Page 88 of Act Like You Don't Care
“Ugh.” I paused to squint into a shop’s front window, looking over styles of shoes I would never wear. “I’ll get a cab or an Uber or something.”
“I can get one of the guys to come pick you up,” he offered.
“No, it’s okay.” I hated being spied on and having someone from the security business pick me up would send up red flags to anyone watching close enough. “I’ll call you when I’ve picked a real estate agent? A second opinion would help.” I wasn’t even ashamed anymore to admit to myself I just enjoyed spending time with him.
“Let me know, I’ll adjust my schedule. Be careful going back to work, okay?”
“I will.” I spotted a cab driving by with its light off, so I flagged it down. As we sped off up the street, I turned to catch a glimpse of the photographer behind us and wondered if I’d been just a target of opportunity or if there was something coming down the pipe that I needed to worry about.
Miles
My phone rang as I was about to pull into the parking lot at work, still worrying about Tam. It was Jim. Again. “Miles?”
“You know it’s Thursday and we were at the doctor. What was so important I had to deal with it right then?” I had no pressing cases, nothing that should have blown up in the two hours that I was away. If it had been a real emergency, one of my parents would have called me anyway.
“Don't get mad.”
I pulled the SUV into a nearby parking spot and rammed it into Park. “Spit it out.”
“Odette did something stupid. I’m sorry.”
“What did she do?” I had a sinking feeling, though. If Jim was calling me about something his wife had done, it had to be something to do with Tam.
“She sold a story to the gossip mags. About him being pregnant.”
“What?” That explained the photographer. “When? And how did she find out?” I wracked my brain. We hadn’t said anything at the family dinner and neither Tam nor I had seen her since. That only left… “Jim, what the fuck did you tell her?”
“Nothing, I swear!” His voice was hoarse with emotion. “Honestly, Miles, I don’t know she found out. Unless she listened in on something she wasn’t supposed to before I landed at your place, there’s no way she should know.”
“Damn it. When? When did she sell the story?”
“I don’t know. Yesterday, day before. Doesn’t matter. It’s going to come out any time.”
The photographer… “Shit. It’s their first day of actual filming, too.” I rested my forehead against the steering wheel for a moment and wished I was anywhere but here. “Okay, I better let him know.”
“I’m really sorry, Miles. I knew she was mad, but I didn’t think she’d do something this stupid.”
“Tell Mom and Dad. Now. I’ll go deal with Tam.” I hung up on him before I could say something equally stupid and angry and slammed my truck into gear with all the frustrated anger in my body. Tam was finally starting to trust me a little as more than just his former bodyguard. Why the hell did Odette have to go ahead and ruin it?
I sped across town, called my contact in the LAPD to let him know I’d be late to our meeting, and pulled up at the entrance to the secured end of the lot and rolled down my window. “Hi. I’m looking for Tam Laydon. You know what stage he’s filming on today?”
“I’m afraid I can’t give out that information. Move along.” The man stepped back and waved at me to get out of the way of the other cars pulling up.
Shit, should have expected this.“Hold on.” I called Will, gritting my teeth the entire time. “Will, it’s Miles. I need to talk to Tam. It’s time-sensitive.”
“He’s in makeup. I can tell him whatever it is.”
For a moment, cowardice almost got the better of me. It would be so much simpler in the short term to let Will break the news, but if it were me, I’d be pissed if Tam had farmed something this important out to Will. “I don’t think you want to be the bearer of this news.”
Will paused for a moment, then said, “Oh, like that, is it? Let me see if I can get you in. Are you home?”
“I’m at the gate.”
“Which one?”
“Windswept Way entrance.” The guard was talking on his phone. “I think they’re getting ready to call the cops on me.”
“Yeah, hold on. I’ll deal with this.” The line went dead and I cut the wheel so I could go hunt a parking spot outside the studio.
