The Redemption(27)

His strides are long and determined to reach the shop, so I pick up my pace to keep up with him. “It doesn’t have to be like that, Dex. Cory and I—”

He stops and looks at me. His demeanor patient, but his expression tainted when he asks, “What about you and Cory?”

Eeks. Touchy subject. “Um, I was just going to say that we managed to elude them most times when we went out.”

Staring into my eyes, his narrow, but suddenly he checks his watch. “We’re going to be late.”

“Late for what?”

“Lunch,” he says as the door to the jeweler opens and he walks in.

A few minutes later, he’s inspecting a broach in the shape of a cat. “My mother loves cats as companions. I think it’s because they’re aloof like she is. She disagrees.”

“I love fireflies.”

With a smile, he says, “Why fireflies? They’re ugly.”

“But at night they transform. They’re magical. I’ve seen them on the East Coast, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them here in LA.”

“I don’t think I have either. It’s probably too smoggy.” He hands his credit card to the salesperson after approving the custom piece.

“I bet there are fireflies in Neverland.”

His hand brushes against mine. “I bet there are.”





“You’re taking me home for lunch?”

“No, I’m taking you to my mother’s.”

“In Beverly Hills?”

“Yes,” he responds and turns left.

“You’re a rich kid, aren’t you, Dexter?”

He takes a right, obviously a short cut he knows by heart. “As the band’s business manager, you know how much money I’ve made.”

“You’re right. I do, but I mean, you come from money. How did I never know this before?”

“I guess you had your mind on other things.”

That hits hard. “I guess I did. I’m sorry for not asking about you before now. I should have. I want to know all about you and your family.”

Pulling up to the white gate of the nearest driveway, he punches in a code on the keypad. As the big gates open before us, he says, “We’re here.” After he parks, he takes the gift from the seat between us and looks at me. “My Mother can be intimidating. Don’t take her shit.”

My wide eyes must show my fear. “How about I just stick close to you?”

“That’s good.” The mood lightens and we get out.

A butler is standing at the open front door when we approach. “Sir, good to see you again,” he says.

“Good to see you, Charles. You know I prefer Dex to Sir. This is my friend, Rochelle Floros.”

“Ms. Floros. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he greets me with a slight bow.

“Rochelle is fine,” I say, sticking my hand out to shake his. He hesitates before accepting it. I know it goes against their formal training to accept the handshake, but I haven’t been around butlers and such since I lived in Boston. Housekeepers, yes. But formally trained butlers, no.

I smile at Dex, so curious as to how he went from this fancy estate to where I met him at that dive down on Sunset. As we follow Charles inside, I whisper, “We’ve known each other for almost eleven years.”

“Eleven next month.”

“You knew that?”

“I—”

“Antonio,” a woman calls as she comes toward us, the sound bouncing off the marble floors, echoing. She’s dressed in a maid’s uniform.

I’m kind of blown away by how different everything is here from his house in the Hills, and how I know Dex to be. But we’re all shaped from our childhood so I’m interested to see if any of the rich kid from Beverly Hills still remains.

“Judith.” His arms open wide. Looking at me over her shoulder, he adds, “Judith was my nanny when I was young. She stayed on as housekeeper afterward.” He pulls back and smiles at her. “You’re looking good. You working out?”

He’s such a flirt.

She blushes with a hand on her hip, and replies, “I have a new boyfriend, so there might be a little workout involved.”

“You dirty girl!” he says with a look of approval.

“Stop it.” She swats his arm and he playfully ducks out of reach. “Anyway, you’re here for lunch with your mother, but unfortunately, she’s not here.”

The good-natured moment has evaporated and a staleness fills the air. “Where is she?”

“It doesn’t matter, Antonio. I’ve got a wonderful meal and I see you’ve brought a friend. Hello, I’m Judith.” A warm, welcoming smile crosses her face as she reaches for my hand.

“I’m Rochelle. It’s very nice to meet you.”

She covers the back of my hand with her free one and asks, “Are you hungry?”

Dex cuts in before I can respond, “We’re not staying.”

Judith rubs his arm. “Don’t let her upset you.”

“She already did. Where’d she go?”

Judith hesitates then glances to me before she answers him, “The club.”

He nods as he walks toward me. “She always did enjoy spending more time with a martini than her own son. Did Gage call her?”