Page 23 of Pretty Wild

I’m about to ask when Annabelle gets up and starts running with Buddy. He barks and jumps, but not at her. It’s as if someone tapped the zoomie button, and she’s right there for the ride. Watching how happy he is makes me briefly forget about the fact Gabe referred to Ryan as Jade.

The guys all head to where the ladies sit. I stop by and grab a cookie after tossing my plate in the trash and walk over to the side, out of the way. Annabelle and Buddy are still playing, and everyone is oohing and aahing over the two babies. I glance toward TD and Ellie, who are watching their friends with longing in their eyes. He doesn’t talk about it much, but they’ve been trying for a baby for a bit now, unsuccessfully. They’re both great people, and she’d done such a great job with Brody. I couldn’t imagine having one in college and one on the way or a new baby, but something tells me Ellie and TD will handle it like pros.

If it happens for them.

“So, a puppy?”

I startle, having not heard Ryan walk up to me. “Apparently,” I reply after I clear my throat.

She grins widely, watching the dog jump and play. “He’s adorable.”

“He’s been a pretty good boy so far,” I confirm. Taking a few moments while she’s sidetracked, I observe.

She’s standing beside me, her profile in full view. She’s wearing those little cutoff shorts she had on yesterday and a red-and-white striped tank top. But what really catches my attention is the hat on her head. It’s one of the two I left for her yesterday with my business logo on it. I’ve seen them on top of a few heads over the years—hell, I wear one every single day—but I’ll admit, I’m not sure I’ve seen it look so cute. Her long, blond hair is pulled through the back of it and cascades down the middle of her back in big waves. It makes me want to run my hands through the strands as I pull her against my body and claim her mouth with my own.

She’s fucking sexy as hell.

“Jade, do you want a cookie? These are from Jillian at the bakery, and they’re they best,” Ava hollers, catching my attention.

Jade.

My eyes remain locked where they are, on the woman people keep calling by a different name. “Jade?” I find myself asking, the name like something nasty on my tongue. “Why do they keep calling you that?”

Her eyes flash with something that looks like guilt, but it’s quickly replaced with defiance. “I sometimes go by Jade, my middle name.”

My eyebrows shoot toward my hairline. “Why would you do that?”

She clears her throat and diverts her gaze, even for just a moment. “Sometimes it’s necessary.”

“Necessary? Lying to people is necessary?”

Anger fills her brown eyes as they narrow. “I’m not lying,” she insists, her hands on her hips.

“Okay, Jade. Or Ryan. Or whatever the hell your name is.” I head over to where Annabelle is playing with Buddy. “Hey, kiddo, I’m gonna take Buddy home now. Thank you so much for playing with him. He’ll sleep well tonight,” I tell her, taking the leash from her hand.

“He’s the bestest boy,” she sings, reaching over and giving him one last scratch behind the ear. “See you later, Buddy.”

He licks her cheek in response, making her laugh.

“Come on, Buddy. Time to go home.”

I wave at my friends, ignoring their confused faces. Clearly they know something’s up, since most of them heard me call her Ryan. I wasn’t trying to make a scene, but I don’t deal with bullshit, and this whole thing feels like one big, steaming pile of it.

Definitely time to put some distance between myself and the lying princess.

Whoever in the hell she is.

8

RYAN

Idon’t know why he left so abruptly, but it annoyed the hell out of me. He dismissed me instantly, throwing a jab about my name and not giving me the chance to explain. I’m not sure if he just didn’t care or if he was really mad.

My gut tells me by the look in his eyes it was the latter.

I hang out with Ellie and her friends for a little longer and even help explain my use of both names to the men of the group. I truly enjoying my time with them. They’re great people, all several years older than I am, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. And they all respected my privacy enough not to ask questions the entire time. Except Hallie. She snuck in a few inquiries every now and again but steered clear of the major land mines involving Vaughn and the reality show. She asked about my dad and living in Hollywood and what some of my favorite places to travel to are. Even though she is clearly a superfan, she was respectful and polite.

Plus, she let me hold her baby.

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