“If we get them to promise never to—”
“Come to this private hangar, for any reason, or they’ll be arrested on sight,” Jarman finished, never once taking her clearly star struck gaze from Grant’s tanned face, gorgeous blue eyes, and blinding white smile.
“I think that can be arranged,” Grant said. “Thank you for your kindness.”
She nodded; then he let go of her hand and glanced at the three of them. “Why don’t we meet in my hangar.” He looked to Agent Jarman. “I will make sure they are under supervision at all times; then we’ll be leaving just as soon as we’re cleared for takeoff.”
“But—” Chey said, only to have Grant look at her and simply smile. “Right,” she said. She turned to Agent Jarman and extended her hand. “Thank you. My sincere apologies.”
Jarman gave her hand a quick shake, then surprised them by smiling. “You just got me a one-on-one with Grant Harper, so . . .” Then she frowned. “Be safe out there.”
Chey smiled and nodded. “Will do.”
Wyatt and Chey followed Grant and Vivi. Wyatt thought about how people would often comment upon meeting a celebrity that the star was shorter, or paler, or somehow less impressive in person. A mere mortal. That was not the case with Grant Harper. He was taller than Wyatt by a few inches, and every bit as lean and fit. His sport coat hung perfectly across broad shoulders and the fitted jeans and cowboy boots suited his swagger, all of which came across as natural and authentic, rather than put on for show.
Wyatt didn’t know how old Vivi was—late sixties was his guess—so Grant would be right around the same age. To say he was iconic or legendary was not overstating it. That Grant had so effortlessly maintained his dashing, movie star good looks in the way of Paul Newman or Cary Grant simply added to the dazzle.
“Please, have a seat,” he said, escorting them through a door inside the hangar and into a surprisingly well-appointed lounge area. “Looks like Mother Nature is handing us a bit of a delay, so that will give us time to get to know one another. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Coffee, darling, if you have it,” Vivi said, taking a seat on one of the love seat–sized couches.
“For you, anything,” he said, shooting her a grin.
Wyatt and Chey each took a bottle of water from the side table and sat on the love seat opposite Vivi. Wyatt liked to think he was not the kind of guy to be star struck, but he suspected his expression wasn’t much different from Chey’s at the moment.
Grant carried Vivi’s coffee over and set it and a tray of creamer and sugar on the small coffee table between them. He turned to Chey. “I’m sorry,” Grant said, as he handed Vivi’s mug of coffee to her. “I didn’t get your name.”
Chey immediately stood, jarring the coffee table and almost sloshing Vivi’s coffee in her haste to extend her hand. “Cheyenne McCafferty,” she said. “Just Chey.”
“Pleasure, Just Chey,” he said with a grin, and shook her hand.
She stood there and continued to stare, then shook her head as if to clear it. “I’m sorry. I just—wasn’t expecting you to be so . . . you.”
“And I work so hard at trying to be other people,” he said. “One of my greatest failures, I suppose.”
Chey blanched. “I didn’t mean—”
Wyatt took her hand and tugged her back to the couch. He’d never seen her like this and found it both endearing and highly entertaining. He stood and extended his hand. “Wyatt Reed,” he said.
“Yes,” Grant said, then blew his mind. “Reed Planet. Impressive how you’ve used our modern technology to solve the seemingly never-ending old-world problems. Perhaps we could talk at some point about ways you think I might be able to help.”
And then it was Wyatt’s turn to get tongue-tied. He’d talked to plenty of corporate bigwigs and other giants in their fields, including celebrities, athletes, people who wanted to help his cause. Maybe it was because he rarely met them in person, but he was admittedly caught off guard and not a little flattered that Grant Harper knew who he was and was offering his support.
“For heaven’s sake,” Vivi said to them both, “have a seat and stop acting like you’ve just seen an alien spaceship.”
Wyatt grinned and Chey had the good grace to look abashed. Wyatt shook Grant’s hand. “The pleasure is all mine,” he said. “And yes, I would absolutely love to take you up on that offer. Thank you.”
They reseated themselves on the love seat across from Vivi, and Grant settled next to her, a bottle of spring water in his hand.
“So,” Chey said, clearing her throat and sitting forward, getting her bearings back. “Did you two meet while working on a stage production together?”
Grant looked at Vivi and grinned. She glanced at him and even her perfectly applied makeup didn’t hide the hint of pink that rose to her cheeks. “We met more years ago than our vanity allows us to admit,” he said in that well-known baritone Wyatt had heard coming at him from movie screens all his life. Grant took Vivi’s beringed hand between his, then looked back to the two of them and said simply, “She was the one who got away.” He looked at her. “My deepest regret is being too young and foolish to know what was staring me right in the face.” He glanced back at them. “I’m glad to see the two of you aren’t making the same mistake.”
Wyatt was pretty sure his momentary slack expression was a mirror image of Chey’s. She looked at Vivi. “You told him? About—?”
Vivi lifted her shoulder in an elegant shrug. “There are some people between whom there are no secrets, and nothing is off the table.” She leaned forward, set down her coffee mug, and sent them a knowing smile. “I assure you he takes discretion very seriously. Your story is safe with him.”
“It’s not that—” Chey began, then stopped and let out a short laugh of disbelief. “I’m sorry. Truly. I’m not usually like this. It’s just, I feel like I left the farm and stepped into an alternate universe.”
Vivi smiled. “Why do you think I adored my work so much? I got to do that every day. Only in my case I left a three-story walk-up in the Bronx and took two very un-Cinderella-like trains to get from home to fantasy-land, but I’d have traveled farther and lived in far worse for the chance it gave me, the world it gave me.”
Wyatt noticed that Vivi hadn’t said anything directly in response to Grant’s declaration, but the fact that she hadn’t taken her hand from his and had declared them to be the closest of confidants said a great deal.
“Where are you flying off to,” Chey said, “if it’s okay to ask?” She smiled at Vivi. “Pure nosey, star-struck curiosity now. Not interrogating your date.”
“New York,” Vivi said, and Wyatt noted she didn’t deny it was a date, either. “Grant and I haven’t been in touch for quite some time.” She was smiling, but there was a world of emotion in her eyes. “He thought I might enjoy spending the afternoon at some of our old haunts.” She glanced at him. “The ones that are still around, at any rate.”
“That’s lovely,” Chey said, smiling at Grant. “Just for the afternoon?”