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So, for now, I’m good.
Thank God. A few weeks later, Harrison was indicted for some stuff that happened with his work. His assets were frozen. I’d likely be in dire straits if I hadn’t caught him when I did. We’d still be married and everything in our joint accounts would have been seized, including what belonged to just me.
Except… Shit. Is that why Ronni wants to have lunch with me? To talk about Harrison? I seem to remember she was using his firm at some point.
Don’t think that way.
Right. No reason to go down that rabbit hole.
Yet.
I manage to push the thought out of my mind. The next week is a blur. I work out like a madwoman for a couple hours a day. Massage. Facial. Spray tan. Mani-pedi, Wax. Teeth whitening. I’ve got to go into this lunch believing I can land a role, whatever it is. Looking my best is mandatory.
Act as if, and all that.
By the time I stroll into the Palm in Beverly Hills, I’m feeling myself. Casual white suit. Gold jewelry. Minimal makeup, except I’ve rimmed my aqua-blue eyes with black eyeliner. My long, dark hair is wound up in a stylish knot.
I’ve still got it. I think. At the very least, I look like I belong in this industry hot spot. The restaurant’s host even does a double take before he leads me past the Hollywood mural to a booth in the back where Ronni is already seated.
“Clover, you’re dazzling.” She jumps up and hugs me tightly. “Divorce looks good on you.”
I take in her petite frame, long, reddish hair and spectacular green eyes. As usual, she’s flawless. “Didn’t you just have twins? I can’t believe it.”
“Oh, it happened. Believe me. It takes a village to get me to leave the house these days.” She beams and scoots into the booth, gesturing for me to sit across from her.
Once seated, I can’t help but fidget. I decide to address the elephant in the room head-on. “I was surprised you reached out, considering.”
Ronni looks me directly in the eye. “You aren’t responsible for what Harrison was involved in. I’m fine, by the way. It didn’t affect me or my husband.”
“I didn’t know he had ties with Kircher. He knew how I felt about that man.” I look down at the napkin I clutch tightly in my hand. “It makes me sick. I’m so sorry.”
A few months before my divorce, the entire Hollywood foundation was rocked when the LA Times did an expose on Don Kircher, our former showrunner on Hawaiian High. His misogynistic ways were brought to light by none other than my lunch date, and he’s facing many years in prison for all of his misdeeds.
It’s why my ex is going down too. I recently learned he played a huge role in Kircher’s notorious—and highly illegal—poker nights.
Ronni shakes her head. “Of course you didn’t. This whole thing is mind-blowing. For too many years I was obsessed with stopping Kircher’s web of sexual assault. I never realized how tangled it was. Or how dangerous. Thank God the LA Times did such a good job uncovering everything. I hope it helps make the industry more accountable.”
“Right.“ I snort. “Others will take their place in a heartbeat.”
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Ronni smiles and reaches across the table for my hand, which surprises me. It surprises me even more that I give it to her. “He didn’t hurt you, did he? Please say he didn’t.”
I gulp. An unconfirmed rumor on the set was Kircher made Ronni have sex with him on her eighteenth birthday and then he fired her. A month later, Ronni’s best friend, who played her love interest on the show, committed suicide. Hawaiian High was canceled and we all lost our jobs.
It was a dark, dark time. One I try avoid thinking about. “Uh…”
“No,” she whispers, her eyes filling with tears.
I shake my head. “He never did anything to me. I promise. I guess one good thing came out of playing the cute, chubby sister. All he did was constantly criticize my weight. Not great for my self-esteem, but I was never an object of his desire. Thank God.”
“You have always been the sweetest, most beautiful soul.” Ronni’s grip on my hand tightens. “I hate he made you feel less than.”
“I was lucky,” I sigh. “Wynn’s death hit everyone so hard, but what you’ve done to try and make those assholes pay is unbelievable.”
Ronni’s eyes fill with tears. “It haunted me. I didn’t want to leave him, but I had no choice when I got fired for not sleeping with Kircher. Everything I’ve done to expose that bastard is because of Wynn and for all of us who didn’t have a voice. We didn’t deserve how we were treated. I don’t want anything like what we went through to ever happen again.”
I squeeze her fingers with mine, grateful to hear the rumors about her were false. “I wondered why you’d put yourself on the line like you did. It was brave.”
“I nearly lost everything. If it hadn’t been for my husband, I’m not sure I’d even be here today.” Ronni’s eyes go dreamy. I get it, she’s married to one of the most gorgeous men on the planet, Grammy award-winning Less Than Zero’s bassist, Connor McGloughlin, who comes complete with a sexy Irish accent.
