Ari’s voice broke the spell and Julie looked up to see the crowd gathering around them.
“I’m okay.” She glanced at Troy. “Are you okay?” The fall had to hurt. She’d knocked the wind out of him just as surely as if she’d punched him.
“I think so. I—”
“Julie!” Cal’s voice rose above the worried muted whispers.
Ari helped her off Troy and she felt a loss at the separation. She glanced up again when Cal called her a second time. She spotted her best friend through the crowd of people who’d gathered at the top of the stairs, her eyes wide and panic-stricken.
“Oh my God, Julie!” Cal stood and winced, keeping her weight on her right foot. “Are you okay?” she asked even though she was the one hurt.
“I’m okay.” A couple of men helped Troy to his feet as Julie carefully took the stairs on shaky legs. Several people made way for her. “But it looks like you’re hurt. Did you sprain your ankle?”
“I don’t know. I might have just twisted it.” She turned to her brother, still on the floor where he’d fallen into her. “Drew, are you okay?”
Drew lay curled up into a tight ball on the carpet, his shoulders shaking. Cal’s hurt ankle suddenly became an afterthought as both of them surrounded Drew. For a twenty-five-year-old man, he looked more like a little boy.
Julie put her hand on his shoulder. “Drew, it’s okay. Everyone is okay,” she assured him.
“No,” he shouted, the word muffled behind his arms. “It’s not okay!”
“Yes, it is,” Cal said, trying to soothe him. “I’m fine. It barely hurts and Julie is fine too.”
“Drew,” Julie said, stroking his arm. “C’mon, let’s get up and I’ll buy you a Coke. How does that sound?”
He sniffed loudly and peeked out from behind his arms, his eyes skeptical. He rolled over and grabbed Julie in an awkward hug. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” His warm breath whooshed past her ear.
“Honey, it was an accident.” Julie gave him a last reassuring squeeze and pulled away.
He looked at the crowd gathered around him and his brows pulled together. “I want to go home.” He didn’t exactly shout the words, but his snarl and gritted teeth hinted at the definite possibility.
Cal shot Julie a warning glance. Drew was about to have a serious meltdown. “Fine,” Cal said, rubbing his arm. “We can go. I’ll take us right now.”
“No!” he shouted again. “I want to go to my house.”
A flush of embarrassment heated Julie’s face. Though Cal had mentioned Drew having more behavioral issues, she’d never seen him like this.
Taking a steadying breath, Cal shut her eyes briefly and seemed to ready for the battle. She sat next to Drew. “I know you do, but the house is being tented for termites. You have to stay with me for a few days.”
“No!” he shouted again, still on the floor and physically backing away from them both, his attention on the people watching them.
Julie bent to hear Cal’s whisper. “He’s pissed because he thought we were going to be sitting at your table.”
A freight train loaded with guilt slammed into Julie, and another wave of heat spread across her skin. “I am so sorry,” she whispered back. “I thought they’d squeeze him in at the table. I didn’t think they’d move you to sit with him somewhere else.”
Cal shrugged like it was no big deal, but Julie still felt bad.
“Drew,” Julie said, hoping to help. “What if I come with you guys?”
Cal covertly mouthed thank you behind her hand.
“We can catch up. I’m still upset that I had to cancel our lunch a couple of months ago.” They’d rescheduled, but she’d had to cancel that appointment too after being shot. “What do you say? I can follow you and Cal home.”
Drew slowly met her gaze. He had a lost look in his eyes that was becoming too familiar. “You will?” he asked. Julie realized that Hollywood had crushed the boy who’d had such huge hopes and dreams. He’d not only lost his confidence, he’d lost his self-esteem. It was as if Tinseltown had literally stolen Drew’s mental health. His father’s suicide hadn’t helped anything, nor had the fact that Drew had found Andrew Sr.’s body. His life had been a downhill slide ever since.
“Sure.” She took his hand and squeezed. “We can make some popcorn and catch up. How does that sound?”
A smile blossomed on his face and he looked like the old Drew. Julie still couldn’t figure out why Hollywood