Page 105 of Nothing to No One

“Coming home. Have you talked to your mom?”

“Yesterday, I told her we were coming. And not to talk to anyone.”

“It’s normal. A culture shock, but normal. When the press came after my family, Zairn had to put everyone I knew in hotels and surround them with security. It’s par for the course. Not fun, just part of the deal.” She sighed. “Actually, you know, it can be fun, if you’re into that kind of thing.”

Being mobbed by strangers? Was anyone into that? More people than she could count probably. That’s what fame was all about: popularity.

“I don’t know what they want from me.”

“It’s not fair, but the truth is, they’re never satisfied, they just move on to the next story when this one gets old. When these things happen, with the internet and everyone having a camera these days… nothing is out of reach. Every piece of information is juicy gossip. Here, I know what will help…” Roxie shifted to rest a shoulder on the backrest and maneuvered her until they faced each other. “Boundaries.”

“Boundaries?”

“Set them early and stick to them. Decide your boundaries and no matter what, under all circumstances, stick to them.

“You really know what you’re talking about, don’t you?”

“It’s unlike me not to claim all the credit for smart advice, but these are Z’s words. It’s one of the first things he told me. Getting overwhelmed is easy, to fight that and not succumb, what you have to remember is, you set the rules. We have security to keep people away from you, and if you want to load up your family and take a trip to some deserted island, we’ll do that. No one has the power to make you do anything you don’t want to do. If someone pushes your boundaries, you set the limits. Don’t accept anyone overstepping. You don’t owe anyone anything.”

She smiled. “I owe you. And Zairn. We would never have been able to—”

“This is nothing. What else are friends for? Besides, I can’t wait to meet your mom. And your sisters. Stone’s people are looking after them at their places.”

“They are?”

“They’ll need security too. You don’t need to be worried about their safety. Stone’s amazing, and he has a family of his own, he completely understands doing anything to protect the people we care about.”

“I don’t know if anyone can truly understand until they face it. Stuff like this happens in the movies, and you think you know, but…”

“Oh, trust me…” Roxie squeezed her hands. “Stone knows. I’d say he knows better than us, actually. His wife was abducted and held prisoner for weeks. He’s had the person he loves kept from his reach; he’d never let anyone else endure that. He wouldn’t watch anyone being harassed and hurt without stepping in. Ryder Stone is the definition of a ‘good man.’” Roxie settled back in the seat again. “I’d say his wife’s a lucky fox for stealing him before the rest of us got a chance.”

She laughed. “Sure Zairn would be happy to hear that.”

“Like he wouldn’t drop me in a heartbeat if Lara Croft came to life. Trust me, everyone has a list, no matter their bank balance.”

Only one name on her list: the man she’d left in her apartment in LA yesterday. It might not be much of a home, but she was pleased to leave him in one and not at the mercy of his brother. He’d stayed there the previous night, alone, while the rest of them stayed over in a fancy Seattle hotel.

On their late-night call, lonely though it may have been, he’d said goodnight appreciating the chance to straighten out his own thoughts. And if he needed to go nuts and trash the place, her apartment was a safe place to do that too. Either way, he’d be renewed.

She’d promised to call when she got to her mom’s. When the helicopter landed on the outskirts of town, she texted Struan to tell him they were in one piece. He’d be on his way to Vancouver, maybe he was somewhere overhead.

As much as she wanted to call, the activity was just too much. She didn’t want to have an intimate conversation with Struan, saying the things she wanted to say, with Roxie just a couple of feet away. She trusted the woman, but did anyone enjoy hearing others gush to their lovers?

He stayed on her mind for the rest of the ride. It didn’t take long to get to her mother’s. Didn’t take long to get anywhere in Wishbone. The town wasn’t big enough. Roxie was right, visiting her home wasn’t like anything she’d experienced before.

Her mother’s front door wasn’t even visible from the sidewalk because a crowd of people congregated outside. There were news vans and what looked to be teenagers with cellphones. She’d never seen so many people in that particular space.

“Okay, so it’s not too crazy,” Roxie said.

She almost couldn’t believe it. “There’s got to be fifty people there.”

“I’d say closer to thirty, it’s the concentration that makes them look more.”

Yeah, because none of the other houses had people and vehicles crowded around them. They passed one of the news vans and someone spotted them.

People rushed over to surround the car.

“What are we supposed to do now?” she asked when the car stopped.

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