Her brows pinched together. “You think I was being unreasonable?”
I barked out a laugh. “I think you were being a full-blown—diva.” Diva was not the first word that came to mind.
“I was not,” she bristled. “It’s just a pillow, and a robe, and some water, and fruit . . .” her voice trailed off as if she was finally hearing herself. She winced. “Was I a total brat?”
I raised my brow. I don’t think she genuinely wanted me to answer that.
She blew out a weighty breath. “It’s fine. They’re used to it. Celebrities stay here all the time.”
“I don’t think that’s the problem. I think the problem is that you’re used to it.”
“So then, what?” she threw up her hands. “I should just drink the water even though it’s chunky and nobody wants to chew when they’re drinking? And sleep on the pillows and probably wake up with a crick in my neck? Or wear the robe and get a weird fungus or rash?”
“I’ll give you the water thing, but then again, that fridge is also stocked with plenty of bottles of regular ol’ H2O, and what looked like fifteen different kinds of beverages, so do you really have to have the coconut water? As far as the pillow, you haven’t even tried it out. And do you actually know anybody who’s gotten a rash from a new robe?” Her jaw tightened. That’s what I thought. “I’m not even going to touch the pineapple thing.”
She glowered at me, arms folded across her chest. My irritation melted into the urge to laugh. She was cute when she was pissy. Stilly annoying, but cute. Like a toddler. I held her stare with one of my own, unflinching. She gave in first, her shoulders sagging and her face relaxing as she exhaled her defeat. She skulked over to the room phone and picked it up.
She cast a quick glance over her shoulder at me and then padded across the room to make her call. It didn’t stop me from listening as she cancelled the request for the pillow, the water, and the pineapple.”
“I’m sure. The room is perfect . . . yes, everything is great . . . thank you, that will be wonderful.”
After hanging up, she retreated to the master bedroom and didn’t emerge until it was time to leave for the Tonight Show.
“Glad you decided to rough it like a mere mortal for a couple nights. I think it will be good for you,” I told her on the elevator ride down.
A hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth, but she fought it back. “Maybe, I was being a tad bit of a ‘diva’.” Her eyes rolled on diva.
I didn’t comment.
Samantha was back to her exuberant self when we encountered her again in the lobby. “Your car is right out front, Miss James, and are you sure you don’t want us to get you that pillow or the water? It truly wouldn’t be any trouble. We want you to enjoy your stay with us”
“It turns out you were right. I tried the pillows and they really are great. I won’t be needing anything else.”
Samantha beamed. “See you when you return, and don’t hesitate to let us know if there’s anything we can do for you.”
She wouldn’t look at me until we climbed into the back of the limo and I took the seat across from her leaving her no choice. “Did you really try the pillows?”
“Yes,” she bit out.
“Aaand, are they really great, or were you just saying that for poor Samantha?”
“They’re comfortable okay, but don’t look so smug. It just makes me want to hit you.”
I leaned back in my seat, stretching an arm across the backrest. “You think you’ll survive without your coconut water?” I couldn’t resist addling her some more.
“My dad called while I was in the bedroom—he seems to have a sixth sense for when I’m in need of his wisdom—and after I ranted to him about you being a big jerk and calling me a diva, he reminded me that I used to drink water from the dog’s bowl and the hotel’s water probably wouldn’t kill me. I guess that was his way of saying he agreed with you.”
I chuckled. “A dog bowl, huh?”
“Yes, I was like six, okay?” A look flashed across her face, like she was remembering, and then a soft smile broke through. “My mom would get so mad when she’d catch me. She’d yell and tell me how disgusting it was, but I was convinced that I was truly meant to be a dog.”
I laughed harder and then she was laughing too. “Don’t judge me, it was a phase. I would bark and crawl around on the floor and even try to sleep on the dog bed. I seriously thought my mom was going to kill my dad when he came home from work one day with a doggie dish for me. My mom took it and said she was going to return it. I cried and threw a major fit until she gave in and let me eat my dinner from it that night, and every night for like a week, until finally, one night after dinner, when it was time for my bath, my dad told me to put on my swimsuit and he took me outside. When I asked him what we were doing, he told me that if I wanted to be a dog I had to take a bath outside with the hose like the other dogs. It was March in Montana, so it was freezing cold. I wasn’t about to let him hose me down. He also told me that dogs can’t have ice cream. After that I decided I didn’t want to be a dog anymore.”
“I bet that’s not a story you’ve shared in many interviews.”
She shook her head. “Definitely not, but maybe I should.”
“It’s a good story,” I told her. “Your dad sounds pretty cool.”
Her smile spread, lighting up her eyes in a way I’d never seen. “He’s the best. That story is the perfect picture of the kind of dad he is. He’d let me have my fun and indulge me and my wild imagination, but at the end of the day, he’s always been the voice of reason when I need it. He keeps me grounded. Or tries to anyway.” She added with a self-deprecating chuckle.
“What kind of dog did you have?” I asked, genuinely curious about this other life she’d had, the one that sounded so . . . normal.
“We had lots of dogs growing up. Back then, it was Sadie, our chocolate lab and Kip, who was a lab retriever mix. Then we had a couple of chows, Sasha and Hank. Now it’s just Cooter, and Lady. Cooter is a Beagle Doberman mix I got for my fifteenth birthday, just before my mom and dad split. Dad got Lady a couple years after that. She’s a shepherd husky mix. They’re both with him in Montana.” She kept going, telling me stories about their different adventures and misadventures, and the havoc they wreaked. Young Riley sounded like a real hellion. I think I might have liked her then.
Maybe, just maybe, some of that girl was still there.
Before I knew it, we were pulling up outside the NBC studio. The ride had gone by quickly and I think both of us were a little surprised and startled by how much we’d been enjoying the conversation. At least, I was. It felt like I’d been talking to an entirely different person.
When we climbed out of the car, impulsively I grabbed her hand in mine. I don’t know why I did it, only that it seemed right.
You know, to progress our relationship for the eyes and cameras watching.
It only lasted a minute before we pulled apart and Riley was ushered into hair and makeup while I sat quietly on a couch and watched, helping myself to the complimentary snacks.
When she was all done, she spun around and asked me how she looked.
“Perfect,” I told her, and it was true, but it wasn’t a compliment, despite the way she smiled. She looked fake. Like a Barbie doll. I knew it was for the cameras, but I still couldn’t help but think it was such a shame to cover up her freckles. Freckles were real, and I’d spent too much time in the car contemplating hers. How kissable the spattering of them across her nose and cheeks was.
Maybe it was better that the freckles were covered.
Riley was led away to begin filming, and I was left to my devices and to experience the taping process from backstage.
She and Hunter Foxx were the big guests on tonight’s episode.
What a tool, was all I could think watching him work his charm. On Jimmy and the audience. On Riley.
I tuned out what was going on in front of the cameras, opting to find a quiet spac
e out of the way, to avoid getting scolded for violating the no cell phone rule. My sister was texting me non-stop, had been all day. She wasn’t going to stop until I called her and gave her what she wanted.
“Oh my gosh, tell me everything! I’ve been cyberstalking you and Riley, brother, and oh my gosh you’re at the Tonight Show right now? What’s it like? Did you meet Jimmy? How many celebrities have you met? How long are you guys going to be in New York, and where are you going next? Ugh, I’m so jealous of you right now.”
Maybe she could keep up with Samantha.
“Slow down Em. One at a time. It’s going fine. Yes, I’m at the Tonight Show. Yes, I met, Jimmy. He’s cool. The show is cool. I’ve met a few other celebrities, and we’re here for the week before flying back to California. We head to Europe next week.”
“Lucky! I’ve been trying to convince Cam we should take a vacation, but he claims he’s too tied up at work.”
“It’s not going to be a vacation Em. It’s work. And I’m sure Cam is busy with work right now. Business has been taking off and growing faster than we can recruit and get guys trained, but I’m sure if you get Nora to whisper in her husband’s ear, Cam will get some time off. Spencer can’t say no to her.” I’d once found it incredibly difficult to say no to her as well.
“I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. Maybe Nora can convince Spence to take some time too and we could all go somewhere fun. And warm. I’m so sick of the rain.”
“Good luck getting Spencer to take time, but listen Em, I gotta go. Not supposed to use our phones backstage.” Loud laughter drew my attention back to the set, but I couldn’t see what was going on.
“Fine, but take pictures of cool shit and send them to me. I’m tired of having to find out what you’re up to from the tabloids. Oh, and call Mom.”
I promised I would and then skirted around the crew to get a look at what was going on. I was glad that I did. Hunter’s pop star girlfriend had joined them at some point and the four were in the middle of a game of charades.
Riley was up, and if I’d had anything in my mouth I would have spit it all over the place. What the fuck is she doing?
She was bent over, ass in the air, biting her finger like a porn star. Everyone was dying, and then she jumped up and imitated spanking the air where her ass had just been.
Jimmy jumped out of his seat and shouted, “Fifty Shades of Grey!”
“Yes!” Riley threw her arms up in the air. “We win!” She began dancing around the stage like a complete goof.
I couldn’t wait to see the replay on it.
It would have to wait though. I doubted we’d be through with the blog interview after this, in time to catch the episode on TV. Our car got a little more crowded when Hunter and Mila jumped in with us to get to the interview.
Mercifully, the interview lasted only twenty minutes. Any longer and I might have tossed Mila out the third story window. Never again was I going to let Riley and Hunter leave me to entertain her while they did their interview. The girl loved the sound of her own voice a little too much. And she was way too curious about me and Riley.
I faked a phone call to get away from her. As stupid as I felt talking to no one, it was preferable to talking to her. And I pretended to take my call by the snack table. That was one thing I didn’t mind, everywhere we went there was complimentary food.
Please let dinner be somewhere on the agenda soon.
Snacks were only going to cut it for so long.
Answering emails on my phone allowed me to continue avoiding Mila until Riley and Hunter reappeared. When they suggested we all go to dinner, my stomach did a happy rumble and I didn’t even care that the other two were joining.
As long as I don’t have to sit by Mila.
“Don’t ever leave me alone with her again,” I whispered in Riley’s ear on the way out of the interview.
She offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. She’s a lot, sometimes, I know.”
“That’s like saying it rains sometimes in Washington.”
“Sorry, let me buy your dinner to make it up to you. The biggest, juiciest steak. I’d offer to buy you a drink as well, but I know you won’t drink on the job.”
“A steak will do.”
And it was a damn good steak, at one of those places where they don’t put prices on the menu. I imagined our bill was enough to feed a family of four for a week. Maybe longer?
I wasn’t sad to say goodnight to Hunter and Mila after dinner. Never thought I’d be relieved to be alone with Riley, but suddenly after spending a night around Mila, Riley didn’t seem so bad.
Riley rested her head against the seat and closed her eyes almost as soon as we climbed in to the back of the car. She passed the drive back to the hotel that way. And we had several more weeks of this. Traveling around the globe for interviews, TV appearances, parties, awards shows.
Red Red Rose released on Valentine’s Day, and in March she started filming on another movie.
When did the girl get a break?
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I was surprised when I took it out to see Jayne’s name on the screen.
“Hello.”
“I’m glad you answered. Are you guys back at the hotel?”
“On our way there now.”
“I tried calling to confirm that everything would be set up for tomorrow’s interview at one, but I couldn’t get through to anyone who actually knew what was going on. I’m sure Entertainment News has taken care of it, but when you get back, can you pop by the front desk and make sure?”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you when you guys get back on Saturday.”
Saturday was starting to feel a long way off if the next three days were going to be as long and exhausting as this one had been.
All I could think about when we finally pulled up to the hotel was the bed waiting for me upstairs. The door was pulled open and a blast of cold air smacked me right in the face. Fuck, we definitely weren’t in California anymore. I’d even take the Seattle rain everyday over this freezing shit.
Riley pulled her jacket tighter against a shiver that hit her when she stepped out after me. A girl on the sidewalk, about thirteen, standing with her parents recognized Riley immediately if her squeal was any indication. Riley offered her a wave as we hurried inside. We made it two steps before we hit a frozen patch on the sidewalk. My boots slid a little on the icy surface, but Riley’s heels slipped right out from under her. I caught her as she went down. “Woah, there, careful,” I pulled her closer to my chest as she regained her footing. Her breaths were coming in fast, blowing out icy puffs of air as she gripped my arms like I was the only thing holding her up. In those dangerous shoes, I probably was.
“You just saved my ass, literally,” she said airily.
I brushed the hair off her face, skimming my thumb over the faint blush blooming on her cheeks. Her skin was already chilling, and her blue eyes looked stormy when they met mine.
I placed one hand on the small of her back, bringing her body flush with mine. “I couldn’t let anything happen to that ass,” I whispered right before I leaned down and touched my lips to her pink cheek. “Let’s get you inside.”
I kept my hand on her back as I steered her to the entrance. Only once we were inside did I retract my hand. “I need to stop by the front desk and check on something for Jayne,” I told her.
“I’ll meet you upstairs.”
“It’ll only take me a second to check on the room for tomorrow,” I protested, but she insisted she didn’t want to wait.
“There’s a jacuzzi tub with my name on it.”
“I’ll be up in a minute,” I told her and then watched her enter the elevator bay before I walked over to the concierge. The guy behind the desk was quick to assist me. He made a phone call and confirmed that the room would be set for the following day.
“Please let us know if Miss James requires anything else.”
I assured him
he would hear of anything she might need and then stepped away from the desk as my phone went off in my pocket.
Spencer’s name lit up the screen. I moved across the lobby to a quieter corner before answering. “Tell me Baker is in custody and I get to come home.”
“And here I thought you were enjoying your little vacation.”
“Not a vacation,” I found myself reminding someone for the second time today.
“I’m afraid you’re going to have to stick around a while longer. Nothing on Baker so far. Hasn’t been to his known place of residence. Doesn’t have any family or close friends that we can turn up. Hasn’t touched his bank account, not that the guy has a job, or if he does, it’s under the table. Last known employment was almost a year ago.”
“He’s not Jason Bourne. We should be able to find him”
“Maybe not, but it would seem he’s smarter than anyone is giving him credit for. He’ll pop up eventually, though. If he’s proved anything, it’s that he can’t help himself. His obsession means he can’t stay away from her, and he’s gotten bolder.”
“I’ve got her covered. You just keep me posted on anything you turn up in the meantime. I’ve got to get back to the princess now.”
We ended the call and I had a handful of texts from my mom I’d ignored through dinner. I opened them real quick and decided rather than reply to all six, it would be easier just to call her once I got up to the room.
“Send security to the top floor, now!”
My eyes snapped to the front desk and the guy shouting into the phone. “We just received a distress call from Miss James, there’s an intruder in her room. Get up there now.”
The words were barely out of his mouth before I was sprinting for the elevator bay, hollering over my shoulder, “Send security up the stairs and stop anyone who comes down in the elevators in case he tries to leave.”
Eight
Riley
Bam. Bam. Bam.
A Taste of Pink (Shades Book 4) Page 9
