AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Matt appears at my side. “That sounded kind of…pointed.”
I slide on his puffy coat—the one I keep trying to return and keep taking again. He was right—it still gets cold at night. “I think she was a little disappointed I brought in a bigger crowd than she usually gets. Which is silly, since everyone here knows her. A prophet in their own land and all that.”
He nods and hovers a little uncertainly. “How’s everything with your dad?”
I shake my head a little. “Still the same. I’ve decided to let it go for a couple of days. John—my brother—said he contacted Dad’s lawyer, and the lawyer is going to check in with Dad. If he says everything is okay, there’s nothing we can do.” I had planned to head back to California, but I have a commitment to this show now. It will give me a little more time to work on Dad.
And to spend with Matt, flirty me says. I give her a stern glare.
He shifts from foot to foot, then speaks toward the floor. “If you don’t have plans for Saturday afternoon, I could take you on that sightseeing tour I mentioned.”
I really should say no. It’s so clear he’s got a crush on the me he sees on the screen, and I don’t want to perpetuate that. On the other hand, maybe spending time with me would be good. He could see the real Nica has very little resemblance to the characters I play. I don’t bake cookies or volunteer or help wounded forest animals.
Except you did bake cookies. And this play is a volunteer effort. Ugh. Fine. No woodland creatures. I nod to myself. I’ll be one hundred percent selfish, insecure-actor, ego-driven Nica on this tour, and he’ll get over me like that. I mentally snap my fingers, then give him a blinding smile. “Thanks, I’d love to come.”
“Great. Rehearsal should be over by noon. I’ll pick you up at the Gasthaus a little after one. Wear jeans.” He urges me out the door and flips the light switch. The crash bar locks behind us.
“But it’s going to be in the seventies this weekend.”
“Not where we’re going.” He gives a jaunty wave and heads down the street.
I stare after him. He didn’t offer to walk me home. Everyone says Rotheberg is safe, and I certainly don’t feel threatened, but this is totally out of character. Maybe he’s over me already?
Or maybe he has something urgent to do. At ten o’clock on a Wednesday night?
I strike out across the Stadtplatz, heading for my temporary home.
* * *
The next morning morning, I drive out to the Ranch. Despite what I told Matt, I can’t sit back and wait for John to talk to the lawyer. For one thing, Dad has a whole team of them. It will require lots of billable hours to find out what’s going on, I’m sure. Meanwhile, I’m here, and I can do a bit of sleuthing on my own. I throw my swimsuit and some sunscreen into my bag, just in case. The Ranch has several large pools and a couple of smaller ones. I may as well take advantage of them while I’m here.
The card in Dad’s Porsche gets me through the automatic gate, and I drive up to his house. Unlike his house in Bel Air, this one doesn’t have an eight-foot wall with a guarded entrance, so I pull up the drive and park in front. As I get out of the car, the sound of a garage door rolling up reaches my ears. I wait, but no one comes out.
Then a blinking light in the car catches my eye. I lean in. A small rectangular screen hangs from a holder attached to the vent. I noticed the phone-like device earlier, but this is the first time it has activated. The screen indicates an open garage door. This must activate it automatically.
If Justin won’t let me in, I could sneak into the house this way. Although that might be unwise—I passed a gun safe in the basement when I “borrowed” this car. Justin might not have access to it, but that’s not a risk I want to take. I hit the “close door” button, then stride to the front door and ring the bell.
A middle-aged woman answers. She’s wearing a white polo shirt that has some kind of medical logo on the chest with her name embroidered in blue: Tammy. “Can I help you?”
I smile. “I’m—”
“You’re Nica Holmes!” The woman steps onto the porch, pulling the door mostly shut behind her. “They told me you might come, but I didn’t believe—I’m a huge fan!”
This could be easier than I anticipated. “Thank you, that’s so kind.”
“You were amazing in New York Christmas! And Time for Tinsel! And Twelve Dates of Christmas! Oh, my gosh, I watch that one every time it comes on the Romance Channel, and I cry every time!”
Since the Romance Channel airs that thing about twenty times a month, this poor woman must shed a lot of tears. I put a hand to my chest. “That’s so sweet! It’s fans like you who keep me working.” I nod sincerely.
Who was it that said, “If you can fake sincerity, you fake pretty much anything”? Although I really do appreciate my fans.
She starts patting her pockets, probably looking for something I can autograph. “You’re one of my favorite actresses. When they assigned me to this job, I was so psyched!” She pulls out her phone and checks something. Her friendly voice turns stern, and she reads from the device. “I must ask you to depart the premises. The patient has instituted a do not admit list, and it includes Nica Dolores Holmes.”
I blink at her sudden change in demeanor. Maybe I’m not the only actress on this porch. “But he’s my father! I just want to make sure he’s okay. I’m sure you understand.”
She smiles sympathetically, and the voice gets friendly again. “Of course. If someone was trying to keep me away from my mom, I’d be livid.”
I cock my head and frown. Is she going to let me in? Reading the refusal is probably required by her company. “So, can I see him?”
