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charity—or you? Maybe you shouldn’t change the ticket.” Randy warmed to the idea. “You might give him the wrong impression.” He sat up. “You don’t want him thinking you’re only there because of his money.”
    “Like he’s going to think I’m there for any other reason.”
    “Oh, man, this is unreal.” He shook his head in wonder. “You can’t even say it was luck. What are the chances your old man would still be alive and rich and ready to kick off and leave it all to you? Sweet Jesus, this could be the answer to all our prayers.”
    Randy either thought she didn’t care how callous he sounded or he was oblivious in his excitement.
    “You are his only kid, right?”
    “As far as I know. But he could have had a dozen after me.”
    “Not at his age. Even if he did drop another kid or two, who cares? God, Christina, think what this could mean. Anyone who spends money the way he does has to have a lot to spend.”
    His excitement growing, Randy jumped up and stood in the middle of the bed, straddling her. He reached to pull her up to join him. She resisted.
    “Come on, baby.” He dropped to his knees and clasped her hands. “Be happy for me. For us,” he quickly amended.
    “This is my father who’s dying, Randy.”
    He eyed her. “Like you really care. You don’t even know the guy. Besides, it’s gotta piss you off in a major way that he’s known where you were all this time and he’s never once tried to see you.”
    “If you had a kid living in another country and you had to deal with someone like my mother every time you wanted to see her, how hard would you try?”
    “Your mom’s not that bad. And you left Mexico almost eight years ago. Why wait until now to get in touch?”
    “What you’re really saying is that if I’d been cuter or smarter or—”
    “Cut the crap, Christina. You know I think you’re one of the smartest people I know. And I wouldn’t be with you if you were a dog. I care what people think.”
    “Thanks. Can’t tell you how much better that makes me feel.”
    He moved in closer and nuzzled her neck. “You want our movie finished just as bad as I do. What’s wrong with your father helping us out? Isn’t that what fathers do?” He leaned back to make eye contact. “This could be our big break, baby.” She didn’t say anything. “I’ll dedicate the film to him—and not at the end. Right up front. I’ll say we couldn’t have done it without him. He’ll be famous. Hell, I’ll even make him an associate producer.”
    “I can’t tell him that.”
    His eyes narrowed as he considered what she’d said. “Yeah, you’re right. You want him to think you came because you care.”
    Randy wasn’t going to let go. She either gave in now or spent the next month listening to the reasons she should give in. “I’ll go,” she finally said. “But not for the money.” It was what she needed to believe; what she wanted him to believe.
    Randy grabbed her and rolled across the bed, burying his hands in her black and pink hair, kissing her deeply and thoroughly. Coming up for air, he murmured, “That’s my girl.”
    Christina listened to Randy softly snoring beside her. She was thirsty but didn’t want to chance getting up and waking him. She wanted time to think about her trip to Sacramento, what she would say, how she would act.
    What if it turned out her dad really was rich and what if he wanted to leave his money to her? What if it was enough money for her and Randy to get to L.A. and for her to see agents without having to squeeze in the appointments between work?
    Christina glanced at the bedraggled stuffed bear sitting on a shelf beside the bed. Missing an eye and an ear, his arm hanging on by a thread, he was all she had had to remember her father by. She rolled to her side and pressed her face into her arm. Her cheeks were wet. How could she be crying and not know? A wave of aching sadness hit the shores of her heart. Why did you leave me, Daddy? What