When Dreams Come True (The Star Series Book 1) (24 page)

“Lissa, it’s not what you think.”

“Then fill me in already.”

“He didn’t break my heart. I broke his.”

Hannah had been right; Will had done what she had said and more for the trip to Boston. It was actually a good thing he did, because there were more press and paparazzi around than she would have ever thought possible. Once they found out Will wasn’t with her most of them disappeared, although a few hoped to dig up some kind of scandal about her and stuck around. Then there were some who were generally interested in her and her work and wanted to interview her.

Something good did come from her going to Boston, though: she found her voice. Just like in telling a story, everyone had their own specific voice, and she’d found hers when it came to the press. Luckily, they had some extra time built into their schedule as Boston was one of her and Hannah’s favorite places to go, so she was able to sit down and do some extensive interviews.

Heading back to Chicago for the final week of the shoot, Lissa couldn’t wait to see Will. It had been just over two days since they were together, but it felt like longer. She didn’t want to admit it to anyone, but being away from him had wrecked her. She’d hardly gotten any sleep. There was something about staying in a hotel which brought back Paris, then adding the fact he wasn’t there… Her brain wouldn’t shut off long enough for her to fall asleep, or stay asleep.

She was also worried about Hannah. After she admitted she’d broken Royce’s heart, she became tight-lipped and wouldn’t say another word. Lissa was tempted to call him herself and see what else was going on, but she knew he’d call her on the fact she hadn’t said anything to Will yet about how Paris was still affecting her. So she took the chicken way out and hoped Hannah would come to her before she’d have to call Royce.

It was strange how quickly she’d gotten used to people calling her name and taking her picture. Having the security around helped, which she hated to admit, especially going through a busy airport like O’Hare. When they got to the car, she shouldn’t have been surprised when Will was there, grabbing her and pulling her down so she was sitting on his lap. When the door closed behind her, she frowned at him. “What about Hannah?”

“Well, hello, darling. It’s so nice to see you, too. I’ve missed you so.” He held her tighter and kissed the side of her neck.

“Yes, all that and more, but what about Hannah?”

“There’s another car for her.”

“Why?”

Will sighed. “Why do you think? Because I wanted to spend time alone with you. I didn’t want her to be uncomfortable as I sat here with you on my lap and not being able to keep my hands or lips off you.”

Lissa grinned. “Oh, well then, in that case don’t let me stop those hands or lips from doing what they do best.”

“If I must, I must.”

“You must, you must.”

As they got closer to wrapping the movie, Lissa had more and more mixed emotions. While she knew she wasn’t going to have to say good-bye to Will, since they’d still be traveling together, it was bittersweet to see the movie come to an end.
It’s almost like a summer camp feeling.
You spend so much time with a small group of people and you form a bond, but then you all have to go back home and you don’t know if you’ll see each other ever again.

She, of course, was worried about the movie. She constantly wondered if anyone would really like it or if it would be a bomb and no one would ever make another one of her books into a movie again. But she also looked on the bright side: someone had actually made one of her books into a movie. She compared it to the moment she’d held her first paperback in her hand. It made it all real, that one book would be around, people would buy it and then put it on their bookshelves. They’d buy the digital copy and it would be on their device, or in the cloud, and they could read it whenever. She’d touched someone, and they’d carry her book inside of them. Of course, she hoped they’d like it and it would be a positive memory. And it would be the same way with the movie. There’d be someone out there who’d watch it and it would mean everything to them. It even had the potential to be someone’s favorite movie of all time. Just like each and every book she wrote, the possibility was there, as well.

Most of her time was spent worrying about Hannah and trying to get information from Will and Beau about Royce without making it seem out of the ordinary or having Hannah overhear. She’d just found out earlier that night about the fact that Royce and Will would be filming another movie together the next year. Hannah didn’t know yet, and Lissa was stressing about when to tell her.

With all those thoughts going through her mind, she was surprised when she started to become drowsy. Curled up in Will’s arms, she closed her eyes and hoped she’d sleep through the night. She knew her body, and mind, needed it.

The dream started out as it always did. She was in the small café in Paris getting her and Beau some coffee. There was the old man telling the tourist about the history of the building and how he’d met his wife at that table sixty years before. If she hadn’t stopped to listen to part of his story and then decided to add pastries to her order, she would have been gone before the man came through. But she did, and in slow motion one of the cups started to tip as the bag began to slip out of her hands. Before she could stop it, the coffee spilled and the man slid and fell. Quicker than anyone thought possible he was up and swinging a gun around, ordering them all to put their hands up.

There was a mother with a young child in her arms across from her, fear in her eyes as she tried to calm the wiggling child. Lissa heart was breaking and she did what she could to distract the boy until the man came up to her and backhanded her across the face, telling her to pay attention and get down on the ground.

Because Lissa had been in disguise she was wearing more jewelry than normal, so she reached out a hand and let the child play with the pretty bracelets which caught the lights and reflected. It worked for a little while.

That was when the dream changed, where everything went wrong. First the old man tried talking to the gunman, and he was shot. Then the child wouldn’t stop crying at the loud noise which scared him, and the mother couldn’t calm him down. He was shot and the mother wouldn’t stop screaming until he shot her, as well. Lissa couldn’t look away from their lifeless bodies until the door slammed open and Will came through the door.

In slow motion, she watched as the gunman swung his arm around and aimed for Will’s heart. Lissa leapt up from the floor screaming, hoping to distract him, but she didn’t. Red spread across Will’s chest as he fell to his knees, his eyes locking with hers. She tried to run to him, but the pain exploded in her back and she fell short. Both of them had their hands outstretched to each other, but they weren’t close enough to touch even as they took their last breath.

As always, Lissa woke with tears falling from her eyes. Her first instinct was to slip out of bed like she always did, but instead she lay there, rolling over on her back and looking up at the ceiling. Slowly, she reached a hand out to where Will was; feeling his warmth, she craved more. Pushing all the excuses aside she curled into him, letting the heat of his body seep into hers. She couldn’t help it; she started to shake and the tears flowed from her eyes. Reaching up, she placed her hand on where the bullet tore through his chest in her dream.

“Will… Will…”

“Mmmm…” he replied.

“I…” She tried to stop the tears so she could talk but was unable to.

His eyes flashed open and even in the dim light of the moon she could see the concern in the blue orbs. “Darling, what is it?”

Slowly, with her breathing shallow she told him of her nightmare, reliving it all over again. She told him of the other nightmares and nights spent worrying about him and everything else. Of not being able to sleep no matter how exhausted she was. They spent the rest of the night talking about what happened in Paris, and how it affected both of them. She wasn’t the only one who had recurring nightmares about that afternoon.

“Why now?” he asked. “Why are you telling me now?”

They sat on the bed together, her back resting against his chest; his arms around her made her feel safe. She played with his fingers which were laced in hers. “Because I finally realized I was being stupid not telling you.” She sat up and turned to face him. “Will, I love you with everything I have, every broken piece of me. I can’t see my life without you in it. But I was scared, scared of something like that actually happening. You being taken away from me. Like somehow, if I kept this to myself, I’d make it
not
happen. I’d somehow keep you safe, and with me.” She shook her head. “I know it doesn’t make any sense, but that’s always been my thinking. If I stress and worry about it enough, it doesn’t happen. But in doing so, I’m not ever really giving it, or you, my all. I’m not even living my life to the fullest.

“And I want to. Oh, my God, I want to so bad with you.” She placed her hand on the side of his face. “You make me feel so safe and protected. I know you’ll do whatever you can for me. You know what I need before I even do, and you’ll get it for me. And all the while, you let me live my life. You’re there for me holding me up, either when I’m weak and can’t stand on my own or to help me reach whatever I desire. You make me feel both taken care of and independent at the same time. I don’t have to worry about us turning into my parents because we’re different people. We treat each other differently.”

Lissa quickly and lightly kissed him on the lips. “I should be doing the same for you.” She stopped him by placing a finger across his lips. “Don’t tell me I do or some other bull, because I know the truth. You’ve given more than I have, and tonight is a perfect example. How long have I kept this from you? How long did I not know you were having the same nightmares? Even with how much I love you, I’ve still held something back. Well, not anymore.” She smiled at him. “Not anymore. Will, my soul is yours; do with it what you will.”

He surprised her by pulling away from her and climbing out of bed. She had a moment of panic before her brain caught up and knew everything was okay. He wasn’t leaving her, or angry with her. He opened the top dresser drawer, pulled something out and walked back to the bed, sitting on the edge of it while looking down at the small wooden box.

“I meant to do this differently, but it seems fate has something else in mind. He pointed to a saying. “‘
Mo anem, Mo chridh
’ means ‘My soul, My heart’ in Scottish. This has been passed down in my family for generations. My father brought it when they surprised us in London. He knew I was going to be needing it.” Slowly, he opened the box and there was a classic gold band, worn from years of use. “While it’s not an engagement ring, it’s the wedding band. The very band which will hold us together.” He tipped her chin up so she was looking at him. “Melissa, darling, would you do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me? Would you be my wife?”

Happy tears spilled down her cheeks. “Yes, my soul, my heart. William, there is nothing more I want than to be your wife.” She wrapped her arms around him and peppered kisses all over his face.

Laughing with happiness, they fell back together on the bed as the sun rose on another day.