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“His life is here, and this isn’t exactly a hot commuting spot,” Caro said in self-defense.
Jacey nodded, conceding the point. “And you’re certain he wants to stay here? Wants you to give up everything and come to him?”
Caro nibbled her lip. Once again, Jacey had cut right to the point. Because no, she wasn’t sure. She’d never asked him. Not now, not way back when. She’d just predicted the way things would go and cut out first before it became too painful to handle.
“Ah, so youdon’tknow.”
Caro finally shook her head, admitting that much, at least.
“Sounds like a conversation you should have.”
Right. If the geography were the only issue, maybe it would be as simple as Jacey seemed to think. But she didn’t want to get into those issues with Jacey, including Mick’s magnetism for women and her own self-doubt. There was also the insecurity that she’d grown up with, of knowing she’d never have a normal family or a normal home with people who lived like the families on television. Because she’d always livedthroughthem. Notlikethem.
“Well,” Jacey said, “I think you’ve got to give it a shot. If you don’t, you’ll live the rest of your life wishing you’d risked it.”
BY SATURDAY, AFTER his talk with Jared and each of his interactions with Caroline throughout the week, Mick had realized close-but-not-involved just wasn’t going to cut it. Not with them. Not with that hurt look in her eyes and the emptiness in his gut. Not with their past and the ever-lurking possibility of their future.
He needed to spend time with her to see if she felt the same way. He suspected she did, judging by the careful way she’d danced around her words in the past few days. Having time alone wasn’t easy with Caroline working incredibly long hours. Of course, so was he. First because of his day job, and now because of his extra duties as volunteer liaison between Hollywood and his hometown.
The job was pretty thankless. So far, he’d had three people beg him to give their phone numbers to Joshua Charmagne. They’d all been men, so there was one rumor substantiated.Score one forThe National Enquirer.
He’d also received a few bribe offers. The editor of the small local paper wanted him to try to snap secret pictures on the set. Several women had offered him everything from a free haircut—Diane—to free checking—the bank teller—to free pie—his own mother—if he could get them special work as a featured extra.
His mother had assured him as she’d handed over the apple pie that she’d make a great corpse. As if that wasn’t bad enough, she’d gone on to say she’d be perfectly willing to do it nude if they needed a drowning in the tub or something.
Okay, some things weren’t even worth apple pie. After picturing his dead, naked, sixty-two-year-old mother broadcast across the country, he didn’t think he’d ever eat pie again. Mick had somehow managed to get away from her without offending her by losing his cookies—not to mention his pie—right there on his front porch.
Realizing that he and Caroline weren’t going to have a chance to move forward unless they tried, Mick plunged into one of the biggest risks he’d ever taken.
He was kidnapping her.
Well, he wasn’t really kidnapping her. But he was strong-arming her into coming away with him Saturday after work.
They’d had a pretty okay day, though they hadn’t talked much in the on-site trailer. Mick had hung out there more to be close to her than because he was needed for any Hollywood vs. Small Town interpreter duties. The tentative looks they exchanged—the sentences started but never finished—convinced him she’d reached the same conclusion he had.
That conclusion was, basically, go for it.
Heartache? Okay, possible. Anger? Yeah, that too. A long-distance relationship that didn’t last longer than a month of unlimited cell phone minutes? Conceivable.
But, what the hell. If they didn’t go for it, they’d never know. So, he decided, they were going to try.
“You really can’t just kidnap me, you know,” she said with a nervous laugh as they settled into his car. They were heading away from the trailer, where Mick had just made sure Renauld knew Caroline was taking a much-needed night off.
“Yeah, I can. I just did.”
She twisted her hands in her lap. “Where are we going?”
“We’re going by my place. Pack a bag for overnight.”
“Overnight.” She drew out the word, giving it an infinite variety of meanings and promises. “So, uh, tell me, what kind ofovernighttrip is this?”
He knew what she was asking. She wanted to know about much more than location or entertainment. She wanted to know what it meant to them, their future. And whether or not they were going to blow each other’s minds with some fabulous sex.
Instead of answering directly, he said, “I think we should give it a shot, Caroline.”
He heard the breath she sucked in. Then, in a shaky voice, she asked, “Give the weekend a shot?”
He kept his eyes on the road. “More than just the weekend. I meanus.I don’t think we should worry about next week or talk about the past or concentrate on the future.” He took in a deep breath, then continued. “Let’s live in the right now.”
