Page 21 of Finding Tane
“Tane! There you are! Where have you been all night?”
Andrew Lane stomped across the asphalt towards me like a horror movie villain.
I let go of Dillon’s hand. “Andrew, why are you here?”
He was livid, his cheeks red, and he’d obviously slept in his designer casual suit.
“Since you haven’t bothered to turn on your phone in days, I’ve been reduced to scouring the gossip columns and social media.Someone thought they saw you in this God-forsaken town, so I drove down here. Turns out it was true. You’ve been hiding here, then?” Andrew gave Dillon the scornful up-and-down look that I was used to seeing from him before a public appearance. “With this?”
“I...” I shook my head. “Andrew, listen, I just needed a break.”
“What about your commitments? What about your tour schedule? What about the album?” Andrew was practically spitting. The guy who ran the desk during the day at the motel was watching from the doorway. Thankfully he wasn’t filming on his phone, but surely it was a matter of time. Someone walking his dog had stopped on the road, and was holding his phone up. We had to get out of the public eye.
“You can’t talk to him like that.” Dillon had puffed himself up, was standing taller, and his chest and shoulders looked huge.
Andrew narrowed his eyes. “Who do you think you are? Some hayseed from nowhere? You slept with him did you? Good for you, now leave us alone.”
I could see how this would go. Good, honest Dillon versus my asshole Hollywood agent? I had to get Dillon out of there.
“Dillon, thanks, but I think you should go. I can handle this.”
Dillon frowned. “But he’s treating you like garbage.”
I sighed. “Yeah, he does sometimes, but I know what I’m doing. He’s right, I do have commitments, I’ll call you later, okay?”
I could see how much Dillon didn’t want to go. He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “Call if you need me,” he murmured.
“I will.”
Dillon gave Andrew the stink eye and then stalked off.
“What am I going to do with you?” Andrew said.
I sighed. “What am I going to do? That’s the big question.”
“First of all we’ll get you out of this dump.” Andrew gestured at the motel. “Straight back to Los Angeles.”
“No.” I folded my arms. “I’m staying in Foggy Basin while we figure this out.”
Andrew rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m not staying in this motor inn, I’ll find us a Bed and Breakfast or something more palatable.”
“Fine.” I looked back towards where Dillon had walked and pulled out my room key. “I’ll pack up my stuff.”
Chapter Nine
Dillon
Iwas distracted all morning.
No wonder why. I was torn between the joyful memories of the night before and the frankly shocking encounter with Tane’s manager first thing. I couldn’t stop thinking about the sneer on the man’s face, the way he’d looked at Tane like he was nothing. Not a person, but a meal ticket, a money-earner and nothing more.
It was revolting, that someone could look at another human that way. It was especially horrible that it was Tane. Tane, who was sweet, and a little shy despite all his fame and success. Tane who made delicious bread and had bonded with my little sister.
“You want me to take over at the till?” Christian asked after I’d been there an hour, brooding and glaring out the window.
“I’m fine,” I snapped at him. I instantly regretted it. Christian was being sweet and trying to help. “Sorry, yes, that’d be great. I’ll go... look at the takings or something.”
I retreated to the backroom and fussed with the things on my desk. They all seemed to be out of place, somehow. I tidied what I could.
