Crooked

Chapter 4 #2

“I don’t know. I guess I expected you to say romance or women’s fiction, like Nicholas Sparks type shit.”

“Nope. I like to write the kind of stuff that makes me nervous to be in my own house alone at night.” I smiled. “I’m sure Dr. Freud would have a lot to say about that with my family.”

Wes chuckled. “What’s the name of the guy you’re too chicken to ask out?”

“I am not too chicken.” Here I thought our conversation was finally going well… “And his name is none of your business.”

“Actually, it is my business. It’s my only business these days. I wasn’t digging into your personal life. I’m asking because it’s my job to know who you’re with and where you are at all times, until the boss tells me otherwise.”

“Oh.”

He pushed his chair back and stood, taking his plate with him. “Yeah, oh.”

***

“Do you see someone you know?” Jett asked. He turned and looked over his shoulder toward the bar, where Wes was now sitting.

Great. Now I was lying and being rude because of that man. Why the hell did Wes need to come inside the restaurant? He’d been in the car out front when I’d walked in.

“Sorry. No. I must’ve gotten lost in thought, picturing what the movie might look like. Your ideas gave me such a good visual.” Great. More lies... Weren’t bodyguards supposed to watch but not be seen?

At least Jett seemed happy with my response. He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, The Hunted begs for a cinematic adaptation, especially with it being set in Charleston.”

We spent another hour talking about his ideas for the book-to-film screenplay I’d be writing.

This would be the second project Jett Bradbury and I had worked on together.

The first had been eighteen months ago, which was when I’d developed my secret crush on him.

But he’d been dating someone—a pretty big Hollywood actress—until very recently.

This was actually the first time I’d seen him since his breakup.

Jett was in the middle of describing how he visualized the ending of the movie when I noticed a tall blonde sidle up to Wes at the bar.

I tried my best to keep my eyes on Jett, but the task wasn’t easy.

Through my peripheral vision, I watched as Wes and the woman spoke for a few minutes, and then the woman handed him her phone.

He typed something into it and gave it back with a smile before she disappeared.

That annoyed me, though I obviously had no reason to feel annoyed, and I couldn’t shake my bristly mood through the rest of my lunch meeting and the entire drive home.

“Who was the woman you were speaking to at the bar?” I finally asked Wes once we were back in my kitchen.

“Her name was Clover,” he said. “I think.”

“Clover? What kind of a name is Clover?”

He shrugged.

“You met her for the first time today? It looked like you gave her your phone number.”

He shrugged. “She asked for it.”

“Clover just walked up to you—a complete stranger—and asked for your phone number?”

“Yep.”

Jesus, and I don’t even have the balls to ask Jett out for a drink—a man I’ve known for a year and a half.

“How was your lunch meeting?” Wes asked.

“Good. Jett likes to be involved in the adaptation of his books. Sometimes that makes the process more difficult, but he has really good ideas.”

“What’s his deal? Is he married or something?”

“No, why?”

“Then why hasn’t he asked you out?”

“I don’t think I’m his type.”

Wes looked me up and down, and his brows dipped. “Why not?”

“Because he likes statuesque blondes with big boobs who wear dresses with glitter.”

Wes opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. When it became apparent he was done with the conversation, I decided to go get some work done. “You’re in for a boring afternoon,” I told him. “I’m going to be writing at my desk for most of it.”

“I’ll be out here if you need me.”

Hours later, I emerged from my bedroom. Wes was sitting on the couch looking down at his phone. I glanced over his shoulder as I passed and noticed he was texting. I immediately wondered if he was texting the woman he’d met earlier—not that it should’ve mattered to me.

Wes tossed his phone on the couch. “I was beginning to wonder if you fell asleep. I didn’t hear a peep, and you were in there for a long time.”

“When I get on a roll, I don’t take breaks.”

“I take it that means your writing went well?”

“It did, actually. I really like how the first few scenes came out. I’m excited to show them to Jett.”

Wes made a face. “Jett. What kind of dumb name is that?”

“I kinda like it. Beats Clover.” I grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge and chugged half of it. “I have to run out to Brewer’s to pick up the food Pam ordered for book club tonight.”

“All right.” He stood. “Where is that?”

“It’s at The Grove.” I grabbed my keys from the hook near the door and slipped on my shoes. “The parking there is horrible, so I might have to circle the block for a while.”

“Why don’t I just drive, and you can run in while I wait? I’ll double park and move if I’m in anyone’s way.”

“Oh. That would be great, if you don’t mind.”

The drive to Brewer’s was only about fifteen minutes, and surprisingly, there was a spot right in front.

“It must be our lucky day,” I told Wes. “I usually have to circle the shopping center for ten minutes, and then I wind up walking three blocks after I finally accept that I’m never going to find a close place to park.”

Wes winked. “They probably knew I was coming.”

He parallel parked like a pro, and I was surprised when he got out of the car and jogged around to open my door.

“Thank you. Is this part of your bodyguard duties?”

“Doesn’t need to be in the job description for a man to treat a lady like she should be treated.”

His answer made me smile. “I’ll be right back.”

When I returned, Wes was leaning against the passenger door. He pushed off and took the sandwich platter from my hands, settling it in the backseat before opening the passenger door for me. I’d started to fold into the car when a man’s voice stopped me.

“Jules?”

None other than Jett was standing on the sidewalk. He walked over to kiss my cheek. “I thought that was you.”

Wes folded his arms across his chest and stood taller.

I’d never thought Jett was short or thin, but standing next to Wes, he looked a little of both.

Wes’s shoulders were almost twice the size of his.

Jett looked at Wes, and I had no choice but to introduce them. “Jett, this is Wes…a family friend.”

Jett held out his hand, and for a second, Wes just stared at it. I thought he was going to embarrass me, but eventually he shook. “How ya doing?”

Jett nodded.

“I spent all day working on The Hunted,” I told him. “I can’t wait to share it with you.”

“Awesome. I can’t wait to read it.” Jett pointed to the restaurant next door to Brewer’s. “I’m meeting Arnie Edmunds for drinks. Are you guys going to Mesita?”

“No, I just picked up some food for my book club tonight.”

“Nice.” He looked at his watch. “I’m already late, so I have to run. It’s never good to keep actors waiting. You know how they are.”

I smiled. “I do.”

Jett kissed my cheek again and waved to Wes, who gave him a curt nod.

The drive home was quiet, until Wes’s phone rang. He picked it up and held it to his ear. “Hey. What’s up?”

I heard someone talking on the other end but couldn’t make out most of what they said. Though I thought I heard, “Landed at LAX.” We pulled up to my house just as Wes hung up, and his jaw seemed pretty tense.

“Is everything all right?” I asked.

“Yep.” He jumped out of the car and looked around the street before opening my door. Then he took the sandwich tray out of the backseat. I held out my hands to take it, but he shook his head. “I got it.”

“We discussed this already. You’re not coming to my book club meeting.”

“I’m at least going to check out the house. Your friend’s not home yet anyway. Her car isn’t in the driveway.”

“Do you really think someone broke into Pam’s house and is hiding there to get me when I go to my book club?”

“Just let me do my damn job, and both our lives will be easier.”

I huffed. “Fine. But you only have two minutes.”

Inside Pam’s house, Wes did a full sweep—going from room to room while I stood in the kitchen.

“Was the boogeyman waiting for me?” I asked when he returned.

Wes shook his head. “I’ll be outside in the car.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever…”

After I was alone, I went about setting everything up. People started to arrive just as I set the last chair into place. And at seven, our official start time, Pam walked in. Unfortunately, she wasn’t alone. Her arm was linked with Wes’s.

“I saw this handsome man sitting outside in his car,” she said. “And I insisted he come in.”

I walked over and took Wes’s other arm. “I must’ve forgotten to give him my key again. Excuse us for a moment.” I practically shoved him back out the front door.

“You’re not coming to book club,” I hissed, attempting to keep my voice down.

“Fine with me. I only came in because your friend practically dragged me out of the car. She’s a pushy one.”

I shook my head. “Just go next door. You already checked out the house, and you know I’m not in any danger. You’ll be thirty feet away.”

“I’ll stay outside, but I’ll be in my car or sitting on the porch.”

“Why are you being such an ass about this?”

“You want to know why? I’ll tell you why.

Because that call I got in the car a little while ago was someone letting me know that your father’s enemies have landed in LA, specifically two guys who have been arrested for murder more than once but always seem to get off, even though they shouldn’t.

So you’re lucky I’m even saying I’ll sit out here because I shouldn’t let you out of my damn sight. ”

Shit. “People are going to be coming and going all night. I don’t want them feeling uncomfortable with some guy watching their every move.”

The front door swung open. Pam smiled and held out two glasses of wine. “Hey, you two. Allison has to leave by eight to relieve her sitter, so we’re going to get started.”

“I’ll be right in.”

“Wes, honey, you should come too. Lord knows we could use some testosterone at our book club full of ladies.” Her eyes sparkled. “Maybe we can even get you to read a little of the male part from the book we’re discussing. I bet you’d play a great bodyguard.”

Wes’s eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”

“The book we read this month,” Pam said. “The heroine has a steamy affair with her burly bodyguard.”

Wes looked at me. “Is she serious?”

I grabbed his arm and tried to turn him to leave, but the big oaf didn’t budge. “Wes has somewhere to be. I don’t want to make him late.”

“Actually…” He grinned from ear to ear. “I don’t mind being late. I think I’ll come in for a while.”