Page 28 of No Rhyme or Roughing
Teddy jumped out of the hot tub, yanking a towel from a nearby rack. “I need to get out of here.” He stormed into the pool house to change.
Rowan and I exchanged a look. The things that fractured this family wasn’t something a phone call could fix.Sydney had been a kid when she caught their dad cheating and told her mom. She’d been paying for it ever since.
I followed Teddy inside, barely taking the time to dry off before climbing into the car. Rowan joined us, and we drove toward Alameda in silence.
Halfway home, Teddy slammed his hands against the wheel. “He just can’t help himself, can he? My parents are the reason my sister can’t trust anyone, and I’ll never forgive them for that.”
I wanted to run straight to Sydney when we got home, to pull her into my arms and promise her the world. But I couldn’t. Not with Teddy storming through the house. Not with Rowan watching me.
It helped that Sydney was already asleep, probably still recovering from her hangover. And in the morning? She was nowhere to be found.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
SYDNEY
Avoidance. I was fucking brilliant at it. A glorious mess of a person who ran—well, walked quickly. I wasn’t much of a runner, never had been. Instead, I preferred a good speed-walk or a two-step retreat from my problems.
Especially from the gigantic, gorgeous hunk of a problem living in my brother’s house. I wasn’t someone who forgot things, sober or… not-so-sober. Instead, I relived them in my head repeatedly.
Coming onto Ryder.
How much I’d wanted him.
Rejection.
Hangoverhell.
Such was life.
Traffic was a nightmare crossing the Bay Bridge, and I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. I may not have been able to look at Ryder since climbing him like a very hot beanpole, but I didn’t want to miss the game tonight—or miss seeing if he’d actually go through with the plan. Plus, I was integral to it.
A dancing hockey player was only a fool on skates if no one saw him. But if broadcast to the world? Then, he could be both the butt of every joke and the object of fascination. He’d hate that, but it would put asses in seats at the arena.
My phone rang, and I picked it up without looking. “Teddy, I’m on my way.” He was the only one who normally called incessantly, and this was the third time it had rung in five minutes.
“Not sure who Teddy is, but is he hot?” That familiar voice, the one that had whispered in my ear as he… I shook myself.
“Jameson.” My voice was hoarse. “Aren’t you a giant rock star on tour or something?”
He chuckled, lighter than the last time I’d seen him weeks ago. “Or something. Look, I don’t have much time, but I miss you.”
“You miss me?” A smile slid across my lips. Working for Jameson had been a fucking good—no, great—time.
“Not the point. I have a show starting soon, but…” He sighed. “There’s this reporter.”
“Who do I need to kill?” Whatever we were now, I’d go to war for that man. We might not have loved each other, but we were friends. It was one of the few friendships I’d made in L.A. He’d broken me out of my shell after I left home.
“Down, girl.” I could practically hear him rolling his eyes. “For once in your life, can you listen to me and not word-vomit?”
My car inched forward, and I kept quiet.
“Syd?”
“I’m listening.”
A laugh burst out of him. “Imagine my shock.” He paused. “There’s a reporter with a story. About us.”
I held back a curse. I’d never wanted a spotlight, any spotlight. The shadows were where I belonged, where I felt comfortable. That’s why I’d been fine with being Jameson’s secret—his too-curvy-for-the-red-carpet fling. I’d been using him as much as he’d used me, even if I sometimes wondered if there could be more. Then, I found him with that dancer, and it was a relief.
