Danielle Steel - The Cottage

“I'd like to come to Cape Cod to visit you, if you really meant what you said at dinner,” he said quietly.

“I did. And I'd like that too.”

“I love old houses. And I've always liked the Cape. It has a wonderful old-fashioned quality to it. It doesn't have the grandeur of Newport, which has always seemed a little out of place to me, although the houses are magnificent.” He would have liked to see the Madison place, although that was not to be, for now anyway. Maybe one day, when he and Alex had become friends as he hoped they would. But he liked the idea of visiting Valerie on Cape Cod. He was ready for a simple holiday in a comfortable place, with a woman he could talk to, and whom he liked. He couldn't think of anything nicer than visiting her. It was easy for him too, knowing he wanted nothing from her, nor she from him. Whatever they gave each other, if they did, would be from the heart and nothing more. There were no motives to question, nothing to be gained. It was all very clean and very pure.

They sat in silence for a little while, and then he walked her home. He left her at her front door, and smiled down at her. He wanted to go slow this time. He was in no rush. They had a lifetime ahead of them, and she smiled up at him. She felt the same way too.

“I had a lovely time, Valerie. Thank you for having dinner with me.” He meant every word of it and more.

“I had a lovely time too. Goodnight, Coop.”

“I'll call you tomorrow,” he promised, and she waved and walked through the front door. It was a development she hadn't expected, and a friendship she hadn't anticipated. But one she was grateful for. She didn't need more than that just now, and didn't know if she ever would. But for now, this was something special for them.

Chapter 25

Coop had meant to call Valerie, as he'd promised to, the next day. But he got a call from his agent at nine in the morning instead. His agent asked him to come to the office as soon as he could. Whatever it was he had to tell Coop, he didn't want to say on the phone. Coop was irritated by the mystery and cloak-and-dagger of it all, but he turned up at eleven anyway, and the agent said nothing to him, and handed him a script.

“What is it?” Coop looked blasé. He'd seen a million scripts before.

“Read it, then tell me what you think. It's the best damn script I've ever read.” Coop expected another walk-on, or a cameo where he played himself. He'd seen too many of them by now, but it was all they'd offered him in years.

“Are they willing to write me in?” Coop asked.

“They don't need to. This one's written for you.”

“How much are they offering?”

“Let's discuss it when you've read the script. Call me back this afternoon.”

“Who do I play?”

“The father” was all he would say. Not the leading man. But Coop didn't complain. He was in no position to.

Coop went home and read it, and was duly impressed. It was admittedly a potentially extraordinary part, depending on who the director was, and how much money they were willing to put into it. Having read it, Coop needed to know more.

“Okay, I read it,” Coop said when he called back. He sounded interested, but he wasn't leaping for joy yet, there was too much he still didn't know. “Now tell me the rest.”

The agent reeled off the names. “Schaffer is the producer. Oxenberg directs. The leading man is Tom Stone. Leading lady either Wanda Fox or Jane Frank. They want you for the father, Coop. And with a cast like that, you'll win an Oscar for sure.”

“What are they offering?” Coop said, trying to sound calm. He hadn't been associated with names like that in years. It was one of the best films he'd ever been associated with, if he took the part. But he was sure they weren't going to pay him much. It was all for glory, but even at that, it might be worth it. They were shooting in New York, and LA, and he assumed, given the size of his part, it would be a three-to-six-month shoot. He had nothing else to do, except a bunch of commercials he didn't want to do anyway. “How much?” he repeated to the agent, bracing himself for bad news.

“Five million dollars, and five percent of the box office. How does that sound, Coop?” There was a long, stunned silence from Coop's end.

“Are you serious?”

“I am. Someone's looking out for you, Coop. I never thought I'd have a picture like this to offer you. It's yours, if you want it. They want to hear from us today.”

“Call them. I'll sign it tonight, if they want. Don't let this one get away.” Coop could hardly catch his breath he was so stunned. He couldn't believe his incredible good luck. At last.

“They're not going anywhere, Coop. They're desperate for you. You're perfect for the part, and they know it.”

“Oh my God,” Coop said, and he was shaking when he hung up the phone. He went to tell Taryn, because he didn't know who else to tell. “Do you realize what this means?” he asked her. “I can keep The Cottage, pay my debts, put some money away for my old age.” It was a dream come true, a reprieve, his last chance. His ship had come in. And then he stopped and looked at Taryn. It also meant he could tell Alex he could support himself, but the funny thing was, he no longer wanted to call her. Instead, he rushed to the front door, and Taryn called after him.

“Congratulations, Coop! Where are you going?” But he didn't answer her. He strode down the path to the gatehouse and knocked on the front door.

Jimmy was at work, but Valerie was there. She opened the door wearing black linen slacks and a white T-shirt, and she stared at Coop. He looked like a madman, with wild eyes, and he'd been running a hand through his hair. She'd never seen him look like that, no one had. But he didn't care. He knew he had to tell her.

“Valerie, I just got an incredible part, in a film that's going to take all the Oscars next year. And even if it doesn't, I can take care of all my, err… responsibilities It's a miracle, truly. I have no idea what happened. I'm going to my agent's office to sign the deal.” He was almost stuttering he was so excited, and she smiled broadly at him.

“Good for you, Coop! No one deserves it more.”

“I'm sure someone does,” he said, laughing, “but I'm glad I got it instead. It's exactly what you said. I'm playing the father instead of the leading man.”

“I'm sure you'll be fabulous,” she said sincerely, as he stood talking to her and grinned.

“Thank you. Will you have dinner with me tonight?” He had to celebrate with her. And he was going to invite Jimmy, Taryn, and Mark. For a moment, he was sorry not to invite Alex, but he knew it wasn't a wise thing to do, yet. Maybe he could in time. But he was going to call and tell her he was out of the woods.

“Are you sure you want to have dinner with me again? You just had dinner with me last night. I might wear thin.”

“You have to have dinner with me,” he said, trying to look stern, but unable to, he was smiling too much.

“All right. I'd love to.”

“And bring Jimmy.”

“I can't. He's going out.” She knew he was seeing Alex again. They were exploring new facets of an old relationship, and she knew he couldn't bring Alex along, it would be too hard for her. “But I'll tell him you asked.” She knew he wouldn't want to go. He would rather be with Alex than with Coop, which made sense. He had no animosity toward him, he was just more interested in pursuing his own love life, which seemed reasonable and healthy to her.

“I'll call you when I get back, and tell you where we're going. Spago, I think,” Coop called over his shoulder as he hurried back down the path with a wave.

Five minutes later he was in the car on the way to his agent's office, and an hour later, he was home again. He had signed the deal. He told Valerie and Taryn they had a reservation at Spago at eight o'clock. And then he called Alex at the hospital. She came to the phone right away. It was the first time he had called her in nearly a month, since Charlene's DNA results. Her heart pounded as she answered, and her hand shook, but she tried to sound calm for him.