Page 4 of Lilly

"So happy I ran into you." He extends his hand but my dad pretends not to see it, so the guy quickly puts it down and reaches in his pocket and pulls out a business card. "I'd love for us to get together next time you're in town." He sets the card on the table next to my dad.

He turns toward Richard, his menu still in his hand. "I've already made it clear I'm not interested in being part of the show, so I would appreciate it if you would stop calling my assistant. It's not going to change my answer." He turns back to the table. "Now as you can see, I'm having dinner with my family. I would like some privacy, please."

"Yes, of course." He smiles at me. "Lilly, you've grown up to be quite the beautiful young lady. Would you ever consider—"

"Richard," my dad says in a deep, powerful voice. "Leave her alone. That goes for Garret as well. They are not interested. And if you contact them again, there will be consequences."

Richard's body tenses, and I notice Reed's does as well. My dad has that threatening look in his eyes that scares Reed and most everyone else. Sometimes it even scares me. The white tablecloth shifts slightly and I see Rachel's arm move. She's nudging my dad under the table, signaling him to calm down. She knows his temper and she knows how it comes to life whenever someone tries to use Garret or me for publicity, or TV ratings, or in some other way that will benefit them.

"Yes, yes, of course," Richard stutters as he takes a step back. "I was simply putting the idea out there in case—" He stops when my dad whips his head to the side and glares at him. Richard puts his hands up. "Sorry to have bothered you. Enjoy your dinner." He hurries off.

"I apologize for that," my dad says as he faces the table again. "Richard's been pestering me for months and it's getting rather tiresome."

"If you don't mind me asking," Dean says, "what exactly did he want?"

Rachel answers, knowing my dad doesn't want to discuss it. "He'd like Pearce to be a judge on one of those shows that gives business advice to entrepreneurs."

Dean's brows rise and he says to my dad, "And you're not interested? Isn't that the basis for your consulting? Helping small businesses?"

"I don't consult," my dad says. "I give speeches. Usually to large corporations. And as for Richard's offer, it's for a reality show which is nothing close to reality. The so-called entrepreneurs are actors with made up companies and the judges' responses are scripted. If it was indeed a show with real entrepreneurs trying to achieve business success, then perhaps I would be interested. But that's not what it is."

"Let's not talk business at dinner," Rachel says, in her cheery, tension-defusing tone.

She's an expert at handling my dad and his temper. If it weren't for her, my dad would be outside right now, shoving Richard up against a wall and making sure he never bothered us again. My dad wouldn't be this upset if the guy hadn't spoken to me. That's what set off his temper. Richard wants Garret and me to do a reality show, where cameras follow us around all day. He's sent both of us a letter about it, and when we told Dad, he was furious. He doesn't want us in the limelight because he said it'll put us at risk. He prefers to keep us hidden and out of the public eye.

The waitress returns. "Are you ready to order?"

I start, and as I'm ordering, I notice Rachel lean over and say something to my dad.

Everyone else orders and as we wait for our food, Dean says to Rachel, "Reed said you and Pearce attended a fundraiser earlier today?"

She smiles. "Yes. It was to raise money for children's cancer research. My sister died of cancer when she was just a little girl so I've been involved with these types of fundraisers for years."

"So you helped plan it?"

"Not this particular event but others like it. This event was organized by a friend of ours, Kelly Douglas."

Dean sits back, folding his arms over his chest. "The wife of Kiefer Douglas?"

"They're no longer married," Rachel says. "They divorced years ago."

"Yes, I remember. It was quite the divorce. In the papers for at least a year. So you're friends with her?"

"Our son, Garret, and his wife are close friends with Kelly's daughter and son-in-law so we've become friends through them. And Pearce has known Kiefer for years."

Dean rubs his chin. "So what is Kiefer up to these days? Still doing small Indie projects in New York?"

"The last I heard, yes," my dad says. "I haven't spoken with him for quite some time."

"The record label I work for would love to have Kiefer direct some of our music videos. Do you think he'd be interested?"

"As I said, I haven't stayed in contact with him much since he moved to New York, but I doubt he'd be interested. Since the scandal, he's been trying to keep his distance from Hollywood."

"We could film in New York. Many of our videos are filmed there."

My dad's getting that annoyed look again. "I really can't speak on his behalf."

"Could you maybe make a call for me? Maybe bring up the idea and drop my name?"

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