Hot Property (23 page)

“I’m going to tell my mother that she will have to make a choice.

Accept my relationship with Mike without any interference or lose not just her place in my life but her position as our manager.” Hannah set her cup down and met Amy’s gaze, not a hint of uncertainty in her eyes.

“You love him that much,” Amy said.

“I do. You don’t spend that much time with someone, in the studio, on the road, and not get to know him, the good and the bad, quirks, faults and all. He’s worth it to me.” She nodded definitively.

“You go, girl,” Amy said. She knew what Hannah was risking and yet she approved of her going after what she wanted most in life.

Hannah shook her head, her long ponytail falling over her shoulder.

“Yeah, well, enough about me. Once my mother arrives it’ll be pure chaos.”

“When will that be?” Amy asked.

“I need another few days to savor this time with Mike. Then I’ll call Mama. At which point I’m sure I’ll be on your doorstep, begging for you to save me from her,” Hannah said, half jokingly.

“Can I ask you a silly question?”

Hannah nodded. “Of course.”

“I just realized that growing up the way I did and moving into a retirement community left me with few…okay, make that
no
real friends my age to speak of. Now I’m getting to know people at work, but I’ve revealed more to you than to any of them.” She glanced at her water, feeling ridiculous. “But what about you? Don’t you have a best friend or someone you go to when you need a shoulder? Or advice?”

Why would the famous Hannah Gregory confide in Amy?

Hannah laughed. “I can see why you’d want to know, but the truth is I’m more like you than you realize. When I was young, I was tutored so I could take singing jobs, commercials, whatever Mom could line up.

Now I’m in the studio or on the road. I’m with the guys all the time.

The people I meet are either other performers, in which case there’s jealousy or competition, or they’re intimidated by me. I can’t relate to them. You’re the first woman I’ve met in ages I’d want to call my friend.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling settled around Amy’s heart. A friend. Silly as it seemed, she was feeling more and more complete with each passing day.

She wanted to reach across the table and hug Hannah, but the ringing of Amy’s cell phone prevented her from acting on impulse.

“Excuse me. Just for a second.”

“Hello?” The phone number indicated it was Micki even before Amy had answered. “What’s wrong?” Amy asked, because they’d agreed Micki wouldn’t call and risk Roper being around and getting worked up by information from home. Amy would call her if she needed her.

“What isn’t?” Micki asked.

Amy closed her eyes, realizing for the first time just how easily the real world—and Roper’s problems—could intrude on her idyllic time here.

“SO WHAT’S GOING ON?”
Amy asked Micki. She held the phone to her ear and mouthed an apology to Hannah.

“Cassandra Lee has camped out at my office and refuses to leave until I tell her where Roper is. I couldn’t believe how attached she is to him until I found out the real reason she’s parked herself at the Hot Zone.” Micki sighed.

“Which has something to do with Harrison Smith?” Not a difficult guess, Amy thought.

“He followed her here and now they are both seated on my couch.

Both wearing full-length furs. Cassandra has a matching hat.”

“Oh, Lord.” Amy held her forehead in her hand. She could just imagine the sight. “Do you have a plan? Short of divulging our whereabouts, I mean.”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Micki’s laugh let Amy relax a bit. “Uncle Yank is going to take them out to lunch. Or should I say Uncle Yank and his guide dog, Noodle, are going to take them out. Cassandra thinks he’s going to explain why we have Roper secluded, which he will.

And then I am sure she believes she’ll charm him into giving out the phone number.”

Micki’s laughter gave away the fact that her plan wasn’t as simple as Cassandra obviously believed.

“But…?” Amy asked.

“But once they order dessert, Uncle Yank plans to suggest Harrison choose someone more suited to play the role he wants for Cassandra.

Someone more worthy. Someone who will come cheaper. Someone named Lola.” Micki snickered.

Amy shook her head, glad she wasn’t anywhere near New York City during this lunch. “Go on.”

“Harrison, who is infinitely wiser and more cunning than Roper’s mother, and who has a stake in the outcome of this lunch, has agreed to agree with Uncle Yank. At which point we expect Cassandra to scream, become offended that he’d give her role away to someone unknown, and then take the role back on principle,” Micki said, sounding pleased with herself.

“But as soon as Cassandra comes to her senses, she’ll walk away again.” Amy massaged her suddenly aching temple.

“Not so fast,” Micki said. “Harrison’s assistant is waiting for the phone call that it’s a done deal and she’ll immediately ‘leak’ the news to the press that Cassandra Lee is back, making it impossible for the woman to dispute it or back out without looking foolish. Especially when Uncle Yank confirms Harrison’s claim that she agreed.”

Amy chuckled at the absurdity of it all. “You know, it’s so crazy that it just might work. Anything else I need to know about?”

Micki exhaled loudly into the phone. “Well, if the role ties Cassandra up the way we hope, she’ll stop booking twelve-piece bands and let her daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law plan their own small wedding.”

“Twelve pieces?” Amy yelled loudly until Hannah placed her finger over her lips, reminding her she was in a quiet restaurant.

“Twelve pieces and Barry Manilow, but Cassandra claims he’ll do it for free, as a favor for an old flame,” Micki said.

Amy cringed. “Eew. Too much information.”

“Harrison said she was full of it. And Sabrina isn’t answering her phone until her mother sees reason,” Micki said.

Amy raised a finger to Hannah, indicating she’d only be another minute. “Listen, you need to make sure this plan works or Roper will have a coronary,” she whispered to Micki.

“I know. But I think I have it under control…except for one teensy little thing,” the other woman said.

“How little?” Amy asked.

Micki grew alarmingly silent.

Amy stiffened in her seat. “What is it?”

“The stalker is at it again, except now he’s turned to threats. He sent a generic baseball in a brown box to Roper’s apartment. It was forwarded to the Hot Zone. Untraceable and untrackable, of course. The inscription on the ball read, ‘Whack the ball or you’ll be whacked instead.’”

Amy’s stomach churned. “Did you—”

“Report it to the police? Yes, along with all the other incidents. At least the ones Roper told you about. They want to talk to him, but I managed to stall that for a while. And I let Vaughn know what’s going on. He’s hired extra security for the lodge just in case. The good news is that since the stalker sent the package to Roper’s apartment as usual, we have no reason to believe he knows where Roper is.”

Amy exhaled long and hard. “But the papers are quiet?”

“Just a mention by Buckley that Roper’s lying low, probably hiding out in embarrassment. Roper would be pissed if he knew, but since he doesn’t, all’s well.”

“You weren’t kidding when you said everything’s wrong.”

“As long as you tell me everything is right there, I’ll be happy,” Micki said.

Amy glanced around at the dark wood decor and her peaceful surroundings. “Everything here is perfect. Roper is relaxed, baseball focused, rehabbing and he isn’t worried about home. It’s going exactly the way we wanted it to,” Amy said.

“Excellent! I have to go, but I’ll check in again soon.” Micki hung up and Amy turned back to her breakfast companion. “I am so sorry about that.”

“Hey, I understand when business calls. Everything okay?” Hannah asked.

Amy nodded. “Nothing my boss can’t handle.” Which was true.

Except for the escalation in the stalker’s actions, which Roper wasn’t around to deal with, everything was status quo. His family was as needy and crazy as usual, but they had another audience to perform for, at least for a while.

The waiter had cleared the plates while Amy was on the phone.

Hannah leaned forward on her arms. “Then why do you look upset and worried?”

“I do?”

Hannah made a show of studying Amy. “Wrinkled brows, pursed lips, frowning…yup, you look worried.”

Amy laughed. “I guess I’m just preoccupied.” And concerned about how Roper would feel if he found out about the news from home. He’d want to know everything. But as long as she could shelter him, he could continue to relax, something he desperately needed to do. But she couldn’t share his personal troubles with Hannah because he was her client.

So instead she decided to be up-front about her own issues—

getting involved with a famous baseball player who came with a load of baggage of his own. She asked Hannah for advice.

“As someone whose life is a media mess, I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s easy. I’m also not going to tell you what to do, because I’ve seen too many celebrity marriages break up because public life interferes.” Hannah signaled for the check.

“You sound older than your years,” Amy said.

“Not older, just more jaded.” She glanced down. “I believe in going after what you want in life, but I also believe in weighing the odds.

What’s the point of getting involved with someone if it’s doomed from the start? Or if you think it is?”

A shiver raced down Amy’s arms. She had no answer, nor did she want to think too much about it right now. “For as long as we’re up here, it isn’t something I have to worry about.”

Hannah inclined her head. “Good point. You might as well enjoy what you’ve got while you’ve got it.”

Amy smiled. Truer words were never spoken.

She’d enjoy the here and now. Tomorrow would show up soon enough.

THERE WAS NO AWKWARD
morning after. For the next few days, Amy and Roper fell into a routine that included sharing the same bed, then going their separate ways after breakfast while he worked out. They’d meet up again for a quickie or just to hang out and talk. She enjoyed their conversations, which ranged from politics to sports and even music. There were never silences that weren’t meaningful or comfortable. There were never issues between them that couldn’t be resolved with a quick discussion.

Amy could hardly believe this was a job, that she was being paid to watch over Roper. Once they returned home she was certain things wouldn’t be so easy, but for now, life was good.

After a swim, Amy returned to her room, showered and changed for the day. Since Roper had an appointment with the physical therapist, she knew he’d be tied up for a while.

She lay down on the bed and memories of last night washed over her in full Technicolor detail. Every stroke, every caress replayed itself in her mind until she was as aroused now as she’d been then. By the time she realized someone had been knocking on her door for a few minutes, her entire body was on fire. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, rose and headed for the door.

On the other side was a lodge employee with fully loaded shopping bags in his hands. “These are for you, Miss Stone.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Are you sure? Because I didn’t order anything,” she said, confused.

The young man nodded. “I’m sure. There’s a note here for you.

Mind if I put these inside?”

“Of course not. Come in.” She pushed the door open wider and he walked in, unloading his bundles in the entry area of the room.

She tipped him, and once he was gone, she opened the note he’d left with her.
“I promised you a day in the snow. Get dressed
and meet me at the lobby entrance at noon. John.”

She tore into the packages and discovered a winter wardrobe filled with items she’d never had a reason to buy for herself before. She examined the goodies one by one: a white down winter jacket with brown piping and matching snow pants, a ski hat with a pompom on top, brown gloves and thermal underwear. She checked the sizes and was shocked to discover Roper had gotten it right. Another bag revealed fur-lined snow boots and a pair of white-rimmed polarized sunglasses, especially designed for winter glare.

Excitement surged through her and she was instantly reminded of her childhood and Christmas mornings past, when she’d open all the wild and extravagant gifts beneath the tree. Thanks to her father’s life insurance, her mother had been well-off enough to support them, but her uncle Spencer had always made certain she was spoiled, too. He thought of Amy as the daughter he’d never had. When Amy had found out that he was gay, but that he’d had a son, Riley, whom he’d allowed another man to raise as his own, Amy truly understood the depth of the void she could only partially fill in her uncle’s life. He’d given up so much and had only begun to forge a relationship with his son now.

She turned her attention back to the gifts from Roper. She couldn’t believe how he’d managed to have all these things picked and sent over so quickly, but she supposed fame and money had its perks.

And he’d chosen to bestow it on her. She marveled at his thoughtfulness and generosity, as gratitude and much more filled her heart.

A couple of hours later, she was dressed and headed for the lobby, ready for her first adventure in the snow.

ROPER’D HAD A GREAT SESSION
with the physical therapist and then an appointment with the orthopedist in town. His time at the lodge had been rejuvenating. He was feeling an overall natural high. He still didn’t know if he’d be ready in time for spring training, but for the first time, he could live with that because he
knew
he’d be back. He felt good about his life and career.

Amazing what some self-indulgence could do. He felt like himself again, in no small part thanks to Amy. He could think of only one way to show his gratitude, and now he waited for her by the front of the lodge, curious to see how she liked his surprise.

The shock was on him when she finally strode into the lobby, ready for a romp in the snow. Her brown curls contrasted beautifully with the white North Face down jacket he’d ordered, and her face glowed with excitement.