NINE
“WHAT ARE YOU two lovelies doing here?” she asked when Bambi released her from the hug.
“Rox, these are our new producers.”
New in the industry, this particular genre anyway, from what she knew.
“Your our…? Okay, someone fill me in.”
Struan explained while everyone found a seat. “Zairn called a while back, asked if we’d be interested in running LoKys for you.”
Her joy came in an inhale that ended with a smile. “I knew I liked that guy for a reason.”
“He knew we’d been looking for something in that ballpark. In the industry without…”
“Needing to associate with your twin brother?”
Struan accepted the premise. “Close, yeah.”
“On the money,” Bambi clarified. “This is Roxie. We don’t lie to Roxie.”
“This is amazing.” The production company was needed, what with their vast exposure. It was only right they had some kind of interest in the many eyes willing to watch them. “You’re going to run our reality show?”
“We’ll be there, keeping things on schedule, keeping an eye on your welfare.”
Struan would be good at that given how much time he spent in the gym.
“It’s moving too,” Bambi said. “We get to travel, be together, run our own lives.”
An opportunity Struan had never been afforded in the past.
“We appreciate this chance and will work hard for you, Roxie, I promise.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that…” She waved the concern away with a dismissive hand.
“Given your history, it’s no question you know how to police drama.
And if anyone can make peace enough to stand Roman for more than ten minutes, they have to be good diplomats and have infinite patience.
Nothing in mine and Zairn’s life will ever tax you more than him…
” She tipped her head to the side and back, focused on Struan. “No offense, sweetie.”
He just smiled. He probably heard it all the time. Probably? No. She knew for a fact he did. His brother had a reputation. Once upon a time, Struan was tied into that a hundred percent. It was only with love and Bambi that he got his head out his ass and took charge of his life.
“Struan and Bambi represent LoKys,” Hatfield said. “Obviously CollCom are our distribution partner, they will get the show out there.”
“Are you directing?”
“Technically Greg directs,” Bambi said of Hatfield. “We’re the police and the prompts. We get things done.”
“Ah,” she said, though wasn’t really sure she followed. The details weren’t hugely important, her job was to show up. “This will be a long-term thing though, we need you for everything, not just this. LoKys is a real thing.” Now it was, that it had employees. “You will keep managing it?”
“Yeah, your show is the priority. When it’s on hiatus, there’s a chance of doing something with Logan.” Struan’s rock star brother. “Then there’s the possibility of something in the pipeline for Crimson Isle.”
“Oh, that’s intriguing.”
“We’re still working out the details.”
And from the way Struan avoided looking right at her, she got the message that Zairn told them not to talk about it. Hmm… interesting.
Tripp sauntered in to join them. “Thought I heard the voice of a beautiful woman.”
Struan and Bambi got up to greet him. One got a kiss, the other more of a chest bump than a hug kind of embrace. Shouldn’t be hard to deduce who got which.
“You hear my voice all the time,” Roxie said. “Am I not a beautiful woman?”
“Zairn taught me how to tune you out,” Tripp said, then addressed Struan. “You coming back to New York?”
“For the bachelor party?”
“One of three,” Roxie said and stood up. “Why don’t you men go catch up somewhere else?”
“Catch up, what—”
“Do a little male bonding.” Sweeping her arms toward Hatfield, she shooed him. “You and Stru need to develop a professional understanding.”
“We were talking about the bachelor party,” Tripp said. “Not work.”
“Yeah, but it’s unlikely Greg’s invited to that party, so don’t be rude or I’ll tell your mom.”
“I’m not invited?” Hatfield asked on rising.
She blinked at him. “Have you received an invite?”
“No, I—”
“Don’t worry, it won’t be any fun. No party is fun unless I’m there.”
“Ha,” Tripp said, turning to go back the way he’d come. “She likes to think.”
The three men departed, deeper into the suite.
“The party in your pants doesn’t count,” she called after him. Once they were gone, she spun to Bambi and rushed over to sit at her side. “Good, now we can talk properly.”
“Talk… about what?”
“How are things going with Struan?”
“Oh, you know what he’s like. He doesn’t say much.”
“About Roman?”
“He made the right choice, he’s never shown any hesitation about us…”
“But?”
“No but, just…” Bambi swallowed. “It’s all so much.”
“Being with him?”
Excitement burst from her friend. “I love him so much. So, so much. Everything’s just… right, you know?” The ease of Bambi’s laugh was familiar. “It wasn’t so great at first, not him, not Struan, he’s amazing, but—”
“The press.”
“Yeah, they didn’t go easy.” Except they had. No two guesses as to why. Thank you, Collier Family… again. “I couldn’t stand the things they said about him, and Roman…”
“Lapped it up,” Roxie said. “Yeah, I saw his smug face online too many times. Always said he sucked as an actor, but he’s got martyr down pat.”
“We’ve been staying at my apartment, our apartment,” Bambi said. “All the drama’s died down and it just works. I love being with him. Who would’ve thought domestic bliss could be so… blissful. I didn’t know that…”
“Love was so easy?” Zairn’s words were apt. “It’s not all roses; it can be work. Don’t take it for granted.”
“We are working. Together. We talk. We communicate. It’s been… we have Magnus on our case sometimes. I think he still wants Struan to go back.”
“With you?”
Bambi shrugged. “Struan said a little space will make a difference. We’re building a life together. Now we have LoKys and will be staying in New York… space will be good for us.”
She frowned. “What are you not telling me?”
Biting her lip, Bambi took a second to answer. “Sometimes the way he speaks of his brother… Roman took so much of his life from him.”
“Like we didn’t resent him in the first place.
I can understand Struan being kind of tense about it.
All the things that were said about him…
” Roxie gathered their hands together on Bambi’s lap.
“Being with you, loving you, liberated Struan. He loves you. His family is still his family. These things go up and down. Family relationships are like that.”
“They wouldn’t have fallen apart if it wasn’t for me. They’ve been such an intrinsic part of each other’s lives.”
“Whatever Struan feels toward his brother now is not on you. Just support him. Listen to him. Do whatever Struan needs… except move back to that house. Don’t do that. Never do that. Under any circumstances. Brothers don’t have to live together to be blood. Does he see Logan every day?”
“No.”
“No,” Roxie confirmed. “This is Struan’s chance to be happy. With you, LoKys, the freedom that gives you… Honestly, honey, he’s so lucky to have you. Do you think he’d prefer to be back there? How would he ever have got out if you didn’t light the path for him?”
“With the sympathy dying down, Roman’s lost his latitude.”
“People aren’t so forgiving when you’re a douchebag.”
And the simple smile on her friend’s face reminded her of one Hatfield wore not long ago.
“Be serious, Roxie,” Bambi said, though there was enjoyment in the words. “Roman might lose his role on Undercover Ops .”
“Not your fault, or Struan’s. Let Roman take responsibility for Roman, for once. Maybe he’ll grow up and get with it.” Unlikely. “If he doesn’t, let his life fall apart. It’s on him, he’s a grown up.”
Him taking ownership of his own actions wouldn’t be something that happened fast. He hadn’t managed it yet. Narcissism like Roman’s didn’t wash out in the shower.
“I can’t wait for you to come to New York; you’re going to love living there.”
“Wasn’t too long ago I’d barely been out of Wishbone.”
“Now you’re an international, cosmopolitan woman. Welcome to the club!”
The guys came trailing through from the other room. “We’re going out for food,” Tripp said. “You coming?”
“Nothing better to do,” Roxie said on a sigh, drawing Bambi to her feet as she rose. “Someone call and find out where Porter is. We can’t have him wandering around on his own. And Astrid. We need Astrid too.”
Once again, Hatfield was confused. “I thought you had dinner plans.”
“I do,” Roxie said. “Right now, Tripp just made them. Weren’t you listening?”
“What about the presentation?”
“Presen… Right, there’s a presentation. Did I know there was a presentation? There’s a presentation, apparently.”
“Shit,” Tripp said as a troop of people came barreling in. “Are we back in college? I’ll need to copy someone’s notes.”
She didn’t recognize any of the new people. Was she supposed to? Maybe. They set up a laptop and temporary screen to blast their presentation.
Bambi met Struan on his way to the couch. They sat together, listening to Hatfield direct the others.
“Like you remember anything except chasing tail at college.”
Tripp came to her. “Food.”
“Presentation, then food,” she said, threading their fingers together. “You know I need you on this and you can’t resist a damsel in distress.”
“You’re a lot of things, Rox Out.” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck to turn her to face the others and murmur above her ear. “You ain’t no damsel.”
“Sit! Sit!” Hatfield gestured at the loveseat. She dragged Tripp over there to sit down. If she had to endure this, so did he. The lights dimmed and Hatfield flicked the slide to open his arms at the displayed logo. “Welcome to the Roxiverse!”