“There wasn’t one on our part of the beach,” Jesse said. “At least not that I can remember.”
That night was a blur of emotions, of a long-angled sunset, of searching through the night and calling the police. Then, at last, the hope of the dawn.
“Jesse,” Mrs. Brant said, “we don’t blame you. We forgive you of any part you played. We’ve spent the past eight years learning how to forgive ourselves.” She pointed to the pictures. “We couldn’t look at these for a long time. Now we love our Loxley room.”
“Wow, I don’t know what to say.” Jesse sat back, and for the first time in eight years, he felt relief. “I went to LA to move on and forget. I had a small studio apartment, and I went on one audition after another. I didn’t party or socialize. I had one friend, Smitty, from an acting class. I didn’t date. Didn’t go to the beach for years. Then my screenplay went into production, and I rented a place on the beach. Finally, the past was behind me, you know.” The Brants listened with patient expressions. “And I met someone. Chloe Daschle. An actress. We clicked the moment we met. Like she—”
“Was someone you could love?” Mrs. Brant offered no sarcasm with her observation.
“Yeah, maybe,” Jesse said.
“Loxley would’ve loved this, Jesse. You writing screenplays, acting in movies,” Mrs. Brant said.
“Barb, you know she’d tell him to get back to engineering. He’s so talented.”
Jesse eyed his hosts. “I still don’t understand how you can talk about her as if... as if... it’s okay she’s dead? As if I played no part in it all?”
Mr. Brant set down his pie plate and reached for a thick book on the table by his chair. “Sit, Jesse. Let me tell you about a man named Jesus.”
CHLOE
Friday night she closed the script forFaith Freeman, Stargazer. Unbelievable. Aaron Heinley’s screenplay knocked it out of the park.
What an amazing role. Not only to play a character who lived, but one who flew through space conquering some serious evil lords.
Faith Freeman was real, confident, and flawed. This was going to be fun. Chloe could learn a lesson or two from this fictional woman. Like how to step out infaithand believe. How to let go of past mistakes and live for today.
She retrieved a Diet Coke from the fridge and peered out the living room window, staring down on the pool, the front of the guesthouse, the backyard still full of the evening sun.
Nothing seemed right without Jesse. Not even her childhood home. Six weeks had passed since she’d written him. Either he didn’t get her letter, or he was ignoring it. But a quick response would’ve been nice.
Chloe returned to her chair, draping her legs over the side, sipping her drink, staring at the ceiling.
She understood his silence. At least she’d tried. His issues with Loxley were unresolved, and he had to figure out how to heal. Maybe he would find closure in Boston.
Yet she hated that he was two thousand miles away. That he’d given up on writing and acting. He was brilliant at both.
Reaching for her phone, she checked the time. Dad called earlier and asked her to meet him in his office at seven.
Twenty-nine going on thirty, and her big Friday night was hanging out in her dad’s office. But that was fine with Chloe. Home was a great place to hang. And the timing was perfect. She wanted Dad’s honest opinion about Claude and the Stargazer series. About playing Faith Freeman.
An energetic hammering rattled her door. “Chloeeee!”
“Kate?” Chloe set down her drink and answered the door.
“We’re engaged!” Kate nearly knocked Chloe down with her embrace, spinning her around, then blinding her with a spectacular diamond. “Can you believe it? Engaged. Rob and I!” She floated around the apartment in a low-cut, little black dress and strappy heels.
“Engaged? Congratulations.” Chloe swallowed, surprised more than jealous. Okay, a little jealous. Kate had never dreamed of marriage the way Chloe did. “I’m stunned. H-how did this happen? I-I thought you didn’t care about marriage. You were happy just living together.”
“I didn’t... until he asked.” Kate swooned against the couch pillows and kicked one slender leg into the air. “All those years of you preaching the glorious virtues of marriage must have sunk in without me realizing.” She reached for Chloe’s hand and pulled her down to the couch. “Thank you.”
“Y-you’re welcome.” Chloe perched on the edge of the cushion. “At least one of the Daschle girls will have a happily ever after. Have you told Mom and Dad?”
“They already knew. Can you believe it? Rob asked Dad for my hand.” She made a face, fanning herself with her hands. “I’mso happy.” She crossed fingers. “Let’s just hope it’s for ever after.” Kate squeezed Chloe in a hug. “You, of course, will be my maid of honor.”
“Of course... you didn’t even have to ask.”
It seemed at times the luck of love happened to those who didn’t even believe.
