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“What?” Nora shoots up. “I’ve lost track of time.” Her gaze shoots around helplessly. “Fuck. I never lose track of time.” Her eyes land on me. “You.” She points at me. “You made me lose track of time.”

“Happy to be of service.” I wink at her.

“Thanks, Ricky.” Nora holds out her hand to me. “Can I drop you somewhere or do you want to come to the studio with me?”

I take her hand and let her pull me up. “I need some clean clothes before I go to work.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t bring an overnight bag, what with how you so brazenly seduced me last night.” Nora slips her fingers between mine. She tugs me to her. “I love you too,” she whispers in my ear.

CHAPTER39

NORA

“Guess who called me yesterday?” I ask Mimi, who’s lounging with me in the couch, the dogs sprawled between us.

“With the small number of people who have a direct line to you, this game should be easy.” She pushes herself up. “You wouldn’t make a fuss about Juan or Imani calling you.” Mimi arches up her eyebrows. “Your mom?”

“No.” I’m not going there again. Not today. Christmas is just around the corner and the guilt for all the things I’m not as a daughter is starting to set in, as it always does this time of year. “It’s work-related.”

“Okay. Hm. One of theHigh Lifeproducers for a reunion?”

“Promise me here and now, if that offer ever comes, you will help me to say no.”

“Really? You wouldn’t do it?” Mimi sits all the way up.

“Not for all the money in the world, although I could put it to good use.” This is how doubt always creeps in. If some Hollywood bigwigs want to throw a bunch of money at me to reprise the role of Emily Brooks, shouldn’t I just do it to fund my charities?

“Even if it would make millions of people ecstatic?” Mimi asks.

“You mean your kids?”

“My kids have direct access to Nora Levine these days. I’d like to think they cherish that more than seeing Emily Brooks orHigh Lifeagain.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.”

“What’s going on?” Mimi fixes her gaze on me. “Who called you?” Izzy jumps into her lap.

“Elisa. They’re doing anUndergroundmovie and she wants me to be in it.”

“Elisa Fox?” Mimi fans herself with her hand.

I prod her gently with my toe.

“That sounds a whole lot better than aHigh Lifereunion to me,” Mimi says.

“They’re sending over the script later, but I’m not sure I should even read it. I’m not sure I should do it.”

“Why not?”

“When I’m doing a TV show, I like to keep a low profile during the hiatus. I’m not like Stella who goes off to shoot two movies back-to-back. I like to just do nothing so I can replenish my energy for the next season. If there is one.”

“There will be,” Mimi says, and she should know.

Izzy’s trying to turn on her back in Mimi’s lap. She fails, but produces some hilarious slapstick comedy in the process. Mimi and I fawn over her for a few moments—which is what she wanted all along.

“How long has it been since you’ve done a movie?” Mimi asks.

“Years.” Long beforeUnbreak My Heartcame along.