doubt he would have pressed it much further. I probably just overreacted. Either way, I think I managed to convince him that I’m serious.”

Finn chuckled and the sound rolled over her like a remembered caress. “If not, he’s amazingly dense. Nice moves, by the way.”

“Thanks. After that thing with Mom’s stalker two years ago, she and Dad made me take some self-defense classes and work with a trainer. It’s the first time I’ve ever had to put it to the test, though. Things were different in London. Fewer people knew who I was, so the weirdo potential was way down. It was a wake-up call I probably needed.”

“Hell of a way to be welcomed home.”

She swallowed as Finn came to sit next to her. There was still a respectable distance separating them, but that didn’t stop her heart-rate from jumping up a notch. Speaking of being welcomed home … She’d thought about this moment a thousand times, planned a million witty and clever things to say that would put their past behind them, show she’d moved on and had her career firmly back on track. All those clever words eluded her now, damn it. But she had to say something or else look like an idiot.

She looked around, appreciating the dim quiet of the terrace and the view of D.C. beyond. A full moon topped the Washington Monument like a candle flame. “Beautiful view.” Well, that wasn’t exactly inspired.

Based on the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, Finn agreed with that assessment. “Indeed.”

“This is my first time in D.C., believe it or not. I’m hoping to have some time to do a little sightseeing.”

“If you want tours of the Capitol or the White House let Liz know. She can call my father’s office and get it arranged for you.”

She swallowed her shock. Finn rarely acknowledged his paternity, so the casual mention of Senator Marshall came straight from left field. Or maybe Finn and his father were on better terms now. Things could have changed. “I appreciate that.”

This all seemed so normal. Two people sitting on a terrace, chatting. But it wasn’t normal. This was Finn, and the proverbial gorilla sat between them, so the situation made her jumpy instead. Finn, though, seemed to be willing to ignore the past—or at least pretend that they were friendly strangers—so she was enough of an adult to do the same. If he wasn’t going to bring it up, she should just thank her lucky stars and do the same.

“I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.” That was only partly true. She’d known there was a chance he’d be here; Dolfinn Pictures supported the summer camp program, after all. Because of that, the cast of Folly had come in an attempt to bring more attention to the fundraiser. But Finn normally avoided D.C. like the plague, and he’d been in Monaco for the last three weeks. Donor or not, the chances of him showing up had been slim. This kind of event wasn’t Finn’s idea of a good time. His scene was still more club than cocktail.

“Well, I have to put in an occasional appearance at things to keep the Grands happy.”

Finn’s grandmother sat on the board, and both she and her husband, the legendary Senator Marshall, were here tonight. Porter Marshall had held the office for decades before retiring and handing it over to his son, Finn’s father.

The former senator was far more personable than Caitlyn had expected, and when she’d learned this evening that The Folly of the Fury was his favorite book, they’d had a lovely conversation about the importance of the book and character of Rebecca. Mrs. Marshall, though … That had been a slightly uncomfortable moment: although they’d never met at the time, Regina Marshall obviously recognized Caitlyn’s name from before. While she hadn’t been anything other than polite, Caitlyn had the sneaking feeling she was on probation with the regal matriarch of this powerful family.

Which was fine, because Caitlyn had no intention of screwing this up.

She had way too much on the line.