Scarpelli.”
Aaron handed her his cell.
She dialed Stephanie’s number.
“Hello, Aaron.”
“It’s Gya, Steph. I have good news.”
“I already heard. Scarpelli is no longer a threat, baby. What a relief.”
“How did you hear?”
“Sharon called me. She saw it on the news. I’m already getting calls from all the talk shows for you to appear. Apparently the media got a tip that he had several photos of you on the walls of his house in Chicago.”
“Not several. Hundreds.”
“Oh my God. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m not surprised Sharon called you so fast. She made it clear in Houston she wasn’t happy with us canceling the tour. I’m sure she’s chomping at the bit for me to get back on the road.”
“You’re right. That was the second thing out of her mouth.”
“No tour. Not this year.”
“Why, honey?”
“I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.” She turned to Aaron. “I can tell her now, right?”
He smiled and nodded.
“Stephanie, I’m in Wilde, Nevada.”
“I can’t wait to see you, Gya. Not knowing where you are has been hell for me. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“Thanks to Aaron and Kyle. Take the plane. Please bring some clothes, my computer, and my phone with you.”
“I’ll be there tomorrow, honey.”
Anna walked to their table and placed two plates of food in front of Aaron and Kyle. “We’re making something special for you, Gya. A special spin on our King Cakes. It’ll be out in just a second. Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you talking on the phone.”
“It’s okay.”
“Did I just hear someone say ‘King Cake’?” Stephanie asked.
Gya grinned. Oh boy. I’m in trouble now.
“I thought you said you were in Nevada. Sounds like you’re in Louisiana. I hope you’re not eating junk, Gya. Don’t forget you only have one body. It’s a temple.”
She laughed, listening to Stephanie go into her usual diatribe about healthy choices. “Are you there? Steph? Hello.”
Kyle handed her a forkful of his King Cakes.
“I’m here, Gya.”
“Must be a bad signal.” She took a bite of the delicious pancakes. “Yum. I mean…you…can’t…hello.” She clicked off the phone, ready to enjoy her meal with her two bodyguards. “I will pay for that when Stephanie gets here.”
Anna arrived back at their table, carrying the biggest plate of pancakes she’d ever seen. “I saw you on Ellen last year. You told her you were crazy about blueberries.”
“I am.”
“Then I hope you like this.” Anna placed the plate in front of her. “It’s King Cakes with blueberries and whipped cream.”
Gya looked down at the giant meal, covered in white sweetness with blueberries spelling out “Welcome Gya.” She grabbed Anna’s hand. “Thank you so much. I love this.”
The other customers cheered.
How many times had people given her their applause? Thousands of performances. But this wasn’t a performance.
She looked at all the people in the diner and then turned to Aaron and Kyle. This little town was different than any place she’d ever been, and this applause felt different, too.
Wilde felt like something she’d hoped for all her life. Wilde felt like home.
* * * *
The man handed the pilot his fake credentials. “Come on. Give a guy a break. I can stand over there with my camera. One little shot I can take back to my editor.”
“Sorry, fella. My passenger tomorrow isn’t Miss Gaynor.”
“Damn,” he said, though he already knew that. “But isn’t this her plane. Who else would you be taking?” He knew the answer to that question, too.
“Her agent.”
“You know about Scarpelli?”
“Who doesn’t?” the pilot answered.
“The entire country wants to know where Gya Gaynor is.” He pulled out a wad of bills, counting out five hundred dollars.
“I’ve been instructed to keep that private.”
He added another five hundred to the stack and handed it to the pilot. “You’re not telling me where she
Aaron handed her his cell.
She dialed Stephanie’s number.
“Hello, Aaron.”
“It’s Gya, Steph. I have good news.”
“I already heard. Scarpelli is no longer a threat, baby. What a relief.”
“How did you hear?”
“Sharon called me. She saw it on the news. I’m already getting calls from all the talk shows for you to appear. Apparently the media got a tip that he had several photos of you on the walls of his house in Chicago.”
“Not several. Hundreds.”
“Oh my God. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I’m not surprised Sharon called you so fast. She made it clear in Houston she wasn’t happy with us canceling the tour. I’m sure she’s chomping at the bit for me to get back on the road.”
“You’re right. That was the second thing out of her mouth.”
“No tour. Not this year.”
“Why, honey?”
“I’ll tell you all about it when you get here.” She turned to Aaron. “I can tell her now, right?”
He smiled and nodded.
“Stephanie, I’m in Wilde, Nevada.”
“I can’t wait to see you, Gya. Not knowing where you are has been hell for me. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“Thanks to Aaron and Kyle. Take the plane. Please bring some clothes, my computer, and my phone with you.”
“I’ll be there tomorrow, honey.”
Anna walked to their table and placed two plates of food in front of Aaron and Kyle. “We’re making something special for you, Gya. A special spin on our King Cakes. It’ll be out in just a second. Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you talking on the phone.”
“It’s okay.”
“Did I just hear someone say ‘King Cake’?” Stephanie asked.
Gya grinned. Oh boy. I’m in trouble now.
“I thought you said you were in Nevada. Sounds like you’re in Louisiana. I hope you’re not eating junk, Gya. Don’t forget you only have one body. It’s a temple.”
She laughed, listening to Stephanie go into her usual diatribe about healthy choices. “Are you there? Steph? Hello.”
Kyle handed her a forkful of his King Cakes.
“I’m here, Gya.”
“Must be a bad signal.” She took a bite of the delicious pancakes. “Yum. I mean…you…can’t…hello.” She clicked off the phone, ready to enjoy her meal with her two bodyguards. “I will pay for that when Stephanie gets here.”
Anna arrived back at their table, carrying the biggest plate of pancakes she’d ever seen. “I saw you on Ellen last year. You told her you were crazy about blueberries.”
“I am.”
“Then I hope you like this.” Anna placed the plate in front of her. “It’s King Cakes with blueberries and whipped cream.”
Gya looked down at the giant meal, covered in white sweetness with blueberries spelling out “Welcome Gya.” She grabbed Anna’s hand. “Thank you so much. I love this.”
The other customers cheered.
How many times had people given her their applause? Thousands of performances. But this wasn’t a performance.
She looked at all the people in the diner and then turned to Aaron and Kyle. This little town was different than any place she’d ever been, and this applause felt different, too.
Wilde felt like something she’d hoped for all her life. Wilde felt like home.
* * * *
The man handed the pilot his fake credentials. “Come on. Give a guy a break. I can stand over there with my camera. One little shot I can take back to my editor.”
“Sorry, fella. My passenger tomorrow isn’t Miss Gaynor.”
“Damn,” he said, though he already knew that. “But isn’t this her plane. Who else would you be taking?” He knew the answer to that question, too.
“Her agent.”
“You know about Scarpelli?”
“Who doesn’t?” the pilot answered.
“The entire country wants to know where Gya Gaynor is.” He pulled out a wad of bills, counting out five hundred dollars.
“I’ve been instructed to keep that private.”
He added another five hundred to the stack and handed it to the pilot. “You’re not telling me where she
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