I must have a wild-eyed expression because Cooper says to her, "Miss Clarke, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut our meeting short. I think we covered most everything anyway." He quickly escorts her to the door.
After he shuts the door, he holds a finger up to his lips, telling me to keep quiet.
He opens his door back up and totally busts Whitney for still standing there.
"Come with me, Keatyn," he says, holding his hand out to me. "Let's get you to the nurse."
Cooper and I walk up the hill to the nurse's office, but don't go in the door. Instead, he pulls me behind the building.
"What's wrong?"
I fish the paper out of my bag and show him.
"It's addressed to the drama department."
"Yes, they were sent to high school drama departments nationwide."
"This guy is really smart."
"I know. He's brilliant. The director pulled me aside and said he was going to nominate me."
Cooper's body quickly goes from relaxed to rigid and ready to strike. "Did he?"
"No. He asked me if I was interested."
"What did you say?!"
"Lied. Told him some bullshit story about a cousin dying and how I wanted to be a pediatrician not an actor. That I'm not interested."
"Did he buy it?"
"Yeah. I think so. He said I guess we won't be needing this and threw it in the trash. I got it out."
"You get to soccer. I'm going to call Garrett then I'll see if I can take the director out for a beer."
"We have dress rehearsal tonight."
"All the more reason the man will need a beer later."
"Okay."
I bite my lip to keep from crying.
He pats my back. "It'll be okay. I'll make sure."
I walk like I'm going toward the field house, but I can't. I'm close to a breakdown.
I'm not a good enough actress to pretend anymore.
Because, all of a sudden, it doesn't feel as safe here anymore.
And I really don't want to have to leave.
I make a beeline for the chapel, knowing no one will be there.
I sit in a pew, crying and praying out loud. "Please don't let it happen. Please don't let anyone do it. Please don't let him find . . ."
Aiden sits down next to me. "Don't let him find who?"
My eyes get huge. What did I just say? What was I praying? What did he hear?
"Um, what did you just hear?"
"I heard what you just said. Please don't let him find . . ."
"My friend. The friend I told you about before."
"Did something happen to her?"
I close my eyes, fighting back more tears, but I can't. I cover my face and start sobbing.
Aiden immediately pulls me into his chest and runs his hand down the back of my hair.
I get all my crying out of my system.
Then I look up at him and say, "You should be at football."
"And you should be at soccer. Tell me what happened."
I shake my head. "Nothing. She's fine. It was just another scare. It shook me up, I guess. And I'm upset about something else."
"What?"
"My little sister is turning three, and I'm going to miss her party."
"Why?"
"Um, well, because her party is Monday. We have school."
"Are they in France?"
"Not right now. My stepdad has business in Vancouver, so they're celebrating there."
He nods at me. "So, you should go. You can miss a couple of days of school. And the play will be over. It's perfect timing. Heck, I'll go with you if you want."
"Oh, um, that's really nice of you, Aiden, but it's not necessary."
"Does that mean you'll go by yourself?"
I smile at him. "Yeah. You're right. I should go."
"I'm serious. If you change your mind and want company, I'll go with you."
"Thanks, Aiden."
As we stand up, he hands me a crumpled piece of paper. "I think you dropped this."
"Thanks," I say, automatically. But then I see that it's Vincent's letter.
I can't speak.
"Are you thinking about doing this? You do kinda resemble her. And you want to act. This could be your big break."
"No!" I yell at him. "I don't want a break! I don't look anything like her. I changed my mind. I don't like being in the play. In fact, I hate it! I'm never acting again."
He watches my outburst.
"Um, okay. Are you sure you're okay?"
"Not really."
He grabs my hands and puts his forehead against mine. "You can trust me, Boots. You can tell me anything."
I stare into his emerald eyes and know deep within my soul that what he says is true. I know I can trust him. I want to trust him.
But I can't.
I wipe my eyes and say, "I have to get to soccer. Cooper will have my ass. Probably make me run stairs or something."
"Yeah, I should get going too. You sure you're okay?"
I take a deep breath.
"Yeah, I'll be fine."
I hope.
Abby sees the news about Vincent's nationwide search, and it throws her into a panic. She immediately calls Garrett. "How in the world are you going to keep her safe with this going on?"
"You're going to have to trust me, Abby. I'm doing everything I can to keep both of you safe."
"We're being watched all the time."
"Because they expect her to show up. And she won't. However, Keatyn mentioned that he called her Abby when she saw him in New York."
"Can he not tell the difference between us anymore? Has he really gone off the deep end?" Abby asks.
"I could make up a lot of excuses for why he did. None of them are logical. I thought his obsession would ease, that he'd move on."
"But instead he's becoming more obsessed."
"This is going to be hard to hear, Abby, but Keatyn is a danger to you, as you are to her."
"What do you mean?"
"I think he might want you both, when the time comes. He could use one of you to lure the other out."
"So maybe I should just go walk into his office and let him have me." Garrett chuckles. "Why are you laughing?"
"Because your daughter said the exact same thing. You're safe in Vancouver, Abby."
"I had a dream-a premonition," she lies. "That Tommy got shot by Vincent. Then he came for me. I can't have my babies live without at least one parent. I refuse to travel with Tommy to and from work-starting now."
This happens at the same time Keatyn tells Cooper she's making a surprise trip to Vancouver for Gracie's birthday.
"Second thing, I'm going to Vancouver on Monday for my sister's birthday party."
"The hell you are."
"No, I am."
"With everything that's going on, you want to go to the one place that he will expect you to turn up eventually?"
"Yeah, but here's the thing. He's going to be in Miami this Saturday, Sunday, and Monday doing auditions. He won't be anywhere near Vancouver."
Cooper closes his eyes and shakes his head. "I'm sure he'll have someone at the airport. He can find out what airport you came from and pinpoint where you've been."
"So we'll take different flights. Different charters. Switch airports. That's what we did when I came here."
"No. No way."
"Cooper, it's my life. My decision."
"I can't let you do this."
"You don't have a choice. I'm going. With or without you." Then I soften my voice because I want him to know. "But I'd feel safer if it was with you."
"God, you're stubborn. Fine. I'll figure out a way. But it will be just you and me, no one else. You can't tell anyone."
"I won't."
"I'll work out the details. We'll have to leave very early Monday morning."
I smile at him as I walk out the door. "Whatever you say, Cooper."
Keatyn has a scare after her last drama performance.
After our performance, a stagehand brings me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It's a mass of pastel blooms held together by an aqua satin bow.