Page 53 of Hollywood Undercover
Sebastian got to his feet, ready to leave. “No offense, Clint, but I didn’t come over here forthis.”
“All right, all right. Just sit down,” he said, appearing to concede. “You should be used to this by now,Bash.”
Sebastian glowered at him, but sat back down. He couldn’t walk out on Clint. He ran a hand through his hair, thinking maybe it would help to tell someone about it—some ofit.
“Alright, suppose I do have someone I’m interested in, and by the way, it’s not Aileen. It’s someone else. But suppose this person has some stuff going on in her personal life right now? I know better than to let myself get tooinvolved.”
Clint’s eyes widened. “Wellnowwe’re getting’ somewhere. Tell me. Who is it? Do I know her?” He paused, waiting for Sebastian to answer. Sebastian didn’t say a word. “Alright, alright, you’re not going to tell me. That’s fine. Does she know you’reinterested?”
“Yes andno.”
“Christ, man. You haven’t toldher?”
“It’s not that simple,bud.”
“Only if you make it complicated to begin with. When I met Beth, she was a nurse at that rehab hospital where they sent me after the accident. I had a huge chip on my shoulder. And she had to put up with my shit. She didn’t let my crabby ass get in the way of that. She made it clear that she cared aboutme.”
“There’s no point in having this talk, man. There’s so much I can’tsay.”
“Jesus, is she a secret agent orsomething?”
“She might as wellbe.”
“She must be so sexy. God, that’shot.”
“More like tragic,” he admitted. “Anyway, I’m just telling you so you and Beth can stop worrying about me. I need you and everyone else to stop trying to fix me up. I’m not cutting myself off. I’m not suffering or missing Aileen. I’m just stuck between a rock and a hard place. I have to wait and see what happens withher.”
“Whoever this mystery woman is, she’s bound to come around at some point. She could do way worse thanyou.”
“Or better,” Sebastian added. “So, is your curiosity satisfied yet? Because I’m ready to drop this subjectnow.”
“Not really. What does she look like? And what kind of personal problems does she have? I’ve got a shit-load more questions, but I doubt if you’ll answer any ofthem.”
Sebastian ignoredhim.
“Hey, Beth,” he called out when he saw her standing at the entrance to the livingroom.
Clint’s girlfriend peeked in. “Good to see you, Bash. How have you been?” she asked in her soft, pleasantvoice.
“Guess what, Beth?” Clint said before Sebastian could answer. “Bash has got a secret agent girlfriend. How’s that forinteresting?”
Clint wheeled away from the table and moved close to her. Beth ran loving fingers over the crown of his head, and raised a brow at Sebastian. She turned her gaze down to Clint and said, “Don’t put him on the spot,honey.”
“Listen to your girlfriend, Clint,” Sebastianagreed.
Beth crossed her arms. “What’s your new girlfriend like,Sebastian?”
“Wait a minute. Whatever happened to don’t put me on thespot?”
Beth went from ally to backup interrogator. Sebastian shook his head. He wasn’t getting out of this without giving his closest friend’s partner something to chewon.
“She’s great. I enjoy spending time withher.”
“Well that’s good,” she answered. “So why do you sound sogrim?”
The woman read him like a book. It was her gift. She had gotten to know him toowell.
“Let’s just say I have to be someone I’m not with her, because she’s not being herself withme.”
