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Her thoughts still clouded by Zane, she flipped on the radio, hoping to hear the news, and tried to concentrate on what was happening in the world—to no avail.
At the station’s lot, she parked her rental, snatched her briefcase and climbed out of the car. In her peripheral vision, as she locked the car door, she noticed a silver Ford Taurus parked on the other side of the short hedge that separated the station’s lot from the street. The driver didn’t get out of his car, but pulled a newspaper from the seat beside him and began scanning it as if he were waiting for someone.
A car pool?
Had she seen the car before—yesterday morning? She couldn’t remember, and deciding the man had every right to read his paper in the car, walked briskly to the station doors.
Inside, she poured herself a cup of coffee, and after talking with a few co-workers, none of whom asked about Aunt Brenda, fortunately, she made her way to her office where she sequestered herself with the intention to go over her notes on today’s guests: a heart surgeon from Moscow, a woman who wrote a diet book for people who love chocolate, and a new young actor promoting his latest movie.
She’d no more than sat down when there was a tap on the door, and Alan, already in makeup, poked his head inside. “I’d like to talk to you after the show,” he said, as Audra rushed by him with her huge case and a quick “’Scuse me.”
“Sure. What about?”
He glanced at Audra then shook his head. “It’ll wait.”
“Good, because I can’t!” Audra said, unzipping her case and eyeing Kaylie. “Now, you don’t look as good as you did yesterday.”
“Thanks a lot,” Kaylie teased, but she knew the hairdresser was right. Two nights ago she’d slept soundly in Zane’s arms, only to be awakened to make love to him. Last night she’d tossed and turned, angry with him one minute, missing him the next. She hadn’t gotten much sleep.
“A few eyedrops—a little blush, and you’ll be good as new,” Audra announced, but Kaylie wasn’t convinced.
However, Audra worked her magic and Kaylie felt better. The show went well, and aside from Alan sending her silent messages she didn’t understand, the segments passed without a hitch.
Afterward she had lunch in the deli across the street, then spent the rest of the afternoon in her office, reviewing the tape of the day’s show and making preparations for the next program.
There was a quick knock on the door, and Alan once again poked his head inside. “Got a minute?”
“Sure. What’s up?” She tossed her pencil onto the desk as Alan closed the door behind him.
“There’s talk about a sequel to Obsession.”
“I’ve heard.”
“The producer’s talking with the writer of the original script as well as to Cameron.” Cameron James had been the director of Obsession.
Alan’s face was split with a huge grin. “This could revive both our careers,” Alan went on, pacing on the other side of Kaylie’s desk.
“No one’s approached me yet,” she said.
“And if they do?”
“I—I don’t know.” A shiver of fear slid down her spine as she remembered the premiere.
“‘Don’t know’?” he repeated, aghast. “Kaylie, just think of it. You never had a chance to prove yourself as anything but a child star, but now you could show how you’ve grown up, how your character has matured!” He was excited. His eyes practically glowed, and his hands became expressive. “This is an opportunity we can’t pass up.”
“No one’s shown me a script yet.”
“It’ll happen,” Alan predicted, buoyed. “I spoke with my agent last night and again this morning. Sequels are all the rage. Look at Back to the Future, the Rocky films. Not every one is a blockbuster, but some are. And they don’t have to be action films. There’s Texasville.”
Kaylie considered the idea. She’d been approached to do small parts in several movies over the years, but had always declined. “I’m happy here—doing what we do, Alan.”
“Well,” he said, rubbing his hands nervously, “it hasn’t happened yet, but when it does, just promise me you’ll keep an open mind. I know that the Obsession premiere was a real bummer, but it was a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and look at it this way, the publicity didn’t hurt the ticket sales.”
“Alan!”
He grinned as he reached for the door handle. “Just a little joke. You know, you’re too serious, Kaylie. Much too serious. You need to lighten up.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
