Chapter 27
twenty-seven
. . .
Indi
T here are more annoying reporters outside Kinsley's house. This time I get to drive by them rather than walk a bike past. I park as close to the house as possible and hurry inside. Kinsley is stretched out on the couch with some kind of facial masque covering her face. Her eyes open behind the holes. "Did you see them?" she asks.
"I don't know what they think they're going to achieve waiting to talk to me? Must be a slow news summer. But I've got some good news. Rio is back home."
Kinsley sits up. The masque is still stuck to her face. "What happened?"
"It's a long story, and I'll tell you after I go sit with Rio. Jameson has to get the legalities worked out."
Kinsley peels the masque off and walks over to the window. She stands off to the side, to avoid being seen.
"I'm really sorry about this, Kiki. Maybe I should get a motel room until they get bored of me. I'm sure Nev isn't going to appreciate them hanging around."
"No, she won't mind. I'm sure they'll get bored soon. Your boy, Landon, has gone kind of silent on social media. People are speculating that he's languishing with a broken heart and pining over his pretty small-town girl."
"I hope you're kidding," I say.
"Nope. That's what they're calling you. It's a whole big thing online. You should read some of the stuff?—"
I'm shaking my head before she finishes. "What Landon's fans don't understand is that he's handsome but also shallow. He's definitely not the heroic type like he plays in movies. And there's no way he's languishing with a broken heart. More likely he's busy tangled in bedsheets and leaned between a woman's thighs."
I eat a quick snack from the refrigerator. Kinsley isn't entirely sure if she'll need her car, but I'm just as happy to ride the bike to Jameson's house. I pedal fast down the driveway and have a near collision with a man and his camera. He takes a few pictures as I hunch down over the handlebars and hurry down the street. Behind me, I hear a few car doors open and shut. I turn down one of the side alleys to make my getaway. This is starting to get annoying. I may even have to call Landon to tell him he needs to do something about it. A new girlfriend would probably do the trick. Genie is probably still forbidding him from broadcasting to the world that he's in a relationship. She's the most controlling person on the planet.
Jameson opens the door as I ride up. I'm winded from the fast ride.
"I could have picked you up," he says.
I stop and take a second to catch my breath. "Clearly, I need the exercise." Jameson is wearing a suit and tie. There's something extremely erotic about seeing a man who is pure badass polished up in a suit and tie. "Wowza, Mr. Wilde, you clean up nicely."
"Thanks, Jones. Trying to make a good impression on the lawyer."
"Do you think there'll be a problem?" I ask.
"Not with the stuff I have on my phone." He pulls me into his arms. "Thanks to a certain, very sexy private investigator."
Music is blasting through the house. "By the way, you and Rio will be doing some dancing. She wants to celebrate with you. There's a pizza in the oven. Maybe this time it'll get eaten." He kisses me on the lips, then leans closer to whisper in my ear. "God, you taste good." His words and warm breath on my neck send a shiver through me.
"Dad is Indi here?" Rio calls through the drumbeats.
"You better get in there to get the party started. Hopefully I won't be too long." He hasn't let go of my hand yet. He pulls me back for one more kiss. "Indi—" he says but doesn't finish. His gaze is so filled with emotion it makes my chest tighten. "I'll see you soon."
Rio is wearing a long feather boa around her neck, and there's a purple giraffe on her t-shirt. She grabs my hand and pulls me to the living room. "I hope you like to dance." She stops before we reach the dance floor she's made for herself between the coffee table and the couch. "Are you and my dad going to get married? Cuz that would make you my mom."
I smile. "I do like your dad a lot, but right now, we're just friends." I hug her. "All of us."
"I'll settle for friends. As long as you're not like Becky Parker. She'll tell you she's your friend and then before you know it she's telling Amy Carlisle that she's not your friend."
"Oh, I remember the Becky and Amy days at school, and don't worry, I'm not like Becky." I take a deep breath. "I think the pizza is done. How about we fill up on that first? I'm starved."
Rio takes my hand. "That works."