tongue evaporated.
“I had to get away. You know that. Especially after everything that happened.”
“I get that, babe. Everyone does. But how long is this break going to last?”
“I don’t know.” She stood, paced over to the two-story wall of glass in the living room that offered a panoramic view of the deep blue sea—and summoned up her courage. “All I know is that I’m nowhere near ready to come back . . . or if I ever will be.”
There.
The truth she’d been dancing around and had never voiced was out.
Silence greeted her announcement.
Wrapping her free arm tight around her midsection, she swallowed as she waited for Simon’s explosion.
But he surprised her.
“That isn’t what I expected to hear.” For a man given to histrionics, his calmness was almost more unsettling than his usual frenzy.
“I know. It’s not what I expected either.” Not after all the years she’d invested in her career, building the foundation block by block, role by role, with copious amounts of blood, sweat, and tears.
“Okay. Let’s take a step back.” He exhaled. “I can see now that the incident with Jason had a much bigger impact than I realized. So take more time. Don’t make any rash decisions. I can send the script there for you to read, and I’ll talk to the director. Explain the situation. Buy you a bit of breathing space. Would that help?”
Pressure built behind her eyes, and the scene in front of her blurred.
A pox on Simon for throwing her a curveball with his sudden empathy. Why wasn’t he ranting and raving at her for not jumping on this opportunity? What was with his sympathetic, understanding act?
Act.
As the left side of her brain kicked in, her vision cleared.
Yeah, that fit.
Simon knew how to read people, and he was a master at manipulation. It was difficult to distinguish his rare sincere moments from his usual performance mode.
He was the one who should be on the silver screen.
“Katherine?”
At his prompt, she snagged a tissue from the half-empty box on a side table and swiped at her nose. “Breathing space would be appreciated.”
“Anything else?”
Peace. Rest. Direction. Guidance. Genuine caring.
Simon, however, wasn’t wired to provide any of those.
The guy from the coffee shop, on the other hand? Zach Garrett? He seemed capable of offering a friend true kindness and consideration, no strings attached. The sort of person who possessed a deep wellspring of compassion.
But what did she know? Her instincts about people had tanked in recent months. And judging a man’s character after two meetings was foolish—as was letting thoughts of him creep into her consciousness.
She sniffed and dabbed the tissue at her damp lashes.
Besides, he was history. After rebuffing his overtures of friendship twice, it was doubtful he’d seek her out again. Why would he set himself up for a third rejection? Unless he had an ironclad ego, he’d keep his distance in the future.
And that was fine by her. She couldn’t handle any more complications.
Yet if that was true, why did the possibility that she’d never see him again add another dark layer to the shroud of dejection cloaking her life?
“Katherine?”
At Simon’s prod, she refocused on his question. “No. I don’t need anything else. Just send the script and buy me as much time as you can.”
“I’ll take care of both today. Have you been following the rags?”
Her stomach tightened. “No.”
“They’re on your side.”
Like that mattered, when someone was dead.
“I don’t really care.”
“You will down the road.”
Only if she went back to her old life.
But what other life did she have? If she didn’t go back, what would she do?
Another question that continued to torment her.
“Anything else?” She wadded up the tissue.
“No—but stay in touch.”
“I’ll call or text if I have anything to say.”
A tapping noise came over the line.
He was drumming his pen on his desk, a definite sign he was miffed.
“You know, Katherine”—a chill wafted across the miles—“we’ve come a long way together. There are responsibilities on both sides.”
Classic Simon. The one who knew how to play guilt to his advantage. Who never failed to remind her she owed him.
But that debt had been paid long ago.
“I realize that. I also realize you’ve profited significantly from our partnership.”
“As have you—thanks to my negotiating skills.”
No acknowledgment that her acting ability had also contributed to their success.
She let the omission pass.
“We both have much to be grateful for.”
“Agreed—and together, we can take your success to a new level. Add millions of admirers to your fan base.”
“And millions of dollars to our bank accounts.”
“That isn’t a