51

Zoe was asleep on the massive velvet couch beside my bed when I crawled into bed. I stayed awake with the events of the day replaying in my mind. Interviews, flashing cameras, screaming fans, helicopters, tigers, food, flirting, stress…it was all too much. The sheets were hot, I was uncomfortable, and I couldn’t get my mind to slow down.

Completely frustrated, I swung my legs out of bed and grabbed a thick robe from the closet. I wrapped it around myself, covering the silk pajamas they’d supplied me, and tiptoed out of the room, careful not to wake Zoe as I went.

With no clue about where I was going, only the deep desire to wander, I padded down the hallway. Thankfully, it seemed all the crew had turned in for the night as well.

The house was enormous. Many of the doors were closed, and I didn’t try opening them, afraid of barging in on someone’s quarters. The last thing I wanted was to stumble into a room and see Von Thornton balls-deep in one of the young female production assistant