Just the Sexiest Man Alive(60)

But the Mercedes drove by, and the moment passed, and Taylor’s laughter gradually subsided.

But her good mood lasted.

It was a gorgeous day in Los Angeles—not quite sunset—and she was about to see her two best friends for the first time in almost two months. She was excited to show them all the L.A. sights she’d been meaning to get to and looked forward to some quality girl time—something she definitely had been missing as of late.

Taylor wondered how her friends would react to her news.

She wondered what they would say about Jason. Oh yeah, and Scott Casey, too.

She wondered if straightjackets came in a size 2.

TAYLOR STOOD AT the secutity checkpoint, waiting for Kate and Valerie to appear. She saw Val first, who immediately broke into a run with her arms outstretched.

“Taylor Donovan!” she screamed excitedly. Val was like that—she wore every emotion on her sleeve. Every pant leg, sock, and shoe, too.

Kate followed, more sedate than Val, but no less happy to see her. “Look at you, California girl,” she said to Taylor with a wink.

Within seconds, the three of them were jumbled up in their hellos and hugs, all talking excitedly until Taylor finally steered them away from the security gates.

“So how was the flight?” she asked. “Did you check any luggage?”

“Val had to,” Kate informed her. “She brought fifteen outfits for two nights. And nine pairs of shoes.”

“Ignore her crankiness,” Val told Taylor. “She’s just mad that I saw Josh Hartnett sitting in first class and she didn’t.”

“That wasn’t Josh Hartnett; that kid was eighteen years old,” Kate said.

“I told you, they age slower out here. It’s all the fresh California air,” Val replied.

“Yes, because that’s exactly what Los Angeles is known for,” Kate said dryly. “Clean air.”

Taylor stopped and took in her friends. It was like being home again. “God, I missed you two,” she said, taking them both in with a content smile. First Valerie, with her shoulder-length curly blonde hair and typical slightly eclectic attire of jeans, a flowy peasant top, and oversized hoop earrings. In stark contrast next to her stood Kate, with her stick-straight ebony hair pulled back in a serious bun and wearing a gray pinstripe pantsuit and no-nonsense Marc Jacobs one-inch heels.

The fact that these two women were finally in Los Angeles left Taylor feeling quite sentimental. “You guys look so great.” She sighed happily.

At that, Kate leaned over and whispered loudly to Val. “Oh no—I think she’s gone soft on us.”

Val covered her mouth with one hand, “I told you about that giggle I heard,” she said to Kate.

“That’s right!” Kate pointed at Taylor, suddenly remembering. “You. Spill it. Giggling? Mysterious evenings out? What’s been going on out here?”

Taylor gestured to their surroundings. “Can we at least get out of the airport? I think we’re gonna need a few drinks for this.”

Valerie shrugged amiably. “Fine, I want to get back to your place to freshen up, anyway.”

Kate rolled her eyes. “Freshen up? You spent twenty minutes doing your makeup on the plane before we landed.”

Valerie fixed Kate with an ultraserious stare. “Katherine. We are in L.A. One must look their best at all times out here. You never know who you might meet.” Val looped her arm through Taylor’s as the three of them headed in the direction of the baggage claim. “Tell her, Taylor.”

Kate pulled her suitcase along, keeping up with them. “Yes, tell me, Taylor,” she said teasingly. “Tell me how the celebrities are just falling off the trees around here, like oranges.”

Taylor stared straight ahead as they walked, praying she didn’t lose her shit right there in the airport.

“Um, well . . . let’s get back to my place. Then I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

BACK AT HER apartment, after getting Kate and Val set up in her guest bedroom, Taylor poured them a round of their usual mango martinis. She sipped her drink quickly, figuring the buzz would help loosen her tongue, which lately seemed to get stuck anytime she even thought the name Jason Andrews.

Oh yeah, and Scott Casey, too. Of course.

Realizing she couldn’t delay any further, Taylor sat her drink down on the kitchen table. Determined to get this over with.

“Okay, look—I need to tell you guys something. Actually, now it’s a couple of somethings.” She took a deep breath. Slowly, ease into it slowly.

“So here’s the deal: the firm put me on this project, and I had to keep things quiet to avoid any publicity conflicts with my trial.” Taylor stopped. Damn—that had come out wrong. “Not that I thought either of you would purposely tell anyone,” she backtracked, “but—”

“Oh my god . . .” Kate whispered. Her eyes widened in shock. “You’re not coming back to Chicago.”

Taylor shook her head. “Of course I am. That’s not it.” She regrouped. “Anyway, for this project, I had to work with a certain someone, and help him out with—”

Valerie gasped excitedly. “I knew it! You’re dating somebody!”

Taylor pointed at her emphatically. “No. We are definitely not dating. Well, but then there’s kind of this other guy, but I just met him last week and I don’t really know where that’s going . . .”