and got more comfortable. The move would’ve flashed him had she not been wearing shorts beneath her hospital gown. Averting his gaze, he shook off the thought. Clearly his mind needed more than just a sponge bath. Time to face reality. Julie Fraser would never go for a guy like him. A-list movie stars didn’t date regular everyday guys. “So,” she said, “where are you from?”
The happiness inside Troy disappeared with a resounding flush. Normally, he asked the questions; he didn’t answer them. She wanted to know about a place he’d been trying to forget for over two decades. She was probably very used to getting what she wanted because she was Julie-freaking-Fraser. He doubted there was a person in the Western Hemisphere who hadn’t seen at least one episode of her sitcom, The Only Way. The show had been in reruns since it went off the air and probably would be for the next twenty years. He’d made a point to see her debut film role in the blockbuster hit Dangerous Race, because the movie was based on one of his most famous locates and also because a client’s wife worked as a stuntwoman in the picture. Though Julie was a great actress, had a refreshing sense of humor and appeared genuinely grateful, he didn’t have high hopes for her as far as her feet being firmly planted on the ground, and he didn’t plan on sharing any of his history with her.
“I’m from all over. I started on the East Coast and made my way across the country. Took me a few years. I liked my stops along the way and stayed in a few places longer than I intended.”
“Doing security work?”
He nodded. Private investigation could be considered security work. At least he thought so. Being the investigator he was, he already didn’t like her line of questioning or where it might lead. Probably best if he turned the tables a little.
“What about you? Where are you from?” He knew nothing about her other than she was the girl on television who made him smile. Although standing in front of him with perspiration gleaming on her smooth skin and her thick blond hair completely wrecked, she already surprised him. He would’ve bet most movie stars wouldn’t be caught dead without makeup or with their hair out of place.
“I’m originally from Texas, but came out here pretty young after my parents divorced. My mom had a sister out here, so...” She shrugged as if that explained it all.
“How young?” he asked.
“Fourteen.” Her gaze strayed as her mind appeared to wander. “A freshman in high school,” she said. “It was a tough year.” She looked back at him and smiled. “But things got better.” She opened her mouth—no doubt to ask another question—when a small blonde with a short spiky hairdo bounded into the room and saved his ass.
“Hey there!” the blonde squealed as she bent and hugged Julie, being careful of the sling on her arm. “I was a little frantic when I got to your room and you weren’t there. The bed was made and I had the horrible thought that something bad had happened before I got to you.” She hugged her again. “Jules, you can’t scare me like that.”
Something about her seemed familiar but Troy couldn’t put his finger on it.
“Sorry.” Julie looked up at her with sheepish eyes then glanced his way. “Oh, Cal, let me introduce you. Carrie Ann Larkin, this is Troy Mills.” She gave him a shy smile. “Mills, right?” she asked. “That’s what the nurse called you.”
Troy nodded, impressed with her listening skills. When she’d been bleeding to death in his arms, they’d only exchanged first names. Now he realized why “Cal” looked familiar. Carrie Ann Larkin had been in a disaster of a movie called Nowhere to Hide. The critics had been so harsh and the movie panned to such an extent that the joke had been everyone who’d worked on the film had nowhere to hide from the horrifying reviews. Dressed in miniscule shorts that showed off her tan legs and wearing high wedges that gave her an extra four inches, Julie’s friend looked the picture of Hollywood chic. With her perfect makeup and form-fitting strappy top, she was the kind of woman he usually photographed with a rich, cheating spouse.
Julie beamed at him and continued, “Troy Mills meet Carrie Ann Larkin. Or as I like to call her, Cal. She’s my soul sister and best friend.”