The meeting with Dayne took place at Josh’s Santa Monica townhouse. Josh didn’t want to risk a run-in with the paparazzi. Not when his plans were so sure, so sudden. They’d have it splattered across the front of every magazine on the rack if they had their way. Especially since he and Jennifer had officially parted ways.
Dayne arrived just before five, as planned. “Hey,” Josh crooked his arm around his friend’s neck. “Thanks for coming.”
“Sounded serious.” Dayne led the way into the living room and took a chair near the fireplace.
Josh sat opposite him and released a long sigh. “I’m doing something crazy, man. I had to tell you.” He narrowed his eyes, looking straight at Dayne. “I guess I need to hear that I’m not insane.” He chuckled. “Crazy, yes. But not insane.”
“Okay.” Dayne leaned back and crossed one leg over the other. “You running away to Spain?”
“Sort of.” Josh leaned over and sunk his elbows into his knees. “Remember the girl?”
“Ahhh.” Dayne stroked his chin. “I had a feeling this was about her.”v
Josh stood and walked to the window. He stared out for a minute, watching the bottlenecked traffic on the boulevard below. Then he turned and met Dayne’s eyes again. “I’m taking a year off. A whole year, man.” He laughed an incredulous sort of laugh. “It’s the craziest thing I could think of.”
He expected Dayne to react, maybe talk him into staying, encourage him to find a balance between the real world and the make-believe one they lived. Instead, Dayne’s eyes got shiny. “I love it.”
Having Dayne’s approval sent a release through Josh. Somehow he’d known his friend would understand. Something about the way he talked about Bloomington, as if he could turn his back on all he had in Hollywood and run for Indiana if given even the slightest chance. He dropped back into the chair and leveled his gaze at Dayne. “I have one film to finish up, but I’ll commute. After that, no movies, no interviews, nothing. Just a year off so I can find out if I’m right.”
“About the girl?”
“Yes.” He chuckled. “Here’s the craziest part.” Josh gripped the arms of the chair. “She doesn’t have a clue I’m doing this.”
“You’ve been talking, though, right?” Dayne’s eyes were soft, as if the conversation was stirring change within him even as he sat there.
“We’ve talked some. She thinks it’s a passing thing, but I don’t care. You know why?”
Dayne laughed. “I love this. I haven’t seen you look so alive since I’ve known you.” He hesitated. “Okay, why?”
“Because she isn’t married and she isn’t dating anyone.” He pointed to himself. “And I’m in love with her. For the next year she won’t be able to get rid of me if she wants to, because I won’t be Josh Nelson, movie star. I’ll just be Josh. The same Josh who loved her as a kid.”
“That settles it.” Dayne slapped his knee. “You know what I’m doing when I leave here?”
Josh chuckled again. “Don’t tell me you’re moving away for a year. The producers will be ticked if we leave at the same time.”
“They’ll find someone to fill the roles.” Dayne looked more relaxed than he had in months. “They always do.”
“True.” Josh remembered something Dayne had told him, more of the details of the woman named Katy, the one who lived in Bloomington. She was the director of a kids’ drama troupe and once in a while Dayne teased her that he was going to quit acting and become a volunteer with the kids. He squinted at Dayne, curious. “So what’re you doing when you leave?”
“You’ve inspired me. I’m calling Bloomington.”
Josh stood and helped Dayne to his feet. “Then you better hurry up.” He winked at his friend. “I hear there’s a certain young director there who needs help painting sets.”
