Hot Property (Hot Zone 4)

She missed having someone to talk to. For years it had been her mother and her aunt, but with Hannah, Amy realized how badly she missed the companionship of someone her own age. A best friend.

“Not only do I know I have to take control, but I plan on doing something about it. Mike is going to kill me, but I intend to call my mother and let her know where we are.” Hannah accentuated her decision with a raise of her coffee cup.

Oh, wow. That was a huge step. “What exactly do you plan to do when she gets here?” Amy asked.

“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.

CHAPTER

TWELVE

“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.