Chapter 6 Nova
Nova
“Oh my gosh!” Lainey exclaims, bouncing on the seat from all her excitement.
“What should we do first? A tour? Breakfast at All That Jazz? It’s Mom’s favorite place because they make the fluffiest pancakes.
Oooh, or shopping, then lunch, then more shopping?
And there’s this place, The Sweet Spot, that makes the best milkshakes.
We have to stop there so you can try one.
Or we can take it to go and drink it at the beach? ”
I let out a burst of laughter. “We can do anything you want to do.”
Just being in the car with my goddaughter for five minutes makes me feel better. She’s like a dose of sunshine.
I take in her sparkling, gray eyes, wide with innocence and happiness.
Dang, she’s pretty. She got all the good genes from Rachel’s side of the family.
“I missed you so much,” she says while cuddling up against my side. She wraps her arms tightly around me, and when she squeezes, I have to suppress a groan from the ache in my bruised ribs. But because it feels incredibly good to be loved, I try to ignore the pain.
I hug her back and press a kiss on her soft hair. “I missed you, too, my sweet girl.”
Today is about Lainey. I’m going to do my best to make this day fun for her because once she learns about Rachel, it’s going to break her little heart.
“Okay.” I straighten up and give her a serious look. “How about a light breakfast so we can get some energy, and then we shop until we drop. We can have a late lunch and afterward do something fun like bowling or going to an arcade?”
“Yessss!” she practically screeches. “That will be so much fun.”
Behaving like a little grown-up, she leans forward and instructs the driver, “Izak, can you take us to All That Jazz for breakfast, please?”
“Of course,” he replies. I see a smile tug at the man’s mouth. He seems to be in his late thirties, with salt-and-pepper hair and a friendly face, unlike Tyler, the bodyguard, who has a strict air about him. His features are expressionless, and his blond hair is trimmed in a super neat style.
The men make me feel uneasy, but I do my best not to let it show.
I’m going to have to work hard on hiding my past trauma. I don’t want anyone to pick up on it.
My thoughts turn to earlier when Easton snapped at Sylvia. I had such a fright I dropped the knife. His heated words had fear engulfing me. Even though his angry response had nothing to do with me, I automatically apologized like I would’ve done with Trent.
Only no apology was ever good enough for Trent. He always had to teach me a lesson.
“If you turn left up here, it goes to my school,” Lainey says, pulling me out of my dark thoughts.
“How is school?” I ask, forcing myself to focus on her while I glance at the wealthy neighborhood we’re driving through.
Back in Verona, there are mansions, but they pale in comparison to the luxurious properties here in Beverly Hills.
Lainey shrugs. “Some days, it sucks. I’m still best friends with Porsha, but there’s this girl named Shay who’s trying to worm her way between us.”
Lainey and Porsha have been friends since their first day of school. Just like Rachel and me.
Rach.
My heart clenches in my chest, but I try not to think of the worst-case scenario because Easton might be able to get help for Rachel.
She’s not gone yet. You still have time with her.
“Maybe Shay wants to be friends with both you and Porsha?”
Lainey shakes her head. “She never speaks to Porsha and keeps trying to invite me over to her house. It’s very annoying.
I know Shay’s only doing it because her mom probably told her to do it.
” She rolls her eyes. “It’s happened lots of times before where kids try to hang out with me so their parents can meet Uncle Easton. ”
“Oh no,” I murmur while my eyebrows furrow. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”
Dang, it must be so hard for Lainey with people using her to get to Easton.
“How long are you visiting for?” Lainey asks.
“For as long as I’m allowed to.” A smile spreads over my face. “So you’re going to get tired of me real quick.”
She lets out a bubbly chuckle. “Never. Mom was so happy when she told me you’re coming to visit she cried.”
Again, my heart clenches.
Needing to say the words, I tell her, “I love you and your mom very much.”
Her smile widens until a dimple appears on her left cheek. “We love you too. You should move to LA so we can hang out all the time.”
“You know what?” I say, giving her an excited look. “I might just do that.”
“Really?” she gasps. “That would be awesome, Nova.”
“It would, wouldn’t it?” I murmur while combing my fingers through her hair.
Izak brings the SUV to a stop, and when Lainey pushes her door open to climb out of the vehicle, I do the same. I glance up and down the bustling street, and noticing a long line at the entrance of All That Jazz, my stomach sinks.
Holy crap.
There’s never a line at Reggie’s Diner, and it’s the most popular spot in Verona.
Actually, it’s the only place to eat in that one-horse town.
“Come on,” Lainey says as she takes me by the hand.
I’m tugged toward the entrance, where a woman is standing behind a podium of some sort. She’s dressed in a black pantsuit, and her makeup is done to perfection.
I wish I could do my mine like that.
The moment the hostess notices Lainey, a wide smile splits over her face. “Lainey! What a nice surprise.”
“Hi, Bianca,” my goddaughter replies.
Bianca gives me a curious look, then asks, “Will your uncle be joining you?”
Lainey lets out a sigh, then mutters, “No. It’s just my aunt and me. The usual table, please.”
It’s only then I realize Easton’s fame extends to Lainey as well.
“Of course. Follow me,” Bianca says, and with her chin held high, she walks into the busy restaurant, her hips swinging as if she’s modeling the latest fashion.
I glance at the other patrons, and seeing all the expensive clothes, jewelry, and handbags, I feel like something that crawled out of a trash can.
I’m really going to have to put in more effort with my appearance while I’m here. I don’t want to embarrass Easton, Rachel, or Lainey.
“Bianca has a massive crush on Uncle Easton,” Lainey whispers as we follow the hostess. “That’s why there’s always a table available for us even though he’s never eaten here.”
“Is that so?” I whisper back while I keep glancing around the fancy establishment.
Some girls and women wave at Lainey, and she returns their greetings with a polite smile.
Gosh, Lainey’s so grown up. Rachel and I were making mud cakes when we were her age.
We’re shown to a table that overlooks the sidewalk, and as we take our seats, I notice a man hiding partially behind a car with a camera in his hand.
“Ah, Lainey. Shouldn’t we get another table inside? There’s someone with a camera behind the sports car.”
She doesn’t even look up from her menu and only shakes her head. “The paparazzi are everywhere. Just ignore them.”
God, I’m not wearing any makeup.
I turn my face away from the man, and picking up the menu, I use it to hide behind.
Lainey lets out a chuckle. “You’re being silly.”
“I am, right?” I say, chuckling. Focusing on the menu, I ask, “So you suggest the pancakes?”
“Yes,” she replies. “That’s what I’m getting. We can add bacon and share if you want to.”
Relieved that I don’t have to think about what to get, I nod. “That sounds great.”
Lainey gestures for a waitress to come to our table, then orders, “Hi, Stacey, we’ll have a plate of pancakes to share, and please add bacon.”
Stacey jots down the order on a small notepad, then asks, “What would you like to drink?”
“I’ll have orange juice,” Lainey replies while looking at me.
Not wanting to keep the waitress waiting, I quickly answer, “I’ll have the same, please.”
“Great. I’ll be back with your order shortly,” the waitress says before hurrying away from our table.
When we’re alone again, I smile at Lainey. “Tell me everything that’s new with you.”
She leans forward to rest her forearms on the table. “My grades are good, so Mom’s happy.”
I let out a chuckle. “No, tell me all the fun stuff.”
“Our grade is having a bake sale in two weeks, and Mom said Porsha can come over the day before the sale so we can bake chocolate chip cookies.”
“That sounds fun.” My smile grows wider. “When your mom and I were sixteen, we tried to bake a cake and almost burned down the apartment.”
“Really?” Lainey chuckles. “Did you get in trouble?”
I shake my head. “We just had to clean up the mess and paint the kitchen.”
“Did Mom get in trouble a lot?” she asks.
I shake my head again. “No.” My gaze drifts over Lainey’s pretty face. “You look so much like your mom.”
“And Uncle Easton,” she mentions, pride shining in her eyes.
Lainey glances to her right, then lets out a groan before mumbling, “Ugh. Don’t come over. Don’t come over. Don’t come over . . .”
I glance at a woman and girl heading our way with wide smiles on their faces.
The woman is dressed in a pair of dark-blue pants that fit her like a second skin, a white silk blouse, and white high heels.
An expensive-looking handbag hangs over the crook of her arm, and gold bangles jingle on her wrist. Her blond hair is up in a neat bun, and her bangs are perfectly layered around her face.
The little girl looks like a carbon copy of her mother, except that her hair is down in curls.
When they stop beside our table, Lainey gives them a polite smile. “Oh, hey, Mrs. Riley, Shay.”
“It’s so good to run into you here,” Mrs. Riley says while patting Lainey’s arm. She glances around, only sparing me a second of her attention. “Is your mom here with you?”
Seeing the uncomfortable expression on Lainey’s face, I climb to my feet and hold out my hand to Mrs. Riley. “I’m Nova Allen, Lainey’s godmother.”
“Ohhhh!” The woman’s eyebrows almost rise into her hairline with surprise, but her surprise quickly passes before she looks me up and down with disdain. “I thought you were the nanny.” She barely touches me, her fingers only brushing over mine before she pulls back and wipes her hand on her pants.
I’m never quick to judge people, but holy crap, this woman is something else.
Mrs. Riley turns all her attention back to Lainey. “Where’s your mother?”
There’s a slight frown on Lainey’s forehead as she mutters, “Not here. You’ll have to excuse us. I’m having breakfast with my favorite aunt, whom I haven’t seen in a very long time.”
“Oh.” Mrs. Riley looks visibly taken aback, then she nods. “I’ll see you and your mom at the fundraiser in two weeks, but tell her I say hello and I’d like to have coffee with her when she’s free.”
Lainey only nods.
The rude woman gives me a look that makes me feel self-conscious, then she mutters, “Enjoy the meal.”
Lainey waits for Mrs. Riley and her daughter to leave, then she gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry about that. I don’t like them at all.”
“Mrs. Riley doesn’t seem very nice,” I reply.
“She’s the worst. She only talks to Mom and me because of Uncle Easton.” Lainey glances at the other patrons. “Actually, everyone is fake with me because they’re hoping to impress Uncle Easton. It sucks sometimes.”
I reach across the table and place my hand on hers. Giving my goddaughter a warm smile, I say, “You’re important to me, my sweet girl. Don’t worry about other people.”
A hopeful expression replaces the upset one on her face. “Are you really going to stay here in Beverly Hills with us?”
I let out a chuckle. “Well, maybe not Beverly Hills, but I’ll find a place somewhere in LA.”
A happy smile returns to her beautiful features. “I’m really glad you’re here, Nova.”
My heart fills with warmth as I reply, “Me too.”