Page 34 of Taking Chances in Cedarwood

“He’ll bring a cow,” Dixon said. “Or a chicken.”

“You should be talking to producers and trying to get hired onto different films, not goofing around here,” Marcia said. “We have bills to pay, and you can’t be lazy.”

Said just like a typical stage mom.“Stop.” His anger overwhelmed him. “You haven’t once mentioned missing me, being worried about my being gone or concerned over my welfare. All you care about is the money I’m not bringing in.”

“That’s not it at all.” Marcia dropped her voice. “But this guy is rough and he’s a guy. You could be royalty in Hollywood if you’d play along and stop getting so deep into character. Once you realize you’re not the character from this upcoming film, you’ll see you’re not really taken with this man.”

In character? Fuck.She’d never believe him and would make up lies to explain away why he’d gone against her wishes. “Mother.”

“She’s right. You need to stop thinking like that character and be the man we molded you into being,” Ed said. “Get over yourself.”

His father had said the magic words. They’d molded him to be a star—their breadwinner.

An oversized van drove down the lane. Cain frowned. He hoped against hope the van was a delivery or the veterinarian, but he knew better. The fans had found him.

Andrew strode out of the barn at the same time. “Cain?”

“I don’t know what’s going on with the van,” Cain said. But he had a good idea. “Sorry.”

“No.” Andrew made his way up to Cain. “You have another guest. She was in the barn, sleeping on the straw. She wants to meet Cain Ables.” He escorted a girl to the group.

A young blonde woman, about fifteen or sixteen years old, grinned at him. She launched herself into Cain’s arms.

Dixon blocked Cain’s access to Andrew. “Slow down now. You’ll get to meet Cain.”

Cain nudged Dixon out of the way as the girl hugged him. “Hi,” he said to her. “You really shouldn’t sleep in the barn.” He met the girl’s gaze. “Why’d you hide in there?”

“To see you,” she said. Tears slid down her cheeks. “I heard you were in town and I didn’t believe it because no one like you would ever come here because it’s so boring, but she had your autograph, and I wanted it so I came out here, but I didn’t see you and I got tired, so I went in there and he found me and you’re here.” She sobbed louder.

Cain hugged her. “Breathe.” He wasn’t sure how she’d managed to say so much while barely taking a pause in her gigantic sentence. “Did you want an autograph?”

“And a picture.” She hiccupped. “Please?”

“Sure.” He posed with her, then signed her autograph book.

“Thanks. I’ll hashtag you when I post it.” She fumbled with the phone and book. “Uh…I need a ride home.”

“How’d you get out here?” Cain asked. “It’s a long way from town.”

“My friend gave me a ride.” She shrugged. “She said if you were here, then to tell her so she could meet you, too.”

Fuck.“I see.” Cain snapped his fingers. Of all the times he appreciated having some luxuries, this was one. “Dixon, get her a ride home.”

Dixon waved to the driver of one of the cars. “Moore will drive you home.”

“Thanks.” She blushed. “Bye.”

Cain smiled and waved. “Bye.” He’d put Andrew in danger. If this girl had found the farm, then other fans would show up, too. If additional fans converged on the house, Andrew wouldn’t get any peace.

Moore, the driver, ushered the young lady away. Cain sighed.Damn it.He was used to this kind of interruption and invasion of his privacy, but Andrew had no idea what Cain put up with on a daily basis. Andrew stood at the edge of the group. Cain shrugged away from his family and reached for the man he’d come to love.

“Sorry.” Cain twined their fingers. “This is my circus.”

“I see that,” Andrew said. “It happens a lot, doesn’t it?”

“It can.” Cain turned his back on his family. “When I was a teenager and before I started doing major films, my parents encouraged the people to visit the house and made me go outside to sign autographs. I have a feeling they got this whole charade going here, too.”

“Nice.” Andrew’s eyebrows rose, and his lips parted. “That van is here, too? For you?”

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