Fame (39 page)

But there was something he couldn’t quite figure out.

Why couldn’t he get Katy Hart out of his mind?

It didn’t matter, of course. He hadn’t heard from her since she’d gone home. By now she was probably in the middle of the run of plays for Tom Sawyer, celebrating the kids and their ability to rise to her direction. He stared at the way the moon played across the surf. If he looked long enough the shimmery lights weren’t a reflection at all, but Katy, her eyes shining as she laughed with him that day at Pepperdine.

Of course, there was no point thinking this way.

He straightened and let the breeze blow over him. He and Katy Hart were in two different worlds, worlds so far apart there could never be any passage between them. Fame was an island, a strange, isolated place where people bought eighty-thousand- dollar watches and spent thousands of dollars every week at fancy spas and department stores, a place where the so-called privileged changed wives the way people in Katy’s world changed hairstyles.

Fame had cost him everything, and still he stayed, still he kept on, unable and unwilling to leave it. On the island, there would never be any connection with the Baxters and no relationship

with Katy. But that was the way of things.

Even so his life wasn’t without hope.

He liked Kelly enough. They had almost everything in common, especially now that they were working together. Also they’d talked about spiritual things, and though she wasn’t as interested as he was, she was willing to explore the options. This week she had promised him they could go to a Kabbalah center together.

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So life wasn’t all bad.

It just wasn’t all he had hoped for, the way he had thought— for a brief time—it might actually be. Back when he thought Katy Hart might not only be his leading lady but the love of his life.

The thought was ridiculous, of course.

People on the island could never really mix with mainlanders. But tonight Katy’s face haunted him, wouldn’t leave him alone, and he wondered something that made him feel sad and old and trapped. He wondered whether one day soon he’d forget about Katy, whether he would compromise to the point that Kelly Parker would be enough for him.

Or whether he’d spend the rest of his life wondering about a girl from Bloomington, Indiana.

A girl he would’ve loved if given the chance.

A girl named Katy Hart.

It was opening night for Tom Sawyer, and Katy couldn’t wait for the curtain to part. The play had come together, the way her plays always did. Never mind that it had gotten off to a rough start. As of dress rehearsal the night before, the show was so strong it brought tears to her eyes. Tears and one absolute truth.

She’d made the right decision by coming back to Bloomington. In the weeks since she’d been home, the kids had formed a bond as cast mates and friends. Sarah Jo was perfect in her part, and whatever her mother was telling her behind the scenes, it no longer dragged her down at rehearsals. Tim Reed and Ashley Zarelli were perfect as Tom and Aunt Polly, and a special friendship seemed to have formed between Tim and Bailey Flanigan.

The people of CKT were a family in many ways, and most of all they were her family. A group that brought richness to her life 334

that could not have been gained by any acting part or by allow ing herself to fall for Dayne Matthews.

Her one regret was that she’d kissed him so easily on the beach that night.

Kissing meant more than that to her; it always had. But somehow alone with him at Paradise Cove it had seemed the most natural thing to kiss him back. Seconds had passed before she came to her senses, and for that she was ashamed.

Some nights she felt so bad about it she almost called him to clear things up.

But he would only think she was strange. He was used to girls giving in to his every whim. He probably saw her as just one more on a list of women he was mildly attracted to.

In the end, that was the reason she didn’t call. By now he would’ve forgotten about her, anyway. Kelly Parker had gotten the part; Katy read about it in one of the gossip magazines. After a lifetime of not reading them, she’d bought one every week since she came home—mostly to stare at the stories in horror and thank God that she hadn’t taken the part.

The pictures of her with Dayne ran a couple weeks after she returned home. The images were dark and shadowy, but the headline was just what Dayne had guessed it would be: “Mystery Woman Makes Out with Dayne Matthews on the Beach!” She figured no one had seen it until one day at practice when Rhonda Sanders unfolded it from her backpack.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Rhonda had wanted every detail when she came back, but Katy hadn’t said much.

“I told you, we were almost killed.” Katy gave Rhonda a half smile. “There isn’t much more to it. God wanted me to come back, and here I am.”

Rhonda raised an eyebrow. “Nothing much happened, huh?” Katy didn’t try to deny it. Instead she hung her head for a mo ment before meeting her friend’s eyes.

“It was only a kiss, but it was wrong.”

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Katy was downstairs in the greenroom now, trying to keep the kids from bursting at the seams from excitement. Tim and his gang of Tom Sawyer followers were being rubbed down with stage dirt, their hair teased and brushed so they would look unkempt.

Sarah Jo came up to her as she was making her rounds, checking on last-minute details. “Katy?”

She turned around and gasped. “Sarah Jo, you look beautiful. I don’t remember that dress at the rehearsal yesterday.”

“It wasn’t there.” Sarah Jo looked down, clearly embarrassed, “My mom bought it for me, She thought the dress she’d made me before was.., well, a little too plain.”

Katy gritted her teeth. Alice Stryker wasn’t going to ruin her opening night.

She smoothed the white blouse and silk scarf she was wearing and smiled at Sarah Jo. “Sweetheart, the dress is perfect. Tell your mother thank you.”

A smile lit Sarah Jo’s face. “Okay, Katy. Thanks.”

They played to a full house tonight, and the show was amazing. The only mistake came during the fence-painting scene, When the actors moved their paintbrushes against the fence, a few girls on the backstage crew were supposed to work from behind to make a white stripe appear on the fence for the audience.

Done right, the effect was fantastic, making it look as if the boys in Tom’s gang were actually painting the fence. But tonight the actors were still talking about painting the fence when suddenly a white section moved magically up the center of one board. The problem remained until Tim anchored himself on the edge of the fence and between his lines whispered for the girls to change the fence back again.

The audience got a good laugh out of the mistake, and the cast worked through it. Katy didn’t mind. This was the part of live theater she loved so much. It was unpredictable, and with children it was even more so.

When the play was over, the Flanigans found her. Jenny gave 336

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her a long-stem rose and her best smile. “It was wonderful, Katy. Another phenomenal job.” She leaned in. “It was perfectly cast. You’re the best.”

When the Flanigans moved on, Katy felt a wave of emotion wash over her. Only with God at the center could a mom watch her daughter take a lesser role and know in the end that it was for the best.

The foyer of the theater was packed, the parents dressed to the nines the way Katy asked them to dress on opening night. She squeezed her way through, saying hello to one parent or student after another. Finally she reached the place where the actors

were autographing the programs for starstruck kids.

For a moment Katy studied the scene.

This was the way it should be—a simple admiration, but one that would pass as soon as the next play got started up. She was about to move farther into the foyer when Ashley Baxter Blake approached her. She was still tanned and happy, glowing the way she had ever since she returned from her honeymoon cruise.

“The play was brilliant.” Ashley’s eyes grew wide as she took hold of Katy’s shoulders. “I can’t believe the magic you worked on these kids.”

Katy pointed straight up. “I get a little help!”

“I know just what you mean.” Ashley grinned. “Let’s get together sometime for coffee.”

“I’d like that.” Katy smiled. “I think we’d have a lot to talk about.”

The conversations continued, and finally near the stairs back by the greenroom, Rhonda Sanders found her. The two rushed together in an embrace that put the coda on all their hard work. “We did it! It was beautiful, Katy. Perfect!”

They were going over the highlights of the play when Heath Hudson joined them.

Beside him was a handsome guy, a friend of his named Doug Lake. Katy hugged Heath and thanked him

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for helping with the soundboard. Meanwhile, Doug started a conversation with Rhonda.

After a few minutes, Heath led Katy a little closer to Doug and Rhonda. “Hey.”

He nodded to his friend. “Doug and I wanna take you and Rhonda out for ice cream.” He shrugged. ‘If you don’t have anything else going on.”

Rhonda gave her the slightest eyebrow raise, her way of saying yes, she’d like to go. Katy smiled at Heath. “That’d be great.”

The trip to the ice-cream parlor was more fun than Katy had expected. Yes, once in a while she still wondered about Dayne Matthews. But only in a curious sort of way. What he might be doing and whether Kelly was playing the part the way Dayne wanted it played. That kind of thing.

Dayne was make-believe in her life, a moment that sometimes felt like it never happened at all. But Heath Hudson… Heath was real. Maybe it would take time to develop feelings for someone like Heath, but if that night was any indication, the feelings could come.

When Katy’s head hit her pillow it was with a full heart. Things were good in her life—very good. God had spared her in more ways than one, and now she was exactly where she belonged. Tom Sawyer still had twelve more shows running, and then they would get ready for their fall production. The play would be Annie, and auditions would start in just three weeks.

Katy smiled into the dark night. She could hardly wait for auditions.

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A WORD FROM KAREN KINGSBURY

DEAR READER FRIENDS,

I’m thrilled to be at the beginning of this new adventure—the Firstborn series.

By now you understand the dynamic setup for Dayne Matthews, Katy Hart, and the Baxter family.

There are tenuous secrets that hang in the closets of Dayne Matthews and John Baxter. If they come to light, everyone around them will be changed forever. If not, then lifelong heartache will result.

As for this, the first book, it was obviously an exploration into the world of the famous. But not only that. It was a look at the people who desire fame, the mesmerizing allure of the wealth and power at the center of the world where America’s most well-known people live out their lives.

Nearly everyone has—at one time or another—wanted to be famous. A famous singer or actor or dancer, a famous politician or astronaut. But what comes with that fame? “What does our modern-day society do to those people? The cost is always high, much like it is for Dayne Matthews. He has family in Bloomington, people he might love and build a life with, but he’s afraid to make the call.

Certain their two worlds could never mix.

How many of you are in that situation? Maybe it isn’t a secret you’re keeping from the people you love. You might not be famous and afraid of paparazzi, but you have fears all the same. Fears that keep you from the ones you care about most.

Maybe you have something in your heart, deep feelings or compliments or admiration. But you’re afraid to bring those thoughts to light. If that’s where you’re at, let me encourage you. Love must be in the light if it’s to be love at all. Make the phone call, write the letter, offer forgiveness where it’s needed.

The urgency of our days is one of the things I love talking about most when I have the chance to speak to groups around

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the country. There is no waiting until tomorrow when it comes to the people we care about, the people God has put in our lives. If you are a parent, then put down the newspaper. Get on the floor with your children while they’re still little enough to want you down there.

Play and sing and laugh with abandon, for tomorrow will come soon enough.

My youngest son said something to me the other day, some thing I’ll remember forever. The day was beautiful—crisp December air and a brilliant blue sky. But the sun sets early in the winter, and Austin knew that all too well. “Mommy—”

he looked up at the fading afternoonm”why’s the sun in such a hurry to go away?”

Time moves fast. The opportunities of today will be nothing but a memory tomorrow.

That said, I can tell you that I could hardly wait to pull Katy Hart back to Bloomington and away from the strange and bizarre world of Hollywood and fame. I studied the gossip magazines, appalled at the things written about these people.

I found myself

hurting for the megastars who are scrutinized so closely. How could any sort of normalcy exist in that arena?

I can hardly wait to bring you the next pieces of Dayne’s story, the next chapters involving Katy Hart, the Flanigans, and the Baxter family. So much lies ahead, so many triumphs and tough times, so much to learn, and so many ways in which these char acters will be stretched and tested.

I have good news for you! As you remember, the Redemption series had a total of five books. Now the same is true for the Firstborn series and the books after that—the Sunrise series. They will release about every three months and will include the following:

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FIRSTBORN SERIES Fame

Forgiven

Found

Family

Forever

SUNRISE SERIES Sunrise

Summer

Soldier

Someday

Sunset

These, I’m certain, will be some of the best books I’ve written, because I can feel God breathing life into the plotlines. characters, writing the stories on the pages of my heart even