Page 16 of Shocking Sapphires
“I’ll let him know you’re here. I bet he’ll want to come and talk to you about the role.”
Reality crashed in then and practically suffocated me. I’d managed to forget my new situation for a few brief moments.
“What role?” I snapped, making Molly’s eyes grow wide. I knew my tone was harsh, but I needed to lash out at someone.
When Molly remained silent, I added, “I’m sure Alex won’t want a cripple playing the main character in his movie. They’ll probably get Christian Hart to take my place.”
I hated so openly revealing my insecurities about the handsome young actor, but my roles were sure to be few and far between now. It wasn’t even a competition between us now. Christian would win just by walking in on two legs––a simple feat I could no longer manage.
“Alex wouldn’t do that.” Molly’s voice was filled with confidence, even though she couldn’t possibly know the accuracy of her words.
“I’m sure he’ll do whatever it takes to make the movie a success, and that will require a leading man who can at least walk.”
When Molly opened her mouth, presumably to object, I added, “Besides, it probably won’t be up to him anyway. Once projects like this get big enough, they take on lives of their own. Committees and focus groups will be the only way things happen with the production from here on out.”
“Alex will do right by you,” Molly said quietly.
It infuriated me that she just didn’t seem to get it. As hard as it was for me to accept my new reality, Molly seemed to be clutching even tighter to the way things used to be.
“Let me spell it out for you, since you don’t quite seem to get it,” I said in a hateful tone. “My acting career is over. Now, please, for the love of God, leave me alone, and let me try to figure out how to deal with this.”
I tried not to notice the hurt in her eyes when she hefted Scout’s bag and her purse onto her shoulders, while securely holding my son. Before turning to leave, she said, “I’ll give you some time, but don’t think for one minute that I won’t be back.”
After the door shut behind her, I said quietly, “I’m counting on it.”
14
Molly
Iknew Grant was dealing with a lot right now. It made sense that he didn’t want me to be positive and chipper all the time. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t like that either, if our situations were reversed. But I couldn’t be all doom and gloom with him, either.
It was hard to figure out what to say. Inevitably, when I got nervous about it, I started a string of upbeat chattering, which only served to annoy him more.
As I opened the door to his room and peeked inside, I silently prayed that he wouldn’t get angry about the surprise I had for him.
His eyes were open and someone had shaved him, making his chiseled jawline emerge. I made a mental note to offer to shave him the next time he needed it. That would make it harder for me to keep my growing feelings for him under control, but I’d just received the direct deposit of my first paycheck from him. Unless it was my annual salary in one lump sum, he was paying me five times what I’d ever made at any of my previous jobs. That alone meant I needed to try to help him out in any way I could, but I’d felt that urge to take care of him, in addition to Scout, even before he’d paid me.
I’d been curious about how he’d made the transfer, but figured he must have an assistant that he was in contact with. People of his status didn’t normally take care of such trivial matters as employee payroll on their own––especially from a hospital bed.
“I have a surprise for you,” I hinted, as I eased into the room with Scout asleep in the baby carrier strapped to my chest.
His eyes lit up like a child’s on Christmas morning. “What is it?”
I made a mental note to bring him surprises and treats on a regular basis, since he seemed to enjoy them so much. Knowing that this particular one probably wasn’t going to thrill him, I tried to insert extra enthusiasm into my voice as I said, “I told Alex that you’re here, and he wants to meet you.”
“No,” Grant answered immediately and firmly. “He probably just wants to let me down easy, so he doesn’t have to feel guilty about taking the role away from a cripple.”
“Stop saying that word,” I lightly chastised him.
“I don’t want to talk to him. Cancel the meeting.” He crossed his arms, looking and sounding like a stubborn, petulant child.
“Too late. He’s already here,” I said calmly as I breezed back to the door to usher Alex inside.
I was having serious doubts about my decision to bring the author without Grant’s permission, but he’d been standing right outside the room, so I was already in too deep to turn back now.
Grant bugged his eyes out in my direction as Alex entered the room, but he didn’t say anything further.
I had to give Alex props for trying to keep things as normal as possible. It was intimidating to meet one of the most famous men in the world. Add in the fact that he had just suffered a major tragedy, and the fear of saying the wrong thing became practically overwhelming. With me, it almost seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy as I tried so hard not to bungle it up, yet somehow managed to do just that.
