Chapter One ~ STARGAZING
Hands in front of her chest, palms pressed together, Bethany inhaled as she pressed her foot to her inner thigh. Her body wobbled on one leg as she closed her eyes in an attempt to achieve her balance.
The Georgia sun glittered through the trees and the spring air filled her lungs on the patio outside of her bedroom.
She held the pose for five full breaths, letting the peace of the morning wash over her.
Letting her foot slide to the floor, she lifted her hands over her head, sucked in a deep cleansing breath and folded in half. Her spine gave a few pops as it lengthened.
The problem with this pose was she could see her toes were in desperate need of a pedicure. The next exhale was a sigh.
Bethany Waterbury stood, reached for her lemon infused water, and her towel. She wiped the sweat from her brow and sipped her water. In six , she had an audition for a commercial. This would be her first audition in nearly a year. Deep inside she didn’t know what was worse, having done the horror movies she’d made in L.A. or wanting a grocery store commercial so bad she could taste it.
There was a tapping on her bedroom door.
“Come in,” she shouted as the door opened and her roommate Susan walked in, a cup of coffee in her hand.
“It’s beautiful out here today,” she said as she joined her on the porch.
“It is. Still can’t believe you gave me this room and didn’t take it for yourself.”
Susan shrugged and sipped her coffee. “As soon as the house is built I’ll have my own porch off my master suite,” she said with a smile.
Bethany knew the day was coming. Susan would be moving in with her fiancé, who happened to be Bethany’s cousin Eric.
Two months ago a psychopath, who had once had an affair with Bethany’s mother, had shot Eric and burned his house to the ground. Weeks earlier he’d killed off his animals and caused destruction to Eric’s property as well as his grandfather’s. It seemed as though Douglas was obsessed with Eric’s cousin Lydia as well.
She sipped her water again. Guilt still plagued her when she thought about it. Had she just stayed in California, where the magic of Hollywood had long given up on her, none of this would have happened to Eric.
It was her fault. She was the spitting image of her late mother. Just having seen her had set the man into some psychotic episode.
He’d been locked up and she’d been in counseling. When she’d come to Georgia, this wasn’t what she thought she’d be doing. The point in moving was to bond with her father.
Okay, she’d done that—a little bit.
He was a mess of a man, just as her mother had been a mess of a woman. Perhaps that was the common factor that had them together for the short time in which she was conceived.
“You look like you have a lot on your mind,” Susan said as she walked out onto the patio. Her new diamond ring sparkled in the sunlight.
“I was just thinking about everything. My counselor says I can’t blame myself for Eric’s loss, but it’s hard not to.”
“He doesn’t blame you. No one does.”
“Just me.”
Susan moved closer to her. “This is really bothering you.”
“How can it not? I’m lucky that when Douglas shot Eric it didn’t kill him. Or that he didn’t die in the fire.”
Susan knelt down in front of her and rested her hand on Bethany’s knee. “Eric is fine. The house is framed. The stalls are full of horses and you are safe. Honey, you have to be able to move on.”
She nodded. This wasn’t anything that she hadn’t been told already.
Susan stood and held out her hand to Bethany to stand. “What are your plans today?”
“I have an audition.”
Susan’s eyes grew wide. “Really? That’s wonderful.”
“We’ll see.”
“And you’re going with me to Pearl’s bridal shop this afternoon, right?”
Bethany had forgotten she’d promised to go wedding dress shopping with Susan. At least her sister owned the store. It was another step in getting to know her family—spending time bridal shopping would do that.
“I’ll be there. Pearl is expecting us.”
Susan sipped her coffee. “You’re still able to work tomorrow, right? Lydia has us set to cater the book club dinner. They have Kent Black coming.”
“Kent Black?”
“The writer.” She held out her hand to gesture. “Haven’t you read him? Oh, he’s genius.”
Bethany narrowed her gaze on her. “He writes science-fiction doesn’t he?” she asked and Susan nodded. “Why would I read that? Why do you?”
Susan laughed. “I’m thinking you must be the only person who hasn’t read it. It’s been a New York Times bestseller for months. They’re looking to make a movie of it. Hey, maybe you can put in a good word to him and he can suggest they cast you as Dessilla.”
“Dessilla? Sounds like a role I was designed for.” She blew a hair from her forehead. “I’m done with horror movies.”
“No, she’s a beautiful alien.”
Bethany groaned. “I don’t think I want to be an alien either. I’d better get ready. And yes, I’ll be available for the book club.”
“Good.”
“How did she get him to come to the book club anyway?”
“I think she’s more connected than we think,” Susan winked. “I’ll talk to you later. Good luck on your audition.”
“Don’t say that. It’s bad luck.”
“Right. Are you supposed to break a leg for TV too?”
“It’ll do,” she joked as Susan walked back out of the bedroom.