Lila leapt up, knocking a knee against the table.
“Get me out of here,” she whispered.
I helped her from the booth, shielding her from the camera as we walked out. Kenzie’s voice trailed after us like perfume: “Think of the ratings!”
Outside, the wind off the ocean hit like a reset button. Lila exhaled shakily.
“I can’t believe they did that.”
“I can. I’m starting to get how they operate.” I waved the valet over to get my car.
While we waited, she moved closer to me, then snuggled against me, letting me wrap an arm around her.
“I hope there’s some pizza left,” she said in a small, sad voice.
“If not, we’ll order some more,” I said, kissing the top of her head.
“I’m sorry they ruined our night.”
“Not ruined. As long as I’m with you, it’s still a perfect night.” As sincerely as I meant what I said, it clearly did nothing to alleviate Lila’s anxiety. I feared she was at her breaking point. And what happened if she got there?
15
LILA
By the time we got home, I felt like I’d been wrung out and hung to dry on the coastal breeze. Inside my house, the lights were low and the television played, casting a blue haze. Mia and Margot were curled up together on one end of the couch, with Delphine and Annie on the other.Gilmore Girlsflickered on the screen. They all looked over at us.
“You’re back early.” Delphine’s gaze shifted from my face to Vance’s, then back again. “Is everything okay?”
“Yes, everything’s fine,” I said. “But Delphine, do you mind coming out to the terrace? You girls keep watching your show.”
“Mom, did something happen?” Mia asked, her voice anxious.
Margot peeked out from under Mia’s arm, her little face pinched with concern.
“Everything’s fine,” I said. “Nothing to worry about. The grown-ups are going to talk for a minute.”
“We ordered Chinese,” Annie said. “It should be here soon.”
“Great,” Vance said. “We didn’t have a chance to eat much dinner.”
“Be back in a minute,” I said.
Delphine and Vance followed me out to the terrace. He gently closed the door behind us.
“What in the world happened?” Delphine asked.
“We got ambushed,” Vance said.
“What do you mean?”
I slipped out of my pumps and set them aside. “Kenzie and Beau showed up at the restaurant. They somehow knew I was going to be there with Vance. It was definitely deliberate.”
“They had a photographer there,” Vance said. “Snapping photos.”
“Trying to make it seem like Beau and I were on a date,” I said.
“They told me the network already ordered more episodes,” I said, sitting beside Delphine on the outdoor loveseat. “They’re pushing out promo footage early. And apparently, Beau and I are the season’s ‘it couple.’”
