Page 66 of My Hotshot

“I think Harley and Davidson have found a new friend,” Poppy said with a grin, nodding toward the backyard where Lottie was flat on her back in the grass, one dog on either side of her.

“She threw the ball for the last hour for them,” Sloane laughed, adjusting her sunglasses. “They’re in love with her. I don’t think any of us have ever played with them for that long.”

We were all sprawled out in the clubhouse backyard, soaking in the warm afternoon sun. Some of the girls lounged in deck chairs, others were on blankets in the grass. The guys, well, Duane and Aero, stood just inside the patio doors, with their arms crossed, eyes always scanning. Fallon had already tried once to convince them we didn’t need guards while we talked about clothes and dogs, but they hadn’t budged.

Duane had been on edge since the scare with Lottie. It wasn’t Boone and Gibbs, thank God, but it had made everything hit a little harder. How fast things could turn. How close danger still lingered.

“What are you wearing Wednesday?” Dove asked from her chair as she sipped iced tea. “Should we try to dress alike?”

“Dress alike?” Poppy snorted. “Like what? We all wear pink?”

“I will not be wearing pink,” Saylor declared flatly. “I like to wear black, and sometimes… black.”

Everyone cracked up.

I shielded my eyes with my hand. “What’s happening Wednesday?”

“Photoshoot,” Fallon answered. “The production company needs promo photos for the premiere.” She wrinkledher nose. “I keep telling myself we just have to get through it, and then this’ll all be over.”

Promo photos? Premiere?

I blinked, confused.

“And then the premiere,” Olive sighed dreamily. “Hopefully, they do it in Mt. Pleasant. Let the Hollywood people come to us.”

I glanced around like maybe someone was going to fill me in.

I turned to Sloane. “What are they talking about?”

“TV show,” she said, like it was obvious.

I must have looked as lost as I felt because she added, “It’s coming out soon.”

“Okay, you’re saying that like I should know what you’re talking about.” I laughed, more confused than ever.

She stared at me. “Tread?”

I shook my head. “What?”

Her eyebrows rose to her hairline. “You mean to tell me Dice hasn’t told you about this?Treadhas been the bane of the club’s existence for months.”

I looked straight at Duane.

He didn’t notice at first. I just kept staring until I saw him shift, sensing it. His eyes flicked to mine.

“Oh, honey,” I called sweetly. “Is there something you’ve forgotten to tell me?”

He looked confused. “Um… no?”

“You’ve told her about everything going on with the club?” Dani asked, her voice full of mock innocence. “Like, everything?”

“She knows about Boone and Gibbs,” he said slowly.

Sloane snorted. “Oh, brother.”

“Let me jog your memory, Dice,” Saylor chimed in, smirking. “What are we all doing on Wednesday?”

Duane’s mouth opened, then closed. His brows lifted.

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