CHAPTER 3–GIVING TO THE FANS–EVERETT

            Everett bumped into his ex-wife, of all people, while he looked for her. She was never this late for work. He’d concede that she wasn’t late in the actual sense. But she was late for her habits.

            Initially, Everett intended not to speak to Rebecca. He’d been curious about the offer he’d received to reprise his role as Dane on Empire Nights. Everett felt tempted, but he planned to turn down the offer. But they did not prepare him to encounter her as she was now. Everett wasn’t sure what happened. This was not what he expected. Did no one look out for her? He thought she was the rose of the studio. Wouldn’t they protect their investment?

            He hadn’t expected to see how far downhill she’d gone. Everett had heard the rumours she’d become an addict. Gena ensured he saw the photos of Rebecca at several rehab facilities when the photos appeared in the media. Everett never discovered what her favourite vice was, even though the media speculated about it regularly.

            Questions about that were carefully pruned from the fan’s questions ahead of time today. It shocked and saddened him to see her like this. He couldn’t get over it. This showed him the unexpected fact he still cared about Rebecca’s wellbeing.

            Her sarcastic attitude and words hit him abrasively and caught Everett off guard. She’d been sweet and nice when they were married seven years ago. What changed her? Was she acting the entire time? She didn’t appear phased by his demands. Like she was in more of a rush than him to leave their marriage.

            Now she wouldn’t allow him to call her Becca. Damn it. He knew every inch of her naked body by memory. He’d been there in the beginning when her career took off and his career floundered. Everett saw himself as the victim and the person used and tossed aside.

            He watched Rebecca as he thought and waited for everything to fall into place. Looking at her now, he saw how broken and fragile she’d become. It concerned him. Had his rocky affair with Gena done this to Rebecca? Or did someone else carry that guilt?

            Everett half expected Rebecca to chase after him and insist they save their marriage. But nothing mattered beyond Empire Nights. Rebecca never tried. To Everett, Rebecca dropped off the face of the earth socially. Everett hadn’t seen her dating. No mentioned of any relationships appeared in the media. He was aware of her ability to keep her personal life private from the public eye. She could be married again. He wouldn’t know it.

            No, he couldn’t see that. Everett didn’t want to see that. He felt the flame of jealousy licking at his heart. Damn it. He didn’t want to feel possessive of her. He’d given up on their marriage for the sake of his career. Really, where had that got him?

            He’d tried to make it work with Gena over the years. But no woman he’d dated compared to Rebecca.

            “You need to smile, Becca. It seems like you’d rather not be here. Your fans might get the wrong impression.”

            “It’s Ms. Jones to you. Mr. Stone.” An unwanted thought went through his mind. He could hear the jealousy and hurt in her words. His thought wasn’t much better than her words. The world should recognize her as Mrs. Stone. Everett kept it bottled up so he could unpack all of this later when he was alone. He’d never admit to her how much he missed her.

            Everett teetered on the fence. He’d told people he never return to Empire Nights. The sight of Rebecca like this, now. Everett waffled on returning to the show and quitting Grandview Place.

            His characters were founding members of both shows. Though he’d admit, the viewer stats for Grandview Place never reached as high as they’d promised. Gena promised him so much and delivered a little. When things got tough, Everett sought employment elsewhere to escape his contract with Grandview Place. Her acting hadn’t improved, and she wouldn’t take direction. The studio reprimanded her regularly. Gena’s uncle paid to keep her on the studio’s payroll, and her show filming.

            The window dressing was different, but Grandview Place ripped off Empire Nights. It mirrored most of everything. Yet it didn’t score the same ratings.

            Everett watched Rebecca contemplatively for a long moment. So much so she glared at him uncomfortably. Everett couldn’t help it. His mind trolled his memory for a happier time with Rebecca.

            A happier time when his new agent advised him to get cozy with Gena. Don’t miss the chance to join the hot new show, Grandview Place. It would be great for his career. After five years, Everett still hoped for the breakthrough role that would elevate his career.

            He’d been a sucker to Paulo Rocchi, his agent. Everett believed him, because he claimed a long list of clients and decades of experience. He didn’t know that Paulo wasn’t working in his best interest. But Paulo found out about Everett’s marriage to Rebecca when Everett told him he couldn’t date anyone because he was married already. Paulo didn’t know who he’d been married, but he convinced Everett that being single and dating a star like Gena would give him the chance to breakout and make a name for himself.

            Young as he was back then. He’d believed it all. Now jaded as he was, Everett could see how people manipulated events. Paulo lied to him about Rebecca. He’d told him Rebecca would go nowhere because she was pregnant. Everett’s achievements would end as a few lines on his resume. If she took time off.

            When Everett confronted Rebecca about being pregnant, she shutdown the conversation that she didn’t want to talk about it. Paulo showed Everett photos paparazzi took of Rebecca leaving a clinic known for performing reproductive procedures, including abortions after spending a night there. It hurt him she wouldn’t talk to him or tell him the truth. Everett longed for a child and a family. There would have been other shows. For that reason, he couldn’t stay with her. Their priorities were different. She’d forbid him to tell anyone they’d been married. Their marriage became a skeleton in his closet.

            In five years after their quiet divorce, he’d never asked her about it. Had anything changed? Will she discuss and explain to him the reasons behind her decision to do it alone? Was there no baby because it wasn’t his?

            As the audience finally settled into place, several young girls in the front row were having a rather animated conversation about him, and their opinions were harsher than he thought they would be. Nothing he hadn’t thought of himself. Despite that, Everett thought they had a stronger liking for Grandview Place.

The stroll down memory lane might have been about the show and their characters. But Everett’s mind kept adding glimpses into his marriage with Rebecca.

            They’d rented a cabin in the middle of nowhere one Christmas. Being snowed in for the entire time had a magical effect on their bond. Or so he thought. When they returned to civilization, filming of the Empire Nights pilot started.

            Comparing it to his first year with Gena, with all the glitz and over-the-top glamour of parties, openings, and award shows, Everett didn’t feel as close to Gena as he felt he should be.

            “Ms. Jones. Fans want to know your secret to staying so slim. What are your secrets?” Everett’s left his thoughts when he heard this question. He wanted to know this as well. Everett wanted to understand her reasoning behind considering this a good look.

            “Secrets? I’m sorry. I wish I had one for you ladies, but I don’t. Nor do I recommend becoming this thin. Being thin does not mean being healthy. I say enjoy your life and if someone makes you feel less for being too thin or too heavy, then no matter who they are, remove them from your life. You can be heavier and perfectly healthy. Or lighter and very sick.”

            “Are you sick, Ms. Jones?”

            “As my fans know. Career is an open book. My personal life is not. I thank everyone who respects that.”

            That didn’t tell him or her fans anything. She could suffer from cancer, an addiction, or nothing at all with that answer. However, he suspected something was wrong, and it made his guilt worse. His stomach churned with it. Everett wanted to demand she come clean with what she was doing. Was it pills? Alcohol? She never drank when they were married.

            “The most popular question we have this evening for you, Mr. Stone. Popular demand seems to be that fans want to know when you are returning to Empire Nights, and would you be reprising your character, Dane Matthews?” The dark-haired, bespeckled speaker asked from his podium off to the side.

            The audience buzzed with excitement. Everett recognized the fans’ desired to witness this. They wanted new Bella and Dane content.

            “Yes, Mr. Stone. Are you returning to play Dane in Empire Nights? Or should I search for a new love interest who won’t become impressed by flashy promises and a pretty decoy? Rebecca covered her microphone and whispered this just loud enough for Everett to hear.

            He couldn’t resist the change, or the challenge. Something was not right with Rebecca.

“My people are in talks with Empire Nights. Let’s see what comes from it.”

Everett gave a slow smile with a sexy hint of promise in his signature bedroom eyes. The audience when crazy with excitement. It took crowd management several minutes to get everyone settled. “Alright. I give up to your excellent taste and desires. I’ll admit that I’ll reprise my role as Dane Matthews just for the fans of Empire Nights.”

            “Oh, hell no.” Everett heard Rebecca’s quiet words. Thankfully, their fans couldn’t because someone shut her microphone off, and his microphone hadn’t picked up her words.