Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 210(@200wpm)___ 168(@250wpm)___ 140(@300wpm)
“Alice--”
Emotion clogs my throat. “I’m going. I’m not standing here and arguing about it until you understand. It’s not about you.”
She’s taken aback. I’ve never pushed back-- on anything.
Dalton clears his throat, looking at his phone screen. “I know a few people in LA. I’ll see what I can come up with for a chartered flight.”
“Why would you do that?” Farrah snaps. “I’ll do it.”
I press my lips together firmly, shooting Dalton a quick, grateful look. Farrah is highly connected in LA. She knows directors, producers, actors and athletes. But she wouldn’t have offered to help me if Dalton hadn’t, and as badly as I want to get home, I would never ask.
“I’ll have something set up for you when you get to LAX,” Farrah says absently. “Where are you flying?”
I’ve been her assistant for more than three years, and she still doesn’t know my hometown.
“Detroit.” I clutch my phone in my hand, watching her fingers fly over the screen of her phone. “Thank you, Farrah.”
“Sure...Mick is asking if I want him to send a car here to take you to LAX.”
She was able to get a response in less than a minute at six a.m. I forget just how powerful Farrah is sometimes.
“No, I’ll take an Uber.”
“I’ll have Mick text you where to go.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Even though I know it’s not who she is, I want Farrah to hug me. To tell me it’s going to be okay. I’m her center of balance every day, and today, I need that from her.
I turn to leave, knowing she’s already said everything she’s going to say about it. She’s one of the wealthiest, most sought-after actors in the world, but a part of Farrah will always be a little girl who wishes she had parents who loved her.
“I’ll keep in touch,” I call over my shoulder.
Dalton walks back toward the house with me, neither of us saying a word as JP approaches.
“Morning,” he says, grinning. “You guys forget something?”
“I’m going home for a family emergency,” I explain.
His smile slides away. “Sorry to hear that. Hope everything goes okay.”
“Thanks.”
Even JP, who hardly knows me, is showing more concern and compassion than Farrah did.
Dalton goes to my room with me, and as soon as we’re inside, he wraps his arms around me and holds me tightly.
“I’ll be thinking about you and your dad every minute,” he says.
The dam of emotion I’ve been holding back breaks, and I cry, pressing my face to his chest.
“I haven’t seen them since Christmas. And that was just for one day. What if he dies and I’m not there? I’ve been trying to do the right thing this whole time, and--”
He cuts me off, looking at me intently. “Don’t do this to yourself. You’ve done amazing. One step at a time today, okay? First step is packing anything you might need. I’ll call an Uber and then I have to run and grab something from my room. Until you’re there, just think about the next thing you have to do to get to him. Do that for me.”
I stand up straight and nod. Yes. Breaking it into steps will help me cope with how overwhelmed and helpless I feel right now.
Ten minutes later, Dalton is walking me out to the edge of the security perimeter.
“I have a car here,” I murmur. “I should have just taken it.”
“You shouldn’t be driving right now. An Uber driver can drop you off right at the door.”
I look up at him. “Thank you.”
“It’s gonna be okay.” His phone buzzes and he looks at it. “Driver’s one minute out.”
He carried my overnight bag out for me. He unzips it and slides a box inside.
“This is for you to open later. Don’t worry about it for now.”
That must be what he needed to get from his room. The sun isn’t up yet, so I risk a quick kiss, tears of gratitude and worry gathering in my eyes.
“Thank you, Dalton.”
He raises my hand to his lips and kisses the back of it. “Text me when you take off and land, okay? One step at a time.”
The car picking me up pulls to a stop next to us. I nod at Dalton. He opens a back-seat door for me and sets my bag in the car once I’m in.
“I’ll see you soon,” he says.
“Okay.”
He stands there, staying as the car pulls away. When I turn to look over my shoulder out the back window, he raises a hand, waving at me. I wave back, already missing his closeness.
I check my phone. No new texts from my mom. I type out a quick message letting her know I’m on my way. Then I look at my bag, my curiosity piqued.
What did he put in my bag? He told me to open it later, but I could use a distraction now.