Page 62 of Drive Me Wilde

"I know. That's why I call you it."

twenty-nine

. . .

Indi

Rio's giggle wakes me from a satisfying sleep. I lay in bed, looking around the room a few minutes, watching as the light gets stronger and the shadows get thinner. After a few more hourstogether, Jameson pulled on his shorts and went out to sleep on the couch. Not that long ago, I was so unhappy, feeling lost and alone and defeated. It's hard to believe so much has changed in such a short time. Of course, I'm still a little lost, and there is still the sting of defeat picking at me when I let it, but I'm no longer alone. I found the one person I'd been looking for, and he's someone who was there all along.

There's an impatient knock on the door. "Yes?" I glance quickly around for my clothes. "I'll be right out, Rio."

"Scrambled or sunny-side up?" she calls through the door. "Dad didn't buy pancake mix at the store so no pancakes."

"Whatever way you're having them," I call back as I'm pulling on my shorts. I finish getting dressed and walk to the bathroom.

Rio pokes her head around the corner. "I got a sample toothpaste and toothbrush at the last dentist appointment. I put them on the bathroom counter. I figure we should probably clear you a drawer or something in the bathroom."

"That's so sweet of you, Rio. Thanks."

She heads back to the kitchen, and I go in to wash up. Jameson is hanging at the kitchen counter, talking to Rio. She's waving off his suggestion to turn the heat down on the stove. His smile lets me know that he's sure about this, about us, and I'm feeling the same. In fact, I haven't felt this sure about anything in a long time. Jameson hands me a cup of coffee.

"Lifesaver," I mutter as I take hold of the cup.

Jameson pulls his phone out of his pocket to check a text. His brow furrows, and he walks to the front door to look out. "Indi—I think you should come see this."

Rio puts down her spatula, and the two of us hurry to the front door. I'm leaning forward in interest, but when I spot what has Jameson's attention, I fall back hard on my heels. "What on earth?"

Rio is frozen in the doorway. She finally turns around with eyes as big as saucers. "Is that—" She spins back around and then back to me. "Is that who I think it is?" She hurries over to me and grabs my hand. "Ask him if I can take a selfie with him. Please, please, please. Then we'll see what Becky says about me being her friend."

"First of all, you don't need Becky as a friend. You're already special enough without someone like her hanging around. And—" I look at Jameson. That little jaw twitch has fired up. I look pointedly at him. "Let the rib incident go. All right?" I motion lightly with my head toward Rio. He nods once.

Landon is standing on the driveway talking to a few reporters. He's never big on impromptu interviews, and he seems to be searching around for someone to pull him free from this moment. And then he spots that person, and so do I.

"Cruella," I say under my breath.

"Cruella?" Rio repeats. "The lady with the dalmatian coat?"

"This lady doesn't wear a dog coat, but she's not above kicking a puppy." I walk past both Rio and Jameson and stepout onto the driveway. There are more reporters and cameras waiting in the wings. Genie spots me first.

"Oh, here she is, the princess in our fairy tale." She's using that sticky, fake tone she always used when trying to lure in investors or a big star. Just hearing it makes my stomach lurch. The cameras are all pointed my direction, and a few reporters come up the driveway.

"Miss Nash, did you know this would happen here today?"

I look at Genie. She's having a touch of trouble making eye contact with me. I look over at Landon. He's got the same cagey look about him. He's holding a black velvet box.

"Landon, what the heck is going on?"

He swallows hard, clears his throat and moves closer to me. "I've been so brokenhearted about you leaving. I'm here to take you back home, to L.A." Nothing about his stupid speech sounds genuine. And then it clicks. Genie only does things that bring her clients publicity. She's decided to capitalize on the stupid stuff being posted online.

I spin back to her. Before I can lay into her, she launches into her rehearsed lines. "We need you back home, in Los Angeles. Your job is waiting, but most importantly, Landon is waiting."

I clap a few times and she flinches. Landon clears his throat again. He's turned at an angle to make sure the camera gets his good side. He's convinced he looks better from the left. I'm not even sure it matters. I can't for the life of me see what anyone sees in him as I look at him standing with the stupid velvet box and that smoldering, acting expression plastered across his face.

I turn to face him. "Seriously, Landon?"

He holds out the box and opens it. It's a diamond bracelet. I hear Rio squeal with excitement behind me. She and Jameson have moved closer to the action. Jameson is staring at me with a hurt look.

"I want you back, Indi," Landon says. "It hasn't been the same without you." There's almost a fleck of seriousness in his tone.

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