Page 47 of Something New

And, the pièce de résistance, the waitress and the owner of the restaurant gave their side of the story, defending Anna, with a quote from Derek Harper backtracking on his own version of events.

Vindication. It should have felt amazing. Instead, she felt nothing.

She picked up her phone cautiously, not sure how to feel about the news, knowing she should be happy but waiting for the other shoe to drop. “I didn’t set this up, Yvonne. I don’t know how this got on the Internet. Did you convince the restaurant owner to go on the record?”

“It doesn’t matter, does it? The fact it, this is the good press we’ve been looking for, what you needed. The photo with the little girl was inspired! I mean, you were basically a hero there. Her father tagged you as a white knight and social media ran with it. And the theater program, well, the Broadway producers called back. They’re renewing their interest. I talked more about your theater background, along with your connections to Karen York, whom one producer apparently knows. You really need to tell me about these contacts, Anna. It would make my job so much easier.” Yvonne spoke rapidly, yet scolded Anna as if she were a young girl.

Anna scowled at the phone. “I don’t like using people without their permission.”

“Not your problem. This was a local article on their website that you were tagged in. Took a couple of days for all these images to get picked up, but the social media machine is chugging along, working for you. The producers ofBlazing Passionscontacted us. They’re rethinking the death scene for Bianca until later in the hiatus, giving us more time for further discussions. They aren’t sure getting rid of Bianca St. John is a good idea. You’re back!”

Anna laid her head on the pillow and waited for the elation to rise in her, but the only thing that rose was nausea. This was everything she had wanted, so why wasn’t she grabbing onto it with both hands and running screaming through the house in joy?

The door opened, and Wyatt poked his head in. He saw her on the phone and smiled, gesturing to the chair where his baseball cap had been discarded sometime over the past day or so. Somehow, more of his clothes had migrated across the hall to her room, despite them not officially sharing a room most of the week. She nodded and waved him in, preoccupied with her conversation. Sensing her mood, he gave her a questioning look and cocked his head, taking a step toward the bed. Not ready to talk to him, not sure what she would say or how she was really feeling, she gave him one of her media smiles, full of teeth, brilliant wattage, and plastic. He wasn’t fooled, but Matthew yelled from the stairs that they were leaving and he reluctantly left, with a last backward glance.

She heaved a sigh. How would she tell Wyatt that not only was her career not as dead as she thought, but that she might go further away than California, and with a helluva lot less flexibility than filming? Broadway shows would not allow her time to go back and forth to Texas frequently, and she feared the rekindled romance with Wyatt would wither with the increased distance and less time. She was back in the same position as she was five years ago—having to choose between Wyatt and her career.

Only now, everything was infinitely more complicated.

“Anna, are you still there?” Her agent’s impatient voice plunged into her thoughts, scattering everything. “So, we don’t need you in Los Angeles for filming. Just New York next week for the last audition. They’re down to three final actresses for the lead. It’s a new play, so you’d have to start rehearsals almost immediately. Do you want me to make arrangements to get you a flight from Houston to New York next week, or are you coming home to California first?”

Anna swallowed past a suddenly dry throat, stifling her panic. This was everything she wanted, a new start on a new coast, a chance to broaden her skills and do exactly as Wyatt has suggested. Reinvent Anna Costado. Yes, this was exactly what she needed for her career. Excitement built in her. The creative juices flowed as she thought of the new role, not Bianca St. John, but the chance to be somebody else again. The things she could do with a new role in a new city. She wouldn’t make the same mistakes this time; she’d know how to handle the media and her fame much better.

Decision made, she cleared her throat. “That would be perfect, Yvonne. Let’s definitely get on the Broadway audition. It might be the new start we’ve been looking for. I’ll be coming home first, leaving here on Sunday. As toBlazing Passions, it might be time to move on from there. We both said we were worried about being typecast. I think we’ve seen the result of that already. Can you look for other opportunities?”

“Keep giving me these kinds of promos and we’ll be golden. Anna, what about that charity you work with?”

“No.” Anna spoke flatly. “Absolutely not. I work with those kids because they need a mentor, not for publicity. That’s the last thing they need. Forget it.”

“Fine, but I wish you’d reconsider,” Yvonne grumbled. “Get a couple of candid images from the wedding with that hot guy you were spied with, and you’ll rocket to the top of trending on social media.”

Anna’s blood ran cold at the thought of using Wyatt, after he had professed being grateful to not being in the spotlight. Another piece of evidence that his entire world would change if he stayed with her, and would he be okay with that? Did he understand how his life would completely change? Would he grow to resent her, her job, and the impact on them? Most importantly, how would he react when she told him she was leaving again?

Yvonne clicked off, telling Anna she’d send her the revised script for the show, since some changes had been made, and details for the audition. Sounded like Anna was back on Yvonne’s favored client list. Didn’t Anna just feel the joy at that moment?

Now she wanted to crawl under the covers for a whole different reason, even as she wanted to jump up and down screaming in excitement.

A knock at the door made her jump. Caroline poked her head around the door, looking drawn and pale, not the image of a beaming bride. “Hey, we’re headed to the spa in about an hour. Will you be ready?”

Anna didn’t trust herself to speak and only nodded. Caroline studied her for a long moment, then stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind her. She sat on the bed and took Anna’s hand.

“Will you ever tell me what’s going on? I hate you left us all those years ago and went through all of this alone.”

Anna blinked. “What do you mean, left you?”

“You were so pissed off at Delaney for cutting all of us off from her life when her father was arrested, but you did the same thing to us, dropping all of us when you left for California. I know things are not as glorious right now as you’re making them out to be. And yet you refuse to let your friends be there for you. Who is there for you, Anna? Who helps you?”

Anna’s shoulders slumped. “I hadn’t thought of it that way. When I first left, I was just following my dreams to a job, no more than if Wyatt had gotten drafted by a team outside of Texas. Then, when everything started, and the media was all over the place, I just knew I couldn’t bring that back here. Seriously, Caroline, they would be all over your wedding if they knew I was here.”

Caroline cocked her head, a small smile on her face. “What makes you think they don’t know you’re here? We have security, you know. There are reporters on the island, but they’ve been strongly dissuaded from remaining. In fact, they were escorted off the island for the storm and haven’t yet returned. We’re well aware of all of that. We don’t care about them; we care about you.”

Anna shook her head. “I should have known that you would have planned for all angles and had a plan.”

Caroline stood. “Well, as a fundraiser and event planner, I’ve had my share of crises at my events. Now, I fear that I have several crises to handle, starting with one downstairs. Ethan’s stepmother and father brought a young woman they hope Ethan will marry.”

Anna’s eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding. Has Delaney seen her?”

Caroline looked grim. “Unfortunately, yes. She’s upset and pissed, and so is Ethan, which is something. At least he doesn’t agree with his father about this girl but, somehow, we’re stuck with the stepmother and the girl for our spa day. Can I count on you to stick close to Delaney today?”

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