"Possibly. Things are a little up in the air now. But there are lots of projects coming up, so I'll be staying busy doing something." As I said the words, I realized they were true. Maybe I should let Aces High go. I loved the story and I felt attached to it, but I could find another story to love that wouldn't involve Mitchell.

  "I bet you've met a lot of celebrities," Alina said.

  "I've met a few. I'm sure Cassie has, too."

  "Definitely," Cassie said. "It's a huge part of my job, and the bigger the stars, the bigger the party. And the magazine just increased our budget for next year, so we may be going to Cannes and throwing an incredible party at the film festival."

  "That sounds amazing," I said, adding a quiet thank-you to the server who placed my salad in front of me.

  "Have you been to Cannes?" Alina asked.

  "No. I've been to Sundance, though. That's a fun festival, too."

  "I've been there as well," Cassie said. "I'm surprised I didn't see you, Emily. It's not that big of a town."

  "Maybe we went different years."

  "Probably."

  "So, you're serious with your boyfriend?" I asked Cassie, searching for topics that did not involve me and my past.

  "Expecting a ring any time now," Cassie said. "But I know he wants to ask me in some elaborate and incredible way. He's big on romantic gestures."

  "Lucky you."

  "I am lucky. Jonathan is the best boyfriend. And his family is awesome, too. They have a house in Aspen that's like a castle."

  "You two are really living the glamorous life," Alina said, a little edge to her voice. "Film festivals, big romantic gestures, a castle in the mountains. I don't think either of you would have predicted you'd end up where you are when we were in high school."

  "I know I wouldn't have," I said, as I munched on my salad. "But moviemaking isn't that glamorous. There's hours of tedious planning and egotistical actors to deal with. It's not all parties and film festivals."

  "Same for event planning," Cassie said. "I still have to stress over logistical problems like how many shrimp to serve and whether or not we'll go over our bar budget."

  For the first time, I actually felt like Cassie was being a real person, and it was refreshing.

  "Don't do that," Alina said. "Don't downplay your exciting jobs because mine is not. I like what I do. And it's right for me."

  I gave her a smile. "I bet you're great with the kids."

  "I do love my students. I'm excited to work at the high school level. That will be different." She paused. "I like my life, but sometimes I worry a little that Drew isn't as happy with it as I am."

  "Really? Why not?" I asked.

  "He has big ambitions, and he's had some success, but not what he thinks he should have. It's just a tough business. And he's been at it awhile now."

  "Being an actor can be rough," I agreed. "For every success story, there are thousands of actors who quit every year."

  "Drew just needs a break," Cassie put in. "Or someone to break a leg, so he can take over."

  My tension returned with her snarky words. I set down my fork. "Okay, that's enough, Cassie. I know that's a dig at me."

  "We're talking about Drew, not you," Cassie protested.

  "You said something similar to me Friday night, that I got lucky when Mitchell was hurt, just like I got lucky when Kimmy Taylor fell down the stairs, and I had to take over her part in high school."

  "Well, you have to admit, you got a good break off their bad breaks."

  "Which doesn't make me happy. I don't wish anyone misfortune." I paused. "I've been honest with both of you today. It's time for you to be honest with me. Did you want to meet for lunch, because you want me to give Drew an audition, a part? Is that why we're really here? If it is, just say so."

  "It's part of it," Cassie admitted.

  "No, it's not," Alina said, shooting Cassie a dark look. Then she turned to me. "I really wanted to see you, Emily. I regret that we lost touch, and when Cassie ran into you, it seemed like a good time to catch up. I didn't come here to ask you to pull strings for Drew, and I told Cassie not to ask you for any favors."

  "And I told Alina she was being silly; that's how Hollywood works," Cassie said, without a trace of remorse in her gaze. "Connections get you jobs, and Drew is really good, Emily. He just needs a connection. You were once his friend. Actually, you were more than his friend."

  "Until you kissed him," I reminded her.

  She dismissed that comment with a wave of her hand. "I was a drunk high school girl. I kissed everyone. It didn't mean anything."

  "Not to you."

  "Well, sorry if I hurt you."

  I almost laughed at her response. "You're not sorry, but okay."

  "It wasn't a big deal. And you and Drew were breaking up anyway."

  "It's fine. I don't need to talk about that." It felt even more awkward to discuss Drew cheating on me when he was with Alina now. I turned back to her. "I don't know that there's a part for Drew in Aces High, but we have a couple of other projects in the works with roles that might be good for him. I'll send you some information. If he's interested in any of them, I'll make sure he gets an audition."

  "That's very generous," Alina said. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to."

  "It's fine. But I'm curious. Did Drew want you to ask me?"

  "He didn't say that exactly," Alina replied. "But he was excited that we were reconnecting. Not just because you might find him some work, but he's a big fan of yours, Emily. He thinks you're brilliant."

  "Well, thanks."

  "Speaking of brilliant," Cassie interrupted. "This restaurant has the most amazing crème brulée. Let's get dessert." She waved the server over. "We'd love three crème brulées," she said.

  "Uh, I don't need my own dessert," I said hastily.

  "Okay, make it two," Cassie said. "But we need three spoons. You have to try a little."

  "Can I get anyone coffee or tea?" the server asked.

  "I'll take a coffee," Alina said. "What about you, Emily?"

  I really wanted lunch to be over, but I still had fifteen minutes before Ethan would pick me up. "I'll have a coffee as well," I said.

  Cassie got to her feet. "I'm going to use the restroom."

  As she left, the server cleared the table and brought our coffees.

  "I know Cassie gets on your nerves," Alina said with a soft smile. "But she's not as tough and sophisticated as she makes herself out to be. She's just insecure, and she balances that out with a cockiness that can be unattractive. But she has been a good friend to me over the years, and she was excited to see you again."

  "Cassie and I were really only friends because we both liked you. I don't have anything against her, but I do wonder if she has something against me."

  "She doesn't have anything against you."

  I sipped my coffee, letting that comment go. "I have missed you, Alina. I'm glad you're doing well."

  "Thanks. I didn't want to say this in front of Cassie, but Drew and I haven't been doing that great, lately. It feels like he's outgrowing me. We used to talk about marriage but now he drops out of any conversation that goes in that direction. I think he blames me for him not being more successful."

  "How could you be responsible?"

  "I made him live in the valley because I had a good job there, but he felt like he would have made more connections if he was living right in the heart of Studio City. And when we get invited to parties, he always seems like he's embarrassed by me. I'm not some six-foot-tall, blonde model/actress, and he doesn't care to tell people I'm a high school drama teacher. I take him down."

  "There is no way you take him down. And while I understand the importance of networking, I think it's just difficult to get good jobs. There's a lot of competition."

  "I tell him that, too. But Drew has always been good at everything he has ever done, and he's struggling with the fact that he's not the best yet. He's not at Ashton Hunter's level, that's for sure."

  "Ashton is not a good guy," I said flatly, thinking about what he'd said about me.

  "I'm beginning to realize that." Alina paused. "I have to admit that Drew has been raving about you so much lately that I was starting to feel jealous. Since you directed The Opal King, he's been obsessed with your work. He talks about you a lot."

  My discomfort returned with her words. "I appreciate his interest in my work, but there's no reason for you to feel jealous. I haven't spoken to him since high school."

  "I know that. But I bet he sometimes wishes he'd ended up with someone like you rather than someone like me."

  "I'm sure that's not true. Have you spoken to him about any of this?"

  "A little." Her brows drew together. "I probably shouldn't have said any of that. Now you won't want to bring him in for an audition, and I don't want him to have another reason to blame me for missing out on something."

  "It's all good," I assured her. "We're just talking like we used to."

  "I do miss our talks. Let's stay in touch. Let's not wait another ten years to have lunch."

  "I agree."

  Cassie returned to the table and gave us a questioning look. "What did I miss?"

  "Nothing much," I said, as the waiter set down dessert.

  "Just saying that I'd like to do this again," Alina put in.

  "I would like that, too," Cassie said. "And I'm sorry for being bitchy, Emily. I know you're going through a rough time, and I shouldn't have piled on. Can we start over?"

  "Sure." I didn't trust her, but I didn't need any more enemies at the moment.

  Alina handed me one of the desserts.

  "I'm good," I said.

  "Don't be silly. A few bites. Cassie is right. This is a fantastic dessert. Trust me."

  "Okay, maybe I'll have a little," I said, as I spooned some of the crème brulée onto my plate. I took a bite, and as they'd both avowed, it was incredibly good. The crunch on top was perfect, and the crème was smooth and flavorful. I tasted vanilla, but something else, too.

  "Isn't this amazing?" Cassie asked. "It's the reason I picked this restaurant. I love this dessert. I can't get enough."

  "It's wonderful," I agreed, taking another bite. "Is there something in here besides vanilla?"

  "I think there's some fruit," Cassie said. "But just a hint. It's not chunky or anything. It's very smooth."

  As I swallowed, my throat started to burn, and a horrifying thought ran through my mind. "What kind of fruit?" I asked, setting down my spoon.

  "I'm not sure," Cassie said. "Why? You don't look good, Emily."

  "Kiwi?" I bit out, as my throat began to close.

  "I don't think so," Cassie said.

  "Did you do this on purpose?" I gasped.

  "Do what?" Cassie asked.

  Alina gave me a look of concern. "Emily, are you all right?"

  I shook my head, my throat too tight for words. I wanted to tell them to get my Epi-Pen from my purse, but I couldn't get the words out. As I tried to reach my bag, I fell out of my chair, landing hard on the floor. I could feel my skin burning, my throat closing. I hadn't had a reaction like this in years.

  A waiter and manager ran over. Someone called 911 as I put my hand on my throat, looking in panic at Alina and Cassie.

  "Help is coming," Alina reassured me.

  "Hang in there," Cassie told me.

  As their faces swam through my blurred vision, I couldn't help wondering if they were trying to help me or if they were just going to watch me die.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Suddenly, Ethan's face came into view, blocking out Cassie and Alina. He took one look at me, grabbed my purse off the back of my chair, rifling through it until he found what I needed. He grabbed my Epi-Pen and stuck it into my thigh, exactly where it needed to go.

  At first, I thought it might be too late, but then the tightness in my throat began to ease.

  "Emily?" Ethan said, leaning over me, his beautiful dark eyes piercing through me, making me feel like he was literally bringing me back to life.

  I sucked in my first gasp of real air, and it was a blessed relief. I'd felt like I was suffocating.

  "She's coming back," Alina said, relief in her voice.

  "Thank God," Cassie proclaimed.

  As my vision cleared, I wasn't sure what to think of either of them. Cassie had ordered the dessert. Alina had encouraged me to eat it. At some point in our relationship, they'd known I was allergic to a variety of foods. Cassie had even teased me once about being a princess when I worried a cookie had come into contact with some peanut butter at a slumber party.

  Although, I still didn't know what was in the crème brulée. It hadn't tasted like nuts or kiwi, and definitely not shrimp, but something in there had sent my body into anaphylactic shock.

  The crowd around me stepped back as the EMTs arrived. I told them I was feeling better, but no one took heed of me. Apparently, they were required to take me to the hospital for further evaluation in case the one injection wasn't enough. Ethan told me he'd meet me there, and within minutes, I was in the back of an ambulance, speeding across town.

  While I felt much better with an oxygen mask providing welcome air, the aftermath of a near-death experience made me feel very emotional, and it was all I could do not to burst into tears and freak out the EMT who was by my side.

  I didn't want to believe my two old friends had tried to kill me with dessert, but it was weird that neither had suspected I was having an allergic reaction. Neither of them had looked in my bag for my Epi-Pen, and at least Alina should have remembered I always had one with me. Maybe they'd just forgotten. Or it had happened too fast.

  Or they hadn't wanted to save me.

  If I hadn't made it, who would have blamed them? I'd have died of an allergic reaction. Although, if the kiwi had been planted in just my dessert, that might make a difference. There would be scrutiny over who could have changed the recipe for the dessert and if it was just for the order that came to my table.

  I went over the sequence of events in my mind. Cassie had ordered the dessert, then gone to the restroom. Or had she gone into the kitchen?

  Alina had never left the table, but our conversation had gone back and forth between sweet and caring and twinges of jealousy. Alina had clearly been bothered by Drew's apparent fascination with me.

  Were they both just jealous of me? Cassie clearly thought my career success wasn't warranted. And Alina was envious of her boyfriend's admiration of her one-time best friend. Alina had said she thought Drew was outgrowing her, that he wanted someone who had more going on—someone like me.

  But even if they both felt that way, killing me seemed like a huge and unthinkable reaction.

  Although, the first threatening note had come at the party that Cassie had planned.

  "Breathe normally," the EMT said, interrupting my thoughts. "Try to relax. Your blood pressure is rising."

  I did as he ordered, but I could feel my blood racing through my veins with each disturbing thought. What I needed to do was stop thinking. Stop reading into every comment, every moment. But every day, my paranoia grew. I didn't know who was real anymore. I was caught up in an insanity-inducing gaslighting game.

  Had I just had lunch with the other Emily?

  It turned my stomach to think that might have been the case.

  "Breathe," the EMT told me again.

  I pulled the oxygen mask down. "I think someone might have just tried to kill me," I told him. And then my freaked-out brain wondered if he was even an EMT, if the ambulance was real, if I wasn't going to make it to the hospital.

  "I'm going to give you something to help you relax," he said.

  "No," I practically screamed as he started to prepare an injection. "I don't want anything. Don't," I begged.

  He put down the needle and placed a calming hand on my arm. "Okay. No one is going to hurt you. Whatever happened before, you're safe now. We'll be at the hospital in a few minutes. But you need to breathe. We'll do it together. Slow inhale, slow exhale. Clear your mind. Only good thoughts. Here we go."

  As he counted the breath with me, I forced myself to do what he said, and I was finally starting to calm down when we arrived at the ER. They'd brought me to the hospital. The EMT wasn't trying to hurt me. Everything was going to be all right. I just wished Ethan was with me because he was quickly becoming the only buoy in my stormy sea. Hopefully, he would arrive soon.

  I was taken into an exam room where a nurse checked my vitals again and hooked me up to more oxygen. A doctor came in several minutes later and told me they were going to give me an IV with a bronchodilator to increase the flow of air and that they would keep me there for several hours to ensure that I didn't have another reaction when the epinephrine injection wore off.

  The last thing I wanted to do was lie in a hospital bed for four hours, where I would be a sitting duck. On the other hand, maybe this was the safest place I could be right now.

  As I came to terms with the fact that I wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, I started to relax, and the exhaustion of the attack caught up to me. I felt so tired. Maybe I would just close my eyes for a bit and hope that when I woke up, everything would be normal again. That was a silly thought, but I clung to it because it was all I had.

  I was discharged just before seven o'clock Tuesday night. As I walked out of the ER department, I found Ethan waiting for me in the lobby. I couldn't believe he'd hung out there all afternoon. "Hi," I said feeling a rush of emotion, just looking at his handsome face. I was quickly becoming addicted to seeing him.

  He put his arms around me, and I rested my head on his broad chest and closed my eyes, savoring his warmth and his strength. I felt safe for the first time in hours.

  "You're okay," he murmured.

  I lifted my head. "I don't think I really believed that until just now."

  His sharp gaze swept across my face. "You still look pale. Are you sure you should be leaving?"

  "Yes, and I want to get out of here. They just told me to take it easy the rest of the night. I hope I can make that happen."

  "We will make that happen," he assured me.