Not that it had mattered in the end. Hollywood had become forever tarnished, and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
Roger laughed, then it turned into a coughing fit. “Are you going to spend this phone call telling me what a jackass I am, or can I tell you what I want to tell you?”
“It’s not like I can stop you,” I muttered, though I couldn’t help smiling. I missed Roger. I really did.
“So, I don’t know if you still read the trade mags now that you’re out there in that backwater town you’ve gone to hide in.” More coughing. He really needed to quit smoking.
“I’m not hiding,” I argued petulantly.
“Sure you’re not. Anyway, I’ve nabbed the Tiger Girl movie. We’re talking a nine-figure budget with blockbuster written all over it. I’m flying out to Hungary tomorrow. Production starts in ten days. Valerie Helsley is starring. I won’t tell you the price tag to nab her.” He cackled again, enjoying himself.
“Sounds great,” I told him, knowing exactly where this was headed. “But Rog—”
“I want you to come out there. We’ve scheduled shooting to last four months. I can pay you more than you’ve earned on any other movie. And there’s talk already of sequels. Guis will be here of course,” Roger rambled on. He started telling me about the locations and the aerial unit and special effects team he had gotten on board. “This is going to be the biggest thing to come out of Hollywood since The Avengers.”
Against my better judgment, I felt it. The buzz. The excitement. But it died quickly.
“I’ve given all that up, Rog. I don’t plan on going back,” I stated firmly.
“If this is about Gavin, you’re not the first piece of tail to get burned by him. He’s a dick. And there’s talk that with all this hashtag Me Too stuff, some things are going to start coming out about him. His days are numbered, Galloway. You won’t have to worry about him anymore.”
I would be lying if the thought of Gavin getting publicly crucified for being a sleaze didn’t fill me with immense joy, but there was more to my refusal.
“I’m married, Rog.”
Silence.
I couldn’t remember the last time Roger Heiden had been rendered mute. This would go down in the history books.
“You’re pulling my leg,” he said with a laugh.
“I’m not. The wedding was a month ago.”
“To who? It was only last year that you were crying over Gavin fucking Wiseley.” He sounded incredulous as though he suspected he was being punked.
“He’s someone I’ve known for a long time. It all just sort of happened. He has a daughter—”
“Wait a goddamn minute; you’re telling me you’re giving up the chance to work on a blockbuster movie to play step-mommy to some kid? You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s not the Whitney Galloway I know and love.” I could almost see him shaking his head in disbelief.
“People change Rog.”
“Some people maybe, but not you, baby. Not my Galloway. Come on. Come to Hungary. Make some serious bank. That’s where you belong. Not married to a trucker and playing mommy in some backwater hicktown. Give me a break,” he scoffed.
“He’s not a trucker.” It was the only part of his diatribe I could argue with. Because a tiny part of it hit home. And that bothered me.
“Okay, well shooting starts in ten days. So, you have ten days to get your ass out here. Or not. The choice is yours. Though you’re a fucking idiot if you don’t. Let me know.” Then he was gone.
“Damn it,” I seethed, clutching my phone in my hand.
There was a knock on the door. “Whit, you in there?”
Crap.
I opened the door to find a very sleepy Kyle standing in the hallway. “I didn’t know where you had gone,” he said and reached for me. “I don’t like waking up and you not being there.”
He kissed the side of my neck, and my entire body melted into him.
I forced myself to forget the call with Roger.
This was what mattered.
This was my choice.
**
“I’m not looking forward to this,” Kyle muttered, his gaze scanning the park, looking for his ex.
Josie had called on Thursday evening. I only heard Kyle’s end of the conversation, and he had kept it brief. They agreed to meet at the park on Saturday morning at 10:30. Josie would have an hour visit to start, and they’d build from there. They would slowly work toward unsupervised visits while custody