“Rena spoke to you.”

He nodded. “She knows everything.”

“I didn’t—”

He placed a finger to her lips. “I know you didn’t. But I need to get out of here before someone else figures it out.”

His need to leave gave her the opportunity to detach herself from Zach. She’d proved a massive lack of willpower in regards to the oldest Gardner son.

“I’ve already called Tony,” Michael said. “Told him to call an hour from now. As it turns out, production is starting early.”

Michael would run off, and she’d be walking around his house alone once again. “I think I should start transitioning back to the Tarzana house.”

The home in Tarzana was the one she shared with Gwen before she married Neil. The home belonged to Samantha and Blake, and Neil’s friend Rick occasionally occupied it, but with the scheduled divorce approaching, it was always understood that Karen would move back.

“We don’t have to think about that now, do we?”

Karen looked over Michael’s shoulder, then back to him. “I don’t know why we’d wait. You signed contracts. You’re ready for the next couple of years.”

“Let’s talk about this later.”

“All right.”

The smell of charcoal from the barbeque drifted from the grill, reminding Karen that she’d not eaten since before lunch.

Karen soaked in Michael’s family for the next hour. Eli sat beside his grandfather asking him why the sky was blue. She hadn’t really thought kids actually asked those questions, but apparently, she was wrong.

Judy and Hannah were highly animated with the conversation about how far…or in the case of their conversation…how unfar, the football players of Hilton actually got in life.

“C’mon, Rena, who played football when you were in school?”

“Mason Reynolds was the quarterback senior year.”

“Mr. Reynolds?” Hannah cringed when she said the man’s name. “He’s fat…and slow.”

“And bald,” Judy added.

“And living in his daddy’s old home,” Hannah pointed out. “See…another football player doomed to go nowhere and do nothing.”

“Hey, I played football,” Zach protested.

“You’re different,” Hannah said.

Karen laughed and cut into the steak on her plate right as Michael’s phone rang.

He made a show of looking at who was calling. “I have to take this. Sorry.” He jumped up from the table and moved away from the family to talk to Tony.

Zach and Rena watched him walk away while the rest of the family continued with their meal. Karen put down her fork, no longer hungry.

“Most football players peak in high school,” Judy said between bites. “Unless they play college ball.”

Joe laughed and pointed to Eli. “Guess that means you get to play baseball.”

They were laughing when Michael made his way back to the table.

Janice took one look at her son and said, “What is it?”

He released a Hollywood sigh that Karen picked up on but didn’t think his family did. “Production on my next film is moving up by two weeks.” He offered Karen a sympathetic look. “We have to get home…tonight.”

“No,” Hannah protested.

“Do you have to?” Judy asked.

“Oh, honey.” Janice looked devastated. “Can’t you make them wait?”

Michael rested a hand on his mother’s shoulder. “Doesn’t work that way. There’s a huge crew being brought in…it’s complicated.”

Nice vague answer, Michael.

The only one at the table who didn’t seem to buy it was Rena. Her gaze skidded past Karen’s only to drop to her plate. She probably blamed herself for his early departure.

Karen scooted out from the table and dropped her napkin onto her plate.

“You can finish your meal,” Janice insisted.

“I’m nearly done anyway. I’ll run upstairs and pack.”

Judy jumped up. “I’ll help.”

Before they reached the cabin, Karen heard Zach say, “I’ll drive you back to the house.”

Karen shoved her cosmetic bag into her suitcase, and rolled her dirty clothes into a plastic bag before pushing them on top of her clean clothes.

“I can’t believe you guys have to run.”

“It’s the nature of Michael’s business. Always on the run.”

“Doesn’t seem fair.”

Karen sat on the edge of her bunk and rested an arm around Judy’s shoulders. “I’m sure he’ll be back more often now that he’s spent time with everyone. And you’re always welcome to visit.”

“I’d like that.”

Karen squeezed Judy and stood to zip up her bag.

Michael made his way to his bed with a tearful Hannah trailing behind him. “You better not fall off the face of the earth again,” she scolded.

“Talk about dramatic, Hannah-banana. I’ll be back.” Michael exchanged looks with Karen as they passed in the loft.

Halfway down the stairs, Zach met her and took her bag. “Let me.”

She mumbled a soft thanks as he jogged her luggage out the door. The lump in her throat was growing as the minutes passed. Having grown up with only her aunt, Karen had missed big family gatherings and good-byes. At this moment, she was happy for that loss.

Their quick exit was probably best all the way around, or so she told herself.

Outside the cabin, the family had abandoned their meal to help Karen and Michael leave.

Rena stood off to the side, holding Karen’s muddy shoes. “Hey, Karen?”

She walked to where Rena stood and gathered them.

“I’m sorry,” Rena said under her breath.

“Don’t be.” Karen glanced around, noticed there wasn’t anyone standing close. “He just needs time, Rena. Be patient.”

She smiled with tears in her eyes. “We’re not going to see you again, are we?”

Karen shrugged, pushed back tears of her own. “Michael and I will always be friends.”

Rena hugged her then with another apology.

Judy hugged her good-bye next, told her to expect a call soon.

Hannah was practically sobbing. Karen knew there wasn’t much she could say so she encouraged her to text often, which she knew didn’t need to be said. Teenagers and texting went together like a highway and asphalt. Joe gave her a hug, and Karen kissed Susie’s little cheek and thanked Eli for saving her from the spiders.