Revelation Page 2

  “Yes. That is true,” Cayden replied.

  “Will you continue to film here in New York once things are back on track?” the blonde inquired.

  The camera returned to Cayden. His face, serious.

  “Yes, the film will be shot here in New York however, I cannot comment on when filming will resume.”

  The camera panned over to Zander. “I am sure you as well as Cayden’s fans will be please to know the author Winter Wells has consented to help with the script. We believe we will be able to resume filming soon,” Zander explained.

  The host’s high voice came from the background while the camera stayed focused on Zander. “She is a wonderful writer. I loved her last book, but isn’t she a very private person? I believe I have read some place she is very allusive when it comes to Hollywood. Ms. Wells has even turned down some offers to make one of her books into a movie.”

  “Yes, well, Ms. Wells is a very private person so we are lucky to have her on this project. I believe the fans will not be disappointed with her work. Having her on board with this project will make all the difference between a good movie and a great movie,” Zander replied.

  The camera shifted its focus back to Cayden. He was perfect. I totally understood why so many people wanted to be near him. He had it. That indescribable quality, a magnetic pull. Neither the glaring lights nor the camera could dim the sheer magnitude of his presence, his inner light. They may have enhanced it.

  “Cayden, I am sure you can hear the crescendo of noise which is erupting as we speak outside our studio window. Your fans love you. They know you are here. How do you handle all those crazed women?”

  Cayden shrugged. “To be honest you can’t really take any of it too serious. I find most of the time the fans are yelling out the name of my very first character. I seem to hear Jonathan quite a lot. I guess I understand the fans obsession with Jonathan. The movie Longing already had an instant fan base since it was based off a book which was a huge best seller. Jonathan Hill was the ideal man.” Cayden laughed playfully.

  “Is it true someone from Paramount saw you in a play in England then flew you to California and signed you for Longing on the spot?” the host asked.

  Cayden gave his bright white smile. “It was nothing but luck being cast in Longing, and yes that is actually true.”

  “That movie shot you into all this current madness. How do you handle all the pressure, the fans?”

  “I try not to get too wrapped up into the whole thing. It’s my job, a crazy job, but not necessarily who I am. I guess I’ve never really understood what all the screaming is about. That’s something I doubt I will ever get used to. Trust me, I’m not really that interesting, but the fans see who I portray on screen or who they believe I am from what they read, not actually me.”

  The camera moved over to the blonde interviewer who smiled brightly.

  “I am pretty sure it is you, Cayden, they are crazy for. You may be a little too modest, but that is part of your charm,” she said blushing. “Isn’t it hard to go out anymore? It must be impossible to find anywhere to go without a crowd gathering. I would imagine you can find no place to hide. You have only been here a few minutes and already people have gathered hoping for a glimpse of you. Some of our own staff is standing in the hallway waiting for the interview to be over so they can gain your autograph.”

  Cayden was in view again.

  “It can be hard. I guess you find a way to adjust. I seem to stay in a lot more.” He laughed his low even laugh.

  I heard the interviewer again.

  “What can you tell us about Cheryl Lynn? I know you are working with her for the second time. You both have such a great on-screen chemistry. Is there any truth to the rumors about a possible real life romance between you two?”

  Cayden said, “Cheryl is a talented actress. I am lucky to be working with her again. As far as a romance, I have never been sure how that particular rumor was started. We work together, and I respect her work, but there has never been a romance.”

  “I have to ask since we are talking about romance and rumors. We recently seen some pictures and read about a certain secret outing with your brother and a mystery woman which took place at a trendy club in the East Village. Can you tell us, was she there to see you or is she your brother’s current love interest?”

  Cayden smiled a crooked smile. He adjusted himself back into the chair while running his fingers through his tousled chestnut-colored hair. By Cayden’s reaction, I knew he was anxious. I was one of the few people in the world who knew he was not only uncomfortable by the question, but he would avoid an outright lie. He was keeping a secret however; the casual façade he was desperately trying to portray, not at all casual.

  “You will need to ask my brother about that,” Cayden said.

  “So then, she did arrive with Chandler?”

  “Yes.” Cayden’s fingers made their way through his hair once more.

  “You won’t tell us who the beautiful woman was?” the blonde pressed.

  The camera angle changed, catching both Cayden and Zander in view.

  “It is no secret,” Zander replied then paused. “Ms. Wells is working with us on the script, so I hate to disappoint everyone, but there was no secret rendezvous, nothing covert, just a simple dinner.” Zander let out a booming laugh. “Everyone has got to eat.” He ended.

  “So it was the allusive Ms. Wells in the photograph?” the pretty host asked.

  “Yes.” Zander replied with a salesman smile.

  The camera shifted over to Cayden’s face while the host continued the interview.

  “Ms. Wells is beautiful,” she said. The camera moved back to Cayden and caught his guilty crooked smile. “Would you at least agree with that statement, Cayden?”

  “Yes,” he said, unleashing the full force of his smile upon the interviewer.

  “Uh.” She started to stutter then quickly gained control. “Well everyone, you heard it here first. The beautiful mystery woman in the photographs are none other than the allusive romance writer, Winter Wells. Sadly still no confirmation on any possible real life romance, but maybe we can put all those pesky rumors to rest. Cayden, any comment on a possible romance for either you or your brother?”

  “Sorry,” he said smoothly.

  The camera moved again, zooming in on the pretty face of the blonde interviewer.

  “Thank you so much for coming today and for speaking with me. I look forward to your next film, Memories of a Dream, which will be in theaters March twenty-seventh and wish you all the best.”

  “Thank you,” Cayden replied.

  The interview was over. The TV blared out a commercial about trash bags. Chandler’s husky voice drowned out the sounds of the commercial.

  “Well, Winter, looks like the deception is complete.”

  “Yes, I suppose,” I said.

  Chandler turned the TV off. He shifted on the couch to look at me. “Are you sorry?”

  “I can never be sorry for wanting to be with your brother so if this is what it takes then so be it.”

  “Hum,” he mumbled and looked a bit upset.

  I watched him for a moment. There was something playing around the edges of his eyes, but he tried hard to conceal the emotion.

  “Are you sorry?” I asked.

  “Yes, but not for the reasons you may think. Goodnight, Winter,” he said. He stood up and exited the room in that purely male saunter he has.

  Chandler had gone from amusement of me to a bit of anger. The anger, more than evident. I guessed he was none too happy about our current situation. After all, Cayden was his little brother so he probably believed I wasn’t in Cayden’s best interest. I understood. Truthfully, I shouldn’t be the first choice of a twenty-three-year-old Hollywood star, but it did not matter. What did matter was Cayden, and how I felt being with him. How we felt being with each other. I focused back on my work, trying to finish up where I’d left off. Thinking about Cayden, I wrote the love scene.


  Chapter Two

  Juggling Act

  I lost track of time as I always do when I write. Gone somewhere within the world of make-believe and wielding the power to turn that world into my creation. Writing along with jogging has always been my escape, my way to deal, but I guess writing gives me so much more than an escape. It gives me a sense of joy, accomplishment, a creative outlet.

  I heard Cayden and Zander talking as they entered through the front doors of the estate. I flipped the top down on the laptop and moved with great speed to meet Cayden. He’d maybe taken three or four steps into the foyer when I bounded up to him, threw my arms around his neck, and felt him lift me up. My feet dangled off the ground.

  “Hello,” he said in his smooth voice then laughed a low musical sound. “Maybe I should leave more often if this is the kind of greeting I am going to get when I return.”

  I kissed his neck, breathing him in.

  “I missed you.”

  “That is also good to know,” he replied then swiped his tempting lips over the surface of my cheek.

  “Hey, bro!” Chandler called out. “Good interview.”

  I loosened my death grip from Cayden’s neck begrudgingly; however I must admit I enjoyed my decent down his body. When my feet hit the floor, Cayden took ahold of my hand. We were headed in Chandler’s direction, walking toward the great room. Zander followed behind us very quietly. Actually, Zander was unusually quiet.

  “Winter,” Zander said. I turned to look at him. “I would like to speak with you for a moment if you don’t mind.”

  “Sure,” I replied, and let go of Cayden’s hand.

  “Hurry back,” Cayden said to me.

  I walked out into the hallway where Zander was. Clearly, he didn’t wish for our conversation to be heard. He walked off, over to the media room and took a seat on the dark leather couch. I watched while he adjusted his shoulders before he placed his right ankle onto his left knee. He shifted again and placed his right hand onto his ankle. Zander rubbed his hand over the paisley looking design on his sock.

  “Zander, whatever it is just ask,” I said.

  Zander smiled, hesitantly. “Winter, please do not take this the wrong way,” he proceeded. “I know your decisions and what you do with your life is none of my business, but I am worried for you. Are you sure about Cayden Cain?”

  I sat across from Zander and folded my hands together on my lap.

  “I am one hundred percent sure about Cayden.” I paused for a moment to gather my composure. I had to remind myself Zander was actually worried about me. “Zander, I understand how this must look. I understand all of the reasons for why this is crazy, trust me on this, but I really do love Cayden.”

  Zander relaxed his shoulders. “Is it worth what we are doing? As much as I hope for your happiness, his world and yours are truly very different. You like peace and quiet. You hate publicity and the spotlight. You may get dragged into the spotlight more than you would like.”

  “If my privacy is all I have to give up in order to be with Cayden then I will do it. I promise I will be all right as long as I can be with him.”

  Zander looked away from me. He gazed at his pant leg. It took a moment before he spoke again.

  “Winter, I want you to think about this. Do realize all of the things you are up against? Cayden is beyond famous. I am unsure the last time I have seen any one person cause such a stir in Hollywood to this degree. He is hot right now, and I don’t see Cayden’s career cooling for a long time to come. The press and his fans stalk him. He can’t go anywhere without crowds gathering. He is in demand so the press, well; they keep up with his demand. Things are said, written, and sometimes very upsetting things are written about him. Can you handle this type of pressure?”

  “I will have to,” I replied.

  Zander looked at my face for a long moment. “And if we cannot keep the press off of your trail? If they go after you or people you love, can you handle that stress?”

  I did not know how to answer truthfully. Unsure of what I could actually handle. I just knew I needed to be with Cayden.

  “We will find a way to make this relationship work,” I returned.

  Zander shifted a bit on the couch, still speaking but not actually looking at me. “He is also very young.” Zander stopped himself from saying anything further.

  I glanced down at my hand. In an almost absent-minded move, I was twisting my engagement ring from Austin around and around on my finger before I caught myself and returned my attention to Zander.

  “Yes. I have considered all of the possibilities. I know better than you how much of an age difference there is between Cayden and I. I would be lying if I told you the age difference doesn’t bother me. I also know there is a real possibility he will wake up one day and wonder what he ever saw in me. I understand how he is constantly surrounded by beautiful women who may be interested in him much more than a working relationship. I’m also aware Cayden will be gone for long periods of time filming, doing press junkets, and interviews. But you need to understand, even with all of the possibilities or maybe I should say impossibilities, I still love him. If I were to walk away because I allowed myself to fear those possibilities, it would be more than stupid on my part.”

  “But–” Zander started to speak, and I cut him off.

  “You have no idea what it is like to lose someone. You can’t know until you experience it. The best way I can explain it is when Austin died, my whole life came to a halt. My world stopped. Everything which was once beautiful was gone. My world went colorless, dim, dark, and gray. Like an eclipse of my soul, a solar winter. I may have continued to walk, talk, and breathe, but I went nowhere, said nothing, and struggled to take my next breath.”

  Zander shifted and looked beyond uncomfortable.

  “I had no hope of ever feeling the way I do now. No idea someone like Cayden even existed for me. Zander, when life hands you something so far beyond your reality, so far beyond your dreams, not only once but twice for me.” I paused, taking in the truth of this. “It would be insanity on my part to walk away. I know this relationship will be tested, how can it not? But Cayden brought beauty back into my colorless world. He took away the rain and brought back my sun. Being with him allows me to breathe, Zander. You have no idea how long it has been since I could actually breathe.”

  “All right, Winter,” he said. It was obvious our serious conversation was over. Zander’s booming voice returned as he asked, “What about that script?”

  “What are you two doing in here?” Cayden asked.

  “Discussing the script,” Zander replied, leaning back onto the couch, casual.

  Cayden smiled brightly. “Can we read what you have done, Winter?”

  I walked over to the corner where I’d left the silver laptop on the chair, flipped open the lid, found my work, and walked back over to the couch where Zander sat. Cayden moved to the couch as well.

  “Here,” I said, handing the computer to Zander before I turned to walk out.

  Cayden said, “Baby, where are you going?”

  I spun around, toward him, and bit at my bottom lip. It was hard to admit my insecurities. I gazed into Cayden’s eyes and told the truth. “It will make me nervous if you read my work while I am in the room so it’s best if I go.” I loosened my rigid stance. “I think I will go see what we’ve got to eat around here,” I added, trying to hide my nervousness.

  By his expression, Cayden wasn’t buying it, but his crooked smile returned. He got up from the couch, sauntered over to me, with his hand in his front right jean pocket and paused. He kissed my forehead gently.

  “Come back soon,” he whispered against my skin.

  I glanced up from beneath my lashes. He looked at me with his piercing blue-gray eyes. For a brief moment, I shook. He took my breath away.

  “Um…okay,” I finally managed to say. I felt my cheeks turn hot with a blush.

  Cayden smiled a devilish smile, the corners of his mouth turning up slightl
y. His eyes flashed. “Also very good to know,” he replied. He freed his hand from his pocket, brushed his fingertip down the surface of my cheek, and winked at me.

  I knew I had some time. It would take Zander and Cayden a little while to read through all the changes I’d made to the script. While I was hungry, I decided to take a hot shower instead. Besides, the hot water would feel wonderful. Help with the tense muscles in my shoulders and back. After sitting most of the day, the knots in my muscles were present and accounted for. As I rubbed my right shoulder, they made themselves known. In fact, they were possibly screaming.

  I made my way upstairs, grabbed my hot pink boy shorts along with the matching black and hot pink tank top from the dresser drawer, and proceeded into the bathroom. The shower was fabulous. It was one of those large glass showers with numerous shower heads. I turned on the hot water, pressed the play button to the stereo and stood beneath the hot steamy spray of the shower, listening to Bach’s Piano Concerto sift down from the ceiling speakers and melt into the steam.

  I took advantage of the shower, unsure of how long I had actually been in there when I could hear my stomach growl. I really did need to eat something. I thought about it. I had not actually eaten all day. I exited the shower, combed through my wet hair, brushed my teeth, applied lotion to the surface of my skin then slipped on my favorite thing to wear for bed. Hopefully I would not be sleeping tonight. I threw on my black short robe so I could forage. Food needed to be my main focus.

  I wandered around the ground floor of the estate for a moment, feeling like a bit of a moron. I found out I didn’t really know my way. After ten minutes of searching like an idiot, I finally stumbled upon an oversized gourmet cooking kitchen. I saw Melissa, Zander’s assistant. She was standing at the island counter washing some fruit in the stainless steel sink.

  “Hi, Winter.” She greeted with a large smile.

  “Hi, Melissa, how are you?”

  Melissa giggled the tinkling of a girlish laugh, bubbles really.

  “I am fine. And you?”

  “I’m really great. Thank you for asking.”