“I don’t care about the pictures, Sabrina. You’re too good for them to get any real dirt on you. For goodness’ sakes, you actually used the word ‘floozy.’ I mean, that word is so… so Gone With the Wind.”

  Sabrina leaned her head to the side. “I’m trying to decide if that’s a compliment or a put-down.”

  “It’s a compliment, believe me. The worst word you can come up with is ‘floozy’? You’re such a Goody Two-shoes.” Maris continued clearing the table. “And don’t worry; I mean that in an endearing way.”

  “Thanks, I think,” said Sabrina.

  “Hey, hurry up! Come in here!” Sid yelled from the family room.

  Maris and Sabrina hurried to see what the commotion was about.

  “Inside Entertainment is getting ready to show a story about Sabrina,” he explained. “After the commercial.”

  Sabrina sat and waited for the show to come back on. When the commercial break ended, Maris turned up the volume.

  “Shh,” said Sid.

  As if any of them were planning on talking during the segment.

  “Welcome back to Inside Entertainment. I’m Lilia Jacobs, and we have a new development in the Sabrina Bradley story for you tonight.”

  The screen filled with clips of Sabrina taken from The Daily Dose shows, while Lilia continued speaking.

  “Most of you are already familiar with Sabrina, the woman who has resolved not to fall in love for an entire year. She’s one of the panel of people The Daily Dose talk show is helping to keep their New Year’s resolutions.

  “But recent revelations have shown that Sabrina may be finding this resolution too much to handle.”

  Lilia’s image returned to the screen. “For more information, let’s go to Stephan Frazier, live in St. Louis.”

  An image of a man standing outside a dark building popped on the screen. It took a moment for Sabrina to register exactly where he was.

  “Hey, he’s standing in front of my condo!”

  “No way,” said Maris. “I can’t believe they’d actually stoop that low.”

  “Shh, be quiet,” said Sid.

  “Stephan, what do you have for us?” asked Lilia.

  “Well, Lilia, not much at the moment.” He gestured to the building behind him. “I’m standing in front of the condominium that Sabrina Bradley calls home, but unfortunately, not much seems to be going on. It appears that she isn’t here at the moment.”

  “I see,” said Lilia. “Well, can you tell us any more about those pictures that surfaced this morning?”

  Stephan nodded. “Several papers ran a number of photos picturing Sabrina and a man. In some of the shots they were talking amiably, one showed the two kissing, and others showed them involved in an argument of some kind.”

  “Any definite word on the identity of that man?” Lilia asked. “There was a rumor going around earlier that the man was someone involved in the production of The Daily Dose.”

  Stephan nodded emphatically. “Yes, and in fact, one paper went ahead and ran a story based on that rumor. As for us here at Inside Entertainment, our sources have now confirmed that the man pictured is Avery Benjamin, the executive producer and creator of The Daily Dose.”

  “That would mean he’s Sabrina’s boss,” said Lilia.

  “Yes, apparently so.”

  “Can you tell us how long they’ve been involved, Stephan? Was the relationship in place before she began the resolutions program?”

  Stephan gave an apologetic look. “That much we haven’t been able to confirm yet. We do know from an earlier story that as of last August, Ms. Bradley had just ended the relationship with her fiancé, Eric Stover.”

  “This is certainly shaping up to be an interesting story,” Lilia mused. “Some people are starting to say that the resolutions program is nothing more than a sham, complete with paid actors and phony goals. If Sabrina and this Mr. Benjamin are indeed a couple, then it would seem that she’s either already given up on her resolution or she never meant to keep it in the first place.”

  “Yes, I agree,” said Stephan. “It is certainly a possibility that the resolutions program just might be a highly scripted play.

  “We’ve also heard that the staff at The Daily Dose may have instituted the resolutions program in order to prove to the critics that Darci Oliver, the show’s host, is making a positive impact on viewers’ lives.”

  Lilia pursed her lips and shook her head, a solemn expression on her face. “And Ms. Bradley is an integral part of that production staff, am I correct?”

  “Yes. She has said in her segments on The Daily Dose that she is an assistant to the assistant producer.”

  “Do we know this producer’s name?”

  Stephan consulted an index card. “Yes, we do… The assistant producer’s name is Maris Russell. Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to locate Ms. Russell in order to speak with her.”

  Lilia’s face flitted on the screen for a brief moment. “I guess we’ll all know soon enough what the true story is behind all of this. Do we have a statement from Sabrina?”

  “No, we don’t. The Daily Dose offices are closed, and Ms. Bradley isn’t answering her home telephone. We have learned that she is scheduled to be a guest on Morning Coffee Live next Wednesday.”

  “I see,” said Lilia. “Perhaps she’ll take that opportunity to tell her side of the story and set things straight if need be.”

  “Most likely,” Stephan agreed. “And we, the investigative team for Inside Entertainment, will continue to uncover the truth as this unusual story progresses.”

  “Thank you, Stephan. I certainly hope that by this time tomorrow, the details of what exactly is happening in those photos will be clear. Now, let’s preview movies opening this weekend…”

  Maris turned down the volume and looked at Sabrina. “Of all of the inane things to report. No offense to you, but is it really that important that they need to set up camp at your front door?”

  “I can’t believe the serious look on that guy’s face,” said Sid. “You’d have thought he was breaking the Watergate story.”

  “I can’t go back there,” Sabrina murmured. “Not now. I can’t face them like this. I’m not even wearing any makeup.”

  Maris went maternal. “Of course you don’t have to go back there tonight. You’ll stay here in the guest room. And tomorrow morning we’ll call the police and see what can be done to get those people off your property.”

  Sabrina tossed and turned for a long time in Maris and Sid’s guest bedroom. She was grateful for their hospitality but missed the comfort of her own bed.

  Within a matter of hours, Sabrina’s life had gone topsy-turvy. She wondered if it would ever return to normal.

  Her stomach twisted with worry.

  A familiar Psalm came to mind.

  When I am afraid, I will trust in You.

  Sabrina wished she had a Bible, so she could look up the rest of it.

  She sat up, clicked on the lamp, and scanned the bookshelves in the bedroom. It was unlikely that Maris and Sid, of all people, would have a Bible lying around, but then again, you never knew. It never hurt to check.

  Sure enough, tucked between the complete works of Shakespeare and an anthology of Jane Austen novels, Sabrina located a Bible.

  Apparently, Maris and Sid held the book in high respect, though they didn’t necessarily feel the same toward all Christians.

  Sabrina carried the Bible back to bed with her and got comfortable. She flipped through the Psalms and found several verses that applied to her situation, including the verse she’d remembered from the fifty-sixth chapter.

  She sat back and prayed the words of the Psalm over her own life:

  Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride. When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? All day long they twist my words… they conspire, they lurk…

  It was an uncanny reminder of how unsettled her life had become. It almost felt as though it had been written to encourage her right at this exact moment.

  What a comfort to know that God had control of every situation—even days like today that seemed to be completely out of her own control.

  Sabrina finished praying the chapter, her confidence bolstered with each passing sentence.

  … Record my lament; list my tears on Your scroll… then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. In God whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise—in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

  Thank you, Lord, Sabrina prayed. I’m sorry for ever doubting that you would take care of me.

  Sabrina lay down again. She needed rest before she had to face the office in the morning.

  This time, peace came and sleep followed.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Darci made a trip to the store on her way to work, to see the news for herself.

  At six thirty in the morning, the store was relatively empty, so the risk of being bothered by fans would be low.

  Under the ruse of getting a bottle of nail polish, Darci had the satisfaction of seeing Sabrina’s name splashed across the cover of every tabloid on the market. What a scandal.

  Unfortunately, Avery’s name was mixed up in the mess, but that wouldn’t be a major issue. He’d be forgiven and forgotten soon enough. Men tended to walk away from these things a lot easier than women.

  Darci made her way back to her car, feeling happier than she had in weeks. Yes, there was the little issue of Sabrina and Avery keeping their relationship a secret from her, but now it was out in the open.

  Darci had heard many celebrities complain about the questionable tactics of some reporters, and in the past she had agreed with them.

  But in a situation like this, questionable reporting tactics weren’t so bad.

  Although Darci had been curious about what was going on behind her back with Avery and Sabrina, she hadn’t been able to uncover the truth without looking conspicuous.

  She didn’t try to conceal the grin that formed at the corner of her mouth.

  It was certainly amazing what a well-timed anonymous tip to the media could do. Freedom of the press was a beautiful thing.

  Avery was running late. He’d gone home exhausted the night before. Too exhausted even to watch sports scores on television. Besides, his three-hour soap opera stint had been enough to make him swear off all television for a while.

  He rushed around getting ready and nearly forgot his briefcase in the process.

  Ten minutes before he reached the office, his stomach began protesting the fact that he’d skipped breakfast in his haste.

  Avery pulled into the parking lot of the nearest grocery store. He’d run in, get a doughnut and orange juice, and still make it to work in time.

  He strode to the bakery, grabbed a couple of glazed, then headed to the coolers in the front to get a small bottle of orange juice.

  While he bent over to select his drink, a little old lady with a million groceries in her cart pushed past him in line.

  Avery sighed. Sometimes the most unlikely people could be so rude.

  He looked around to weigh his options. There was only one other checkout lane open, and the lady in that line had twice the amount in her cart than the lady in front of him had.

  There was nothing he could do but wait.

  Avery couldn’t stand grocery shopping, especially when there was a long line. What was he supposed to do while he waited?

  Women could gaze at the fashion magazines and learn how to make their boyfriends love them more or steal some celebrity’s latest hairstyle.

  A man would look ridiculous if he looked through one of those books. Avery made a mental note to write a letter to the grocery store manager and suggest that the local newspaper be placed in the same place as the fashion magazines.

  Avery liked the idea of being able to read the Post-Dispatch headlines while he waited. It would be nice to catch up on what was happening, since he’d been too rushed to turn on the local newscast.

  Avery shifted his weight from side to side a few times and perused the vast assortment of candy bars.

  “. . . Now, I have a few coupons,” he heard the lady say.

  Avery stifled a groan and checked to see how things were progressing.

  In his peripheral vision, he saw some celebrity posed in a bikini. It was barely April, for crying out loud. Couldn’t they hold the swimwear until June?

  Avery was about to turn away when a familiar name caught his eye.

  Sabrina.

  Sabrina?

  Her name was on the cover of at least half a dozen tabloids, along with pictures of the two of them together.

  Avery knew his jaw was hanging open, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to close his mouth.

  He saw his name on one of the covers and blinked: MEET AVERY, SABRINA’S SECRET BOYFRIEND!

  Avery snatched the magazine out of the rack. What in the world?

  The pictures were the real thing. They were a little fuzzy, but he couldn’t deny that he and Sabrina were in those photos.

  Somehow, he had always assumed that all the pictures in this type of paper were doctored or contrived, but these weren’t.

  Someone had obviously been following them last Saturday and had gotten a load of pictures. There were also photos of their argument on Monday in Sabrina’s front yard.

  Avery lost his appetite. He wondered if anyone in the store had recognized him as the secret boyfriend of Sabrina.

  We aren’t even dating, he protested silently.

  How long had this news been out? He wondered if Sabrina knew.

  Or Darci.

  Or the people in the office.

  Was he the last to know?

  Had people been talking about this behind his back?

  Avery felt sick. Would it be obvious if he called in sick and skipped work today?

  “Sir? Are you ready to check out?”

  The clerk was looking at him. The lady who had been in front of Avery was gone.

  Avery stepped forward, then realized that he still held the tabloid in his hands. He felt as guilty as a kid caught sneaking cookies out of the jar at Grandma’s house.

  He was too embarrassed to keep it and even more embarrassed to put it back.

  After a moment of hesitation, he placed it facedown on the conveyor belt. Maybe the clerk wouldn’t actually look at the cover.

  He handed over his doughuts and juice and tried his best to look casual.

  The clerk looked at the cover anyway to locate the price.

  He shifted his gaze to Avery, then back to the paper, then back to Avery again.

  From the look on the guy’s face, he had just put two and two together.

  The clerk gave him a wry grin and slid the paper into the sack with the other items.

  Avery wished he had superpowers so he could make himself invisible.

  A throng of photographers stood on the periphery of the Daily Dose parking lot.

  “Maybe you should duck, or put papers in front of your face,” Maris suggested to Sabrina.

  They’d decided to ride together in Sabrina’s car in order to prevent the press from learning too much about Maris right away.

  Sabrina frowned. “If I do that, I’ll look guilty.”

  “Good point.” Maris kept her head held high as she drove past the photographers. They pressed in toward the car, and flashes of light erupted as they vied for the best photo.

  “Ready?” Maris said before they exited the car.

  “I think so,” said Sabrina.

  “Okay, here’s the deal,” Maris said, opening the door. The shouts of the press could be heard. “We walk fast but we don’t run. These are new shoes, and I don’t want to scuff them.”

  Sabrina laughed. “Maris, you are a real treasure. It’s nice to know you value your new shoes above my privacy.”

  Maris was glad Sabrina was able to keep the mood light. “If we run, they’ll think we’re hiding something,” she said, only half joking.

  “Let’s go,” said Sabrina, climbing out of the car.

  Inside, the security guard at the desk gave them a sympathetic look. “I told ’em they couldn’t come past the entrance of the parking lot,” he said.

  “And we are grateful for that,” Maris said.

  He shook his head. “But that doesn’t stop ’em from inching closer and closer. They did the same thing when Ms. Oliver and Mr. Benjamin got here.”

  Maris chuckled. “It’s kind of funny that they feel the need to get so close. I bet that they can get a pretty decent picture of us standing here talking to you, even from three hundred feet away.”

  Sabrina nodded. “No kidding, thanks to the huge wall of glass.”

  Maris walked over to the elevator well and pushed the Up button. The door opened immediately. “Our ride is here,” she told Sabrina.

  On the way up, neither of them talked. The reality of having to face everyone was starting to set in.

  Sabrina would be the one who had to deal with most of the fuss, but everyone would expect Maris, as her friend, to be privy to inside information.

  She sighed, just imagining how many people would probably find their way into her office “just to chat.”

  They stepped off the elevator and onto the landing of their floor.

  At first no one even noticed that they had arrived. The entire floor seemed to be in a general state of frenzy.

  It sounded as if every phone on the floor was ringing nonstop, and no one appeared to be actually working. Instead, they stood around in clusters, talking and gesturing with their hands.

  People from the PR department whizzed back and forth, talking on cell phones, presumably carrying out their PR duties.

  Sunny came into view just then. “Oh, there you are,” she said to Sabrina. “Ms. Oliver and Mr. Benjamin would like to speak with you in his office.”

  “I’ll be there momentarily,” Sabrina told Sunny.