AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We don’t ignore you, Gran,” Juliet said, her eyes wandering to follow a couple of security guards out toward the yard. A chicken was following so closely behind one of them it was a wonder he didn’t step on it.
“Chessy!” Gran yelled, looking out at the chicken. “Leave that poor man alone!” She snorted and took a swig of her drink before turning back to Juliet, pointing a potato chip in her direction. “Well if you listened to me, you wouldn’t have married that idiot in the first place. And please tell me the media was wrong about the settlement you’re giving him. My whole guild is talking about it. That numb-nuts didn’t deserve a cent.” She sipped her drink again and then leaned toward me conspiratorially. “That moron was a couple beers short of a six pack. Hope you’re firing on all cylinders, cuz he certainly wasn’t.” She turned her fierce gaze back to her granddaughter. “So, the settlement?”
“Did you say guild?” Juliet asked.
“Yes. In the game.” Gran waved a hand, clearly not ready to be distracted from her question. “Settlement. Talk, young lady.”
First Juliet looked a little shocked, as if she’d been slapped. “I don’t think you can ‘young lady’ me anymore, Gran.” Then she sniffed and dropped her gaze to her plate. “I’d rather not talk about it,” she said. “It’s not final, and it’s just … it’s hard.” She looked up again, a brilliant smile plastered over the pain in her eyes.
My heart went out to her, and I remembered again how well Juliet covered her real emotions. It was rare to see her shield slip to reveal her sadness over her current situation. I reached over and took her hand—more because she looked like she needed it than because we were supposed to be a couple.
And Tess appeared in the doorway at that exact moment, and I couldn’t have explained why, but I snatched my hand back as if I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t. Juliet shot a surprised look my way and I smiled, realizing Tess Manchester was definitely not a regret waffle. It would be easier if I could just turn the feelings off. But I suspected it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Tess stood in the doorway for a moment, her dark hair around her shoulders as her gaze went out to the lawn where the chicken was now flapping and clucking around at the feet of the guard, who was actually trying to run away from it. Tess wore a pair of jeans rolled around mid-calf—the kind that were beat up in a sort of intentionally casual way, and a tank top that showed off her curves but definitely looked like a shirt she would have simply pulled from a drawer, not something she planned. She was beautiful in such a natural and effortless way, it actually made me gasp under my breath, trying to get myself under control.
I glanced at Juliet, but she didn’t seem to notice my struggle.
Tess carried her plate to the table and sat next to Gran. “Poor Jack,” she said, looking out at the chicken and man on the lawn. “Chessy won’t leave him alone now. It was love at first sight.”
“Jack?” Gran asked. “Is that one of the gorillas that came with these two?” She tilted her head to mean Juliet and me.
“Gran, behave yourself,” Tess said, her tone admonishing but full of sweetness. Her eyes sparkled. “Juliet and Ryan are celebrities. They need security, and while they’re here, we’re lucky the guys were able to be here too.”
“Hmph,” Gran grunted. “And by the way, I’m not speaking to you today, about goons or anything else. I can’t believe you moved my stuff.” Gran’s voice had all the indignity of a maligned teenager and when she stuck out her tongue at Tess to make her point, I had to stifle a laugh.
“I said I was sorry about that. But it’s for the magazine shoot tomorrow. It’s just temporary. And so are the guards.” Tess sounded exasperated.
For the most part, our security detail was practically invisible—a significant feat for four guys who must’ve weighed two hundred and fifty pounds a piece.
“So,” Tess said, turning to face Juliet and me. “How did you guys meet?”
“At a party,” I volunteered, at the same moment that Juliet blurted, “On set.”
I cringed inwardly. This was what we probably should have figured out before arriving. Tess didn’t seem easy to fool, and Gran definitely didn’t. I wondered if Juliet might decide we could just be honest with her family and keep the pretense for the media.
Tess raised her eyebrows and laughed, and the sound filtered through me like sunlight sifts down through tree leaves, soft and diffuse.
Juliet raised her eyebrows at me, as if to tell me to continue, so I improvised. “It was a party on the set of a movie we both worked on,” I said. “We had one scene together, but didn’t really get to chat until the wrap party.” I knew it was a poor cover and watched Tess consider this and decide not to question it.
A faint smile ghosted her heart-shaped lips. I had a fleeting vision of what it would be like to rub a thumb over those lips, to taste them. I refocused on the sandwich before me.Wrong sister. Focus.
“When was that?” Tess asked.
This time, Juliet and I looked at one another, and I decided to let her answer. We should have ironed out all the details ahead of time, but she’d slept through the flight and she’d been on the phone through the car ride. These were things we needed to get airtight before the magazine people showed up. If we got this wrong in front of the media, Juliet’s scandal would be even more scandalous and I’d be an easy target for stories about poor desperate Ryan McDonnell who’d do anything to save his career. That would not be good for me, or for Dad.
“The movie went on about six months, so we’ve known each other a while. But the party was just a little while ago. Two weeks?” Juliet said, looking to me to confirm.
“Sounds about right.”
Gran snorted and leaned back in her chair. “So this is your third date?”
“Gran,” Juliet sighed.
“Two weeks?” Gran repeated. “I’ve got hemorrhoids with more mileage on them than that.”
Tess dropped her sandwich back to her plate. “And I’m out.” She stood and shot Gran an angry look. “You’re impossible.”
Gran merely shrugged and continued nibbling her own sandwich. I watched Tess go, wishing I could follow her into the house, but I was supposed to be here with Juliet.
