Redemption of a Hollywood Starlet. Kimberly Lang
up. And, since Finn was running this project, she’d have to swallow her anger and pride and act like a professional.
Caitlyn forced herself to smile. “However, I appreciate your concern and will keep your warnings in mind for the future.”
There. That was the proper thing to say to set the right tone for their future working relationship. She was pleased she’d made the effort. The look on Finn’s face was just a bonus.
She thought he might be about to say something more, but Finn just shrugged, a signature movement showing that this was no longer worth his time. “So, who was that guy, anyway?”
She looked around. While more people had drifted onto the terrace, no one seemed to be paying them undue attention. She had to quit worrying so much about that. There was nothing attention-worthy about her and Finn speaking together. They had to: they were coworkers, colleagues working on Folly. There was nothing remotely scandalous about the two of them talking.
At a respectable distance from each other, of course.
“I don’t know his name. All I really know is that he’s a fan of the whole Reese clan and that he works for someone in Congress.” The eyebrow that went up told her that Finn would be able to provide a name shortly, and she almost felt a touch of sympathy for the young man. “We spoke briefly inside. Obviously that wasn’t enough for him.”
“Obviously.”
“I think he’s had a couple of drinks, and we all do stupid things after we’ve had a couple of drinks, you know.” Finn seemed to agree to that with a minuscule tilt of his head, and she blew out her breath in a long sigh.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m fine, Finn, really. It was a surprise, but that’s all. I appreciate your rescue, but I doubt he would have pressed it much further. I probably just overreacted. Either way, I think I managed to convince him that I’m serious.”
Finn chuckled and the sound rolled over her like a remembered caress. “If not, he’s amazingly dense. Nice moves, by the way.”
“Thanks. After that thing with Mom’s stalker two years ago, she and Dad made me take some self-defense classes and work with a trainer. It’s the first time I’ve ever had to put it to the test, though. Things were different in London. Fewer people knew who I was, so the weirdo potential was way down. It was a wake-up call I probably needed.”
“Hell of a way to be welcomed home.”
She swallowed as Finn came to sit next to her. There was still a respectable distance separating them, but that didn’t stop her heart-rate from jumping up a notch. Speaking of being welcomed home … She’d thought about this moment a thousand times, planned a million witty and clever things to say that would put their past behind them, show she’d moved on and had her career firmly back on track. All those clever words eluded her now, damn it. But she had to say something or else look like an idiot.
She looked around, appreciating the dim quiet of the terrace and the view of D.C. beyond. A full moon topped the Washington Monument like a candle flame. “Beautiful view.” Well, that wasn’t exactly inspired.
Based on the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, Finn agreed with that assessment. “Indeed.”
“This is my first time in D.C., believe it or not. I’m hoping to have some time to do a little sightseeing.”
“If you want tours of the Capitol or the White House let Liz know. She can call my father’s office and get it arranged for you.”
She swallowed her shock. Finn rarely acknowledged his paternity, so the casual mention of Senator Marshall came straight from left field. Or maybe Finn and his father were on better terms now. Things could have changed. “I appreciate that.”
This all seemed so normal. Two people sitting on a terrace, chatting. But it wasn’t normal. This was Finn, and the proverbial gorilla sat between them, so the situation made her jumpy instead. Finn, though, seemed to be willing to ignore the past—or at least pretend that they were friendly strangers—so she was enough of an adult to do the same. If he wasn’t going to bring it up, she should just thank her lucky stars and do the same.
“I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.” That was only partly true. She’d known there was a chance he’d be here; Dolfinn Pictures supported the summer camp program, after all. Because of that, the cast of Folly had come in an attempt to bring more attention to the fundraiser. But Finn normally avoided D.C. like the plague, and he’d been in Monaco for the last three weeks. Donor or not, the chances of him showing up had been slim. This kind of event wasn’t Finn’s idea of a good time. His scene was still more club than cocktail.
“Well, I have to put in an occasional appearance at things to keep the Grands happy.”
Finn’s grandmother sat on the board, and both she and her husband, the legendary Senator Marshall, were here tonight. Porter Marshall had held the office for decades before retiring and handing it over to his son, Finn’s father.
The former senator was far more personable than Caitlyn had expected, and when she’d learned this evening that The Folly of the Fury was his favorite book, they’d had a lovely conversation about the importance of the book and character of Rebecca. Mrs. Marshall, though … That had been a slightly uncomfortable moment: although they’d never met at the time, Regina Marshall obviously recognized Caitlyn’s name from before. While she hadn’t been anything other than polite, Caitlyn had the sneaking feeling she was on probation with the regal matriarch of this powerful family.
Which was fine, because Caitlyn had no intention of screwing this up.
She had way too much on the line.
CHAPTER TWO
CAIT was acting strangely, which didn’t make sense—or bode well for future work on Folly.
He’d sought her out tonight intentionally, wanting to get a clear-eyed assessment of who she was these days and whether or not she was going to make filming a personal hell for him. Dolby was the one who’d pointed him toward the terrace. The scene he’d walked in on, though …
He’d recognized the situation immediately for what it was, but hadn’t known it was Cait until she’d had the man on his knees crying for mercy. He’d recognized her voice before the man even said her name—he’d had that irritated, clipped tone directed at him too many times to forget it. Then the details had hit him all at once: that coppery-blond hair that had kept hairdressers in business recreating the color on an entire generation of women, those long legs showcased by her signature stilettos, even the newly acquired curve of her hips that showed she wasn’t starving herself anymore to fit the starlet mold.
The shock of seeing her had delayed his reaction time, and it had been over before he’d recovered. That was bad enough, but his physical reaction at seeing Cait again didn’t sit well on top of everything else, and he’d let his anger loose on her. It was only his pride that had had him pulling it together to carry on a normal conversation.
Because he was not going to let Cait wreak her special blend of havoc on his life again. He’d learned his lesson there. He would keep this casual and professional if it killed him. He could be the bigger person.
“Are you ready to go back in?”
Cait seemed to be thinking very hard about a seemingly simple question. Finally, she shook her head. “Not just yet. I think I need another minute to cool down some and get myself together.”
“It might have been fun to watch you break his fingers, though.”
She seemed to consider that. “No. There are too many witnesses in there, too many cameras.” She shrugged casually, but there was a wry smile of resignation on her face. “I don’t need that kind of publicity this soon. Plus, it’s tacky to start a fistfight at a cocktail party. Believe it or not, I was