Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
“Imean, at least he’s hot.” Natalie peeked over Vanessa’s shoulder at Dex, who was sitting by himself at a small table behind them. “In a kind of scary way.”
She sneered at him, which only made his grin widen.
“Do we think it’s weird that he’s just sitting there? Like, without even having a drink or anything.” Natalie was talking loud enough that Dex could probably hear her if he wanted. He clearly didn’t want to.
“I offered him a water,” Gabe said from behind the bar. “He grunted at me, which I took as a no.”
Vanessa nodded at Gabe. When she’d first met the owner of Bowie’s while planning her sister’s engagement party, they’d gotten off on the wrong foot, but they’d since come to a truce.
She cast another glance at Dex. “That tracks with his titillating personality.”
Gabe snorted, then moved on to serve a patron at the far end of the bar.
Vanessa sighed and shot her bodyguard another glance. His usual scowl had resettled on his features.
If Jordan appeared intimidating, Dex looked downright menacing, even when he tried to smile.
Tattoos, each more terrifying than the next, covered every inch of visible skin from his neck down.
He was almost as tall and muscular as Jordan, but a scar cut across his cheekbone, and he had a shaved head.
His entirely black wardrobe made him look like the shadow Jordan promised he’d be.
And he’d lived up to expectations too. Dex had followed her for the last two days straight, hardly leaving her side. The only time off he’d had was at night, when Jordan arrived back at the apartment.
“The kids are terrified of him,” Vanessa said as she sipped her prosecco. “I think he likes it.”
“Well, we’re almost there.” Natalie tapped the rim of her glass against Vanessa’s.
“Get through tomorrow, then you can start planning your trip back to New York for the Cassidy Moore show, and the next phase of your life.” Natalie whipped out her phone and opened her social media app.
“Have you seen this?” She showed Vanessa the homepage of a popular celebrity magazine.
“It’s all good publicity.” She scrolled down, pausing at quotes that highlighted praise for The Link and the upcoming show.
“Girl, it worked. You’re on the right side of history again.
The fallen starlet has made a comeback!”
Vanessa had read the full article. She’d done the phone interview a few days ago, and the final piece had been kind. It boosted interest in the show. Tickets were already sold out.
Her hodgepodge group of underprivileged kids were getting more attention than they ever bargained for. They’d been absolute balls of excitement at today’s dress rehearsal.
They deserved it. She’d witnessed how hard they’d worked. Tomorrow would be life-changing for some of them, and she hoped they seized the opportunity to make the best of whatever came.
Like she planned to. But the upcoming show also signaled the end of her time in Portland. For some reason, that didn’t cause the rush of excitement that it had a few weeks ago.
“I have five days between the show tomorrow and the show in New York,” she said, ignoring the familiar pang of heaviness that hit her heart these days. “I plan to sleep and get a few spa treatments. That’s all.”
“Did someone say spa treatments?” Hope Morgan came up next to them and slid onto the stool beside Natalie’s, tossing her purse onto the bar top. “Sign me up. I need to do something about these bags under my eyes. Rose has been teething like mad, and we’re hardly getting any sleep. Hi, by the way.”
Vanessa didn’t see a single bag under Hope’s eyes. She looked immaculate as always, but she wasn’t going to argue with a sleep-deprived mother of an eight-month-old.
“Try grappa,” Natalie suggested, finishing her glass. “My mother swears by it. She said she used to rub it on our gums to numb them, and it worked like a charm.”
“Pretty sure that’s an ill-advised parenting tactic in this generation, Nat.
” Vanessa leaned toward Hope. “I’m sure there’s something more, oh I don’t know, legal you could try.
Like those teething toys you can put in the freezer?
” She pointed at Natalie. “I really wouldn’t advise taking any parenting advice from this one. ”
Her cousin let out an indignant gasp. “I resent that. I’m an aunty now, so I’m basically an expert.” Natalie had two sisters, both of whom were happily settled down with partners and kids.
“Don’t listen to her anyway.” Vanessa waved her cousin off. “I speak for the both of us when I say we know absolutely nothing about teething babies. But I do know something about spa treatments. How about I book us a steam and a facial at the Ritz for Sunday?”
Hope melted against the bar top with a low groan. “Lord, that sounds utterly divine. I can’t even imagine ninety minutes to myself.”
Vanessa made a dismissive noise. “Book a babysitter, honey. We’re doing the whole afternoon, not ninety minutes.”
“Speaking of babysitters,” Natalie interjected, nodding toward Gabe, who was serving customers at the end of the bar. “If Daddy Walsh is here and you’re here, who’s got Ruby and Rose?”
Hope reached for the bowl of salted nuts that sat on the bar and tossed a couple into her mouth.
“Grand-daddy Walsh,” she said through a munch.
“He loves spending time with the kids, which has been fantastic. He makes a better nanny than I did. We’re lucky Connor is also willing to do it, so that I can return to work part time. ”
“You don’t find it exhausting being back at work?” Natalie asked.
“No way. Work is my mental health break. I love the girls, and being with them is an absolute joy. There’s nothing better than watching Ruby be a big sister to Rose.
But it’s by far the most exhausting job I have ever had in my entire life.
Coming here—” She shrugged as she jutted her chin out to the crowded bar.
“It gets me out of the house and around people. Which is important for me.”
Bowie’s was a thriving bar, busy every single night, which Vanessa chalked up to the neighborhood vibe it had that made you feel like you knew everyone.
Honestly, the last few weeks, with all the strange things happening, she’d been comforted by the sounds of the bar below her apartment at night.
It made her feel less alone, oddly safer.
“Besides,” Hope went on. “It means I get to see this hot stuff more often.” She winked at Gabe as he made his way over to the trio, his gaze fixed on his wife.
In a way, they reminded Vanessa of her parents. Two kids, a family business, working together. She admired the work and family ethic. She knew how much effort it took from both partners to make it succeed.
“How are you, babe?” Hope slid her hand across the bar to grab Gabe’s.
“Better now,” he murmured, leaning over for a kiss. He nodded toward Vanessa and Natalie’s empty prosecco glasses. “Refills?”
“Yes, please!” Natalie slid her glass over, and Gabe filled it.
When he tried to do the same for Vanessa’s, she put her hand over the top. “Reached my two-drink limit, but thanks. It’s delicious.”
“Wouldn’t know,” Gabe grumbled, sliding her an iced water instead. “Don’t drink the stuff.”
Hope smacked him in the arm. “Oh come on. Don’t be a jerk.” She turned to Vanessa. “It’s about time we classed this place up with some bubbly. Perfect choice for the menu. And popular too.” She sent a wolfish grin in her husband’s direction. “Gabe knows I like to have a glass now and again.”
Natalie waggled her eyebrows. “Ooohh, I like the innuendo.” She took a long drink and faced Vanessa. “What time do I need to be at The Link tomorrow?”
Vanessa took a sip of her iced water. “How about three o’clock? The show starts at seven, so that gives us four hours.”
“Four hours to do eight faces and hair?” Natalie’s brows lifted. “Who do you think I am? Superwoman?”
Vanessa laughed. “I love how drama runs in our family.” She patted her cousin’s shoulder. “You’ll have Colin and Brit. And, worst case, I can help. But we can meet earlier if you want.”
“No, no, no. That’s okay. I work best under pressure.” Natalie downed her drink and got up, swaying sideways. “Woah, I should’ve probably had more than peanuts with those drinks.”
“How are you getting home?” Dex’s gruff voice rumbled beside them. He whipped a glare at Vanessa. “How is she getting home?”
His green eyes flashed with something she hadn’t expected. Concern. For her cousin. Oh-kay. So, she hadn’t seen that coming.
“U-ber.” The words slurred out of Natalie’s mouth.
Hope picked up her phone. “I can order her one now.”
“I’ll take her,” Dex said, then looked at Vanessa. “Come on, you’re going with us.”
“Um, no.” Vanessa searched his face for logic. “I literally live upstairs. If you want to take her, go ahead. I’m going home anyway.”
Dex looked torn, which was odd for a man she’d come to know as more machine than human. No way was he going to defy Jordan’s orders and leave her alone on his watch, but he was also determined to get Natalie home safely.
“Look,” she said, deciding to make the matter easy for him. “Why don’t you walk me upstairs and lock me in my apartment before you escort Natalie home?”
Relief flickered across Dex’s expression.
Sliding off her stool, she grabbed her purse before giving Hope a quick hug. “I’ll text you as soon as the spa day is set. Okay, Mama?”
Waving goodbye to her friends, she walked ahead of Dex to the door at the rear of the bar that led to the apartments above.
“I texted Jordan about our plan,” Dex informed her, his voice echoing slightly in the narrow staircase. “He said he’d return in twenty minutes and he’ll check in on you when he does.”
Of course he would. Vanessa bit back a sigh. “Got it. Babysitter check-in is in twenty. I’ll leave my door unlocked.”
The truth was, she was safer knowing Jordan would be nearby. But the warmth that had unexpectedly been growing between them over the last three weeks had faded since their walk home the other night.
Lately, his check-ins seemed clinical, like he was doing his job the same way he did for Joel and Lucy. Which was fine. He was hardly neglecting her, but she missed the connection they’d built.
“No, definitely keep your door locked.” Dex’s voice broke her from her thoughts as they reached the top of the stairs. “Look, I get that you don’t like having your every move managed or tracked, but from what I’ve heard, it’s for your own good.”
The weight of a sudden exhaustion kept her from arguing. She wanted pajamas, a cup of tea, and an audiobook that she could fall asleep to.
Locking her door as Dex had ordered, she trudged inside her bedroom and tugged off her clothes. Tomorrow was the show. After that, she’d prepare for her trip to New York. She had a hotel booked for a couple of weeks, but she’d need to investigate long-term accommodations soon.
It was time to start planning her new life.