The Price of Fame: A Price Novel (The Price Novels Book 2)

by Craft, Maggi

  “What are you talking about?” I asked before shoving food into my mouth.

  “The land I bought at the back of their neighborhood. It touches theirs. It’s behind their gate, so we not only would have the front gates to keep out everyone who doesn’t live there, but then we would have that second gate that keeps out everyone else.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do. It’s to the left when you come in their gate.” He looked at me like I was crazy, but I really didn’t know what he was talking about.

  “I always thought that land was your parents’.”

  “No, it was owned by some guy who never built anything. He gave Mom and Dad first offer on it, and they were gonna buy it, but Dad let me buy it instead. I wanted to build a house back there eventually. If you wanted to.”

  I looked around the room as I chewed. After swallowing, I said, “I hadn’t really thought about it. I love our house.”

  “I know baby, but we’re about to outgrow it.”

  “It has four bedrooms,” I stated.

  “Exactly, and we’re about to have two kids. As much as you don’t want to admit this, we are going to have to have help. So we need more room.”

  I didn’t say anything at first but thought about what he had said.

  “Do you not want to build next to my parents’?” he asked.

  “No, it’s not that at all.” And it wasn’t. I loved Slayde’s family.

  “Are you sure? Because we can build somewhere else or find a bigger house if you don’t want to live that close to them.”

  I shook my head. “No, that’s really fine with me, but I don’t know how I’m gonna have time to decorate a house with two babies and work.”

  I realized that wasn’t an issue. Someone else would do that. He smiled at me like he realized the light had just gone on in my head. “Not a problem,” he said. “So when are we gonna open that envelope?”

  “Oh yeah.” I handed it to him. “You do it.”

  He tore it open and held it where we both could see.

  A boy and a girl.

  “Well, we were both right,” he said. “Are you shocked?”

  “I’m actually glad. That way we have both, and I don’t have to do this again,” I said, rubbing my ever-growing stomach.

  He looked at me funny, and I realized that probably hurt his feelings. “Really?”

  “Oh, Slayde, can we survive this pregnancy before we start planning out the others? I’m uncomfortable already. Maybe we can talk about it later. My tummy itches. Do you know what it feels like for your skin to be stretched to the point of itching?” He didn’t answer me. “Of course not, and I am ecstatic to be having a boy and a girl all at once. In case we decide not to do it again.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “OK, babe, me too.” He stood up and raised his eyebrows at me.

  “Yes, you can call your mother.”

  He bounded out of the room like a child.

  Chapter 16

  Slayde

  We both had a day off, and I wanted to spend the day with Arden. So after getting dressed, we headed out for lunch and to shop. That was the plan.

  After leaving the cute little restaurant I’d chosen, we walked down the street to shop on foot. I looked up and saw photographers, but I didn’t think she did. So I didn’t say anything. I grabbed her hand and led her down a different side street than we’d normally take.

  She noticed the route change and stopped. “Where are we going?”

  I tried to stop her from turning around, knowing that they’d be following us.

  “Of course,” she said under her breath as she turned back around.

  I grabbed her hand again. “Let’s just enjoy our day.”

  “Enjoy being stalked?” she asked.

  I smiled at her. “Enjoy being off together. Enjoy this gorgeous day. I was hoping we could look at baby furniture.”

  She stopped and her expression became unreadable. “Baby furniture,” she said quietly. I nodded. She looked back at the paparazzi, then at me. I could tell she was thinking. Her nose squenched up, and then her pouty little lips pulled up on both sides. Finally. “OK,” she said, looking happy with my idea.

  It wasn’t like her pregnancy was a secret anymore. She was showing, for sure, but that was all that everyone knew, and I knew she wanted to keep it that way.

  As soon as we walked into the baby boutique, a thin lady with a blond pixie cut standing behind the counter greeted us. “Well, hello. Can I help you find anything in particular?”

  Arden looked around, then back at the door where the vultures waited, watching us through the glass. The woman noticed her concern, went to the front door, and locked it. She joined us again, saying, “Now, what can I help you with?”

  Arden looked at me for an answer, but I wanted her to do this. “Everything,” she finally said and smiled.

  The lady smiled and pointed toward some comfortable-looking chairs. “How about you have a seat, and I’ll bring over some books, and we will start there. Can I get you anything to drink?”

  “Water would be great,” Arden said, and the lady disappeared into the back.

  Arden let out a deep breath, and I could see her body relax. Then she looked up at me. “This was a good idea. I’m glad we did this.”

  “Me too. I figured since we don’t have a ton of time together that we’d better make use of it while we can.”

  The lady was wonderful. She brought over several books and slowly went through things one at a time, not rushing us, even though she’d closed her store to other customers.

  We felt like we’d accomplished something when we finally went to leave.

  Of course the paparazzi were still there. There were more, actually, but we didn’t let them deter us. Arden, most definitely not giving them anything, held my hand and looked down at the ground as we walked to my car. When she got in, she looked straight ahead like they weren’t even there.

  “It’s gonna be like this forever, you know?” she said, sounding seriously bummed.

  “Not forever. This I promise.” I smiled at her, but she rolled her eyes.

  We’d only gotten about a mile down the road when I heard her stomach growl. I looked over at her. “Babe, are you hungry already?”

  She shook her head. “I’m not. It’s your kids. They must have your metabolism, and they are ganging up on me already. You know what they want?”

  I couldn’t help but smile. I loved thinking about our future family. “What?”

  “Ice cream.”

  This shocked me. Arden wasn’t a big sweets eater. “Really?”

  “Yes, and not just any ice cream, but pink bubble gum ice cream from Baskin Robbins.”

  This also made me laugh and kinda grossed me out. “Well, they will get what they want. That’s for sure. And it doesn’t sound like this is their first time to want that.”

  She shook her head, staring out the window. “No, and when you pull up to the drive-through, you can ask them to hand-pack you a pint of it, so we can take it home. And ask them for a spoon, so I can eat some right now.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” was all I said.

  We decided to stop at my parents’ on our way home. Mom and Dad were both in the kitchen cooking dinner when we walked in. “Hey,” Mom said, giving us both a hug. “What’s this?” she asked, taking the pint of ice cream from Arden.

  “Babies wanted ice cream,” Arden said as Mom was walking to the freezer.

  We all laughed. “Definitely my grandkids,” Dad said.

  “Well, tell them what kind it is, baby,” I teased.

  She looked annoyed. “Pink bubble gum.”

  Dad said, “Now, that must come from your side of the family. Ice cream isn’t worth it unless it has chocolate or nuts in it.”

  “Where have y’all been all day?” Mom asked.

  “Picking out baby furniture,” I said.

  “Oh, what did you get?”

  “
Everything, pretty much. Not the bedding yet, because we don’t know what colors we are painting the nursery, but everything else.”

  “Will you stay and eat with us? Your father is cooking redfish on the grill with grilled vegetables.”

  “Sounds good to me,” I said, and Arden didn’t contest it.

  I went outside with Dad while he was grilling. He reached into his outdoor refrigerator and grabbed me a beer. “Thanks,” I said as he handed it to me.

  “So, how is baby shopping going?” he asked, closing the grill and taking a seat.

  “Good, she pretty much got it handled today.”

  “Well, that’s good, I guess.”

  “I know you totally loved helping Mom decorate the nursery.” I laughed before taking a pull of my beer.

  He turned his baseball cap around and laughed under his breath. “No.” After taking a sip of his beer he said, “That’s your mom’s thing, not mine, but I probably should have helped her.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Because I’m an ass, and I was at baseball practice.”

  “So she went alone?”

  “No, her mom went. It’s not like getting ready for a kid now. We didn’t know what we were bringing home. Just a kid.”

  I nodded, kind of understanding that. Even though I highly doubted Dad would have gone unless my mom had thrown a fit. And truth be told, she probably didn’t want him to go because she knew he didn’t want to.

  “Well, now we have to figure out where we are going to put it all.”

  “You need a bigger house,” he stated.

  “I know.”

  “You might as well build the damn thing and get it over with. Byron Eubanks is the best. I can get him over here for you.”

  “You could?”

  “Yeah,” he said, reaching for his phone. “I’ll text him.”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “No problem.”

  After dinner, we went home, and Arden crawled right into bed. “Will you turn on my bathwater?” she asked.

  “Don’t I always?” I smiled at her and did as she asked.

  I took a quick shower, and when I came out to tell her that her bathwater was perfect, I found her sound asleep. Typical.

  I brushed my teeth and climbed in next to her and switched on ESPN. I was about to doze off when she sat up, looking a little disoriented. I grabbed her hand. “What’s wrong, baby?”

  She looked at me as serious as can be. “I want pie.”

  Not sure I heard her correctly, I asked, “Huh?” I was hoping I had heard her wrong because I knew we didn’t have any pie.

  “Pie. Strawberry pie from Marie Callender’s.”

  “Now?”

  She nodded.

  I exhaled and got up, grabbing some shorts and a T-shirt. “Do you by any chance know where a Marie Callender’s is?”

  She shook her head. “This is a new craving. What is wrong with me?”

  She looked so cute. I’d have gone to the moon for strawberry pie if that’s what she wanted. “It’s not you, babe. It’s your kids.” I laughed, and she smiled.

  “You’re the best, baby. I love you.”

  “I love you too. I will be back.”

  It wasn’t but ten thirty, and I knew Mom was still up, so I called her when I got into the car. “Hello,” she said. “Is everything OK?”

  “Yes. Do you know where a Marie Callender’s is?”

  “A what?”

  “A Marie Callender’s restaurant?”

  “No, why in the world would you go there?”

  “My wife wants strawberry pie from there. Maybe there is somewhere else I can get one.”

  Mom almost died laughing. “Oh, son, let me go ahead and save you the trip. If that’s what she wants, you better not bring home something from somewhere else.”

  “You think she would know the difference?”

  “Hell yes, she would.”

  I heard Dad in the background asking, “What are you laughing at?” Mom told him, “Slayde’s on a strawberry-pie run for Arden.” Then I heard Dad laughing too.

  “Well, you two enjoy your sleep. I’m about to Google this damn restaurant so I can get my kids their pie.”

  “You do that. You may want to get a couple.”

  “Bye.” I hung up. I wasn’t finding the humor in my situation at all.

  The night only got better. When I finally found the damn restaurant, they were closed. “Well, this is just great.”

  But I saw that there were still people in there. I knocked on the glass, but of course they ignored me. “Dammit.”

  I Googled it again and called them from outside the restaurant. I saw the employees running around in there, but no one answered. I couldn’t go home without that damn pie. I called again. Then hung up and did it again. After the fifth round, someone finally answered.

  “We closed,” she was saying when I interrupted.

  “Don’t hang up. Please don’t hang up.”

  “Sir, we closed.”

  “I know this, but my pregnant wife sent me out here in the middle of the night for pie. And I have to get it. Please let me in.”

  “Well, I’m sorry, but we are closed. And we don’t have no more pie.”

  “You don’t even know what kind of pie I want.”

  “Don’t matter. We don’t have it ’cause we closed.”

  “I will give you a hundred bucks for a pie.” She didn’t answer. “Two hundred.”

  “Ain’t nobody gonna pay two hundred dollas for no pie.”

  “Three hundred.”

  “Are you crazy?”

  “No, but my wife is, and I need that damn pie. Please! I am begging you to let me in and buy a pie.”

  “Is this a joke?” she asked.

  “I can assure you that this is no joke. My wife doesn’t joke about pie.”

  “Greg, is this you? ’Cause this ain’t funny. We trying to clean up and get outta here. I gotta get home ’fore my momma leave my babies by theyself.”

  “Look, I don’t know who Greg is, but if you just let me in, I will give you the money, and you can get home to your kids.”

  “Who is this?”

  “Slayde.”

  “Slayde who?”

  Aw shit! “Does it matter?”

  “If you won’t tell me who this is, I ain’t giving you no pie.”

  “Slayde Price,” I said.

  She started laughing immediately like I knew she would. “Greg, you think you funny. Slayde Price. You never looked nothing like no Slayde Price. Maybe—”

  I interrupted her again. “Ma’am, I’m who I say I am. If you will just come to the door, you can see that. Please. I’m begging you. I’ll pay you whatever for the pie.”

  She hung up and came to the door, looking out at me. “Oh my God, it’s really you.” She didn’t open the door but turned around and screamed over her shoulder, “Angela, you gotta come here. You ain’t gonna believe this.”

  I tapped on the glass, and she looked back at me and unlocked the door. Once I was inside, she locked it behind me.

  “Thank you.”

  Angela—I was assuming—came out from the back and immediately started screaming and covering her mouth.

  I looked at the young woman who had let me in. “Can I get the pie?”

  She was still looking at me crazily and smiling, and Angela was saying, “Am I being punked? Is this for real?”

  “You’re not being punked, and yes, this is for real. I just need some strawberry pie for my wife.”

  “You got a wife?” Angela asked.

  “A very pregnant one who sent me out late at night for pie. Do you have strawberry pie?”

  “I gotta call my cousin; she ain’t gonna believe this,” said the one who had let me in.

  I grabbed her hand. “I really appreciate you letting me in, but I can’t stay. Do you have pie?”

  She went to the back and brought me three pies, while Angela and I took selfies for her Facebook and I
nstagram. I repeated the process with the other woman as well.

  “Well, ladies, you’re sweet, and you saved my butt tonight, but I need to pay for these pies and go.”

  “Oh, you go on. You don’t owe us anything. We was gonna have to throw them out anyway,” the woman who had answered the phone said.

  As much as I was now concerned about feeding my wife these pies, I was out of options. “Uh, thanks.” I threw a hundred-dollar bill on the counter and headed out, but had to ask first: “Are these pies bad or something? I mean, I don’t want my wife to get sick.”

  “Aw, nah,” the first girl answered. “They only keep about two days, and we throw them out. They fine. The crust isn’t quite as crisp as they was yesterday, but they fine. They been in the fridge the whole time.”

  “Uh, OK,” I said and got the hell out of there.

  Chapter 17

  Arden

  I was woken up by my phone ringing. “Ugh!” I groaned. It was my day off, and I wanted to sleep. I picked it up and saw it was my mother. I had been avoiding her for months, and I really didn’t want to talk to her now, but I knew she wouldn’t stop calling, so answered it begrudgingly

  “How are you, baby? I haven’t heard from you in a while.”

  “I’m fine. Busy with work as usual.” I knew I was being short with her, but I really didn’t care.

  “That’s all? Why can’t you ever pick up the phone and call your mother? I hate finding out what’s going on with you via the tabloids.”

  “Sorry—it’s not personal. I’m just busy, Mom.”

  “Well, it sure feels personal, Arden.” I could tell her feelings were hurt, but our relationship status was her fault. I hadn’t seen my mother since graduation. I’d only spoken to her twice since my wedding, but she had let me know that she was hurt that I didn’t include her.

  “Last time I checked, a phone worked both ways.” I yawned and crawled out of bed to go get me some coffee. Even though it was decaf, it still helped my mood to go through the ritual.

  “OK, Arden, I guess you’re right. Do you know what you’re having yet?”

  I started to tell her no, but that would just be mean. “Yes, but we are kind of keeping it a secret for now. We don’t want the press to know.”