Cassandra merely laughed. “You know I’ll be here to finish up later,” she said to Kevin.
“Wait,” Sabrina said, running after him but not before giving their mother a frustrated glare. “We don’t have a dog!”
Amy turned her unexpected laugh into a cough. “Hello, Miss Lee, it’s nice to see you again.”
Cassandra looked up, appearing more rested than she had earlier. “Please call me Cassandra. It’s lovely to see you again,” the other woman said, but her voice sounded uncertain. She was obviously confused by Amy’s presence. She settled her glance on her son. “John, we were discussing wedding plans.”
“It looked as if you were torturing Kevin,” Roper said.
He was too far away for Amy to nudge him in the ribs, so she settled for a warning look instead.
His mother ignored his comment. “Did you know they haven’t chosen a reception hall yet? They can’t pick a place unless we know the number of guests on the list and what the venue can hold. I already have one hundred of my own-”
Roper nearly choked. Even Amy’s head started to pound. She couldn’t believe how the actress bulldozed her way into everyone else’s life. No wonder Roper was concerned about finances.
“Didn’t you hear us say we wanted a small wedding?” Sabrina asked as she rejoined them in the living room.
“Is Kevin okay?” Roper asked.
Sabrina nodded. “He’s fine. He just needed some fresh air. Mother, did you hear me? We want a small, intimate affair.”
Cassandra waved her hand back and forth in the air. “No, that’s what you think now. But when you look back, you’ll realize you wanted a big wedding, so that’s what we’re going to make sure you have.”
Sabrina looked at Roper with big, pleading eyes.
For the first time, Amy realized exactly why he felt so strongly about not abandoning them to go to Vaughn’s lodge. Each member of his family needed him for their own reasons. But they would take and take until there was nothing left-and that included cash. And it wasn’t as if anybody was actually in the wrong. They were just needy. Roper had fallen into the caretaker role and now they all expected it of him, at his own expense.
Roper stepped between his mother and sister. “Mom, look, it’s their wedding. I think they can make their own decisions.”
Cassandra tipped her head in her elegant way. “And you know this because you’ve been married before?” she asked him with sweet sarcasm. “I know best.”
“Because your big wedding and subsequent divorce make you an expert?” Roper asked.
“Argh!” Sabrina stormed out, heading to what Amy assumed was her bedroom.
Cassandra placed her pad and pen on the table, rose and strode to the window, all without meeting Roper’s gaze.
Amy couldn’t imagine the stress these kinds of confrontations put on him. Watching the commotion today, Amy was even more certain now. All the reasons he didn’t want to go to the lodge were the exact same reasons he needed to go so badly. So he could take care of himself for once and let his family learn to stand on their own.
Amy walked over and put her hand on Roper’s shoulder for support. He surprised her by covering it with his own.
“Weddings are stressful,” Amy said. “Perhaps there’s a way you all can sit down and talk and really hear one another,” she suggested.
Cassandra swirled around. “I never did find out what exactly you are to my son. You mentioned working for the Hot Zone, his public relations firm?”
“Officially Amy’s my go-to person at the Hot Zone.” Roper jumped in and spoke for her, something Amy didn’t want or need him to do.
“You see, Cassandra, the Hot Zone felt that given Roper’s current situation, he could use someone to help keep him on track with his physical therapy before the start of the season,” Amy said, eager to speak for herself.
“Sort of like a handler,” Cassandra said.
Amy nodded. “Exactly.”
His mother studied Amy for a long while, enough to make her uncomfortable. But she held her ground and refused to fidget even though Cassandra didn’t hide her blatant attempt to take stock. “So you’re here with him today because he needs help handling his family?” Hurt suffused Cassandra’s tone.
Amy’s heart constricted. She didn’t want wounded feelings. “I’m just here for support,” she said, deliberately backing off.
She saw Roper’s dilemma so clearly now. His aging mother was unsure of her place in Hollywood and in her children’s lives. It wasn’t Amy’s place to butt in. She could guide Roper, but she couldn’t tell his family what to do. She realized that now.
Amy turned to Roper. “Don’t you have an appointment with the doctor and then with the physical therapist today?”
He glanced at his watch. Surprise at how fast the morning had gone registered on his face. “I do, but my family needs me right now. I’ll call Aaron and reschedule.”
She might as well start handling him now. “No, you won’t. Your shoulder might heal on its own, but you won’t get your strength back without hard work.”
“Amy’s right, John,” his mother said, shocking Amy.
If the stunned look on Roper’s face was any indication, he agreed.
“I’m tired. I’ve upset your sister and obviously overstayed my welcome. I’m going to go back to the hotel. First I’ll go talk to Sabrina and make peace. We can pick up the wedding talk another time. I still say they’ll regret a small wedding later.” With a wave, his mother headed in the direction Sabrina had gone, leaving Roper and Amy alone.
Roper leaned against the wall and let out a low groan. “She gave in,” he said, relieved.
“For now. And only because I backed off first,” Amy said.
“You are amazing.” She’d been astute enough to realize that his mother might perceive her as a threat. Roper shot her a look filled with admiration and gratitude.
She shrugged. “Years of experience at the retirement community, I guess. I just sensed she needed to feel in control of things.”
“Well, it worked.” Roper knew another reason why Amy had been able to get his mother to step aside for today, at least-because his mother was astute enough to sense there was more to Roper’s relationship with Amy than business. She’d said as much on the phone after meeting Amy at the apartment the other day. Cassandra thought her son had a thing for Amy, which worked to Amy’s benefit because his mother played nice to Roper’s girlfriends.
She had spelled out her reasons to him the one and only time he’d brought a girlfriend with him to L.A. The woman hadn’t had nearly Amy’s intelligence and she’d grated on his mother’s nerves, but Cassandra had been the gracious hostess, giving in to all the other woman’s requests-to go shopping on Rodeo Drive, to tour Paramount Studios-all because, as she’d told Roper later, she knew he’d grow tired of her quickly.
And he had. He always did. The women he met and dated up until now didn’t have enough substance to make him want them in his life long term.
“Time for the doctor,” Amy said.
He rolled his eyes at her bossy tone. He wanted to tell her that she wasn’t in charge. That he could make his own decisions. That he was the man.
Until he realized that if she hadn’t been here, he would have canceled his appointment. She’d done her job, keeping him on schedule. Damn, but he liked her take-charge personality.
“Amy, do you want to join us for a late lunch this afternoon?” Sabrina called out as she and his mother walked back into the room.
Amy paused, then said, “Love to.” She shot him a satisfied grin.
Knowing Amy, she figured keeping his mother and sister busy would enable him to work uninterrupted.
She was right.
But he’d have the last laugh. Because while he was going to his appointments, she’d be getting grilled by his inquisitive family.
He ought to tell her, then decided against it. Amy could handle herself.