He smiled at my reflection. "The tabloids will say I’m way outclassed, and I won't mind because they'll be right, and I'm glad for it.”

His arms wrapped around me, and he tilted his head to kiss my neck. I watched our reflections in the mirror and felt numb. He’d answered my question. It just wasn't the answer I wanted. And despite my intentions, I couldn’t tell him who I was. I couldn’t face the rejection stoically the way my mother had. I didn't want to go back to West Virginia and cherish his picture on a magazine cover and wait for a phone call that never came.

Well, I would cherish his picture, but I would do it with my pride intact. One day he’d figure out the truth. He was bound to run into the real Kari sooner or later, but I'd be long gone by that time.

"I lied to you,” I said.

He lifted his head, only mildly concerned until he saw my expression. Then his eyes grew sharp.

I swallowed hard. "I lied to you about a lot of things.” The numbness inside chilled me—sent out frozen tendrils winding around my heart. I was shaking and couldn’t stop. "I’m sorry.”

He dropped his arms back to his sides. "You lied? About what—Michael?"

I forced myself to nod. "We’re together, and the stuff in the tabloids about us was true. In fact, a lot of stuff in Lorna’s book is true too. I’m not who you thought I was.” I turned away from the mirror, away from him. I'd hurt him, and I couldn’t stand to see the shock in his eyes.

I headed across the room. As I opened the front door, he took hold of my arm. "That’s it? That's all you’re going to say? I don’t deserve an explanation?”

Before I had a chance to answer, he looked past me to the waiting taxi. At the sight of it, he let out punctured breath, and his gaze turned on me in accusation. "You told your taxi to wait. You only came here to break up, didn’t you?" He let go of my arm as though I suddenly disgusted him. "Don't let me hold up your plans. I’m sure you have places to go.”

I went out the door, pushing myself to go forward. Every move felt stiff, awkward. I heard my footsteps thud down his driveway. I thought vaguely, ridiculously, that Kari wouldn’t have approved of my walk. Then I got to the taxi, opened the door, and sank inside.

I wasn’t going to look back. There was no point in checking to see if the door had already shut, but I couldn't help myself. I turned around in my seat and saw Grant standing in his doorway, arms folded, eyes narrow, watching me leave.

* * *

I told the driver to take me to Kari’s house and then to the airport. I didn’t want to go back to Maren's to pick up my clothes or things. As long as I kept myself focused on what I had to do, I could get through this. I could even make it through this car ride like a normal passenger and not curl into the fetal position and sob uncontrollably in the backseat.

I would say good-bye to Kari, apologize for the trouble I'd caused with Grant, and give her the sapphire necklace. I felt she should have it, since it was bought for her mother.

My hand went to the chain around my throat, fingering it as I looked outside at the passing cars. I’d worn it so many days that it felt like it belonged to me. But I couldn’t keep it any more than I could keep anything else from Kari’s life. None of it was mine. It was this thought that snapped my willpower. The tears I’d held in since Grant’s house came out.

* * *

Once I reached Kari’s I pulled myself together. I had to. Maren’s car was parked in the driveway. If I had to see her again, I wouldn’t do it crying. I sat in the back of the taxi for a few moments fanning my face with my hands as though this would make my eyes less red. Several deep breaths later, I emerged from the taxi and walked to Kari’s door.

"How long do you want to me to wait for you this time?” the driver asked.

I didn’t dare think about how big of a bill I was racking up in cab fare. "I won't be long,” I said.

Even before I reached the door, I could hear their voices inside, yelling at each other.

My steps grew slower. Were they fighting about me? Was Kari angry that Maren had driven me to quit or was Kari just still yelling about the pictures of Grant and me in the tabloids? Maybe she blamed Maren for not keeping better tabs on my whereabouts.

I looked back at the taxi longingly, then knocked on the door. Whatever the fight was about, I would face it.

No one answered. They probably couldn't hear me. I tried the door, found it unlocked—of course—and pushed it open.

Kari was sitting on the floor in the entryway, surrounded by shopping bags. At least a dozen of them. There were shoe boxes and hat boxes and dresses in clear plastic. It looked like Christmas without a tree.

Maren held a tennis bracelet, shaking it at Kari. "How could you spend twenty thousand dollars on this when you already have another one like it?”

"I needed to make myself feel better!" Kari yelled back at her.

Both of them glanced my direction as I came in the door, but neither of them spoke to me.

Maren made a sweeping motion at the bags and boxes. "You're taking this back. Every single thing. In fact, I’ll do it for you right now.” She picked up one of the bags, but Kari reached out and held on to the other end.

"You will not!” Kari yelled. "That would be totally humiliating. The store clerks will think I can’t afford it."

"You can't afford it!” Maren let go of the bag, but snatched up another. "You’re still nearly a million in debt. Do you know how much money that is?” She yanked another bag off the floor. "There’s not a thing in the world you don’t already have, and you gave your word you wouldn’t go shopping until you finished the album.” She grabbed two more bags and didn't have room to hold more. She looked at the clutter on the floor, clearly unhappy to leave it with Kari. She kicked one bag with her foot and shouted, "Don’t touch anything!” then turned and carried her armload of bags outside.

As soon as she'd gone out the door, Kari turned to me, lips in a tight line. "Do you know what it was like seeing myself kissing Grant Delray on the cover of the Enquirer? How could you do this, Alexia? You weren’t supposed to see Grant again. I told you that.”

"I know. I’m sorry.”

"You’re so fired!” She picked up two bags and stood up as though she didn't know what to do with them. She took a step, then glanced at me and stopped. She let out a whimper and sank back down on the floor. "Don't stare at me like that. I know I have a problem, okay? I know it.”

She looked around at the boxes and bags still surrounding her as though seeing them for the first time. "It isn’t my fault, though. I have to do something when I'm upset. And everyone saw those pictures in the tabloids.” She reached into a bag and pulled out a cream leather mini skirt. She laid it across her lap, smoothing it out with the care of someone caressing a new baby blanket. "I looked so beautiful in the store when I tried this on. The owner herself picked it out, and the salesgirls said I should wear it in my next video. I can't take this back.” She shrugged and her eyes teared up. "I can’t take any of it back. People will talk, and they’re already bad-mouthing me. They think I’m cheating on my boyfriend.”

So this shopping binge was my fault. I stared at a pair of snakeskin pumps and wondered how much they cost. "I'm sorry about the pictures,” I said. "I didn’t mean for things to go that far.” I walked to the wall where Kari sat and slid down beside her. “I was too in love with Grant to think about it clearly. But it's going to be okay now. I broke up with him.”

Kari gave a half grunt. “No wonder you look so terrible." She took the miniskirt from her lap and put it on mine. "Here, you need this more than I do."