into princesses, so I thought Iâd pick her up a Princess Tiana doll.â
A smile touched the corners of her lips. âYou have a niece?â
âYes, Kendra. Sheâs my older brotherâs little girl and, I hate to say it, but sheâs perfect.â
She chuckled. âI believe you. And thereâs a store in walking distance on Hollywood Boulevard. Iâm headed that way myself to pick up something from the art supply shop.â
He turned the idea over in his mind only once before asking, âMind if I tag along?â
He did his best not to watch the way her lips were tugged up in a smile when she said, âSure, you can tag along, as long as we donât talk about work. We need to give our brains a break.â
He jammed his keys in his pocket as he resumed walking by her side. It was a beautiful August day, and he had a beautiful woman strolling alongside him. Things couldnât get any better than that. âSo what do we talk about?â he decided to ask her.
She slanted her head to look at him. âYou.â
âMe?â
âYes.â
âHey, we talked about me yesterday.â
Her mouth twitched in a grin. âYes, but all I know is that youâre from Napa Valley and you have a niece.âShe chuckled. âI guess I could go by what Iâve heard andââ
âRead in the tabloids,â he said, finishing the statement for her.
âNo, I donât do tabloids. It would be nice if others didnât do them either, then they would go out of business.â
He glanced over at her and laughed. âYou donât like the right of free speech?â
She laughed back at him. âMore like the right of sleazy speech. Ninety percent of what they print isnât true, but then I guess thatâs the price of being a star.â
He smiled, liking the way the sunlight was bouncing off her hair, making it appear even more lustrous. He liked the short cut on her. âYes, itâs one of the detriments, thatâs for sure. I just go with the flow. As long as I know whatâs true about me and whatâs not, I donât lose any sleep.â
She didnât say anything for a while, and then replied, âI hate being in the spotlight.â
She kept looking ahead, but heâd heard what she said. Clearly. If that was true, he wondered how she managed it, being a Wellesley. The company her family owned was so connected with this industry, and had been for close to thirty years, they were practically an icon in Hollywood.
He had researched information on Limelight when heâd returned to the States from abroad. He had even considered contacting them to handle his affairs before heâd chosen Curtis, whoâd been a friend of a friend towhom heâd owed a favor. But he wouldnât hesitate to consider them again when his contract with Curtis ended. Lately, heâd begun feeling as if he was making his own contacts. Everyone he knew handled by Limelight was pleased with its services. Not once had they ever been made to feel like they were a passenger instead of a driver.
âBeing in the spotlight doesnât bother me,â he decided to say. âIt comes with the territory. But then, my family is well-known in Napa Valley, so I got used to having a mike shoved in my face, only to be quoted incorrectly.â He could recall a number of times when heâd been referred to as âthe playboy Chambersâ while Hunter had always been considered the one with a level head. The responsibly acting Chambers.
âAnd it doesnât bother you?â she asked.
He met her gaze. âA distortion of the truth will bother most people, and Iâm no different. However, I donât lose sleep over it,â he said, shifting his gaze to study her features.
But he had a feeling she would.
There had to be a reason, and the question rested on the tip of his tongue.
But he had no right to pry. This woman
John Maddox Roberts, Eric Kotani