The Redhead Revealed (Redhead #2)(39)
Author: Alice Clayton

“Please,” she said and pulled him away with a furious glance at me.

“I’m sorry,” I mouthed, then realized I was alone with Marcia.

“So,” I started, and she looked at me expectantly.

But the universe was kind and sent me an angel. I felt giant paw-like hands wrap around my waist and lift me into the air.

“I wondered if you’d make it back for this circus,” a sexy voice purred, and I turned to look into a pair of ice-blue eyes.

“Lane!” I cried and gave him a big hug.

“Fuck, you look hot, Grace,” he said, stepping back to give me the onceover.

“Thank you, dear. And you are always pretty.” I laughed.

Just then Lane noticed who I was standing with, and he choked back a laugh. “Well, this looks interesting. What’s the topic of conversation, girls?”

We laughed a little uncomfortably, and then Marcia spoke up. “You know, everyone expects we wouldn’t get along simply because of a media-created story, but I can tell I like you already, Grace.” She smiled warmly.

Again with the warmly.

And how the hell did all these twenty-somethings get so damn mature? When I was her age I was struggling with college math and trying to figure out how to buy a new Jeep Wrangler. They were like mini adults.

Lane burped.

Thank Christ. Now I smiled warmly.

“Marcia, I’m sure once we get to know each other we’ll get along just fine. Now I’m going to find my date—a g*y man since I can’t be seen in public with my real boyfriend. I should leave before someone takes our picture and writes a story about you with an unidentified redhead,” I said with a wicked grin.

“Ah, good idea. It was wonderful to meet you, Grace. You’re just as pretty as he said you were.” With a smile and a graceful turn, Marcia walked back through the crowd. Not a hair out of place, not a wrinkle on her dress.

I really didn’t want to like her, but I knew I would.

“Lane, Lane, Lane.” I sighed and leaned back against him. I motioned to the bartender for another.

“We gettin’ shitty tonight, Sheridan?” he asked, winking devilishly at me.

“Lane, I’m a grown-ass woman with a mortgage and a huge Bergdorf’s bill. I don’t get ‘shitty.’ But I am getting knee-walkin’ drunk.” I lifted my glass toward him. “You in?”

“Shall we drink to your newly outed relationship?”

“How the hell do you know about that?” I asked, eyes going all buggy.

“That’s all anyone is talking about out there. Three reporters asked me if I knew about you, and how long Jack had been with the older redhead,” he said.

“Great. I went from unidentified redhead to older redhead.”

Next thing you know you’ll be portly pepperpot redhead.

Shut it.

I sipped my drink and looked expectantly at him.

“Hell, yes. Let’s get it on!” He laughed and asked for a shot.

We joked and talked as he attempted to calm me down. He felt certain this would totally blow over.

“So, where’s that hottie friend of yours—Holly?” he asked.

Again with the freaking radar, Holly instantly appeared at my side, taking notice of my third cocktail. What she didn’t know was it was my third just since getting here.

“Breaking the two-drink rule tonight, are we?” she asked, then ordered for one herself.

“Holly, how are you?” Lane asked.

Holly’s eyes went wide as she noticed my drinking buddy. “Lane. Nice to see you again. I’m well, thank you. And you?” Her voice seemed a little quivery.

What the hell?

“I’m great. Nice shoes,” he murmured, looking down at her red heels. She blushed all the way to the roots of her hair, then turned back to me.

“Listen, Jack saved seats for you and Nick right behind him and his dad. You should go in before they do, though, so you aren’t walking in together. We’ll continue to deny this as long as we can, although you giving your name to the paparazzi was not too smart,” she admonished.

“I didn’t mean—” I started, but she shushed me.

“Let’s not talk about it tonight. We’ll play this off. I just need to think about how,” she said.

“Where are you sitting, Holly?” Lane asked.

“I’m sitting with my client,” she said and turned back to me. “Scoot. Nick’s waiting for you.” She gave me a little push.

I drained the rest from my glass and set it on the bar. I was starting to feel a little unsteady on my feet, but I kept it together—in exactly the way someone who’s been drinking thinks they’re fooling everyone. I heard Lane say something to Holly in a low voice, then Holly shot back, “Later!” But I couldn’t miss the excited flush to her skin when she said it.

This was a weird night.

I circled the room looking for Nick and found myself semi-hidden behind a potted palm. I noticed a well-dressed older man talking with Marcia, and as I heard his accent I realized he was likely Jack’s father. He was tall and very distinguished, and I caught a glimpse of Jack in thirty years or so. Classy. And here I was hiding behind a potted palm—again.

Jesus, could I get any more After School Special?

Nope.

He definitely knew Marcia, though. They were having quite a chat.

I totally listened. Their talk wasn’t so small.

“I like her. I think she’s good for him,” Marcia said. My chest burned.

“She is lovely, but I do wish he’d mentioned how much older she was.”

“Well, Jack’s kind of an old soul, and she seems to have a positive effect on him. I haven’t seen him this happy in a while,” Marcia said, suddenly my biggest fan.

I was an ass**le…

“You haven’t met her yet?” Marcia continued, leaning in.

“No, not yet. I thought Jack might introduce her last night, but at the last minute he canceled our dinner and decided to eat with her instead. I suppose I’ll meet her later. I wonder if Jack will make it through the film, though. You know how he feels about watching himself onscreen.”

They both laughed.

I headed for the theater before I could hear anything else about me being an old bag, and I finally spied Nick by the door.

“Where the hell have you been? Holly’s ready to have a cow,” he said, hands on hips.

“Oh, would you settle down, please?” I said, listing slightly.

“Grace, you’re drunk,” he said, sniffing me.