Wyatt was numb.

He’d been numb for almost twenty-four hours, and he was starting to fear it was going to be a permanent state.

For hours, he’d been sitting on his rooftop deck, staring out at the Pacific, and trying to make sense of it. So far, he hadn’t managed.

On the contrary, he flat out couldn’t believe it. None of it. Not that she’d walked. Not that he’d let her. Not that Leah-the-bitch had spread those damn photos all over the Internet.

He could sue, of course. She’d stolen the physical photo of Kelsey. And he might, just because the bitch deserved it. But honestly, he couldn’t work up the energy. Because what good would it do?

It couldn’t get Kelsey back.

Couldn’t reshape the show back to the way he wanted it to be. For that he needed Kelsey. But she’d made it perfectly clear she was out.

Thank God, Cass was going to fill in. She’d agreed to come by for a short session tomorrow morning at eight, but it wouldn’t be the same. Her energy was different. Her presence. He was shooting images with a theme in mind, and she just didn’t fit.

He’d make it work—hell, he had to make it work. But it was no longer the show he’d dreamed of. It would do okay. It would get decent press. But this show wasn’t going to launch his career. Wouldn’t prove to anyone—much less himself—that he deserved the Segel name.

It would make a tiny splash in a very big pool. And that would be that.

God, he’d been a fool. He’d feared she wouldn’t see it through that night at X-tasy. And he damn sure should have listened to his gut.

She’d walked away once before and destroyed his life.

This time she was walking away and destroying his career.

He was a fool, all right. He’d gone with his heart instead of his head. And now he was paying the price.

With a deep sigh of regret, he leaned back, kicking his feet up onto the railing as he watched the sun sink low over the Pacific. He had a cooler full of beer next to him, and he’d already downed three. If he sat here all the way until sunrise, he might even work his way through all of them.

The bell over the rooftop door chimed to indicate that someone was at his front door, but he really didn’t give a shit. Kelsey still hadn’t been to his house, so it wouldn’t be her. He wasn’t expecting any deliveries. And his friends knew to text before coming over.

He reached down, grabbed another bottle, twisted off the cap, and took a long swallow. Then another and another, until the bottle was drained. Because what the hell. He was already sore from the knife she’d stuck in him. Might as well anesthetize the wound.

A moment later, the door behind him creaked open, and he sat bolt upright, the bottle held tight by its neck, as if that would do any good against an intruder.

Except this intruder was one he could probably take—Anika Segel—and she was looking at him with such a mixture of concern and irritation that he almost laughed.

“Three stories,” she said. “And no elevator. I’m eighty-five years old, young man. Answer your goddamn door.”

He tossed the empty beer into a nearby bin and was on his feet in an instant, dragging a chair toward her. “I had no idea it was you. Sorry. Why didn’t you call me? I would have come down.”

She snorted. “I managed, didn’t I? And we need to talk.”

“You heard what happened.”

“I made Damien tell me. Don’t be upset with him. That boy may have more clout than God, but I’m an old woman with an agenda, and that trumps most everything. So,” she continued, “our Kelsey was going to be in your show and got cold feet.”

“That pretty much sums it up,” he said.

“You know, I do miss Carlton.”

It was such a non sequitur that he froze in the process of dragging his chair over by hers. “My dad?”

“He was always a breath of fresh air. Always had a perspective other than this ridiculous bubble we live in.” She patted his arm. “Our Kelsey’s a bit like that. Although I suppose if we keep encouraging her to audition for dance numbers, she may lose that.”

“You think she shouldn’t audition?” The moment the words were out of his mouth, he wanted to call them back. What did he care anymore whether she auditioned or not?

“I think it depends on what Kelsey wants,” Anika said.

“She wants to dance. She wants the stage. She’s scared of it.” He held up his hands. “That’s a big part of why she bolted.”

“Mmm. And what are you scared of, baby boy?”

He hadn’t heard the endearment from her in years, and it warmed him enough that he considered the question honestly. And then actually answered it. “That I’m never going to live up to Grandfather. Or Mom. Or you.”

She waved his words away. “Listen to you. What a load of nonsense. What have I done? Nothing except working a job I loved and raising a family I adore.”

“And you had an incredible public life,” he pointed out.

“True. But that’s only the surface story. Pass me a beer, Wyatt. Where are your manners?”

He pressed his lips together so he wouldn’t laugh, then complied. “Surface story?” he repeated as he twisted the top off. “What do you mean?”

“Just that, yes, I lived in the spotlight, but I like being the center of attention. It suits me. And so I went for it. And I did okay, if I do say so myself. But what if I’d never gotten my break? Been born into another family? I don’t know, but I think I’d still be acting. Maybe not in movies. But on a small stage in Kansas. Maybe playing the nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Or perhaps I could be in The Little Foxes. I always adored that play.”

“You’re teasing me,” he said, but she shook her head earnestly.

“I’m not.” She sat up and reached for him, tapping lightly on his chest. “If it’s inside of you—here—then go for it. Because you want to. But not because you think it matters to me or your mother or Jenna. Do you think Jenna cares about the cameras? She only cares because it gives her the clout to open more restaurants and try out more recipes. That girl would cook in a log cabin if that was her only option and you know it.”

It was true. He did know it.

“But my dad—”

“Your dad had other problems. And maybe your mother should have told you some of it after he died, but I think she hoped you would all move past it.”

“Dad thought she didn’t respect him. That you didn’t.”

“Carlton was a good man. But he was a fool in a lot of ways. That was one. He was a good CPA. Goodness knows he got my financial house in order after that ridiculous shyster—well, never mind. I loved that boy. And if he felt less because the spotlight left him in the shadow, then I’m truly sorry. But that was only him. Your mother adored him. I adored him. Like I said, it was nice to have someone around who didn’t read Variety before the actual news.”

“I thought Variety was the news,” he deadpanned.

“There? See? You are one of us.” She smiled, and in that moment he wished he had his camera. “So you tell me, Wyatt. What is it you want? The spotlight? Fame? A family? Respect?”

The answer came fast, without him even having to think.

Kelsey.

When he cut through all the crap, all the ambition, all the garbage, she was the only thing he saw.

And it was time he told her so.