I smile at her. “I’m pretty sure it’s just my first superfan. I saw the car earlier, following me home from the studio.”
Liliah doesn’t look convinced, but she lets go of my arm and nods.
If it is a fan or a strangely persistent member of the paparazzi, taking a baseball bat would not be very welcoming. So I ignore the urge, and walk out of my door and down my drive completely unarmed. I put on a confident swagger and hope for the best.
As I get closer, I see that it is indeed a lone woman sitting in the car. She stares at me as I approach. Then she hurriedly winds down the window.
“Hi!” I say with my best dazzling grin.
Her eyes grow huge, and she looks completely speechless. She is frozen for a few moments then she is thrusting something through the window at me. It’s a very tatty looking notebook and pen.
“Can I have your autograph!” she exclaims.
“Sure!” I say as I take her offering. “Who shall I make it out to?”
“Julie,” she mumbles, and I can’t quite tell under the streetlights, but I think she is blushing.
I sign the notebook and hand it back to her. She takes it reverently and clutches it to her chest. It’s a little creepy but I can cope.
“Where is Mackenzie?” she demands. “Why are you with her and not him?”
I can’t tell if the fact she is using his real name instead of his character’s is worse or not. Either way, she is taking shipping us to an unhinged level. Several responses come to mind on ways to remind her that it is just a show, it’s not real. But I decide that arguing with an obsessed fan outside my house is probably not the safest course of action.
“He is busy, so Liliah is keeping me company,” I offer.
She nods slowly as if she is deciding if that is an acceptable answer or not. Eventually she smiles and I feel stupidly relieved. Like I’ve just passed a test.
Now I’ve just got to think of a way to gently encourage her to leave. I’m not coming up with anything.
She gives me a disconcerting look. “Oh, you are going to want to be alone together, when he gets back,” she says.
“That’s right,” I reply with a slow nod. I’m not entirely sure where this is going.
She leans forward in her seat and starts her engine. “I’ll give you some privacy!” she says cheerily.
I step back from the car. “Thank you!”
A cheery wave and she is gone. I stand in the street staring after her for a moment. The whole encounter feels unsettling, but she didn’t really do anything wrong. She was just a little odd. Shaking my head to clear it, I head back into the house where Liliah is waiting for me with a worried expression.
“Everything is fine,” I tell her. “Just my first stalker.” I add with a pleased grin.
Liliah rolls her eyes at me. “Are you sure we don’t need to call the police?”
I kiss the top of her head. “She’s gone, it’s fine. Let’s have our dinner, I’m starving.”
She sighs, and we head back to the dining table. I get stuck into dinner. It’s delicious. The conversation moves on. I try to forget about my stalker. It’s fine. It’s part of the price of fame and fortune. One I’m more than willing to pay. It’s flattering as well as creepy.
I wonder if I should warn Mackenzie, but then I remember I still don’t have his number. Besides, he has a giant ass wall around his home and staff that probably includes security. I’ll mention it to the studio security at work tomorrow, then I can forget all about it.
Chapter ten
Beingcalledintoameeting with the producers is not my idea of fun. Especially since they suggested I bring my agent. I meet with Sally outside the studio and we walk up the stairs to the conference room together.
“Any idea what this is about?” she asks.
I shake my head. I had been hoping she would reassure me that a meeting at this stage of filming was perfectly normal. Maybe it’s time to get a new agent. I’m not convinced she is that great anyway.
My nerves are now sky high, thanks to Sally. I’m convinced it can’t be good. Have I pissed Mackenzie off so much that he has pulled strings to get me fired? He has the power to, I’m sure of it. As much as I’m wracking my brains, I can’t think of anything I’ve genuinely done wrong. It has to be him. There is no other explanation.
