“I’m not alone, honey. Vicki is on her way and I can stay with her for a day or two when I get out if I need to. Besides, it looks as if the police are finally providing a little protection.” She studied Troy. “You think someone will try again, don’t you?”
Troy stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yes, ma’am. I do.”
“Great.” Julie shot him a look. “Scare my mom while she’s stuck in a hospital bed.” She had no intention of leaving her mother. “I can stay in a hotel until I decide on one of the houses on my list. I don’t have to leave town.”
“So you’ll risk someone else getting hurt when this guy tries again?” Troy asked softly.
Julie glared over her shoulder. “That’s not fair!” He made it sound as if this whole thing were her fault...as if...
She froze.
He was right. It was her fault. He got shot because of her and her mother lay in a hospital bed because of her. Her mother would be dead if she hadn’t gotten out of the car to hand Julie the stupid chocolate bars. Thank God for chocolate.
Troy turned her to face him. “I’m not blaming you for any of this,” he told her quietly. His thumb caressed her cheek. “I just think you need to consider the whole picture. Your friends and family want you safe. To be safe means you need to disappear for a little while.”
“Until the cops find this guy,” Julie muttered. Was she really considering this? Did she really plan to leave town with a guy she’d spent one night with...a man she barely knew?
She turned to her mom. “I don’t want to leave you.” There. Simple and direct.
Elena reached for her hand. “I know. But I want you to be safe. If something happened to you, I wouldn’t survive.”
“Don’t say that. Of course you would. You’re like Supermom.”
“Well, this Supermom doesn’t want to worry about her daughter. I think Troy is right. I think you should take a vacation and disappear until the police find out who’s responsible.”
“Has anyone thought they might not have anything to go on? Has anyone considered that I can’t afford to spend my whole life on the run?”
“We’re not talking your whole life,” Troy said. “We’re talking a couple of weeks. A couple of months at most.”
“Months!” Julie couldn’t believe his audacity.
Her phone buzzed and she pulled it out of the purse slung over her shoulder. “It’s Ari,” she said. “He’s called a hundred times and it will only be a hundred and one if I don’t take it this time.” She pressed the talk button. “Hi, Ari.”
“Querida.” He sounded worried. “It’s been all over the news. Helicopters have been circling your house. The pictures...” He stopped as if he couldn’t find any words to express how he felt. “It looks like a war zone,” he finally managed.
“I know. But my mom and I are okay.”
“I’m so glad. So, so glad. I don’t want you to worry about the movie. It’s yours. You have the role.”
Julie’s heart leaped a foot in her chest. After everything she’d gone through and all the time and meetings she’d spent, it took a car bomb to get her the role of a lifetime. She was no dummy. The publicity this whole incident would create would give the movie an even bigger boost. Ari knew business and giving her the role at this point simply meant good business.
“Well, great,” she said, doing her best to sound sincere and not pissed. It shouldn’t have taken a car bomb for her to get this part. A piece of her wanted to tell him to shove his movie up his ass, but America’s Sweetheart wouldn’t dare say anything so rude. “Thanks, Ari. You won’t regret it.”
“I know. I’m sorry it took me so long to get you the decision. It was between you and your friend Carrie Ann. She’s very good, but you...you are the best.”
Well hell. That information could’ve gone in the Do Not Ever Need to Know file. Cal was going to be crushed to learn she didn’t get the part.
“We’re starting production immediately. I hope to begin shooting three weeks from now.”
“Wow. Kind of fast isn’t it?” Julie asked, shifting on her leg because it was beginning to throb like a bitch. Luckily, the stitches in her thigh would be out next week. Wardrobe would have to work around