3. Gia
3
Gia
I stand in front of the television, still in my pajamas, coffee in hand.
“… and speaking of Mars Floyd, Gia DeLuca didn’t comment on the album when speaking to reporters last night,” the show host says, her veneers so bright they burn my eyes through the flat screen television. “However, her bodyguard has certainly been causing a stir on social media.”
The screen shifts to a clip of Kade last night. I watch him step in front of me and give the reporter a threatening look. Except it’s less threatening and more… swoon-worthy.
Tall, dark, handsome.
And the internet knows it.
The screen fills with pictures of the altercation from all different angles, and that makes it official. Kade doesn’t have a good side. All his sides are good. Each picture is paired with a social media comment, ranging from the corny, “Could he guard my body?” to the overt, “When can I see him in concert? ”
“He’s going to hate this,” Bryn peeps up from her place on the couch. She taps on her phone. “At least it’s taking the heat off your conversation with that reporter.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” I say, then gnash on my lip with my teeth.
Bryn sighs. “You don’t have to apologize, Gia. But you do need to get a handle on your temper.”
“How am I supposed to just let them ask questions like that all the time? And make these baseless accusations?” I cry out, then gesture to the television with my cup of coffee. Some liquid nearly sloshes out. “Do you know how hard it is to be silent when they’re shouting at me all the time?”
My friend smiles sympathetically. “I know it’s hard, but it’s the price we have to pay if we don’t want ridiculous stories circulating.”
We . As if we both have to be silent. I love Bryn, but I’m the one who has to deal with my life thrown back in my face at every turn.
“I’ve arranged a meeting with your publicist this afternoon after Fresh Air . We’ll get a refresher on the media training, and that will make the next few weeks?—”
“No, no, I’m not going to deal with paps the next few weeks,” I say, then swig my coffee.
Bryn’s face falls. “You mean you’re just going to stay inside for the foreseeable future?”
I shake my head. “No, I need to go to Blue Flag. I can’t stay here.”
Her brows jump. “Oh, okay, well, that’s a good idea. Give us all some peace of mind.”
“You should come with me,” I say firmly.
Bryn’s mouth opens, but she stops herself.
“It’s home, right? I know things are complicated for you guys, but… it’s home. ”
Bryn nods. “It is. I… I miss it.”
I smile at my friend. “Then come with me.”
Bryn’s forehead pinches. “It’s been years.”
“Exactly why you should go!”
Bryn is quiet. She turns off her phone screen and looks off. “You know I can’t leave Kade here alone. Not at Christmas. Maybe I can come join you after the holiday, but?—”
“He’ll come too.”
She starts laughing, but when I remain serious, she stops. “You have to be joking.”
“I’m not.”
Bryn leaps up off the couch. “You heard him just yesterday! His favorite part of Christmas is not going to Blue Flag.”
I worry my thumb nail between my teeth. I can’t stay in; that much is obvious. I won’t allow my Christmas season, my favorite time of year, to be ruined by the media. Especially not when all they want to ask questions about are my ex-boyfriend and his new “surprise” album.
I can’t even be mad at Mars because I know it wasn’t his choice. His management are some of the most hardheaded, ruthless people in the music industry. He’s just a bit of a dope who goes along with it.
But I know I'll feel guilty if I go to Blue Flag and leave Bryn and Kade here.
Maybe there’s a way I can get the best of both worlds.
“The worst he can say is ‘no,’ right?” That might be worst-case scenario, but getting a no from him would probably make me crumble into a million pieces. I have never been good at hearing the word “no.” I take it too personally. See it as a personal failing, even when it’s something as simple as being told I can’t have a certain thing at the store because they ran out of it .
Bryn nods uneasily, “I suppose, but?—”
That’s all the permission I need. “Great, let’s go talk to him.”
Kade’s schedule is always the same when we’re at the house in Malibu. He’s up at the crack of dawn, carbo loads, and then goes about his workout for the day. Some days, he trains in the gym, and thank goodness for that because it doesn’t get used otherwise; other days, he does circuits out on the lawn or swims laps in the pool.
I will not comment if I watch him when he’s out in the yard.
Today is a gym day, so I head to the west wing of my Malibu mansion. Bryn follows at my heels, fretting the whole time. “I’ve never been able to convince him, Gia. I can’t imagine you’ll be able to.”
“We’re going to try,” I say before ripping open the door to the gym.
It’s a beautiful view. From the gym, not because Kade is there, although?—
I’m getting off track. The gym windows are floor-to-ceiling and roll all the way open so you can get the ocean breeze and a clear view.
Though I don’t use the gym that frequently, it’s outfitted with all the equipment a meathead might need. Machines, weights, the works. A normal person would listen to music while they work out, but Kade isn’t a normal person. He’s not even listening to podcasts.
No, instead, he’s listening to a replay of a Yankees game. The audio quality suggests it’s from the eighties or nineties. Kade even rewatches old games sometimes. It’s cute that he’s so dedicated to the team. America’s favorite pastime is Kade’s, too.
Kade is currently doing pull-ups at the aptly named pull-up bar. He’s taken off his shirt at some point during the workout, skin glistening with sweat as he lifts himself over and over like he weighs nothing. It’s impressive. And no other adjectives. Not a single one.
His back is split down the middle by white scar tissue from his surgery. It’s healed up pretty well after all these years, but still, a reminder of what he’s been through.
“I never know when to interrupt him when he’s working out,” Bryn whispers.
“I can hear you,” Kade calls out in response. Still doing pull-ups. The man is a machine. Finally, he lets himself drop from the bar. He reaches for a towel and spins around to face us. “What’s up?”
My thoughts disappear for a moment at the sight of all those muscles. I swear, no person is supposed to have that many. I shake it off and clear my throat. “We’re going to Blue Flag for Christmas.”
Kade cracks a smile as he slides the towel over his shoulder and then across his chest. “Ha, ha. That's a good one. Actually, what’s up?”
I cross my arms over my chest and sink into my hip. “We’re going to Blue Flag for Christmas.”
His toweling off slows down, and he looks at Bryn. “What’s she talking about?”
“ She’s right here,” I say edgily.
“Hey, relax,” Bryn mutters, holding her hand out toward me. I know better than to get in the way of the Kade whisperer. She takes a step closer to her brother. “Kade, I want to go home. It’s been years.”
Kade appraises his sister with a stoic expression. Why does he have to be so hard to read?
“Aren’t you craving a white Christmas?” I offer with a smile. “Christmases here are so anemic compared to Blue Flag. ”
“I have never been fond of the snow,” he says, as cool as a northerly wind.
I need to try a new tack. “Well, how about seeing my folks? Staying at the inn! I mean, we have all these fun traditions and things we used to do with guests. It’ll be fun!”
“I’ve never been one for activities, either.”
I scratch my hand through my bedhead. “Okay…”
Bryn fists her hands at her sides. “Seriously, Kade, you’re being a pill.”
He lifts one shoulder and grabs his water off the floor, filling the silence by sucking down the water. For a long time. I can hear every gulp. It’s like he’s trying to make things awkward. Luckily, I am the last person who is going to shy away from something because it’s awkward.
When he’s finally done, he looks at Bryn. “You can go; I’ll be fine here.”
Something about the way he says it breaks my heart. “We’re not going to let you be alone on Christmas, Kade,” I say with a hapless smile.
His eyes flicker toward me and then away.
Bryn gets closer to him. “We don’t have to see Dad.”
“It’s not about seeing or not seeing Dad. I just don’t want to be there. That’s it.”
I feel a bit awkward standing here as they have one of their sibling quarrels. I’ve been party to many of them, but they’re hardly ever serious. But this… talking about their dad. I know that’s serious.
“Do you think this is what Mom would have wanted for us? For us to be avoiding Blue Flag because?—”
“Don’t bring up Mom like that, Bryn. You know that’s not fair,” Kade says, a bubble of emotion behind his words. It’s so rare that he loses his cool or lets anyone know how he feels. But when it comes to their mother, I know those feelings aren’t in his control.
Bryn sighs. “You know I’m not wrong.”
Kade doesn’t answer, moving to the rack of dumbbells. He begins to unload several, much too big for any person with an average muscle mass. But this is Kade we’re talking about. He’s in the business of being built.
Time fast-forwards in my brain to Christmas day. Kade waking up alone in the pool house where he’s always lived to have distance from the antics of me and his sister. Drinking a protein shake. Going to work out. I know he’d just treat it like a normal day.
But it’s Christmas. You need to be with the people you love on Christmas.
“Well, I’m sorry, Kade. You don’t have a choice,” I say, proudly lifting my chin.
Kade straddles the bench and sits. “Oh yeah?” he replies. It’s almost flirtatious, the corner of his mouth flipping upward. He swipes a dumbbell off the ground to get started on his next exercise.
I push the flutter of excitement down because I know he’s going to hate me in a second. “I’m going to Blue Flag for Christmas. And I’m going to need my bodyguard in case all this L.A. nonsense follows me there.”
He nearly drops the dumbbell in surprise. “What?”
“You heard me. I need my bodyguard and my personal assistant. You were already supposed to be with me on Christmas Day; it’s built into the contract.”
Bryn covers her mouth with her hand in an effort not to laugh.
Kade hardens his gaze on me. “You’re serious.”
“Of course I’m serious. When have I ever not been serious?” I say, fluttering my lashes dramatically.
“Plenty of times, Gia. ”
A shiver runs up my spine when he says my name. “Well, I’m not bluffing. Now finish up your workout and get to packing. We leave in the morning.”
I turn on my heel and head out of the gym before he can argue with me any further. I don’t like being a diva, especially not to my friends. But sometimes, the occasion calls for me to be difficult and complicated.
I’m bringing Kade back to Blue Flag whether he likes it or not.