Page 25 of See You There

He pulled the oxygen mask away from his mouth. “Hey, Lia. You didn’t have to come.”

A nurse came in and reminded them there could only be one visitor at a time. Dahlia was prepared to say goodbye when Chandler’s father stood.

“You stay. We are going to find some food. Stretch our legs and update the family on Chad’s status.”

Chad?

“I’ll be in the waiting room, I guess.” Victor jerked his thumb toward the hall.

“We should discuss what to say,” Alan, Chandler’s agent, said to Victor. “Make sure their stories match. A joint press release would be good.”

Dahlia waited until they were gone before she took a step further into the room. “That’s an impressive bouquet.Peachtree?” She nodded at the extravagant floral arrangement sitting in the middle of a table in the corner.

“Yeah, Matt brought it himself. Alan took the other bouquets to the nurses’ station for them to distribute. He said it makes me look generous.” Chandler’s chuckle at Dahlia’s raised eyebrows turned into a cough, and he clutched his side. “Ow! Why are you surprised? You know how this shit works.”

Dahlia stood awkwardly at the base of Chandler’s bed. They weren’t friends. In fact, Chandler went out of his way to make her uncomfortable, but she’d spent a lot of time acting opposite him, both on-screen and off as his girlfriend. “You look terrible.”

“Thanks. I feel terrible.” His eyes had a strange gleam. “It’s really sweet that you care enough to check on me.”

“Well, you got shot in front of me, and we’re pretend dating, so it’s the least I could do,” she joked. Chandler’s lips lifted a little behind the mask.

“I almost got him.” His boast was less than effective in his weak voice.

Dahlia wanted to tell him what an idiot he was for going after the gunman. But, even though she was still furious at him for putting her in the position of being there at all, she couldn’t rail at him while he was lying in a hospital bed hooked up to tubes and machines.

“Alan’s worried the police will find out that we’ve gone to Petrov’s place before. That I owe him money.” He brightened slightly. “Do you think Petrov will clear my balance since I tried to save him?”

Dahlia shook her head. “First,wehaven’t gone to Petrov’s place. I wentonetime and then was threatened into going again. My lawyer wants me to say I was invited to a party. I haven’t told anyone about your connection to Petrov, and if you’re smart, you won’t say anything either.”

“Alan said you got your own lawyer.” Chandler closed his eyes, his mouth wrinkling. “Shit! That hurts.” When the pain subsided, he continued. “I like that idea. We were going to a party, and it all happened so fast. These aren’t people who will appreciate us talking to the police.”

Dahlia remembered the Russian’s words to the robbers.Do you know whose money this is?A shudder rolled through her body.

“I don’t want to be involved in this, Chandler. I can’t believe you got involved with the Bratva!” She hissed, glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one could hear.

“I’m sorry, Lia. I’ll do my best to keep you out of it, I promise.”

Dahlia wasn’t convinced. Chandler would sell her out without hesitation, if he thought it could help him. Then again, Chandler wasn’t that good an actor, and he appeared sincere. She patted his foot under the blanket. “Get better. I have the Channel 3 interview tomorrow. Want me to come by after?”

Chandler nodded and then gave her a list of things he wanted her to say about him in the interview, while Dahlia struggled not to roll her eyes.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“You’re fucking with me.I know it.” Still half-asleep, Luke shoved his dark hair off his forehead. Out of habit, Luke kept his phone on at night. His clients managed to get arrested at all hours.

When he saw his brother’s number, he snatched it up, his heart pounding, worried something was wrong with someone in their family. Why else would James call him at three a.m.?

“I’m sicker than shit,” James moaned. “There’s no way I can make that appearance this morning.”

James’s voice did sound kind of weak, but Luke wasn’t sure he was buying this convenient case of food poisoning.

“Just get it out of your body and drink a Gatorade. All you have to do is stand there. You probably could sleep through it if you had to. Unless this woman is a complete moron, she won’t screw this up. She’s an actress. They do this every day.”

James groaned. “I promised her I’d be there. And you told Cara—”

“Uh, I told Carayouwere handling it.”

“Well, I’m not going to make it. So, if you don’t show up—to stand there—then she won’t have anyone.Youtell Cara that.”