When Victoria was seated, Cindy smiled. “All right, I can make a latte, a cappuccino or even a mocha iced coffee. What would you like?”
Victoria laughed. “So you have all the choices. A latte would be great. Thank you.”
Cindy excused herself. While she was gone, Victoria looked out at the small patio just off the building. There was pretty landscaping, and it seemed the kind of place where they could host client parties, assuming real estate offices did that kind of thing. She didn’t know much about the business. Her parents had bought their house long before she’d been born, and when they’d wanted to give her a condo, she’d decided on the second one she’d seen, and then she’d signed paperwork. She would guess most people didn’t have their parents paying cash so they didn’t have a mortgage.
“It’s possible I’m a spoiled brat,” she murmured just as Cindy returned with two mugs.
“One latte, as ordered,” Cindy said with a grin.
“You’re amazing. Thank you.”
The other woman sat across from her. Victoria studied her, thinking how much she looked like Ava. The similarities in hair and eye color and face shape were uncanny. They truly could have been sisters.
“You look so much better,” Cindy told her. “How are you feeling?”
“Ready to be out of my cast. I’m bugging my orthopedist for a walking cast, but so far he’s not listening. I’m hoping in the next couple of weeks. It’s frustrating to be on crutches, and the cast gets itchy. But nothing hurts anymore, so that’s good.”
“I could never do what you do,” Cindy told her. “The stunt work. It sounds terrifying.”
“It’s a challenge, for sure. I don’t know if I’ll go back or not. It’ll take me months to get in shape. My broken leg is going to be weak, and I’ll have to build back muscle, then work on my flexibility.” She sipped her latte. “I’m wondering if I should make a career change.”
“What would you do instead?”
Victoria hesitated, then leaned forward and lowered her voice, not sure why she suddenly felt the need to admit the truth. Maybe it was to get back at her mother, or maybe it was something about Cindy. “You can’t tell anyone, but I’m writing a screenplay.”
“You are? That’s amazing. I’ve never known a screenwriter before. Is it difficult to do?”
“Some days. I’ve never been an indoor person, if that makes sense. As a kid, I was always doing something, so you’d think I wouldn’t like writing. But I do. There’s something powerful about connecting my thoughts with what’s on the computer screen. I’ve taken a few workshops, and I’m in a critique group, which can be brutal but is also how I get better.” She smiled. “I’m on my fourth draft, and I finally feel like it’s all coming together.”
“How exciting. What will you do when it’s done?”
“Give it to my dad to read. He loves me, but I trust him to be honest and maybe a little too honest. If he thinks it’s any good, I’ll find an agent and have them shop it around. In the meantime, I’ll start my next one.”
“That’s so exciting. You have a plan.”
“Kind of. We’ll see.”
“So you’re going to give up the stunt work?”
“I haven’t decided completely, but I’m leaning in that direction.” She wanted to ask Cindy not to tell Ava but figured that would make her sound strange. Plus it wasn’t as if the two older women were friends.
“Your interest in the movie business makes sense,” Cindy told her. “Your dad’s such an important executive at the studio. I remember when I first found out what he did.” She laughed. “Actually, he told me he was a studio executive, and I had no idea what he was talking about. Ava had to explain it to me.”
Her tone turned wistful. “He was the first movie person I’d met, and I guess the only one. Until you.”
“I don’t count,” Victoria told her with a smile.
“You do. So now I’ve doubled the number of movie people I know. It’s nice.” The smile returned. “Before, when I was pregnant, your mom offered to take me to a Hollywood party to meet famous people, but I was too uncomfortable to go. I was seventeen and nearly eight months along. I didn’t think I’d fit in. My dad and I lived a very different life than your parents.”
“You’d just lost your mom, hadn’t you?” Victoria asked. “I remember Shannon mentioning that.”
“The year before. I’m sure that’s why I was so irresponsible and slept with that boy. It wasn’t as if I was in love with him. I think I just wanted to connect with someone.”
“Or you were seventeen and you acted your age. No offense, but a lot of teenagers make dumb choices.”
“Speaking from experience?” Cindy’s voice was teasing.
Victoria grinned. “Very possibly.” Between being young and wanting to annoy her mother, she’d made dozens of questionable decisions.
