'It wasn't easy. I gave him your SUV in exchange. I imagine that's all right with you.'

'I suppose so,' she grumbled.

'How's the movie going?'

'We've been on location shooting street scenes. It's freezing.'

'The weather is beautiful here. I'm on my way to Malibu to meet with a client.'

'Stop it, Otto,' she groaned. 'You know I miss L.A.'

'Well, you'll have a nice new Bentley to drive when you get back. I had it detailed for you.'

'Thanks,' she said, certain that he'd add another grand to her exorbitant monthly bill. It wasn't easy being a single woman and watching over her money.

What she needed was a man to check up on him.

She'd been shooting in New York for almost a week, and she'd hardly seen Linc at all. The majority of their scenes together were interiors, although very soon they'd start shooting on a sound stage in TriBeCa, and then she could begin working on him.

The New York papers were busy stalking her. Everywhere she went there were paparazzi lurking, waiting to see who she was with and what she was up to. The gossip columns carried daily items about the absence of Matt. Faye answered all their questions with a terse statement announcing that all was well with Lola Sanchez's marriage; her husband, Matt, had business in California and would be joining her soon.

Then Tony called. 'I'm flying in,' he announced. 'Gotta check out the club scene for my next movie.'

'But, Tony...' she began, not quite sure that she was ready to go public with their relationship.

'You with me or not?' he said tersely. 'Remember, no more hidin', babe. We're out in the open or nothin'. Right?'

'Right, Tony.'

'You gotta forget about playin' games, Lola. This time I want it real.'

Tony was an I-want kind of guy. It was one of the things she found so sexy about him.

'When will you be here?' she asked breathlessly.

'Friday night. We'll turn this town out.'

'Wouldn't miss it!' she said, already planning her outfit. It had to be something sensational - Tony was into high style and flash. A lethal combination.

'I'll call you.'

'Yes, Tony.'

Ah... the two of them together again; she could only imagine the furore it would cause. Paparazzi heaven!

She decided against telling Faye. Why look for trouble? Faye could read it on the front pages along with everyone else.

Lola Sanchez and Tony Alvarez. The hottest couple in America.

Mama Sanchez would throw a fit.

Too bad. Like the TV show said, one life to live. And Lola was about to live it all the way.

Chapter Twenty.

'Pete? What a surprise!'

'Shelby. How are you?'

They bumped into each other outside the sound stage in Culver City where Shelby was soon to start shooting Cat's movie. She was on her way to her car, having recently completed her second round of costume fittings.

'It's so nice to see you!' she exclaimed, smiling warmly at her one-time boyfriend - the man she'd left to marry Linc. 'What are you doing here?'

'Stunt co-ordinator on Caught,' Pete said, shifting uncomfortably.

'You mean we're working on the same film?'

'Looks like it.'

She couldn't help noticing how cool he seemed towards her. It was no surprise: they hadn't spoken since she'd married Linc. She'd called him a day or so before the ceremony and told him she was about to take the step. He'd been livid. 'How can you do this?' he'd said. 'We were a couple. You know I wanted to marry you.'

'It just... happened,' she'd explained, knowing how lame she sounded.

'Linc's a no-good sonofabitch,' he'd said. 'I warned him to stay away from you.

But, oh, no, he couldn't keep it in his pants, could he? Not our Linc'

That conversation had taken place four years ago. She hadn't seen or spoken to Pete since. Now here he was, standing in front of her, a rugged-looking man in well-worn blue jeans, cowboy boots and a denim shirt, with piercing blue eyes and a strong jaw.

'It's lovely to see you, Pete,' she said, genuinely meaning it.

His voice was rough. 'Where's Linc?'

'On location in New York.'

'So I guess the two of you are living happily ever after?'

'I hope so.'

'I hope so,' he repeated. 'That doesn't sound very promising.'

'Look,' she said awkwardly, 'I do feel I owe you an explanation.'

'Time passes,' he said, shrugging as if he didn't give a damn. 'I've forgotten about it. We had a thing going and you moved on, that's all.'

'Can we have lunch?' she asked impulsively. 'For old times' sake?'

'Would Linc allow you to have lunch with me?'

'I don't need his permission,' she said, brushing back her long hair.

'That's nice to know,' he said, softening slightly. 'Since we'll be working together, I think it's an excellent idea, don't you?'

'If you say so,' he said, flashing a rueful smile. 'You always were able to talk me into anything.'

She smiled. 'I'm talking you into it, am I?'

'How about Jerry's Deli in the valley?' he suggested. 'Or is that too out of the way for you now that you live in Beverly Hills?'

'One o'clock tomorrow?' she said, ignoring his veiled crack.

'I'll be there.'

Driving over to Merrill's office, she decided it was best not to mention to Linc that she was lunching with her old boyfriend: he wouldn't understand - and she felt she owed Pete more of an explanation. Besides, Linc was so busy on New Tork State of Mind that they'd barely had time to talk.

Over the last few days she'd had a couple of meetings with Cat Harrison. She liked her a lot: the girl was young, but she was also smart and seemed to know exactly the way she wanted things done. They'd gone over the role of the undercover cop at length, both coming up with ideas about the character.

Fortunately their ideas seemed to jell.

Merrill greeted her effusively. As soon as she'd signed on for the movie he'd sent her three dozen purple roses, a case of Cristal and a pound of caviar. He was obviously pleased to welcome her aboard.

'Cat and I can definitely work together. I like her a lot,' Shelby said, settling on his couch.

'That's my kinda news,' Merrill said, staring at the English actress. She was such a classy beauty with her flawless skin, wide-set hazel eyes and thick raven hair. It was a great tribute to her acting skills that he was sure she could bring Cat's edgy cop to life on the screen.

He contemplated unzipping and giving her a thrill. Then he thought, Why risk another turn-down?

Besides, without popping a couple of Viagra, he couldn't get it up any more.

Merrill Zandack was finally realizing that it didn't have to be a necessary rite of passage for the actresses he worked with to service him. There'd be exceptions, of course, but Shelby Cheney was not one of them.

'You're cute,' Nick Logan remarked. 'Excuse me?' Cat responded.

'I wasn't expecting cute,' Nick said,' squinting at her.

'And I wasn't expecting asshole compliments in my face.'

Nick Logan laughed. He was a skinny thirty-one year old with unruly dark hair, a scruffy beard, sleepy eyes and eyelashes longer than any girl's. 'Didn't mean to insult you,' he said, digging at his teeth with a raggedy toothpick.

'Didn't take it as an insult,' she responded. 'Merely stupid.'

'I've never worked with a girl director before,' he ventured.

'You must mean woman,' she corrected him.

'You're a girl,' he said, grinning insolently. 'I know a girl when I see one.'

'Like, how long do I have to listen to this crap?' she snapped.

'And she's got a mouth too. I get off on that.'

'You know what, Nick,' she said, deciding to cut it short, 'let's get something straight. This is my movie. I wrote it, I'm directing it, you're, starring in it. Now, I know you've been successful for a few years and I haven't, but since this is my project, can we keep a little respect going here?'

'Cute with a mouth - even better.'

Nick Logan was obviously a major smartass, which fortunately would work very well for the role of the con-man in her movie.

Jonas loathed him on sight. 'He's one of those playboy actors,' he said, 'the kind that hangs out with his posse at bars every night, picking up girls and getting drunk.'

'As long as he doesn't do playboy acting in front of the camera,' Cat retorted, 'then I'm down with it.'

'He's planning on flirting with you,' Jonas said irritably. 'That's the way he'll try to railroad you into doing things his way.'

'Men always flirt with me,' Cat answered flippantly. 'Got a hunch it's the diamond in my navel, turns 'em on big time.'

'Very funny,' Jonas said, unamused, and scared of his growing feelings for this girl.

'Like I have time to flirt,' she retorted. 'Besides, aren't you forgetting I'm in the middle of a divorce? Who needs flirting?'

'Yeah, right,' Jonas said, unconvinced. She'd caught her husband with another girl. It was only human nature that she'd want to get back at him. And what better way than screwing some smart-mouthed, cocky movie star?

'So make sure I don't flirt, will you, please?' she added, although she had to admit that she did find Nick Logan quite attractive in a bad boy kind of way.

'What am I? Your keeper now?' Jonas snapped.

'Isn't that why Merrill put you on the movie, to watch over me?' she said, wondering what kind of bug he had up his ass.

'No,' Jonas said. 'We both know the reason Merrill put me on the movie is because you asked him to.'

'That's what you think.'

'That's what I know.'

As their start date drew nearer, Cat was feeling less tense. Hitting it off with Shelby Cheney had helped considerably. The actress was totally down-to-earth and nice. Even better, she seemed to know instinctively what Cat expected of her.

Plus, as Jonas had pointed out, her American accent was impeccable.

'I keep on annoying American actresses,' Shelby had confided. 'They all think they should be playing my parts, but when you get someone like Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones - a classic English heroine - it's only fair that I play American roles, don't you think?'

Cat had nodded her agreement. Now she was wondering how Shelby and Nick would match up. They were both so different, yet her gut instinct told her they would have great chemistry together.

They'd better, because soon it would be movie time, and she was finally ready.