Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

“You think wrong,” Harrison said. “I’ve freed myself up for the foreseeable future. Nothing is more important to me than you.” His voice grew deep, making Roper shift uncomfortably on the sidewalk.

Beside him, Amy squeezed his hand, seeming to understand.

“You mean, convincing me to take the role of someone’s mother and grandmother. On TV.” Cassandra straightened her shoulders in a haughty display, but beneath the pride, Roper saw the fear.

He suddenly understood. His beautiful mother was afraid that if she took the role, she’d be acknowledging her own mortality.

Harrison stepped forward and clasped her hand in his. “I meant what I said, Cassie. Nothing is more important to me than you.”

The two stared at each other, the silence only broken by the honking of a car horn and the screeching of tires.

“Should we leave them alone?” Amy whispered.

Ben shrugged. “Seems like it.”

Roper was about to agree when his mother’s voice rose higher. “Like I’m going to believe you aren’t sweet-talking me in order to get me to take this godforsaken part. I’m nobody’s fool,” she said, before stepping into the street to hail a cab.

Before anybody could react, a yellow car pulled up and Cassandra Lee placed herself inside. And then she was gone.

Harrison turned to Roper, Amy and Ben, completely unflustered. “So happy to meet you,” he said. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

Ben inserted himself between Roper and the director. “I’d be happy to. There’s a script idea I’ve been toying with. A ballplayer who couldn’t make it in the minors due to a tragic past.”

Harrison nodded, listening politely. “Call me and we’ll talk,” he said to Ben.

“Will do.” Ben then took off down the street, his wave telling Roper exactly what he could do with his request.

Harrison turned back to Roper. “It was good to meet you, too,” he said, extending his hand.

Roper inclined his head and shook the other man’s hand. “She’s a complicated woman,” he said of his mother.

“Always was.” Harrison’s smile spoke of deep understanding for Cassandra’s ways.

“Are you really here indefinitely?” Roper asked.

Harrison nodded. “As long as it takes,” he said, then turned to Amy. “A pleasure.” He lifted her hand for a kiss.

“Same here,” she said, her cheeks pink.

He turned and strode down the street, hands in his leather jacket pockets, whistling as he walked.

“Hmm.” Roper stared after the man, at a loss for words. “Nothing about tonight was what I expected.”

“I bet not. Your brother is a character,” she said.

“He was too pushy with Harrison, too crude with Mom and too eager to get away from me.” He glanced at the dark sky thickened with clouds. “Frustrating,” he muttered. “So what did you think of Harrison Smith?”

“A very interesting man,” Amy said, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. “I know I’ve only recently met your mother, but I can’t imagine anybody flustering her the way Harrison does.” Amy rubbed her hands together briskly.

She obviously still wasn’t used to the cold. “I

’ve known her forever and I’ve never seen anything like it, either.” He flagged an empty taxi.

The cab slowed to a stop in front of them. Roper held the door open so Amy could slide inside before joining her. She gave her address to the driver and Roper, exhausted from his day, decided not to argue.

“Does it bother you? That he’s so obviously interested?” Amy asked.

Roper didn’t have to think about his answer. He shook his head. “Not as long as the man’s feelings are real and he isn’t using her reaction to him as a means to get her to take the role.”