Page 56 of The Wiener Across the Way

“I want to take you away from all of this, Kels. The media, the shows, everything. You need time and space if you’re going to... get your groove back.” He changed that look of worry to a twinkling smile. “And if you trust me, I’ve got something already arranged.”

Did I trust him? I wasn’t sure there was anyone I trusted more. He’d worked his way into my life in a way I never expected and certainly hadn’t let anyone else, except maybe Penelope.

“I trust you.”

“Good girl.” He grabbed his phone and tapped a text message while I mentally fanned myself. I already knew I was a people pleaser, but being called a good girl by a rough and tumble man like Declan did things to a lady.

I didn’t get time to consider what that meant, because in two seconds, there was a knock on the door. Damn, our little bubble of solitude was already getting busted into. That didn’t last long. I supposed it was a doctor or Pen needing to work on my statement for the press or... three carbon copies of me walking through the door?

I did a double, or rather, a triple take. Two of the impersonators were way too short to be me, but one was almost tall enough. They all had on my dark bob wig I used when I was trying to throw the press off, a Denver Mustangs puffy jacket, dark glasses, handbag with a dachshund sticking their head out the top, and a Kingman in the same Denver Mustangs jacket on their arm.

But only one of those dogs gave a yip and wiggled their butt so hard the whole bag shook. Penelope slid off her shades and gave me a wink. “Your escape plan has arrived.”

I stared, slack-jawed, at the other two. They took off their glasses too and turned into Jules Kingman and Trixie. Onsecond glance, the dogs in their bags were—I snort-laughed—stuffed toys. “What in the world is going on?”

Penelope crossed over to me and Pooh just about jumped out of the bag to get to me. I gave her a kiss and a snuggle. “Hello, my sweet stinker poop. I missed you too.”

“Are you actually okay, Kelsey? I... I really hope you are. I’m so sorry if I didn’t take care of you like I should.” She shook her head and pressed her lips together like if she didn’t, she might break down.

“Pen, you’ve been taking care of me all along. I’m the one who needs to do a better job at taking care of myself. I am going to need your help to stave off Skeeter and the label though. She’s big mad freaking out.” I had a feeling that was going to become a bigger problem that I could handle at the moment. It would have to wait. “Because I’m going to take some time off this week, and I want to find a way to make that up to the fans, especially the ones who came all the way up to Aspen for the music festival. You’re my best Bestie and always have a line on how I can make them happy. So you put those talents to work, okay?”

She looked away but nodded. “I’ll take care of everything. I promise.”

“I know you will. Now what’s this getaway plan you’ve cooked up?” I had a feeling it was a plan we’d executed before, but this time it was Kingman style.

Jules stepped up and grinned at me. “There are already a lot of people hanging outside the hospital. Mostly well-wishers, because there are a lot of people pulling for you, Kelsey. Just in case you didn’t know. But there’s press too.”

Trixie interjected with a groan. “You already know how much I super-duper love the press. So any chance I have to pull one over on the paparazzi, I am so in.”

“Right.” Jules nodded with way more enthusiasm than I thought a ruse like this called for. “See, most people know aboutyour wigs and having your dancers and stuff all dress like you to try and throw the press off. But we’re going bigger. We’ve paired each of my brothers up with a look-a-like for you, and we’ve all got fake dogs. We’ve got a whole friggin’ fleet of black SUVs. We’ll all leave the hospital together, and even if they think they’ve figured out which Kelsey and Declan are the real ones, which, no they won’t, there’s no way anyone is going to be able to keep up with the game of which car are you in.”

This girl was a mastermind. I loved it.

I crawled out of the bed and took just a couple of minutes in the bathroom to change into the matching outfit that Penelope had brought for me. I decided not to look in the mirror, because I knew I wasn’t going to like the bags under my eyes that I could literally feel. But I caught a glimpse anyway.

This was the last time I wanted to look like I was death warmed over. I pointed to myself in the reflection. “Take better care of yourself.”

Declan poked his head in. “And let me do some of that taking care of too. Ready?”

I was so ready to get out of here. Or maybe it was the anticipation swirling in my stomach wondering what kind of plans Declan had for us. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

The eight of us were joined by three of my dancers, already in costume for this ruse, and only slightly distracted by the three Kingman brothers that had been assigned to them, Flynn, Gryffen, and Isak. Lord help them, every man in this family was way too good-looking for anyone’s good. The whole lot of us pushed through the doors that led out to the parking lot of the hospital, and it was like one of those slo-mo scenes in the movies where the dream team headed into the fray shoulder to shoulder. And there was one hell of a battle waiting for us.

Penelope and Everett were at the front of the pack and took the brunt of the camera flashes and barrage of questions fromreporters. Jules and Hayes flanked me on one side and Trixie and Chris were on the other. The dancers and the other boys were behind us, and I don’t think anyone even said a word to me until we got into the back of the third SUV.

What happened after that was like a dance of the fricking sugarplum fairies, but with big black SUVs. Even I wasn’t sure which car I was in. And it fooled the press and paparazzi too. In a few minutes, four vehicles pulled off and headed into town, while another four were on the road I recognized as the way to Bear Claw Valley.

Declan had mentioned that his family owned a lot of the land around here. Soon enough, I got to see some of it. We pulled up to a big, gorgeous cabin. It looked right out of a magazine for mountain getaways. But even as I imagined what staying in a place like this would be like, we only got out of the car long enough for the driver to be picked up by Chris and Trixie.

“Come hop up front with me.” Declan opened the front seat passenger door for me. “You and I will be the only ones who get to see where we’re going.”

I watched wide-eyed as he pulled onto a dirt road that had been mostly hidden by bushes and trees. And that road kept getting steeper and steeper until I swore we were about to drive off the side of the mountain. When I was about to get a cramp in my hand from white knuckling the armrest, we pulled to a stop in front of a cabin that looked about the same size as the truck.

Declan turned to me and grinned like he had the best kept secret. “So, how do you feel about a getaway with a ruggedly handsome football player to a mysterious cabin in the woods? I’ll be there for your protection, just in case you’re worried about wild animals or ghosts.”

“Hmm, sounds like the start of a horror movie.” I licked my lips. I didn’t mean to, but the thought of spending alone time with Declan in a cabin that would barely fit the two ofus inside had my heart speeding up for another reason, and thank goodness I was no longer hooked up to all those monitors because he would know exactly what he did to me. Too late now. Might as well give in to the feelings I couldn’t lie to myself and say were fake anymore. “Or a really cheesy romance. Which one are we starring in, Mr. Kingman?”

My question came out a whole lot breathier than I’d intended.

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