starting to doubt my decision to go to them. No doubt Luis does have friends there… and what will happen to my brother now that he's involved? It sounds like he has some shady connections that could get us all in more trouble than we're already in. I need to try to talk to him again, make him back off until I can solve my diamond problem.
We head back out to the front of the office, and Charles is already there, just inside the doors. He's waiting for me, stoic, hands crossed in front of him.
Kaidan grabs the pain meds from the nurse for me, and I drop them into my purse.
“I'll call to check in on you. Do what the doctor told you.”
“I will. Thanks.”
He searches my face, as if he's memorizing it. “I found out an hour ago that I have to go out of town on business for a few days. But I'll be back Friday. I'd planned to have some people over that night—a small party—will you come?”
“Of course.”
I smile up at him, and he kisses me one more time, gently, sweetly. I don't want him to let me go, but he does. And then he's gone, and my new personal guard ushers me outside and into the Jag so he can drive me home.
I don't feel like going back to my penthouse with all the paps waiting outside, so I finally respond to Char's dozens of texts and ask if she's home.
She responds quickly in the affirmative, and I tell her I'm headed over there. After all the shit with my brother, I'm kind of nostalgic for the old days—the fun sleepovers and weeks at Char's—before I was shipped away in shame.
Diane Lamb's mansion is legendary, even among the legends. The security guard lets us through the massive gate, and we wind up the driveway to the top of a little hill. The stucco mansion sprawls back into the property. Char is standing out in front of the 10 car garage wearing a tank and shorts, and her eyes widen when she sees me in the backseat of the Jag. Char's driver emerges from the garage to show Charles where to park.
I jump out, and she rushes me, smothering me in a hug. “Oh my God, I'm so sorry.”
I hug her and sniff. “It's so much worse than you know.”
She pulls back and searches my face. “I'm talking about the awards. Did something else happen? Who’s that guy driving you?”
“Kaidan's personal bodyguard…”
Her eyes widen, and she takes another look at the Jag as it pulls into the garage. “Where's your car?”
“I got in a little accident.”
“Are you okay?”
“I'm fine… but my car's trashed. Kaidan's getting it fixed.”
She nods and grabs my hand. “Come on. I have just what you need.”
She leads me through her marble foyer with high ceilings that let tons of light in. Past the winding dark wood staircase and the series of double doors off the main hallway that lead to a formal living room, formal dining room, library, and game room. When we reach the end of the hall and hit the massive casual dining room, Char leads me to the breakfast nook in the corner. “Sit. I'll be right back.”
She hurries through double doors that lead into her kitchen, and I take in the view.
Windows sprawl across the entire back of the house here, showing off several acres of trees. The pool's right outside, and I'm mesmerized by the waterfall cascading over natural rocks into the water below. I can see the corner of the horse barn in the distance.
“Hayley Wade!”
I turn and find Diane Lamb standing before me. For a woman in her seventies, she looks pristine, all plump smooth skin and enormous lips. She's got on a black silk nightgown, and her unnaturally black hair is in rollers. Giant gemstones inset in different colors of metal bedeck hands that cradle a tiny black dog against breasts perkier than mine. I stand up, and she and I exchange kisses on each cheek.
“I'm so sorry about your father,” she says. “Tragic!”
“Thanks.”
Char comes out of the kitchen, two pints of ice cream in her hands. “Oh, Ma. You're up early.”
“Sweetie, I have a big day planned! I'm going
We head back out to the front of the office, and Charles is already there, just inside the doors. He's waiting for me, stoic, hands crossed in front of him.
Kaidan grabs the pain meds from the nurse for me, and I drop them into my purse.
“I'll call to check in on you. Do what the doctor told you.”
“I will. Thanks.”
He searches my face, as if he's memorizing it. “I found out an hour ago that I have to go out of town on business for a few days. But I'll be back Friday. I'd planned to have some people over that night—a small party—will you come?”
“Of course.”
I smile up at him, and he kisses me one more time, gently, sweetly. I don't want him to let me go, but he does. And then he's gone, and my new personal guard ushers me outside and into the Jag so he can drive me home.
I don't feel like going back to my penthouse with all the paps waiting outside, so I finally respond to Char's dozens of texts and ask if she's home.
She responds quickly in the affirmative, and I tell her I'm headed over there. After all the shit with my brother, I'm kind of nostalgic for the old days—the fun sleepovers and weeks at Char's—before I was shipped away in shame.
Diane Lamb's mansion is legendary, even among the legends. The security guard lets us through the massive gate, and we wind up the driveway to the top of a little hill. The stucco mansion sprawls back into the property. Char is standing out in front of the 10 car garage wearing a tank and shorts, and her eyes widen when she sees me in the backseat of the Jag. Char's driver emerges from the garage to show Charles where to park.
I jump out, and she rushes me, smothering me in a hug. “Oh my God, I'm so sorry.”
I hug her and sniff. “It's so much worse than you know.”
She pulls back and searches my face. “I'm talking about the awards. Did something else happen? Who’s that guy driving you?”
“Kaidan's personal bodyguard…”
Her eyes widen, and she takes another look at the Jag as it pulls into the garage. “Where's your car?”
“I got in a little accident.”
“Are you okay?”
“I'm fine… but my car's trashed. Kaidan's getting it fixed.”
She nods and grabs my hand. “Come on. I have just what you need.”
She leads me through her marble foyer with high ceilings that let tons of light in. Past the winding dark wood staircase and the series of double doors off the main hallway that lead to a formal living room, formal dining room, library, and game room. When we reach the end of the hall and hit the massive casual dining room, Char leads me to the breakfast nook in the corner. “Sit. I'll be right back.”
She hurries through double doors that lead into her kitchen, and I take in the view.
Windows sprawl across the entire back of the house here, showing off several acres of trees. The pool's right outside, and I'm mesmerized by the waterfall cascading over natural rocks into the water below. I can see the corner of the horse barn in the distance.
“Hayley Wade!”
I turn and find Diane Lamb standing before me. For a woman in her seventies, she looks pristine, all plump smooth skin and enormous lips. She's got on a black silk nightgown, and her unnaturally black hair is in rollers. Giant gemstones inset in different colors of metal bedeck hands that cradle a tiny black dog against breasts perkier than mine. I stand up, and she and I exchange kisses on each cheek.
“I'm so sorry about your father,” she says. “Tragic!”
“Thanks.”
Char comes out of the kitchen, two pints of ice cream in her hands. “Oh, Ma. You're up early.”
“Sweetie, I have a big day planned! I'm going
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