Bombshell (Hollywood A-List #1)(34)

I walked toward the front, knowing she’d follow. But she didn’t. Not right away. She called out from behind me.

“You left us!” she cried.

I didn’t turn around, but I stopped.

“One minute you were there and the next Dad had this old lady cooking and Kendall’s trying to buddy up to me and share f*cking makeup tips.” She ran up to me and got in front where I could see the veins of mascara down her cheeks. “What about our Wednesday lunch? Have you thought about that once? Huh? Because I’ve thought about it for three Wednesdays and you didn’t even call me.”

“This is the drugs talking.”

“Oh, bullshit. You are such a bullshit liar.”

I had to take a deep breath. I was the adult, and I wouldn’t be baited.

“It would be inappropriate for me to make plans with you. I’m sorry about that. But I miss you too, Willow. Ever since I was fired I’ve missed you guys.”

The muscles in her face went slack, and her jaw dropped enough to leave her lips parted.

“Fired?”

“You thought I quit?”

She looked away, staring into the middle distance, as if watching the movie of the past few weeks on the big screen in her head.

“They said you left.”

“It doesn’t matter. Come with me.”

She came, suddenly a kid again, docile, obedient, and overdressed.

I found a security guard. He hurried over to me. I plastered a smile on my face and gave him Willow’s bag. “Can you make sure this young lady gets home?”

Willow didn’t say a word to me as she was led away. Good chance her driver was waiting at the bottom of the hill. She’d get home fine. I was going to have to call Ray and tell him what happened. I dreaded it. I dreaded talking to him and getting Willow in trouble. But she was still a child. She didn’t have any rights yet, and thank God for that. She wasn’t ready for them.

Now to deal with the other adolescent in my life. This one had his own house and a new daughter, and he was my boss.





CHAPTER 26


BRAD


“I don’t want anyone in this part of the house. Off-limits. If I find anyone but my daughter or her nannies back here . . .” Paula and the security guard waited for me to finish. I’d gotten the biggest, scariest-looking one to stand at the hall to Nicole’s room.

“You got it,” he said. “No problem.”

People had started arriving. Music had started playing, and I had a feeling I was going to regret this.

“The bombshell and the nannies are on their way back,” Paula said when we got to the kitchen. It was bare. One drawing stuck to the fridge. Me, Nicole, and Cara. Blakely was a little to the side. Nicole had written all the names on the top. I was so happy she could write them I nearly had the thing framed.

“Who’s on tonight?” I knew Cara was on because I counted the days, but sometimes they switched.

“The dark-haired one. It’ll be fine. Don’t you worry your head about it. I have it all under control.”

“Thank you, Paula. It means a lot to throw this party for Arnie. I couldn’t do it without you.”

She blushed a little. Sometimes I thought she still had it for me, and sometimes I thought I should just up and tell her it wasn’t going to happen. But I couldn’t afford to lose her. Couldn’t risk being right and shaming her into quitting or being wrong and offending her into walking out.

“You just have fun tonight.” She patted my chest. She was from the South. We touched each other. I didn’t think anything of it until that night when her fingers lingered a little too long.

“I’ll try.”

The script sat on the counter. I’d wanted Bangkok Brotherhood so bad a year ago I’d auditioned for it. I just wanted it. There hadn’t been any bad consequences to getting it. Only upside. Now I had a daughter and a schedule to keep. I had to be in Thailand prepared or, as Ken liked to remind me, I’d never work again.

I put the script in the silverware drawer and slapped it closed.

I needed to get back to the script when I was fresh, but in the morning I was going to get sidelined by calls and daily bullshit. Questions. Decisions. I’d seen three schools and in the end I was going to do exactly what Cara said I should have done in the first place. She was competent. I couldn’t say the same for myself. The enormity of my responsibility made me want to give it to someone else. At least when Nicole was out of the room. That was when I decided I wasn’t making another decision for or about her ever again. Then she showed up with those dimples and that sense of humor. Or she’d make a bratty demand, and I knew I could handle her because I figured it wasn’t so bad. The little crises like a bathing suit or a pair of shoes were kind of fun.

I kind of wanted to hang out with her more than I wanted to throw a party.

A little.

Maybe the party could go on, and Nicole and I could go get ice cream or something. I’d get back by the time stuff started rolling and—

“Mr. Daddy!” Britt Ravenor came in with a bottle in each hand and hugged me, landing big lipstick kisses all over my face. Her girlfriend piled on, and I forgot I wanted to hang out with my daughter.





CHAPTER 27


CARA