Chapter Two
The heat and humidity pressed down on Mia like a blanket as she left the house again. What a difference a few hours could make.
At least the theater would be reasonably air conditioned.
Jessie had insisted on going over every possible scenario with her, taking so much time Mia hadn’t even been able to finish revisions on the script for the festival. In a fit of civic pride, she’d agreed to create a play based on the history of the founding of Sapphire Falls to be performed at the annual town festival. The performance date was fast approaching and, to put it mildly, her script sucked.
Who knew that writing a script would be so much harder than reading or directing one?
Sadly, playwriting hadn’t been one of her areas of focus during her years at college getting her teaching degree. Sure, she’d taken one class, but it was clear that none of it had stuck.
Well, except for being able to tell it was bad, rather than believing she was the best playwright since Shakespeare.
The high school was only about half a mile away, close enough to walk, far enough that she was surreptitiously wiping away sweat by the time she got there. Only one student was waiting for her when she arrived, which didn’t surprise her one bit.
Emme was basically a younger version of Mia. Enthusiastic, talented, driven, and every once in a while, kind of a pain in the butt.
“Oh. My. God.” Emme jumped off the low wall behind the auditorium and spread her arms wide. “He’s here.”
“He?” Mia stepped around her and unlocked the back door, reaching inside to switch on the backstage lights. “He who?”
Emme followed her inside. “He. Him. Chase Hamilton. Only the most famous person to ever escape Sapphire Falls.” Emme dropped her bag on the floor and collapsed dramatically into a chair. “I can’t even.”
Mia suppressed a laugh. “Most famous person? More famous than Mason Riley?”
“Mason? He’s just famous for inventing things that save lives. And meeting the president. Chase was on Far Horizons.”
“Yes, a cult hit television show that lasted less than a season.” Which was one of her favorites, and more than she’d ever accomplished acting-wise, but still. “And one doesn’t have to escape Sapphire Falls. You make it sound like a high-security prison.”
Emme waved a hand in dismissal. “Close enough. So do you think he’ll stick around for the festival? Or come to our play performance? Omigod. A Hollywood star might see me act. I could get discovered. Do you think he’d introduce me to his agent?”
Mia ticked off the answers to the questions on her fingers. “I have no idea how long he’s in town. I doubt he’d come to the play performance. And don’t you dare ask him for an introduction to his agent.”
“Why not?”
“It would be tacky.”
“Well, what if he offers?”
This time, Mia did laugh. “Okay, fine. If Chase offers to introduce you to his agent, that would be different.”
“And why wouldn’t he come to our show? He was part of the drama program in high school, wasn’t he?”
“Well, yes.”
“Then wouldn’t he want to see what you’ve done with it?”
Mia fidgeted with the paperclip on the script. “It’s been a long time since he was in drama club.”
“Still. You graduated together, right? I bet he’s curious.”
“Curious?” Sophie pushed the door open with a thud and came inside. “Who’s curious?”
“Chase Hamilton,” Emme announced breathlessly. “He’s here.”
Sophie looked around. “Seriously? Where?”
Mia snapped her fingers at the two of them. “Chase is in town, not in this building.”
“Dam—uh, I mean, darn it.” Sophie pouted. “That’s not nearly as interesting.”
“Maybe he’ll come to our show,” Emme said, grabbing Sophie by the shoulders. “Or we’ll see him at the festival. You never know.”
“Are you going to show him your fanfic?”
“Fanfic?” Mia narrowed her eyes at Emme.
She colored a little. “Far Horizons fanfic. Don’t worry. I don’t write RPF.”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
Sophie shrugged. “Real Person Fic. Instead of stories about their characters.”
“People do that?” Mia’s jaw dropped.
“It’s a little sketchy.” Sophie rolled her eyes. “But Emme here is more interested in finishing the show right.”
“They ended it on a cliffhanger,” Emme protested. “I couldn’t just leave it like that.”
Mia shook her head. “That’s it. Enough about Chase Hamilton, and Far Horizons, and the intimate details of fan fiction. We’ve got one week before we have to perform this show in front of the entire town. So why don’t you two go set up the stage so we can get started once everyone gets here?”
The two girls nodded and headed onstage, chattering excitedly to each other. Mia started opening the curtain, the thick rope a familiar weight in her hands.
She stood there for a minute, lost in the past. Not so long ago, she and Chase had been like those kids, overflowing with energy and confidence, ready to leap on stage and put on a show for anyone who would watch.
Back then, Mr. Collins had been the drama teacher, and they’d been the ones who were going to set the world on fire with their talent.
Chase had done it—headed off to Hollywood the minute they graduated, ready to grab for that brass ring. While she had gone to school first, intending to have something to fall back on in case she didn’t make it.
Mr. Collins had announced his retirement the spring she’d graduated with her dual degrees in acting and education, and mamá had sent her copies of the job announcement three separate times.
Mia had been practical. And smart. And she was doing what she loved.
Sort of.
A few more students drifted in by ones and twos, the last stragglers joining Emme and Sophie, who were still gossiping about Chase Hamilton.
It was going to be a long couple of days.
*
Chase checked his phone.
No messages.
No texts either. And his email inbox was empty, except for one message with a badly misspelled subject line promising him at least five more inches. And possibly a foreign lottery win, if he was willing to hand over his bank account number.
Not that there was anything in said bank account for the scammers to steal.
Sighing, he dropped his phone on the wide oak table and glanced around the kitchen.
He was bored.
Good thing his mom wasn’t around. Back when he’d lived at home, she could sense boredom with some sort of spidey-sense, and was always ready to hand over a list of chores to help alleviate it.
Actually, something to do might keep him from going stir crazy sitting around and waiting for something, anything, to happen.
He glanced out the window. It was a sunny day, a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on the big apple tree in his mom’s front yard. Why was he inside, hiding from the paparazzi that didn’t even know he was alive, let alone that he had left L.A.?
Screw it. He rinsed his glass, put it in the dishwasher, and tucked his phone in his back pocket. Time to see just how much the town had changed.
*
Mia slid into the booth and heaved a sigh. “Okay, who’s going to save me from this disaster of a play I’m putting on?”
Before she’d even finished the sentence, all three women sitting there were shaking their heads. “Sorry, babe,” Phoebe said. “You’re on your own for this one.”
“I would, but my schedule is slammed with festival stuff all week,” added Hope.
Brooke pushed a margarita across the table at her. “Will alcohol help?”
Mia picked it up and took a long drink. “Right now, it’s probably the only thing that can.” The margarita was icy and strong and flavorful, exactly what she needed after the day she’d had. Thank God for the Come Again, and good friends.
“So what’s got you all spun up now?” Brooke finished off her drink and waved a hand to signal the bartender for another round. “I mean, you usually freak out about your plays in the week or two before opening, but something tells me you’re more tightly wound than usual on this one.”
Mia sighed and grabbed a handful of tortilla chips. “Maybe it’s because I’m trying to write and direct it at the same time. It’s so not the same as directing something already written by someone else, you know? Double the pressure.”
“So cancel it.” Hope shrugged. “It’s not like the festival schedule isn’t full to bursting already.”
“I can’t do that.”
Brooke raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Because I promised. And the kids would be so disappointed.”
“Then you need to chill out about it,” Phoebe said. “Because you’re going to give yourself an ulcer.”
Jessie plopped down onto the bench seat next to Mia and elbowed her. “Just because Chase is in town? Girl, that’s no reason for an ulcer.”
The rest of the booth erupted in shouts and overlapping conversation. Mia slid lower in her seat and covered her face with her hands.
“We were talking about the play,” she growled at Jessie, ignoring the rest of the group for the moment. ”Thanks so much for bringing Chase into the conversation.”
“You’re welcome,” Jessie said cheerfully. “Where’s my margarita?”
“Here.” Brooke handed her one. “Okay, now what’s the story on Chase?”
Jessie finished her swallow of lime-flavored alcohol and said, “He’s back in town, staying at his mom’s. Don’t know why, don’t know for how long.”
“Why would Mia be stressing out over that?” Hope looked puzzled.
“Oh, that’s right. You weren’t here in high school,” Jessie said, brightening up like she always did when there was a juicy story to tell.
“Please, no,” Mia moaned, but Phoebe just pushed her drink closer and gestured for her to shush, leaning in to listen to Jessie.
Jessie was grinning as everyone scooted closer so she wouldn’t have to shout over the noise of the busy bar. “Mia here was Chase’s scene partner all through high school. He was Romeo? She played Juliet. She was cast as Sandy? He played Danny. Tony and Maria. Beatrice and Benedick. You name it, they acted it. But they were never anything off stage.” She paused dramatically. “Until graduation night.”
“Maybe you should have been the drama queen,” Mia muttered, but there was no stopping this train now, so she finished off her drink and signaled for another.
Or maybe three. Ugh.
“Mia here decided it was the perfect time to show Chase how she really felt about him. She got drunk on Booze and laid one on him, right there in front of everyone at the graduation party down by the river.”
“Oh my God,” Mia whimpered, laying her head down on the table. They kept talking about her though. Because of course they did.
Why was she friends with them again?
“Chase, naturally, was the perfect gentleman. Let her down gently and everything.”
“And publicly,” she mumbled, knowing they weren’t going to pay attention but having to put in her two cents worth anyway. “Don’t forget publicly.”
“The next day, he left town forever. Until now.”
Mia peeked up at the group of women at her table. They were all looking at her.
“You drove him away from Sapphire Falls?”
“No wonder he hasn’t been home in over a decade.”
“Traumatized, most likely.”
She flicked a chip at Jessie. “I hate you all.”
“No, you don’t. You love us.” Jessie gave her a quick squeeze. “We’re just teasing. He was a fool not to throw you in the car and take you with him.”
The problem was, none of their teasing remarks were new. She’d thought the same things, only seriously, ever since she'd blown it with that stupid, ridiculous graduation night.
If only she hadn’t gotten drunk and hit on him. If only she’d left their stage partnership on the stage, instead of thinking they could continue it in real life. If only she hadn’t dreamed a little higher than she was able to reach.
Story of her life.
“So the bigger question is, now that he’s back…what happens next?”
Mia rolled her eyes. “Nothing, of course. He’ll visit his mom for a couple of days and then head back to Hollywood.”
“Taking you with him?” Brooke tapped a little drumroll on the table.
“Are you crazy?” Mia scoffed at the idea. “Even if he wanted to, which I’m sure he would never, I have a job here. A life. I couldn’t just pick up and leave.”
Brooke shrugged. “Why not?”
“It would be an adventure,” Jessie added. “And God knows, you need one.”
“Hey!” Mia glared at her, affronted. “I do not need an adventure.”
They all looked at her with varying degrees of pity and amusement. Jessie patted her hand. “Honey, that kiss down by the river was as close as you’ve ever gotten to an adventure. I could kill Chase for ruining it for you.”
Brooke nodded. “I love you, but you’re the oldest young person I know.”
Ouch.
Mia shook her head and grabbed another margarita. “I’m plenty adventurous. Remember how I pulled off that production of Rent last year?”
Hope rolled her eyes. “No, seriously. When was the last time you did something crazy, something daring, just for you?”
“I…”
They all sat and waited for her to finish. Finally, she snapped her mouth shut and glared at them. “You suck.”
Phoebe tapped the table in front of her. “We love you, and you know it. So here’s the deal. Chase is in town, right? Probably for a quick visit before heading back to La La Land. So why don’t you take advantage of the situation?”
“What are you talking about?”
Jessie smacked her on the arm. “Give it one more shot. Make that stage chemistry a reality at last.”
“I’m sorry, did you miss the point of that story you just told everybody? I tried that eleven years ago, and he said no.”
“He was an eighteen-year-old boy with one foot out the door already. Your timing sucked. It doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be interested now.”
“Right.” She took another sip, shoving down the little flutter of excitement in her stomach at the thought. “What’s different, really? It’s not like he’s back for good.”
“That’s the point.” Brooke crunched down on another chip. “We’re talking about a little summertime fling with a short-termer, not a lifetime commitment.”
“Now that would be an adventure for you.”
Mia looked around at the four of them. They were all crazy. She didn’t do stuff like that.
But oh, she couldn’t deny she was tempted.
“I’m probably not even going to see him while he’s in town,” she argued weakly. “And again, why would he be interested in a hometown drama teacher? He lives in Hollywood. He works with the most gorgeous women in the world.”
“And you’re not?” Phoebe scoffed. “Just because you’re not in the tabloids doesn’t mean you can’t knock someone’s socks off.”
Mia stared at Phoebe. “Wait, was that a compliment?”
“You’ve had too many margaritas.” Jessie handed her another one. “Or not enough. Seriously though, you and Chase had some amazing chemistry back in high school. You should take a shot at seeing if it’s still there.”
“What in the world would we even have to talk about?”
“Who said anything about talking?”
“Do it.” Phoebe leaned closer. “It’s perfect timing.”
“What?”
Her friend pointed at the entryway. “Mr. Hollywood just walked in.”
*
The hometown bar was foreign and familiar all at the same time.
Chase stood just inside the door, looking around. Funny how the Come Again was one of the few places he hadn’t been to in Sapphire Falls, mostly because he’d skipped town well before they would have allowed him inside.
Teenagers snuck Booze from their parents’ liquor cabinets and got tipsy down by the river. There was no using fake ID in Sapphire Falls. Everyone knew exactly when a person hit their twenty-first birthday and was legal to walk in the front door of the Come Again.
So the most he had ever seen of the one bar in his hometown had been glimpses from the parking lot. Until now.
It was surprisingly busy for a weeknight, most of the booths and tables filled with pairs and groups. Conversations buzzed over the country music that played in the background. A few couples swayed to the rhythm on the tiny dance floor.
“Hey! Look who’s here!”
The shout from across the bar caught his attention. A guy he vaguely recognized was waving in his direction.
Heads swiveled. He gritted his teeth in an approximation of a smile.
“Hugh!”
Oh, dear God. Not here. Please, not here.
A half dozen other people joined in, chanting the rest of the Far Horizons catchphrase. “Hugh Stone, we have a problem!”
His teeth clenched tighter. Those writers had saddled him with the worst catchphrase of all time. He was never going to outlive it.
Twenty years from now, he could be an EGOT winner, collecting his Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony awards, and they’d still be shouting that phrase at him from car windows.
Far Horizons had been his big break, his first major role. He’d thought it was going to be the start of an amazing career.
Instead, it had turned into the millstone around his neck.
And there was nothing he could do about it.
Except leave. He smiled tightly and turned to go when he felt an arm slip through his. He looked down at the gorgeous, dark-haired woman at his side.
She looked familiar. She looked like—
“Mia?”
“Hold it right there, Hollywood,” Mia said with a matter-of-fact look. ”I’m here to rescue you.”
Still reeling, he asked her, “Do I need rescuing?”
“Sure looks like it to me.” She steered him through the crowd, looking pointedly at anyone who dared approach them. No one interfered with their path, and no one mentioned Far Horizons either.
Thank God—and Mia—for small favors.
He vaguely recalled his mom telling him she’d come back after college, but he’d never expected to see her again. Or that she’d want to be seen with him, not after he’d been such a jerk to her at the graduation party.
Well, it had been eleven years, after all. She’d had time to forgive him for publicly humiliating her.
And save him from his own public humiliation in return.
For some reason, he’d assumed the Come Again would be a quiet place to get a beer and lick his wounds a little. He hadn’t expected there to be this many people around. It had almost been enough to send him out the door to the relative quiet of his mother’s house.
But with Mia on his arm, he wasn’t quite so inclined to run away now.
“Dance or drink? Your call.” She tilted her head first toward her table, which was a few steps in one direction, and then the dance floor, which was about the same distance in the other direction. “We’ll keep you busy so no one bothers you.”
She was right. Everyone had gone back to their conversations, the brief interlude where he’d stood in the local spotlight had passed. Not unlike his career.
“Dance,” he said quickly. Not interested in being social just yet.
Or maybe he just really wanted to hold Mia in his arms and find out if his memory was as good as he feared it was.
The song changed as they approached the dance floor, and he spun her into his arms to the beat of the music. One hand clasped hers close to his heart, the other pressed against the small of her back. She smelled like suntan lotion and sandalwood.
The scent spun him back a decade, to a crowded riverbank surrounded by his friends and classmates. Back then, she’d been the one to take him in her arms, probably spurred on by the Booze he could taste on her lips when she’d kissed him.
Really kissed him, not those stage kisses their characters had shared.
She’d fit in his arms, but not in his plans. He was already packed and ready to go. And he knew Mia wasn’t just looking for a grad night good time.
So he’d let her down, as quickly and as nicely as he could manage, even though every cell in his body had urged him to take her up on her offer.
He’d tried to be a gentleman. But rejecting her in front of everyone hadn’t been his best move ever. He could still recall the stricken look on her face, and the way she’d fled as the whole crowd watched.
“Been a while?”
Her question, murmured right in his ear, snapped him back to the present. “Excuse me?”
She pushed at his shoulder with her hand, grinning up at him. “Usually, when people dance, they move a little. Or maybe this is some Hollywood trend?”
He realized with a start that they were just standing there in the middle of the tiny dance floor. Grimacing, he started to move. “Sorry. Lost in thought.”
“It’s okay.” She was quiet for a while, her face contemplative. “So you really hate that catchphrase, don’t you?”
He sighed. “That obvious, huh?”
“Why do you think I activated my damsel-in-shining-armor routine?”
“Thanks for that, by the way.” He turned her around to the beat of the music. “I didn’t always hate it. The catchphrase, I mean.”
“I did,” she said simply, which made him laugh.
“Oh, you did, huh? No love for the worst pun of all time?”
She wrinkled her nose, which just made her look more adorable. “Your character was so much more than a punch line, but that turned Hugh into a walking joke. I thought you deserved more.”
Reflexively, he pulled her closer. A surge of fondness swept through him. “Thank you,” he said.
Then he noticed her breasts were brushing his chest and his thigh pressed between her legs, and something other than fondness gripped him.
God, she felt good in his arms.
Easing back slightly so she wouldn’t notice his body’s reaction to hers, he cleared his throat. “I know people loved it. It was funny and memorable. But after a while, that’s all people remembered about him.”
She nodded. “After all your hard work building a strong, vulnerable, three-dimensional character, it’s rough when all they see is the ship’s mechanic with the punny name.”
That was still all they saw. He bit back the complaint though, and just rested his cheek on the top of her head. “That’s why we were such a perfect pair,” he said.
She froze. Just for a second and just a little, but he felt it.
“On stage,” he clarified, shifting back to give her some space. “Best scene partner I ever had. Because you got it.”
She got him. And he’d never appreciated it. He’d just assumed that was what acting with a good partner would always be like.
He’d been wrong.
“Even better than Emma Watson?” she teased.
He nodded, totally serious. “Emma’s a great person, and I had fun working with her. But best scene partner? You. It’s always been you.”
The song ended, and they pulled apart, standing awkwardly across from each other.
“I, uh, thank you,” she stammered. “I should go back to my friends. Do you want to join us?”
He shook his head. “Think I’ll just go get a beer at the bar and head home.”
She nodded once. “Understood. So I’ll see you around?”
“Absolutely.” That was the one thing he was sure about right now.
Then she turned and slipped through the crowd, leaving him alone again.
When he’d decided to come back to Sapphire Falls, he’d thought that was what he wanted. Someplace quiet and solitary where he could figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
He still wanted that. Needed it really. But part of him wished he still had Mia in his arms.