Page 61 of 7 Dirty Lies

He narrowed his eyes into slits.“Deal.She’s sleeping anyway, but I’ll feel better knowing you’re here.I’ll just check on her and tell the staff you’re taking my place.I’ve already terrorized them so they should be good about following orders the wayIlike.”

Leave it to Ted to upset an entire hospital floor and force them to bend tohiswill.

Fifteen minutes later Ted waved goodbye and we quietly moved down the hall back to the waiting room after checking that Charley was restingcomfortably.

“She looks exhausted,” Colt murmured.“I can’t imagine she’ll be awake anytimesoon.”

I agreed, which was why I felt safe sitting in the waiting room where we could actually talk.“Thank you for driving me.I don’t think I could have done it in the state Iwasin.”

“It was never a question.You needed me and I was more than happy to drive you.”He slipped his handintomine.

It was weird being back in LA.Technically it was my home but I wasn’t here all that often.Truth be told, I avoided it unless Ted was here.There were too many bad memories, too many people I didn’t want to see.The air felt different and I realized I was on high alert, my shield up and ready to protect me from enemy combatants, which was silly since we were in ahospital.

Except that I lived in an exceptionally smallworld.

“I’m keeping youfromwork.”

He shrugged.“One day won’t kill me.I can check in from here and most things can wait.”He pulled me into his body and slid a hand behind my neck.“There’s no place I’d rather be.”Then he kissed me.A soft kiss that started at our lips and zinged straight down tomytoes.

The four-hour car ride had not been great for discussions of family or past transgressions.I was too nervous and I didn’t think either of us was ready for more.We were still in recovery from the roller coaster of deciding to be together coupled with his confessions.So instead Colt entertained me with stories of growing up on the ranch, of backpacking with his father and cliff diving with hissister.

I was high on his warm fuzzy childhood memories when one of mine came crashing back intomylife.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t LilyLawrence.”

I spun toward the familiar voice and my stomach twisted.Meredith Brown.If I had a list of people I never wanted to see again, I’d put her somewhere in the top ten.Not only did she help make high school miserable but, every time I’d seen her since, she was meantome.

Why the hell was she in a maternity waiting room?“Meredith?”

“It’s so good toseeyou.”

Liar.

“I heard Ted is a father.How very...strange.”Her red lips twisted into a wry smile.Meredith and I were the same age and height, but she was dark.Black hair and eyes, golden skin, and a perfect white smile.We went to school together with Ted.Her family was nearly as ingrained in the businessasmine.

Nearly, but notquite.

“He is.And why areyouhere?”

Her eyes glittered.I knew what that meant in high school and I sure as hell hoped it didn’t mean the same thing as adults.As a teenager I ignored her.As an adult, I couldn’t make that promise.And I was pretty sure hospitals frowned upon violence in awaitingroom.

“Marcy is a mom now.”Marcy was her older sister, a comedic actress known for her character roles.“You’ve really been ignoring the news, haven’t you?”She gave a forced, fake laugh.“Oh, but you would, wouldn’t you?Being a headlineryourself.”

Yeah, my claws came out after that one, but luckily so did Colt’s.He pulled me backward with his left hand, my back to his hip, his hand protectively holding me to him.“Colt Landry.”He stuck out his right hand, inserting himself forcefullybetweenus.

Smartman.

Meredith raked her eyes over him like a piece of meat.“Well aren’t you handsome,” she purred, taking his hand.“Anotherfriend, Lil?Or is this one unfortunate enough to be yourboyfriend?”

She always hated what Ted and I had.Well, she would.She had a crush on poor Ted for years.Chased him until college when he finally escaped long enough to grow the balls to tell her tofuckoff.

“That’s none of your business,” Colt growled, his hand tightening onmyhip.

“Oh, he is, isn’t he?Poor, poor man.”She covered her mouth and shook her head sadly.Then her eyes locked on him in a way I really didn’t like.“Landry?As in BenjaminLandry?”

Colt stiffened.“He was my greatgrandfather,yes.”

Her gaze narrowed, turned predatory.Meredith did always like a rich man with connections to play with.She got what she could and moved on like alocust.

“Well, I hope the Landry family is ready for all the bad press you’ll get from associatingwithher.”

It was like a punch to the gut.One I wanted to react to but couldn’t because she was right.Hewouldget bad press.It wasn’t fair but it was what would happen if it got out I was anything more than an actress in a movie being filmed on hisproperty.

“My family and my company aremyconcern.As is my relationship with Lily.”The air vibrated with his anger, leaving no question as to how he felt about Meredith’saccusations.

She wiped the bitchy look off her face and replaced it with her business face.I almost preferred it when she was being catty.At least it wassincere.

“I hope the movie goes well for you, Lily.This may be your last chance to prove once and for all that you’re a shitty actress from a trashy family.Give Ted myregards.”

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