The Redhead Plays Her Hand (Redhead #3)(21)
Author: Alice Clayton

“Explain.”

“Come on, not now. What did you need help with?”

“Please, you think I need help in the kitchen? I hired help. I got you off the lap of the Sexiest Man Alive before he got you off in public.”

I started to come back at her when I remembered how far over the line we’d been that night at the club. Touché.

“Holly, look, I think you need to lay off a bit. He’s really starting to feel the pressure of all this.”

“I appreciate that, but you agreed at the beginning of all of this that for Jack, and for you for that matter, you two would keep it quiet. Off the radar. Sitting on his lap at a party that half of Hollywood is at? Not so much off the radar.”

“I know! Dammit, I know that! I know I’m the one who’s going to bear the brunt of this—the cracks about how old I am, the thousands of women online who will comment about how he can do so much better than me. I’m f**king aware, okay? But I am telling you, if you push him right now, not good,” I snapped, tears springing to my eyes.

She backed off, poking at a crab cake on a platter.

“I know you’re just doing your job. No one does it better. Truly. Jack loves you. But he’s feeling it.”

“He needs to quit partying so much,” she said quietly, still crab poking.

“He’s twenty-four, for Christ’s sake! May I remind you of what we did at that age?” I smiled, trying to break the tension.

“No, you most certainly may not.”

“Listen, I know he’s going a little crazy lately, but it’s under control, I promise. And yes, I will make sure that we keep at least five feet of distance between us the rest of the night.”

“Okay, now you’re just being an ass**le,” she replied, showing me her middle finger.

“Let’s go back to your party,” I encouraged, taking her hand. As we started out for the patio, Michael appeared.

“Holly, the bartender needs some more lemons. Didn’t we pick some up today after the movie?”

“Yep they’re on the—”

“Top shelf of the fridge, got it. Hey, Grace,” he said, patting my shoulder as he went past me into the kitchen.

I looked back and forth between the two of them. “Wait a minute. Wait just a goddamn minute!”

Holly’s face flushed deep red. “Let’s go back to the party, asshead,” she muttered, unable to contain her smile.

Did not see that one coming . . .

eight

I didn’t have time to ponder this possible new development between Michael and Holly.

Michael and Holly?

I couldn’t focus on those two people because things had quickly gone from strange to swagger elsewhere at the party. I circled and mingled, chatted and schmoozed, staying within an across-the-room grin of Jack, but not too close. He seemed off tonight, and while he was glued at the hip with Adam, I was steering clear. Jack tended to get handsy when drinking, and after the earlier lap powwow, I knew to make sure to keep some distance until it was time to go home.

This was new, a side to Jack I had no experience with.

It’s not like you’ve known him all that long . . .

True, but I knew Jack. Knew his head and his good heart, and this was not like him. It was, however, like—

“Adam!” I heard my Brit bellow from across the patio. Shot glass in hand, Jack stood with Lane by the bar. Lane and he had been doing shots, but I noticed Lane had wisely switched to club soda a while ago. Lane’s eyes met mine across the party, and I raised an eyebrow. He looked at his watch, then gestured for the door.

Message received. Time to go.

I picked my way through the party, finding the straightest path to the bar, trying to get there before Adam did. As I closed, I could see Jack swaying slightly, and his eyes were puffy and bloodshot. Lane had an arm draped in a friendly way across his shoulders, but as I got closer, I could see Jack was leaning heavily into his side. Lane was having to hold him up. As Jack caught sight of me, a slow grin spread across his face.

“There’s my girl. Where’ve you been?” he slurred, eyes droopy and unfocused.

I exchanged a look with Lane and nodded.

“Hey, Sweet Nuts, you ready to go? I’m kind of tired, and things are winding down.”

The party was in full swing all around us.

“Not yet, Grace. Adam and I were talking about heading over to this bar down on Sunset and checking it out. Let’s all go!” he shouted, slamming his glass down on the bar. He turned toward the driveway and Lane pulled him back, shaking his head.

“Dude, not gonna happen. Let me take you home.”

“No, Lane, it’s okay,” I said. “We drove separately. I can take him home. Come on, Jack, I want to leave. Come home with me?” I slipped my hand around him under his jacket, hugging him to me but also testing to see how steady he was. Wow, not very.

“No, I don’t want to go home yet. Adam! Hey, Adam! These guys want to go home. You still want to head over to Sunset?”

“Absolutely,” he said, sliding into our circle and smiling at me.

“Absolutely not. We’re heading home. Can someone tell Holly we’re leaving?” I asked, glaring at him. I wasn’t even trying to hide how I felt about him anymore.

“I think he can decide whether he wants to go out. Lighten up, Mom.” Adam chuckled.

Okay. That’s it.

“We’re done here. Lane, here are my keys. I’m parked not too far down the hill. Mind bringing it up for me? I don’t even want to wait for valet.”

He jogged off and I was left wearing a Jack jacket. Lane had really been holding him up more than I thought.

I tried to pull him over to a chair, but I couldn’t get him there.

“Grace, I love you. I love you so much. You know that, right? Such a sexy girlfriend. Isn’t my girlfriend sexy?” he asked some guy standing near the bar. The guy raised his glass in salute. As I struggled to keep Jack upright while he laughed and pawed at me, I saw Michael near the pool and waved him over.

“I need to get him out of here. Lane went to get my car. Can you help me get him out front without attracting a ton of attention?” I asked, turning my back on Adam. I could have asked him to help, but I’d sooner sit on an anthill.

“Sure. Of course. What the hell, Jack?” He shook his head and smiled ruefully at him. With Jack between us, we made our way to the side entrance. Several people watched, but at that point I didn’t care. I wanted to get Jack home, get him sobered up, and then we were going to take this to the woodshed.