Chapter 68

Saturday, August 15, 1987 – Morning

Donovan returned to his hotel room the following morning with a fresh perspective on his and Julie's relationship. Last night she'd proved to be more agile than he thought, and ever-determined to please him. Those tender moments made him reconsider the once lost dream of marrying her. Reaching for his hotel room key, he smiled and wondered, How soon is too soon to propose? But he knew he needed to monitor Sean's progress for a while before making that offer to Julie.

"Goodbye, Steve."

Donovan heard Jaycee's voice behind him and turned around to observe Steve slipping out of Jaycee's hotel room, dressed in a wrinkled tux with his hair askew. Jaycee gave Steve a hasty kiss on the mouth.

Steve turned, shot Donovan a look of disgust, then strolled down the hallway. Donovan stared at Jaycee. She folded her arms over her chest as if daring him to object.

With a slight shake of the head he said, "Our interview with Julie is at noon. Be ready."

"Okay."

#

An hour later, Julie met with Ross and Shelly in the hotel restaurant for one last formal meeting before she departed for L.A.

"Good morning," she said to Shelly and Ross.

"Are you feeling better?" Shelly asked, thumbing a plastic-covered menu.

"Much. Is Steve joining us?"

Answering by gesture, Ross nodded at Steve who pulled out a chair and sat next to Julie.

Julie noted dark circles under his eyes and wondered if he'd slept last night.

"Better?" Steve asked, leaning close enough to Julie that she could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath.

"Mmm hmm," Julie answered, remembering the many times her phone rang last night as if someone were determined to interrupt her time with Donovan.

"How'd the interview go?" Steve asked.

"What interview?"

"The one Donovan's assistant… um Jessie," he paused with a blank stare on his face. "Um... Jackie said you were going to give Donovan."

"Jaycee?" Julie corrected.

"Oh, is that her name?"

"It's at noon," Julie said.

"You're doing an interview?" asked Ross. "About the antidote?"

"Mmm hmm."

"Then you weren't sick?" Steve accused.

Ross and Shelly's eyes were on Julie which made her uncomfortable.

"Donovan wanted to speak with me," she admitted, hoping Steve wouldn't seize the opportunity to make a spectacle of her.

"About the interview?" he asked.

"Yes, we talked about the interview."

And that's not all… She couldn't help but smile, fondly remembering discussions about the time they'd make for one another, and how she'd tutor Sean. Julie wondered if things grew serious between her and Donovan, if he'd be willing to sell his house so they could live together in Santa Monica.

"What do you plan to say on camera, Julie?" Ross asked.

She stirred cream and sugar into her cup. "Um, I'd like to talk about the antidote, about Pico and my recovery."

"About you and Donovan," Steve added.

"What about me and Donovan?"

Shelly glared at him. "Steve."

Julie felt Steve put his arm around her shoulder and wanted to shrug him off.

"About what good friends you are," he said.

Julie moved away.

The waiter returned, ready to take their order. Julie ordered a light meal.

She spent the duration of her meal discussing with Ross and Shelly what she could and couldn't share during Donovan's interview with her. Before leaving the table that morning, she and Steve each received a check for five million dollars, payment for their participation in the project's first phase.

#

Toting a camera and light equipment, Donovan led Jaycee to Julie's hotel suite that afternoon. Julie held the door open for them with a smile on her face as Donovan admired the pink blouse and slim-fitting dress slacks she wore. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Long time no see," he said.

Jaycee cast him a puzzled glance then addressed Julie. "Dr. Parrish, I was wondering if you have Dr. Maitland's room number. He said he'd call me when he gets back to L.A. But I forgot to give him my phone number."

"For what?" Julie asked.

Grinning, Donovan unzipped the camera bag.

"A date," Jaycee answered.

Julie flashed Donovan a surprised look. He bent down to whisper in her ear. "At least I know if he's interested in her, he won't be coming after you."

Julie whispered back, "He doesn't even know her name."

Little do you know, Donovan thought.

"Can I have his number?" Jaycee asked again.

"Room 405. Knock yourself out, Sweetheart."

Donovan snickered, studying the room's lighting and furniture arrangement. Wordlessly, he scooted the settee to a more favorable position, then gently took Julie by the shoulders and instructed her on how and where he wanted her to sit.

Jaycee approached with a lapel mic and clipped it to Julie's collar while Donovan fastened on his own.

Sitting next to Julie on the settee, Donovan reviewed a list of questions he'd ask Julie during the interview, some which she said Ross and Shelly didn't want her to answer. After the couple reached a consensus about the on-air conversation they'd have, Donovan instructed Jaycee to turn the camera on.

"Good evening. I'm Mike Donovan, reporting for KDHB. It is my great pleasure to introduce you all to Dr. Juliet Parrish, now recognized for her achievement in helping develop a vaccine to combat Red Dust side effects."

After giving a brief introduction of Julie and her latest achievements, Donovan questioned her as to why Pico had tried to terminate her career and life.

Just as Donovan had coached her in bed the night before, Julie acted as though she knew nothing of Pico's motives for her destruction. Donovan and Julie both agreed with one another on air, that Pico had taken his secrets to the grave and the truth would probably never be known.

When Donovan briefly discussed with Julie his role in her recovery and the time they'd spent together, she became giddy and blushed. A part of him wanted to dismiss Jaycee and her camera for an afternoon with Julie.

But he knew a chance to be intimate with Julie again needed to wait until she returned to L.A.