Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury

then the tone of the story grew sad. “Hollywood changed him.” She squinted at the sunlight streaming through the window. “He died of a drug overdose three years ago.”
    Understanding dawned in Ashley’s soul. No wonder she’d felt a connection to Katy Hart. They’d both survived loss and come out on the other side. She touched Katy’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
    Katy looked at her again. “It wouldn’t have worked out anyway. He partied hard on location, lots of girls and beer and obviously drugs.” She allowed a sad smile. “It’s left me a little jaded
    toward Hollywood.”
    “I guess.”
    The waiting room was quiet, warmed by the splash of sunshine.
    After a while, Katy said, “Can I tell you something?” “Sure.”
    “Almost no one knows about this.” She did a half chuckle. “Last July I went to Los Angeles and auditioned for the lead part in a movie with Dayne Matthews.”
    Her eyes held disbelief. “I almost took the part.”
    “Dayne Matthews? He’s one of the clients at my brother’s law firm.”
    “Really?”
    “Yeah. Luke met him a year ago when he was on location in New York.”
    “He’s a nice guy.” Katy nodded slowly and let the story unfold. She talked about getting the phone call from the casting director and heading out to Hollywood for the first read. When that was successful, she went again for an on-camera audition
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    with Dayne. Katy’s cheeks grew pink as she talked about the scene calling for a kiss and how they’d pulled it off in a way that thrilled the director.
    “Kind of surreal, I bet.” Ashley was caught up in the story. “Did the two of yma talk much after the audition?”
    “We had a picnic one day, and—I don’t know—it felt like we were getting close.
    Then the weirdest thing happened.” Fear played in Katy’s eyes, and she talked about going to the beach one evening and the crazed fan who attacked them with a knife. “I’ll have to go back to Hollywood next May for the trial. The whole thing scared me to death. I turned down the part and headed home.” She smiled.
    “Where I belong.”
    “Wow… that’s amazing.” Ashley tried to picture the scene at the beach. “How’d Dayne hear about you?”
    “That’s the strange part.” A few nurses walked by in the corridor. When they’d passed, Katy continued. “The first time I saw him was right here at our theater.
    We were at the end of our final performance for Charlie Brown, and he came in and sat in the back row.”
    Ashley was surprised. “What was he doing here?”
    “He wouldn’t say.” Katy reached for a bottle of water on the table beside her.
    “Scouting locations … visiting someone. I don’t know.”
    “Have you talked to him since you’ve been back?” Ashley was intrigued by the story. How often did a small-town girl get a call from Hollywood?
    “No.” Her expression held a resolve that said she’d made up her mind. “His world could never mix with mine. Not that he was interested, really.” She didn’t hide the disappointment in her voice. “He’s living with Kelly Parker now. She took the part I turned down.”
    “Oh.” The intrigue faded. “I guess the tabloids are right. Wild nights, bizarre fans, and a different girl all the time. They’re all the same.”
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    FORGIVEN
    Katy had a faraway look in her eyes. “I thought he was different.” She smiled, but it didn’t ease the sadness in her expression. “Obviously not.”
    Ashley looked at her watch. “I have to pick up my little boy from a friend’s house pretty soon. Guess I better go.”
    “‘Thanks for keeping me company.” Katy took a sip of her water and set the bottle back down. She stood and slipped her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “The minutes feel like hours sitting here alone, just waiting.”
    “I’ll be in touch. Maybe I can come back tomorrow.”
    The two hugged, and Ashley made her way past the nurses’ station and down the elevator. As she