Page 35 of Not the Bodyguard's Baby
Suddenly the room was spinning. September felt the world speed by, then nothing.
18
Adam made a third turn.The same make and model Sven rented earlier that day now followed him. He headed for Abbie’s gated mansion, then thought better. No point in getting his sister involved. The marquee for a gym in the chain he belonged to beckoned people to come in and work on their New Year’s resolutions. Adam pulled into the lot. Sven could either freeze his California tan off or come in and get the free tour. In the meantime, Adam could work out some of his frustrations. September needed him, and he was stuck trying to bore Sven into another scheme.
His mother’s report of Shyla’s part in September’s relationship was not entirely unexpected. Anything to keep September smiling and on stage, even if it cost her soul. But even he didn’t think Shyla could stoop so low as to pay Sven to seduce September. Adam assumed she had only encouraged the relationship. Shyla swore she had been explicit in the instructions for kissing only. According to his father, Mom had been in rare form continuing the phone conversation. Promising Shyla to find September first and protect her from Sven. At the same time, Mom cradled September in her faint. In the end, his mother had agreed to meet Shyla at a restaurant this evening.
Adam grabbed his duffel from the trunk and headed into the gym. When he came out of the locker room, Sven stood at the front desk talking with one of the trainers. Adam was heading over to one of the treadmills to warm up when his phone beeped.
“Are you as tired of this guy following you as I am?” Deidre’s voice held a trace of humor.
“A bit.”
“How about we have some fun with him? I’m thinking maybe you meet me for dinner and we make it look like—” She let the inference hang.
“Sounds like a good idea. Anyplace in mind?”
“Nothing too fancy, but not too cheap.”
Adam looked up the restaurants in the area. “There’s a Cheesecake Factory somewhere near. He’ll have a difficult time following both of us if we leave from different exits.”
“See you at seven thirty?”
“Me and my tail.”
Adam waited until Sven was in the middle of his orientation before leaving the gym.
* * *
After seven miles on the treadmill in the Hastings’ home gym, she should be exhausted, but the anger and frustration had her feeling like she could run forever. Melanie should be back from her meeting with Shyla anytime now. Jethro came into the room carrying Harmony. “I’m sorry to interrupt you, but this little one seems to think I am no longer adequate entertainment.”
She switched the treadmill off. “Give me a minute to change?”
September returned in a flash. Harmony wailed. “Was Mom gone too long?” She took Harmony from Jethro and sat in her favorite chair.
Jethro followed a moment or two later, having given September time to situate Harmony. He opened a book. “I see you were working off some of your emotions this afternoon. It’s a good way to do it. I’ve run a few marathons that way.”
“You ran marathons?”
“I meant figuratively. When the boys were teenagers, I averaged ten to twelve miles a day plus an extra five for Abbie.”
“I can’t believe Shyla paid Sven to be my boyfriend and then I had to pay him to shut up about being my boyfriend.”
Jethro slammed the book closed. “You paid him?”
September calmed Harmony. “He threatened to go to the tabloids and ruin my reputation. It was blackmail. I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Plus whatever your manager paid after you disappeared was enough to set him up in the LA area with his own firm. Any idea how much in total?”
September shrugged. “I paid him $300,000. No idea what Shyla paid. Sometimes I wish none of this ever happened. But when I’m holding her, I can’t wish her away. How can something so stupid also be so good?”
“That is the kicker. Almost every time something terrible happens, something just as good happens to balance it out, if only we can find it.”
“How do I find the good, there has to be more than just Harmony?”
“You do what the rest of us do. You keep on moving. Right now it’s a difficult time for you. I remember when Melanie went through a similar rough patch after the twins were born. She had days where she did not think she would make it through. Add the complication of both Adam and Alan running around the house smearing peanut butter all over each other and the walls and anything else they could get a hold of. Melanie needed help to get by.... we’re here for you September.”
“Thanks, Jethro. I know you are. I think that’s why I came back here. Because I knew that despite what happened with Adam, you would still be here for me.”
