“Did you pick it up ahead of time? Did you leave it at your place overnight?”

Dani sighed. “Yes. Damn. It was delivered the day before I left.”

“It’s just a thought. The car’s in our lot, right?”

“Right.”

“I’ll have someone do a sweep on it.”

“Okay. And not to be a bother or a rude guest, but I didn’t have lunch and I’m starving.”

“Yeah, me too. We can order pizza, you know, if Hollywood stars eat that sort of thing.”

She knew Harper was teasing, but it hit home. She was a Hollywood star. She no longer had the luxury of having pizza delivered to her door. She no longer could go out to eat at her favorite Italian restaurant, a little mom-and-pop place that served the best traditional lasagna she’d ever had. It was a once-a-week stop back in the old days, back before she was “discovered.” Back when she was just Dani Strauss. The last time she’d tried to go there, it had caused such a commotion, the owners had ushered her out through the kitchen with her food boxed to go.

“What is it?” Harper asked gently.

“Feeling sorry for myself,” she said. “Privacy is something most people take for granted. I never wanted to be a celebrity. I wasn’t prepared for it.”

“Well, you must be a good actress. You obviously have the looks. Talented too.”

Dani laughed. “Talented? First of all, you’ve not seen any of my movies. Secondly, I don’t know that there’s much talent involved. I’m pretty much just playing myself. All four of the characters I’ve played have been almost identical.”

“So what? Romantic comedies? Drama?”

“Three fall under romantic comedies. Shores of St. Clair was more drama.”

“Right…the jilted lover and all.”

Dani laughed again. “I’m going to guess you’d hate all four of them.”

“But now you’re going to play a cop.”

“Yes. And I think this will be the movie that I’m exposed in. Like I said, I think my so-called talent is limited. That’s one reason I wanted to shadow somebody. Watch the way you carried yourself, how you reacted, how you talked to people.”

“I think Reid already told you not to model your character after me.”

“Yes. Why is that?”

“I’m not very likeable.”

Dani frowned. “No?”

Harper stood up. “No. So pizza? Or something else?”

Dani wondered at her sudden abruptness. Was Harper trying to remind herself that she was unlikable? Was it true or was it something she chose to portray? At Harper’s questioning gaze, she realized she hadn’t answered her.

“Yes. Pizza would be great, although pepperoni is not my favorite.”

“Italian sausage is my usual go-to. What about veggies? Anything you don’t like?”

“Not a big fan of olives.”

“Consider them cut.”

Chapter Ten