Joy paused, her mouth open, as she stared at the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen in her life following her uncle into the atrium. Jennifer’s smile was like sunshine as she hugged Katie and received a kiss on the cheek from Rill. She turned her attention to Everett, her large, dark eyes going wide.
“I didn’t recognize you at first!” She walked a few steps, her attention on Everett rapt. “Oh my God, you’re going to be a perfect, totally intimidating Slader.”
Joy’s heart sank a little when the two of them shared a grin, Everett’s charm breaking through the grim disguise. “I haven’t seen you since the Toronto Film Festival,” Everett said.
“I know. I’ve been so busy with—” Jennifer’s attention was fractured when she noticed Joy standing there. “Hello,” she said warmly, putting out her hand. “You must be Seth’s niece. He told me about you just now. I’m Jennifer.”
“Hello, I’m Joy,” she said pleasantly, shaking Jennifer’s hand. Jennifer’s countenance was open and friendly. Her blond hair was almost as legendary as Everett’s. It used to be longer, but she currently wore it at shoulder length. It fell in thick, lustrous waves around her delicate face. She wore not a hint of makeup. She didn’t need it. Her expressive, dark brown eyes were soft and warm. It was almost impossible not to like her on first impression.
“I’m sorry for interrupting, but I was in the area, so I thought I’d stop by while John met with some contractors at the cabin.”
“We’re glad you did,” Katie enthused. “There’s been something I wanted to ask you.” She waved Jennifer toward the living room. “We’ll be right back,” she told the rest of them.
“Joy, can you touch up Everett’s fri
nge?” asked Seth, who was focusing his camera on Everett.
“Sure,” Joy said, dragging her gaze off the doorway where Jennifer and Katie had just disappeared. She gave Everett a quick, furtive glance as she lifted a comb to the forked black bang on his forehead. What was he thinking upon seeing his old girlfriend—his nice, gorgeous, sexy former flame? His expression was calm and unreadable as he met her eyes. But then, Everett was an extremely good actor, wasn’t he?
Jennifer stayed for about an hour, chatting with them all out in the atrium, asking about the various concepts Seth was having for the film, getting some clarification from Rill about the nuances of a line in the script and catching up with Everett. Joy noticed that Seth was quietly sketching her as she talked, the actress unaware of what he was doing.
“So what’s this I hear about you falling into a hole?” Everett asked Jennifer as he returned from the kitchen carrying two glasses of iced tea. Seth had removed the hair and makeup after he’d taken pictures, but Joy’s tattoos remained. She thought they looked quite eye-catching beneath the simple white T-shirt he wore. Everett handed one of the glasses to Joy and sat down next to her on the sofa.
Jennifer groaned and looked embarrassed. She gave Katie an accusing, amused glance. “You told Everett, huh? Well, what can I say? I was an idiot and fell into a sinkhole not eight miles from here and had to be rescued. It happened last spring.”
“What?” Joy asked, pausing in the action of taking a sip of tea.
Jennifer laughed. “It’s true. Twenty feet straight down into a sinkhole.”
“There are lots of them in an area down south a few miles. Old abandoned mining area. It’s why you shouldn’t wander too far off the forest preserve paths. Let Jennifer be your lesson,” Rill said.
Jennifer shook her head ruefully. “I’m a living lesson, all right. It would have been one of the worst days of my life if John hadn’t fallen into that hole with me. But John has a habit of turning the darkest moment into the brightest.”
“Now it does sound interesting,” Everett said, sipping his tea.
“I’ll introduce you to him,” Jennifer told Everett warmly. “Speaking of John, I should probably get going,” she said, checking her watch. “We’re going for dinner over in Carbondale.” She gave Joy and Seth a smile. “Joy, it was wonderful to meet you. Seth, I look forward to working with you.”
“You, too, Jennifer,” Joy returned with genuine warmth.
“Same here,” Seth said gruffly.
“Would you walk me out?” Jennifer asked Everett pointedly.
Everett nodded and stood, following Jennifer out of the atrium. Jennifer had made the invitation so smoothly, and Joy had been lulled by all this talk of a man who had made Jennifer’s darkest moments bright, it took a moment for that sick, ugly feeling to creep back into her stomach. Joy couldn’t decide if the feeling was jealousy, inadequacy or some nasty combination of both.
* * *
“Joy?” Katie called anxiously later as Joy opened the front door.
“I’m going out for a drive,” Joy explained pleasantly. “You’ve said the scenery by the river is so pretty, and I have my sketch pad in the car.”
“Does Everett know you’re going?” Katie asked, looking a little confused as she walked toward her with Daisy in her arms.
“No,” Joy said, avoiding Katie’s gaze. She had an overwhelming urge to flee. It was just making things worse to see the concern in Katie’s eyes. “He’s out at the guesthouse, showering. It’ll take him a while to remove those tattoos.”
“I know. I had the feeling he wanted you to help him,” Katie said wryly. “Joy, is everything okay?”
“Yes. Of course it is,” she said quickly. “Will you please tell Everett where I went? I’ll be back in a few hours.”