First Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER
REID
“Do you see yourself living in the penthouse in LA?” I asked her one evening in Houston. We were in the hotel suite I was renting, lying on the couch side by side.
“Twenty-four-hour room service and a view to die for? I’m in. And by the way, the spa at your hotel is so much better than the one here. I booked one of their massages here when you were in LA last week, and I swear that woman displaced my bones.”
“I can give you a massage.”
“Oh, please do.” Wiggling her eyebrows, she turned on one side. “You can start with the neck.”
I brought one hand to the back of her neck, stroking my thumb on her nape before planting a quick kiss. She gasped lightly. Pulling back, I pressed my fingers into her pressure points, watching her relax under my touch.
I loved this woman. And I had a few surprises in store for her, but I was waiting for us to return to LA before putting my plan into action.
“Can’t wait for this placement to be over,” she murmured. “I’m dying to get back into the trenches with my Hollywood scandals. I miss the adrenaline.”
I laughed, burying my face in her neck. “I love you, baby.”
She snuggled closer, sighing in happiness. “I feel guilty that you have to jet between LA and Houston.”
“I’ve gotten used to it. Not as bad as I thought. Turns out the secret to wanting to go somewhere is having someone to go to. You have that effect on me, Hailey Connor.”
Not only did she make me get out of my comfort zone, but she made me want things I’d been blind to before. I’d discovered a new dimension of life with her, and I couldn’t wait to explore more.
She was about to turn around completely when we were interrupted by the ping of her phone. When she picked it up from the floor, I noticed my sister was texting her.
“Why is Bianca sending you pictures?” I asked.
“Wants to know what outfit to wear tonight when she’s going out with her friends.”
“Do I want to know details?”
“Absolutely not.”
My sister was having the summer of her life, enjoying the free time until she started college this fall.
Her last month of school up until graduation was intense, given all the media interest in me, but my sister had taken it in stride.
I’ll never see these people again, she’d told me. Who cares what they think?
“Got it. Come to think of it, it was good I wasn’t there for her prom either. Heard she had a date—wait a second, you look a little guilty.”
“Do I?”
“Definitely. What aren’t you telling me?”
She focused on the phone, clearly avoiding my eyes.
“Hailey…?”
“Bianca asked me to keep you busy, okay? Just don’t tell her I told you that.”
I loved that she couldn’t keep secrets from me. “And you thought that was a good idea… why?”
“Will and Jace nearly scared my prom date away. Didn’t want poor Bianca to go through the same.”
“So, you just took matters into your own hands.”
“Yup.”
“In that case, you don’t look nearly as guilty as you should.”
She gave me a sheepish smile. “That’s because I don’t feel too guilty. I was just buying time until I can properly teach her Handling Brothers 101.”
“I have to do something about this.” I pinned her wrists above the armrest, leaning in to kiss her.
“I was hoping you’d say that.”