The limousine picked me up at the strip mall’s coffee shop promptly at six. Alejandro wasn’t in back, so I chatted with Udo. “You’re more than just a driver, aren’t you?”
“You are right, I am his bodyguard. But I also drive him around, since he got famous.”
So this was the guy who watched the parade of women. I was sure he’d seen it all. “Is it true he’s with a different woman every night?”
Udo frowned. “It is true zat most vomen only spend one night. But zere are far fewer than you zink.”
“Oh come on! I see him with a different woman every day.”
Udo laughed. “Zat is how zee media sees him, but it is not so.”
“Yeah, I guess the media could make up stories about me, too. That’s why I ran from the event yesterday.” I pulled his hat from my purse and handed it back to him. “Thanks for the loan.”
“If you do not vant zee media to make up stories about you, zen you should not be vith him. Zey are going to find you eventually, you know. Zey even follow me. My vife calls me each time she sees me in a picture vith him.”
“Your wife calls you? Where is she?”
Udo slumped his shoulders. “She does not live vith me right now. It is a long story.”
I understood that he didn’t want to discuss his marital problems, so I let it drop. “Well, the media may be lying about some things, but I know he and Karen got it on.”
Udo flipped a hand out to the side. “Yes, yes. She tells anyone who asks. But it is over between zem.” He regarded me in the rearview mirror. “If you do not mind my saying, Ms. Gleason, I zink he is quite taken vith you. I have not been sent to fetch many vomen, and never one who had run away from him zee day before.”
Oh God! I did not need to hear this. Not only was I swindling this beautiful and talented man, but I was stealing his heart, too. Not that I understood how such a thing was possible. Still, I hated myself even more for conning him.
I slumped back in my seat. “I guess I should be honored.” But honor was the furthest emotion from my mind and certainly the last thing I deserved. I rode quietly the rest of the way to Alejandro’s mansion.