“The new movie you’re doing? So it’s a done deal? Rob, Chloe’s going to play a character who lives.”
Rob piled French toast onto his plate. “Well done, love.”
“I haven’t signed the contract yet, but Chip is working on it.” Chloe snatched a thick slice of hickory-smoked bacon. Glenda purchased it from a farmer near Bakersfield. “Kate, do you think I’m cursed?”
“Are you crazy? No. I don’t believe in curses.”
“But you can’t deny something goes wrong with nearly all of my films. My character dies and if not, then the film dies.”
“You’ve just had a string of... interesting luck.”
“Cursed.” Chloe soaked her French toast—and what the heck, her bacon—in syrup. She didn’t believe she was cursed. Not really.She only felt like it at times. Didn’t her faith challenge her to believe otherwise?
“Chloe.” Dad cut in the buffet line, kissing her cheek. “Are you excited about your new venture?”
“Who were you talking to outside? Is Mr. Crumbly returning?”
“Raymond!”
Chloe peeked toward the door to see Claude Durance walking across the dining room, around the long, loaded table, arms wide.
“Claude!” Dad laughed and slipped around Chloe to embrace his old friend. “Why didn’t you call, say you were coming? What brings you to town?”
“Movie magic, of course.”
Chloe grinned. Like boys those two were, talking about movies.
“Your dad loves when Claude comes to town,” Mom said, nothing but an egg and fruit on her plate. “We won’t see either of them the rest of the day. So, you’re in Jer’s movie. So proud of you, darling.”
“Fingers crossed. Once I sign the deal I’ll feel better, but Mom, I think it has a real chance.”
“And your character lives! At last, justice.” Mom hated Chloe’s track record nearly as much as she did.
“What did you make of Stella and Ted’s engagement?” Mom rolled her eyes, walking with Chloe to the lanai where her friend Nicolette Carson waited with a tall glass of juice. “Her mother was shocked. She didn’t think Stella was all that into Ted. Hello, Nicky, we’ve missed you around here.”
“I-I think it’s great.” Chloe sat beside her mom, glancing to where Dad had talked with the man who looked like Smitty.
“Mom,” Kate said, dropping down next to Chloe. “Tell Chloe to go out to dinner tonight with Rob and me. His friend is here from England and—”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Chloe said, cutting her French toast and mopping up a bunch of syrup. She’d regret this later but for now, yum. “You’re telling Mom on me?”
“Chloe, why don’t you go?” Mom delicately ate her scoop of eggs. “You should... It’s been—”
“Mom... please... I know how long it’s been. But I don’t want to be set up, okay?”
“You’re the only girl I know who wantstruelove, then thumbs her nose at any chance.”
“Thumbs her nose? How am I thumbing my nose? Haven’t you seen me crash and burn in every one of my relationships?” Chloe stabbed at her French toast, her fork punishing Mom’s china plate. “And just how does someone thumb their nose anyway?”
“Okay, fine, then don’t go,” Kate said. “You know this sacred thing you have about ‘true love,’ whatever that means, doesn’t have to apply to every human on the planet. You could go just to have fun.”
“I could, but it applies whenever and however I want. And just because you never believed in true love and still found Rob doesn’t make you an expert on—”
“All right, girls,” Mom said with her gentle rebuke. “Nicky didn’t come here to see you argue.”
“Go on, this is inspiring me.” Nicolette twisted the cap from her bottled water. “My next film is about sisters. So, Chloe, you have a rule about true love?”
“Ruleis a strong word. I just believe... that there is someone,onesomeone, for me.”
