Her Secret Life

And he’d be waiting.

Because he wanted to be.

Because she’d wait for him, too.

Kacey was his friend.

He was hers.

And as long as no one mucked with that, they’d be fine.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

BO WANTED A key to her place.

She’d made such a big deal about not wanting to go out every night, not partying as a way of life. She wanted a home life.

He’d been open to all of that, though it meant a complete lifestyle change for him, too. And less of a chance to make contacts with Hollywood’s movers, less of a chance to hear about an audition before it went out to the agencies.

I want to have dinner waiting for you when you get home after a long day on set. He’d said that when she’d talked to him over her lunch break on Monday.

Returning his call.

She’d texted him about the picture—not only because he was her...whatever he was...but because he was in it, too.

When he’d suggested that he could come by and get her key that afternoon, have a copy made, she’d shamed herself by telling him she was losing their connection.

What the hell? She’d never been a liar.

That afternoon when she had a break, she grabbed a tomato and cheese sandwich, ripped off the crusts, peeled off the cheese, and, sitting in a corner of her little dressing room with the door locked, put her head back and closed her eyes.

She had to slow down, tune out the craziness that was her life in Beverly Hills. The frenetic pace, playing her part on the social scene, prevented her from listening to her heart.

Or...she could choose not to slow down, to let the loudness of her Beverly Hills life consume her—and never find her heart.

Shaking her head, Kacey took a bite of sandwich and chewed.

There was no or. She’d made her decision the second she’d seen what her life had become, how Beverly Hills had blurred anything that was difficult or painful and let her pretend that every minute in every day was glorious.

Truth was, even the best days in Beverly Hills weren’t glorious. They were good. She loved her career. And liked the events. Liked the excitement.

But at the end of the day, she wanted a home like Lacey had, with family to return to. And the only way she’d ever have one—and keep it—was to work hard for it. Every day of her life.

She could do this.

She knew she could. One thing she was certain of, if she put her mind to something, she could make it happen.

So she chewed. She swallowed. And in the silence of her mind she thought about Bo.

The key to her condo.

She’d feel safer if Michael had been the one asking.

Kacey spent the rest of her lunch break trying to explain that one to

herself.

And wasn’t completely sure she’d succeeded.