CHAPTER TWO

 

Taylor slipped into her skinny jeans and flowing white blouse. She slid on her ballet flats and looked at herself in the mirror. She took in a deep breath and tried to push aside her fear of the past. The more she’d been in the spotlight, the more her parents had pushed. They’d demanded money, attention, and perks. It was never enough. They had wanted to be her to the point she felt like a prostitute for them. When she’d discovered millions of dollars missing and her parents high on cocaine in a house she’d bought and paid for, she’d had enough.

At sixteen, she’d turned to the stuntman who had always looked out for her for help. Cy Davies had helped her become emancipated from her parents. She had made the mistake of thinking that would be the end of her problems, but it wasn’t. It was only the beginning. Managers, promoters, and directors—they all thought they could step in and control her. If it hadn’t been for Cy's guidance in picking the right people to surround her, it would be scary to think where she’d be now.

When she’d turned seventeen, she won an Oscar, and it had changed her life. Professionally, she gained a lot of respect. But then her parents had found her as she left her studio alone right before her eighteenth birthday. Her father refused to move from in front of her car as her mother screamed, ranted, and pounded on the car windows.

“You’d be nothing without us! You’re worthless! We made you and you cut us off as if we’re nobodies. You ungrateful child!” Taylor could still hear the screaming echoing in her mind.

She had gotten out of the car to try to contain a scene that was quickly spiraling out of control. Tourists had taken out their cameras, and Taylor started to feel each snap of the camera and each whisper closing in on her, mocking her.

“Mom, please. You’re high. I’ll pay for rehab,” Taylor had begged. Her mother responded with a hard slap across her face. Pain and heat blossomed across her cheek. Silent tears fell as her mother reached up to hit her again. Security came rushing into the street and pulled her mother away.

Cy’s arms were around her as the world blurred. All she heard, all she saw, all she felt were the cameras as people pushed in on her. While security handcuffed her parents and quietly collected the cameras from the tourists who would be paid off, Cy kept the dizziness from overtaking her. Her parents were placed in a police car and Taylor pulled all her courage together to walk over to the cruiser. With her cheek bright red from the hit, she leaned down and looked at her parents. “I never want to see you again. You will never see another cent from me. If you ever touch me again, I’ll press criminal charges. Goodbye forever.”

The next day she’d shown up on the set of her new movie and sat in the makeup chair. She felt nothing. The excitement of being a movie star was gone. But when she stepped in front of the camera, all she saw were flashing bulbs and people closing in on her. Her head spun and the next thing she knew she was waking up in her dressing room. She knew right then she was done with Hollywood. Taylor left the studio and the town forever. Her hands shook and fear thundered through her as she hurried from the set.

Taylor pulled out of the movie with the excuse of attending college. For the first two years, she’d taken all her required courses and loved learning. But something had been missing. When her sorority needed a video made for Greek Week, she hesitantly agreed to direct it. It was the best thing she’d ever done. She knew without a doubt that being in control of filming was what she wanted. There was no fear when she was behind the camera. Thoughts of film companies swirled in her head. She wanted her own to run. She wanted to hire the perfect people for the parts, not the ones who kissed the most ass. Once she knew what she wanted, she went after it.

Everyone patted her on her head thinking she was just doing this as a little hobby. Everyone except Trey. Trey not only supported her, he moved them into a house with her own office and made her dinner every night for two months while she read scripts, books, and researched the industry news. It was then she found the book she wanted and started raising the money needed to get her first project started. It was also Trey who told her she could do it when she doubted herself. It was Trey who helped her raise the last funds needed to get the project started. She didn't know how she got so lucky to find a man who genuinely supported her. And he actually encouraged her to reach for the stars and beyond. And knowing that he would be there to catch her if she failed only gave her the courage to reach further.

Looking in the mirror, Taylor nodded to herself. She was ready. Taylor grabbed her purse and script before heading out the door to start the first day of principal shooting.

 

Taylor pulled up to the Seawave Resort and Hotel on the far side of the island and looked around in shock. The resort itself was breathtaking with precision landscaping and a mansion that had been converted into a hotel. The crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean served as a perfect backdrop. Taylor always thought it reminded her of what The Great Gatsby’s set would be like if set in the South. But today it wasn’t the resort that had her attention. It was the people around the old mansion. She hadn’t counted on media being there. Cameras were flashing and a small group of fans had gathered for autographs. Melanie was already in full make-up, taking pictures and talking to reporters. Figures. Melanie would run naked around the hotel if she thought it would get her press.

Surprisingly, Grant was nowhere to be found. Taylor scanned the grounds looking for her lead actor. The cameras were in position off to the side of the hotel. The outdoor café was set up, and the extras were milling around in their 1960s attire. Taking a deep breath, Taylor slid the strap of her bag over her shoulder and stepped out of her car. Instantly, reporters started to call her name and wave her over. Taylor smiled and headed their way as she tried to control her breathing. It wasn’t rational, but it was still hard for her to be in front of cameras again.

“Miss Jefferies! Miss Jefferies!” Taylor let out a breath and relaxed a little as she approached Millie Michaels, the reporter for the Hung Island’s Treasure Trove newspaper.

“Hi, Millie. Miss Jefferies? Really?” Taylor asked the woman fresh out of journalism school. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail and she stood with her smartphone held out like the other reporters. Only the other reporters weren’t wearing a shirt that read Hung like a Pirate over jean shorts.

“Well, I thought I should be all professional and stuff,” Millie replied with a shrug.

Taylor smiled and congratulated herself on not laughing out loud. “Nice shirt.”

“I thought you’d appreciate it, since I won it off you at poker last month. Next I’m raising the stakes to get your Oscar.”

“I don’t think that will be on the table, even if I run out of cash again. But I’ll give you first dibs at questioning me about the movie right now as long as you don’t print the picture of me twerking after losing that last hand.”

“Deal,” Millie grinned. Then the smile was replaced with a serious look and the phone was held out again. “I’m Millie Michaels with Treasure Trove newspaper. I'm here with Academy Award-winning actress-turned-producer Taylor Jefferies. Taylor, how does it feel to be back in the movie business after a seven-year break?”

“It feels great. I’m loving being behind the camera and am honored that the famous Jim Peters is taking the time to guide me in directing.”

“Mr. Peters is known for his crazy antics on set along with his four Best Director statues. He is rumored to have once put a snake in the purse of an actress to get a believable shot of fear and surprise from her. Has he done anything like that on any of your sets before?”

“Jim is known for his antics, but I've never seen him resort to any such extreme measures. And I doubt we’ll have to. We have a fabulous cast.” Taylor tried not to choke on her words while Melanie stared daggers at her. Reporters had moved away from Melanie and were all holding out their recorders in Taylor’s direction.

“Can you tell us a little about the movie and the actors in the starring roles?” Millie asked as she elbowed a reporter from one of those entertainment shows out of the way.

“Sure. The film is a love story set during the Vietnam War. Grant Elliott is playing Darin, a reporter covering the effects of the war on the young men being drafted and the women they were leaving behind. Kathy is a young woman bucking the tradition of getting married straight out of high school. She’s moved away from home and to the big city where she went to college. Melanie Grace is perfect for the part and is going to really bring Kathy’s character to life.

“The movie follows these two as they meet at a restaurant when Kathy’s a student, and love blossoms during this run-in even though they don’t know each other’s names. The two meet again briefly as Kathy is on her way to a new job at this resort. She leaves only knowing his first name. The film continues as Darin searches for Kathy.”

Millie nodded her head and threw another elbow at the plastic-looking reporter from the entertainment show. “It sounds different from the dramas you used to star in. Why did you decide to go with a romance for your first movie?”

“When I read Gemma Davies’s book, it spoke to me. I could see it and I couldn’t get the story out of my head. One day, after Kathy and her best friend swear off men after a particularly bad date, there is a knock at the door and a dozen red roses from Darin appear. He never even knew her last name, but he’d found her all the way across the state. There’s drama, there’s laughter, and there’s a happily ever after. What more could you want?” Taylor asked rhetorically.

“Speaking of happily ever after, how is your relationship with NFL running back Trey Everett? Are there wedding bells in your future?” Millie asked before a microphone hit her in the head. Plastic reporter was getting her revenge.

Taylor stepped back as she felt panic rising. It was the pushing, the shoving, and all the lights from the cameras that were upsetting her. She needed to end this interview quickly. “Trey and I are wonderful. Thank you for asking. Go Vultures! Get your season tickets now. I know I’ll be there cheering them on. Thanks, Millie. See you all later!”

Taylor waved and plastered a shaky smile on her face before walking towards the set. She took the last sip of her coffee, threw the cup in the dumpster, and took a deep breath. She’d survived the cameras, but she was starting to shake. An orange blur leapt from behind the reporters and over the security fence, causing Taylor to jump away and let out a shriek. The streak of orange disappeared into the dumpster while security rushed forward. The woman with orange hair and a bright yellow shirt reappeared triumphantly with Taylor’s coffee cup in her hand.

“Miss Jefferies, Miss Jefferies, can you sign this?” the woman with pigtails called out as security hauled her out the dumpster.

Taylor’s heart resumed its normal beating and she shook her head. It had been a long time since she’d been around fans.

“What the hell?” Melanie asked as she stopped next to Taylor and stared at the woman being held in place by two guards.

“A fan,” Taylor shrugged. It was better than the men who had tried to sneak into her trailer and steal her underwear.

“Why don’t I have a fan doing that?” Melanie asked her assistant as the media focused on the woman in yellow calling out to Taylor.

“I’m your number one fan!” the crazed woman yelled.

“I’ll see you on set. If someone’s willing to jump in the dumpster and risk going to jail, then the least I can do is sign the stupid cup.” Taylor set a soft smile on her face and indicated to the guards to bring the yellow dot of a woman to the fence.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’m this close to you. I love you. I’m seriously your biggest fan. I just knew you’d be back.” The woman who Taylor guessed to be around twenty-three gushed as Taylor dug around her bag for a pen.

“Well, it’s nice to be back.”

“I’m Cynthia Luisa Olson, but you can make it out to Cyndi Lu.” the woman practically bounced as the guards held onto her shoulders.

“Here you go. Thanks, Cyndi Lu. Have a good day.” Taylor handed the cup back to the woman as the guards hauled her away.

“Taylor!” A deep voice called from the far end of parking lot.

Taylor looked over her shoulder and her eyes went wide. Grant Elliott was running along the fence wearing nothing but athletic shorts. His toned and chiseled body shimmered in the morning sunlight as he rushed toward her with a worried look on his face. As he neared Taylor, she narrowed her eyes. Wait, his body wasn’t shining with sweat. It was body oil. And was that make-up shadowing the contours of his abs to make them more defined? As Grant wrapped her up in a hug, she had her answer. Yup. It was make-up and this was all a big show for the reporters.

“Are you okay? I was so worried when I saw that mad woman leap at you.”

“Grant, put me down or I’ll kick you in the balls.” Taylor could already read the headlines . . . Is there romance on the set of Taylor Jefferies’s new movie?

“I was just worried, that’s all.”

“Damn.” Taylor looked down at her shirt. “These oil stains better come out. And you know you weren’t worried. You’re just a camera whore. Can’t you go after Melanie? She’s single at least.”

Grant didn’t even look guilty as he shrugged and slung his arm over her shoulder. “Nope. She’s not nearly as famous as you. Not half as pretty either. Come on, boss, let’s get to work!” Grant slapped her bottom and raced into the make-up trailer before she could catch him. Yup, that was definitely going to be in the news. Taylor sighed. Welcome back to show biz.