One Night with a Star (Second Chances Book 2) (19 page)

“That’s beautiful,” Jenny smiled.

“Love is beautiful,” he took it further. “That’s why I like having you TV folks here, making your show.”

“I’m not actually part of the show,” she confessed.

Mr. Oliver shrugged. “Could have fooled me. From where I stand, it looks like you’re all about Second Chances.”

A wide, warm smile spread across Jenny’s face. “You’ve been waiting to say that to somebody, haven’t you?”

He chuckled. “Of course. But I mean it. And I hope you folks are able to convince the numbskulls on the board to keep going with production. Your show gives all of us second chances.”

“That sounds very profound.”

He winked at her. “You think I’m joking, but it’s true. If nothing else, look at how many of us had our families come tonight. It’s like pulling teeth to get my grandkids to come visit. Their lives are so busy and exciting, and old Grandpa isn’t.”

“If they think that, they don’t know what they’re talking about,” Jenny protested.

Mr. Oliver shrugged. “It’s the way things are. But tonight? Well, you Hollywood folks might think it’s all about convincing bigwigs to keep on filming, but for us, it’s all about family.”

His words squeezed Jenny’s heart. She thought about her mom and dad, how much they had done for her and how much she loved her. She thought about Daniel, seeking him out as he was fawned over at the edge of the dance floor. Her heart was so full of love for him that she hadn’t known was possible. And she thought of Simon. They could be a family—one happy family—together.

“Do you think the board will vote in our favor?” she asked Mr. Oliver.

“They will if they know what’s right for them,” he answered. “But when have boards ever done what’s right for them?”

He winked at her again, then spun her close to dance cheek-to-cheek. Jenny laughed and let herself get carried away. The music stopped all too soon, and there was Simon, making his way to the side of the room where the screen and projector had been set up.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, catching Jenny’s eye over the heads of the crowd of young and old, famous and perfectly ordinary. “We’ve gathered you all here tonight to say thank you for all that you’ve done for us as we’ve filmed our little show here. We at Second Chances sincerely hope that our bond with you will continue for many years to come. Some of you might worry that we’re only after the things that you can do for us, but I know I’ve made some amazing friends here, friends that I never would have made otherwise.

“Our little show, Second Chances, is all about those points in your life when you’re faced with a major decision, one that could change the course of your entire life. We’ve all had those moments. We all know what they are. I’ve had second chance moments myself. In fact, I had one relatively recently.”

His eyes snapped to Jenny’s in spite of the full house, all caught in rapt attention.

“I had a decision of whether to stay or go,” he said, watching her. “The decision I had to make wasn’t an easy one. It had some unfortunate consequences. Someone was hurt that I never, ever meant to hurt.” His intense gaze lifted from Jenny, keeping her from becoming the focus of everyone else’s speculation. “Maybe you’ve been there too. But for me, the reason why this show and this place, Twin Pines, are so important for me is because they give me my second chance. I’m at that point again. Stay or go. Well, this time, I want to stay.”

Again, his eyes snapped to hers, and the smile he gave her was so bright and warm that Jenny felt her insides melt.

“I want to stay for more than just my own reasons,” he went on. “I want to stay because I think that we all need each other. Friends help friends. We may have the ability to help the residents and friends of Twin Pines in some tangible ways, but you help us more than we can put into words. So here’s to you, our friends,” he said, raising his glass. “May our friendship be long and powerful.”

“To friendship,” Spence seconded from the sidelines.

“Friendship,” dozens of people echoed around the room. It was beautiful to see. Tears snuck to Jenny’s eyes. It was far too easy to get wrapped up in her own concerns, but this was what life was truly about.

“And now, we’ll watch an episode of season one of Second Chances,” Simon finished. He handed the microphone over to one of the tech guys, then dodged out of the way as the staff that had been waiting in the wings rushed to bring out chairs so that everyone could sit and watch the show.

It reminded Jenny of the night she and Simon had made a splash at the movie screening on the beach. As Simon cut through the crowd toward her, a fond grin lighting his handsome face, she was reminded of everything else about that night too. It had been so long since she had actually sat back and remembered how much she had wanted everything that had happened between them instead of being frustrated about how things came apart.

“Nice speech, son,” Mr. Oliver greeted Simon as he reached them. He slipped his arm around Jenny’s waist. “But she’s my date now.”

Simon laughed. “I’ll wrestle you for her.”

“Boys,” Jenny shook her head. She never been more delighted to have two men fight over her.

It wasn’t much of a fight. Mr. Oliver gave her up gladly, and Simon slipped his arm in place of Mr. Oliver’s as the lights were turned off and the screen came to life with the opening credits of Second Chances. Jenny still had a hard time connecting the man on the screen with the man next to her.

“I think this just might work,” Simon whispered, leaning closer to her.

She turned, her lips only a few inches away from his. Her heart thumped in her chest, and at the same time, she had never felt more settled.

“I think this might work too.”

Chapter Eighteen

Jenny couldn’t sleep Thursday night into Friday. It wasn’t just because the big meeting to decide the future of Second Chances at Twin Pines would be held at ten that morning either. She had been too busy and exhausted to think about the way Simon had been at the party on Wednesday night in the twenty-four hours that followed, but by the time she caught up in the wee hours of Friday morning, all she could think about was him.

Simon had a noble streak a mile wide. The way he’d given all of his attention to the residents of Twin Pines—in spite of having several of his Hollywood costars on hand, not to mention a few people that Yvonne hinted were studio big-wigs—had left Jenny with a sense that he was profoundly decent and caring. Sure, he had danced with her, holding her close to the strains of the songs that had made her grandparents fall in love, but her heartstrings had been tugged on even harder as he danced with each of the Twin Pines ladies who practically lined up to have Simon hold them in his arms. He had talked to the families of those residents too, but not in a cajoling or driven sort of way. He was just a good person.

By the time morning rolled around and Jenny was rushing from the bathroom to her bedroom and back again as she showered, dressed, and put on her make-up for work, she caught herself wondering if Simon had always been this kind, caring man or if the Simon who had struggled with himself before their one night last summer was someone entirely different.

“Jenny, hurry up,” her mom called from down the hall. Daniel was fussing somewhere in the background, which sent Jenny’s pulse racing on instinct. “You’re going to be late.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Jenny hollered over her shoulder, then turned to put the finishing touches on her lips.

The conclusion she came to was that yes, even if that person had been buried under the strain and temptations of fame, Simon had always been a good man at heart. Why would Spence have been such close friends with him if he hadn’t?

Of course, that begged the question of whether his change last year was inevitable or whether she had had something to do with it. She quickly stashed her make-up, slipped into her pink pumps, and dashed down the hall to say one last goodbye to Daniel before tearing out the door and into her car. It was flattering to think that she was the reason someone made such a profound change in their life, but she couldn’t give herself that much credit. People changed because
they
wanted to, because
they
needed to. That was the change that mattered, the change that stuck. That was the reason her heart lifted straight up out of her chest and fluttered around her throat each time she thought of the possibility of a future with Simon. He loved Daniel, that much was obvious. And if she dared to hope, he loved her too.

By the time she pulled into a free parking space outside of the realty office, her soul felt light and a smile refused to leave her lips. The clock on the wall behind Laurel’s desk read fifteen minutes after nine.

“Watch out,” Laurel whispered. “Carol is in a mood today.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Jenny smiled at her as if she’d said there were donuts in the break-room. One woman’s bad mood couldn’t break the simple happiness that had filled her heart. Simon had taken his stand, changed his life, and he loved her. That was a man worth risking everything for.

“Ooh, you might be in big trouble, Jenny,” Ivy whispered, popping her head and shoulders over the top of the cube wall as soon as Jenny set her purse on her desk. “Carol has asked me twice already if you’ve made it in yet.”

“Has she?” A twist of irritation poked through Jenny’s happy mood.

“Oh yeah,” Ivy said. The glimmer in her eyes hinted that she was in the mood to watch a showdown.

Beyond Ivy, Gladys stood from her desk, pretending to be casual. Laurel craned her neck to see what was going on. At least she seemed genuinely concerned. The air in the office was suddenly stifling. Jenny took a breath as if she could clear away the feeling. When had she come to dislike this job so much? She used to love the hunt and fight of sales and properties. She used to have fun competing with her coworkers. Now they just gave her a headache.

She had barely taken a seat and turned on her computer when her speakerphone flared to life and Carol said, “Jenny, can I see you in my office?”

“I’ll be right there.”

That was it. That was all it took. Right then and there, like the stars aligning, Jenny knew what her priorities were. She stood so fast her chair bumped into the back of the cube behind her. She ignored it, leaning forward to take the photo of Daniel and the one of her parents off of the cube wall where they’d been clipped and slipped them into her purse. One quick sweep of her workspace, and she blinked at the realization that she didn’t want or need a single other thing in that entire office. She slung her purse over her shoulder and marched out of her cube.

As she stepped into Carol’s office, Carol told her, “Shut the door please.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Jenny said, still smiling, still filled with the deep, deep happiness that her realizations of the morning had left her with. “And I’ll save you the trouble,” she added.

“Oh?” Carol arched an eyebrow over her thick glasses, unamused, but also unsurprised.

“I quit. I haven’t been happy here for a long time, and we both know it. Well, now I finally have the courage to leave what I don’t need anymore, because everything that I need now is out there.”

Carol blinked. There was a thick silence. Then she said, “I’ll have Laurel prepare all of the separation paperwork, and we’ll send you your final paycheck.”

“Thanks,” Jenny said. It felt right. It felt so, so right. And that was it. She wasn’t even bitter about Carol’s coldness. Well, almost. “I’ll see you later,” she said, then turned and walked out.

The crisp, late-October air filled her lungs with the freshness of a new life as she stepped out into the parking lot and marched toward her car. If Simon could man up and fight for a new, better life for himself, then so could she. She had no idea what she would do, no clue what kind of job she wanted to get after this, but that didn’t stop her from letting out a loud, satisfied breath as she started her car. The future would sort itself out. She had every confidence in that. Right now, she was needed elsewhere.

She knew the way to Twin Pines so well now. It almost felt like she was driving home. Her mood was still soaring as she parked and skipped her way up the stone steps leading to the main building. Simon’s car was in the parking lot, along with Spence and Tasha’s car and a couple with New York license plates. This was where the battle that she needed to fight was.

The Second Chances gang was all there, their heads together in the lobby, when she strode in, smile still in place. Simon stood flanked by Spence and Ben Paul. Yvonne and an older man that Jenny had seen at the party but hadn’t talked to were with them. They were all dressed in their best. Even Simon looked professional in the most delicious tailored suit, hair styled perfectly. Jenny’s heart thumped even faster when he turned to find her coming toward him and broke into a bright, though confused, grin.

“Jenny. What are you doing here?” He stepped away from the others to greet her with a nervous kiss to her cheek.

I realized that I love you and want a life with you, so I quit my job to rush over here to support you?

No, she definitely wasn’t going to blurt all that out. Especially not with so many people around.

“I wanted to be here for you guys on your big day,” she said instead. That was enough.

Yvonne was the only one who looked like she suspected there was more to it than that. “That’s sweet, honey,” she said. “Have you met Charles Rigley?” she asked, nodding to the older man.

“No.” Jenny held out her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Charles nodded silently in greeting. Something about him oozed a sense of power and authority. He was silent, but Jenny had the feeling he was some sort of ace-in-the-hole for the production.

“What about work?” Simon asked, drawing her to his side.

Jenny shrugged, taking Simon’s hand. “I’ll tell you about it later.” To the whole group, she said, “Are you guys ready to knock them dead?”

“We’re ready to present our case,” Ben told her.

“Jenny, have you and Ben officially met?” Spence chimed in.

“We were briefly introduced at the wedding,” Ben said. “And we talked a bit last night.” He reached across the group to shake Jenny’s hand. “Welcome.”

If she hadn’t already been head-over-heels for Simon, Jenny would have definitely gotten the warm-fuzzies at the touch of Ben’s hand. He had that kind of sex-appeal about him that a woman couldn’t help but respond to.

“So we’re settled, then,” Yvonne went on with the conversation that Jenny had interrupted. “Simon and Ben will do the presenting, Spence and I will help answer any other questions. We’ll stick to focusing on the benefits that Second Chances can provide for the residents.”

“Got it,” Simon nodded.

He squeezed Jenny’s hand. She hadn’t realized she was still holding his. The whole thing, the thrill of the cause they were championing, the camaraderie of the group all determined to win their case, and the joy of working together with Simon for a greater good, sent the same jolt of adrenaline through Jenny that selling houses once had. She sent Simon a wide grin that proved as much.

A door opened down the hall, and the girl who usually manned the front desk stepped out. She glanced over her shoulder to someone in the room, nodded, then came down the hall toward the Second Chances group. The excitement swirling around them grew.

“The board is ready for you,” the receptionist said.

Simon turned to Jenny, giving her hand one last squeeze. “Wish me luck,” he said.

He moved to pull away from her and head down the hall, but she kept a firm grip on his hand. When she held him back, he gave her a questioning look.

“Simon,” she began, hesitant. She pressed her lips shut, lowered her eyes, then said, “I know how much this meeting and it’s outcome means to you. It means a lot to me too.”

He let out a breath and stepped back to her, reaching for her other hand. “I know, love.”

She held tightly to both of his hands, her eyes meeting his. “I’m not the most patient or forgiving person out there, but you have bowled me over with the way you care about people. Lots of people. Me, Daniel, the residents of Twin Pines.”

His heart swelled in his chest at the unexpected praise. It pushed him to fight, to change the world for her if he had to. “We’ll win this, love. It’s just a matter of showing them how much we care.”

“But even if you don’t,” she rushed on. The rest of the production team was already half way down the hall. Yvonne had stopped to wait and was tapping her foot. “Even if it doesn’t go the way we want it to, I just want you to know that…that we’ll work something out.”

Simon smiled. He let go of her hand to caress her cheek. “A man could go off to war with a glad heart after hearing that.”

She relaxed into a smile, placing her hand over his on her face, then leaning forward for a quick kiss. “Go get ’em,” she told  him.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said.

He gave her one last kiss, then let go and hurried down the hall to catch up with the others.

“That looked delightfully intimate,” Yvonne told him in her best mother-hen voice as he reached her side.

“She’s the reason I’m doing this,” he replied. “She’s everything I could have dreamed of and more.”

“Well.” Yvonne let out a breath. “Isn’t that a change from the young man I used to know.”

Simon chuckled as they headed through the door and into the meeting room. A young woman shut the door behind him, and they made their way up to the screen at the far end of the long board table.

“That young man grew up,” Simon told her as they reached their places. “And this one couldn’t be happier.”

He’d never spoke a truer word in his life. All of the promises of fun and escape and the high life of celebrity meant nothing when faced with a real life, real love. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll didn’t make him a man, fighting for the cause of those who needed him did. He would give Jenny credit for helping him to see that until his dying day. The urge to change may have been there before that beautiful night they spent together, but since that moment, the dream of the life they could have together was what kept him going through the darkest days.

“The board just has a few questions for you,” Dr. Brunswick started the meeting. She sat at the head of the table, her business suit sober and staid with a white physician’s coat topping it. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun. If Simon didn’t have the power of his conviction behind him, he would have been tempted to be terrified of the woman. “We’ve all received your proposal packet and read it, so really, this shouldn’t take long.”

“We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have,” Ben responded.

“Yeah, I’ve got a question,” Neil jumped right in, his frown resembling that of an irritated chihuahua.

Simon braced himself, sharing a glance with Spence as if to say, “Here we go.”

“If this is really so important to the studio that’s producing your show, why did they send a bunch of actors, a director, and,” he paused and squinted at Yvonne and Charles, who sat next to her, “I don’t even know what you two do. Why did they send you instead of some big Hollywood lawyer types?”