means to you, and I’d be a dick not to cheer you on and give you the best possible shot at realizing your dream. So, trust me when I say keeping it secret that we’re together is best for now.”
I sigh, hating the idea of not being with him, but his reasoning makes sense. I would hate to cause problems for my career before it even starts. As much as I would love to argue and come up with a snappy comeback proving his theory wrong, I know tabloid gossip and the Internet can wreak all kinds of havoc on a person’s life. It wouldn’t be farfetched to entertain the idea that it would do the same to someone like me.
“How long do you think it will take for you to take care of everything?”
He shrugs. “I’m not sure.”
I frown, not liking that he can’t give me some idea about a timeline. “What am I supposed to do without you while you’re out in California getting things straightened out?”
“What were your plans before you met me?” Ace asks.
I furrow my brow. “Before you, I had plans to wrap things with Gran’s estate, leave Adele in charge, and get back to New York as quick as possible. Broadway is my dream, and I still want that . . .” I hesitate. “But I want you more.”
He gives me a sad smile. “You shouldn’t stop going after your dream because I’m in the picture. I don’t ever want to hold you back, and we’ll be back together before you know it.”
I shake my head. “I don’t like this. I don’t like us being apart.”
Ace sighs. “I won’t make any rash decisions. I’ll stay here with you until we get the tax situation fixed, and then when you go back to New York, I’ll go back to California. After I get everything worked out, I’ll come to you. We’ll live together in New York.”
I smile, liking that idea much more. “That’s a plan I think I can live with, as long as you promise to hurry back to me as soon as you can.”
He kisses the top of my head. “I don’t think I could stay away from you any longer than I ever had to.”
Satisfied with his answer, knowing that he’s not going anywhere until we’re both ready, I snuggle back into him and allow myself to drift off to sleep.
My shift at Angel’s today has been relatively dead. Most of the people who come in here during the day are on their lunch break so they can catch up on the sports and news that Angel always keeps running in here.
Melody, Mr. Stern’s secretary, is here today. Thankfully she’s not in my section. She’s so nosey, and I don’t need her knowing any more of my business than she already does.
As I’m cleaning a table, my attention is instantly jerked to one of the televisions at the mention of Ace’s name.
A tall, blond news reporter pulls the microphone close to her lips and rattles off breaking news about the missing rock star. “Earlier this week an anonymous tip was e-mailed to Jane Ann Rogers’s address, listed on the reward website, that Ace White is indeed alive and well. The e-mail also went on to say, and I quote, that Mr. White left over creative control differences with his band and has sought out legal counsel to advise him on the best way return to his career without facing lawsuits.
“Police are still unsure of the validity of this tip because the reward for information leading to Mr. White is now up to fifty thousand dollars. Law enforcement officials are busy sorting through over twenty-five hundred possible leads they’ve received since the reward value was increased. They are hoping to narrow down any legitimate leads that may come from them.
“That’s all the information we have at this point. If investigators are able to narrow down who sent the tip from the IP address, they may have some helpful information on the case. If anything changes, I will be the first to report it. This is Linda Bronson for Celebrity Pop Buzz Nightly’s daily update.”
My jaw hangs open as I stare at the commercial on the screen.
Shit. Does that mean they are close to finding Ace? I need to tell him about this. He probably has no idea since we don’t get cable or Internet in Willow Acres.
I dig my phone out of my back pocket but can’t make myself dial the number. If