“He won’t mind. I promise. And we won’t let the paparazzi get anywhere near you.”

Did Barbie care as much as she seemed to? Or was there some latent jealousy, or greed, motivating her to stab Tia in the back?

Tia felt terrible even suspecting her. She wasn’t sure how she would’ve gotten through those early years in LA without Barbie. She probably would’ve been forced to go back to her family. But someone had to have told Kouretas where she was, and Tia had communicated with so few people. “I can’t invite someone else into Maxi’s home.”

“You’re house-sitting for Maxi?”

Barbie was familiar with Maxi because Tia had brought her to the movie premiere for Expect the Worst, hoping that an introduction to the people she was working with might help launch Barbie’s career. Having the right contacts could mean everything in Hollywood. “I am.”

“Why didn’t you say so? At least now I know you’re in a safe place.”

“I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. I didn’t want to be found.”

“I understand. I’m just relieved, that’s all.”

Tia considered mentioning Seth but decided against it. How would she explain what’d happened with him? She couldn’t say she’d met someone and fallen for him right away. That would sound foolish, and it probably was.

Maybe she was just grasping at whatever she could to save herself. “Well, I was in a safe place—a better place—until a man named Ray Kouretas showed up.”

“Who’s Ray Kouretas?”

Barbie sounded legitimately unfamiliar with the name, which came as a relief—except it left other, more hurtful possibilities on the table. “He works for The Lowdown.”

“Oh, no! That gossip rag? What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to stay out of sight, hoping he’ll give up and leave.”

“You can’t hide forever.”

“I won’t. Just until after Christmas. Then I’ll have to come out and face the world, but I’d hate to let him out me before I’m ready.”

“That’s reasonable. How do you think he found you?”

“That’s the thing. There aren’t very many people who are even aware that I’m in Silver Springs.”

“Oh, no!” Barbie exclaimed.

Tia stiffened.

“You didn’t tell your sister, did you?”

“I honestly don’t remember. But if I didn’t mention it to her, my mother might have.”

“Oh.” Barbie’s voice softened. “Well, I suppose it doesn’t have to be her.”

Now Barbie was just being nice. “Who else could it be?”

“The paparazzi are good at their jobs, Tia. They have to be to dig up the shit they do. You know that. Maybe they tracked you there some other way—using your cell phone or something.”