glass.
“Thank you. I . . .” She stared at the phone, working to bring Jasper’s number into her head. She tried it, closed her eyes in relief at Jasper’s voice.
“Jasper, it’s Cate.”
“Oh, miss, thank God! Mr. Mitchell just got ahold of me. I was about to call your daddy.”
“No, please, don’t. If you’d just come get me. I . . .” She looked at Gloria. “I don’t know where I am, exactly.”
“Unique Boutique,” Randi told her, and gave her an address on Rodeo Drive.
“I got that, miss. I’ll be there in just a few minutes. You just sit tight.”
“Okay, thanks.” She handed the phone back to Gloria. “Thank you, so much.”
“Don’t you worry about it.” Gloria turned her head, gave one long, dark look toward the back of the shop. “It’s called being human.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The networks, the cable channels ran video footage, recorded on someone’s phone. Photographs of the forced embrace, of Charlotte pleading on her knees or holding a hand to her face as if Cate had struck her swarmed the internet, the papers.
In disgust, Hugh slammed down the national tabloid with its screaming headline.
A REPENTANT MOTHER AN UNFORGIVING CHILD
Charlotte Dupont’s Heartbreak
“She set it up. Someone told her where Cate would be and when, and when I find out who—” He broke off, hands fisted.
“Get in line,” Lily told him, pacing his office as Aidan stood staring out the garden doors.
“Even after all she did,” Aidan said quietly, “we underestimated her. Days after she’s released, days, and she’s using Cate for publicity. The photos, she had a paparazzo on tap for those. She had the story ready to go.”
“We’ll get a restraining order. That’s the first thing,” Hugh said. “It’s tangible, and if she tries to get near Cate again, she’ll be right back in prison.”
“We’re all too far into individual projects to walk away at this point. But as soon as I’m wrapped, I’ll take her back to Ireland. We should’ve stayed there.”
“I could take her to Big Sur now,” Hugh suggested. “I can commute when I’m needed for postproduction work.”
“No.” Cate stood in the doorway. “No Big Sur, no Ireland, no anywhere.” She shook her head as Hugh moved to cover the tabloid with a script. “I’ve seen it, Grandpa. You, all of you, can’t protect me forever.”
“Wanna bet?”
She walked to Lily, squeezed her hand. “I know I made a mess of this. I did,” she insisted before all three could protest. “I should’ve stood up to her. If there’s ever a next time, I will.”
“There won’t be. The restraining order’s nonnegotiable,” Hugh told her.
“I’m fine with that. I hope like hell she breaks it so she’s back in prison. But I’m not going to let her make me a coward, and she did. If she wants this—this shitpile of publicity, she can have it. I know we’re getting another damn shitpile of reporters pushing for my side, my statement.”
“You’re not talking to the press about this.” Aidan walked to her, took her by the shoulders.
“No, I’m not. I won’t give her the satisfaction. Everyone here, every one of you gave me what I needed to get out of that room all those years ago. And every one of you gave me what I need to do what I have to do now. I told Joel to accept the offer. I’m doing the film.”
“Cate.” Gently now, Aidan brushed a hand over her hair. “I’m not sure you know what you’d be exposing yourself to. Even with security, even if they agreed to a closed set, there’ll be more stories, more photos.”
“If I don’t do it, there’ll be more stories, more photos, because it’s already out I was having a meeting on just this when she barged in. I walk away from this, she wins.”
After touching a hand to her father’s heart, she lifted her arms. “You, all of you can tell me I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of, but I am ashamed. I need to do this for myself, to prove I can no matter what she throws at me. It’s not a movie anymore, or a project or a part. It’s how I feel about myself. And right now? I feel small.”
Aidan pulled her in, rested his cheek on the top of her head. “I won’t stand in your way. But we have to work out what precautions to take.”
“Publicity like this brings out the loonies,” Lily pointed out. “I can be proud of you, and I am, for taking a good grip on your