Well, at least until some reporter discovered where she lived. It was a small town. Everyone knew she lived here. And she was certain, for a price, someone would leak the address.
She rounded the corner to her street and peered down it. Luckily, she saw no one hanging around the house. She hurried down the street and inside, climbing the stairs to safety.
Her phone rang as she got inside, locking the door securely behind her as if that would lock out her problems. She tapped the phone and answered. “Hello?”
“Aunt Victoria, I just saw an article about you. I didn’t know you’d bought a theater on Magnolia Key. Isn’t that where you used to go with your grandmother when you were a girl?”
“It is.” She sank onto a welcoming chair and slipped off her shoes, sinking back on the comforting cushions the held her in their embrace.
“All the news outlets have articles questioning if you’re coming back to Broadway.”
“No, I have no plans to.”
“So you’re going to live on the island?”
That had been her tentative plan. Move here permanently. Settle down. But now? With the look of distrust and unease in everyone’s eyes? She just didn’t know.
“I’m not really sure. But enough talk about me. Let’s talk about you.” She changed the subject. “I read the reviews on the play you’re in. You’re getting rave reviews.”
“I am pleased with how it’s going. This is a good stepping stone to even bigger plays.”
“I’m happy for you, Chloe.”
“Thanks, Aunt Victoria. I will say, I miss having you here. Going out for lunch with you at that little restaurant on the corner. Chatting about all the Broadway gossip.”
The last thing she wanted was to chat about any Broadway gossip. Though, she guessed she was the current topic of most of the gossip at the moment.
“I miss you too, honey. I’ll visit you.” She just didn’t know when, because she didn’t dare show her face in New York City right now.
But hopefully, the gossip would die down. It always did. They moved on to juicer topics. Someone would sleep with someone’s wife. Some couple would split. Some star would give a lackluster performance. There was always some gossip to be shared.
She sighed, knowing she had no desire to go back to that life. But what life would she have here?
She’d heard how the townspeople had stopped trusting Gavin after the media had twisted his words. What would they do to her now that they knew she had hidden her identity?
“Come visit soon, okay?”
“I’ll try. Maybe we could meet somewhere? Take a little trip?”
“I’m pretty tied up with the play right now.”
“Oh, I’m sure you are.” There wouldn’t be many breaks in Chloe’s future until the play ran its course.
“Dad said to say hi if I talked to you. He was pleased you bought the theater. He remembers you talking about it when you got home from your trips there. But honestly, we both wonder why you left Broadway. You didn’t even tell us that last play would be your very last one. We would have thrown a huge party. Something.”
“I… I didn’t want anyone to make a fuss.” That part was true, at least. She could admit that.
“Well, I have to run. I just wanted to check in with you. I hope you’re at least having a good time working on the theater.”
“I am.” She had been. Before all this. “I’ll talk to you soon, sweetie.”
“Bye, Aunt Victoria.”
The line went dead, and she was faced with a silent apartment. No hum and excitement like at the theater. A silence as deafening as the one when she walked into Coastal Coffee earlier.
She hoped she had something to make for dinner here because she had no plans to go out anywhere to eat. If she did, she’d just run into people and have to face the stares. She headed to the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets. Not much here, but she’d make do with something.
She glanced at her watch. She still had to run over to the theater and lock up. She’d go after dark when hopefully no one would see her. She’d lock it up and come straight back home.
