He gripped the edge of the hot tub. “You what?”

“My birth name is Sarah Isaac.” She couldn’t believe she’d just told him that, blurted it out as if it wasn’t anything. She hadn’t even told Barbie that part.

“I’m blown away right now,” he said.

“I chose Tia because I thought it would be a good name for an actress.”

“That’s how the press doesn’t know.”

“They haven’t caught on yet, thank goodness.”

He scooped warm water into his hands and poured it over his legs. “How often do you talk to your family these days?”

“More since the accident.”

“Because they’re concerned about you.”

“Because they think God had a hand in the accident. That he was trying to block my path forward and bring me home.”

He stopped messing with the water. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“No. This is the answer to their prayers. With my career in shambles, where else will I go? At least, that’s what they’re thinking.”

“Wow. I don’t even know what to say. Will it force you back?”

Part of her anger and depression over the accident stemmed from the thought that it might. But she was beginning to realize that she still had control over her life. She’d worked three jobs to survive on her own the first time. If she was determined enough and she scrimped and saved, she could find a way to survive on her own this time, too. “No,” she said. “It won’t.”

He studied her for several seconds before saying, “Good.”

Twenty-One

Seth had assumed Tia had an unremarkable background. There’d been nothing to indicate otherwise. But he supposed he shouldn’t have taken that for granted. He’d had nothing but her looks and current situation to judge by—two things that could easily be deceiving. She was so beautiful and had met with so much success in such an unlikely industry. It was shocking to learn what she’d had to sacrifice just to live in LA and pursue her dream.

Learning about her background gave him a newfound appreciation and respect for who she was as a person. In some ways, she hadn’t had it any easier than he had.

“You’ve grown quiet,” she said as they got out of the hot tub.

He checked as much of the yard as he could see in the dark—fortunately, all seemed well—as he handed her a towel. “I’m just thinking.”

“About...”

“You.”

She seemed surprised that he would be so direct. “What about me? Did I shock you too much?”

“No. You taught me a valuable lesson—one I shouldn’t have needed to learn.”

“What lesson is that?”

“Not to make assumptions about people. When you told me you grew up on a farm—well, that’s about as normal, wholesome and all-American as you can get.”