Toni folded her arms over her chest. “Do I need to show up at someone’s door with my old baseball bat?”
“No, but thank you, sweetie.” Emily’s expression relaxed. “EightA.M.pickup tomorrow. We have a meeting in the restaurant and then stock signings. We’ll head to the airport after that. But right now, text Addie.”
Emily waved over her shoulder and left.
Toni looked at her phone. It was just dinner. Maybe it would be business. Maybe it would be something else. Not texting her would be stupid, though.
About tonight…
Are you bailing now that I know your last name?
Toni paused. She had an opening to avoid potential drama. She should take it. She glanced at her bed, picturing Addie there, imagining her sprawled out naked there. Quick on the heels of that, she imagined no longer emailing. The loss ofthatwould be tragic.
Not at all! Do you have any modern clothes?
…
None my drawers fit under.
For a moment Toni closed her eyes.Not a business meeting. Not even a little.
So don’t wear any.
For a moment, Toni thought she’d made a mistake. She started to type an apology.
Then Addie replied.
As you wish. 7PM? Hotel or meet somewhere first?
First?Toni smiled to herself. This was exactly what she needed, and Addie obviously was done pretending to be an inexperienced Victorian maiden—or oblivious to who Toni was. It was time to address both things.
Hotel lobby. I’ll have a car waiting.
Chapter 14Addie
Addie walked into the hotel lobby a good twenty minutes early. Maybe she was overexcited, but she wasn’t going to pace her apartment. This was better. The space had that look that screamed “our everything is expensive.” Marble floors, ornate crystal chandelier, beautiful chairs that looked exceedingly uncomfortable, and under all of it the scent of expensive colognes. Men in suits, women in dresses or jeans that undoubtedly had a designer label. Sleek sunglasses and real gemstones. West Hollywood hotels were the sort of place that made Addie swear she’d be different if she ever hit it big.
No plastic surgery. No Botox.
No wearing labels I can’t afford.
At least I was blessed with a DD cup, so the only breast surgery I’d need would be a reduction.
Her overgenerous breasts were more burden than gift, unfortunately, unless she wanted to star in adifferentsort of film. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but it wasn’t exactly a fit for a woman who had no desire to have casual sex, much less sex on film.
Typically, Addie wore loose-fitting tops to downplay her breasts and formfitting jeans, but tonight, she topped her usual jeans that showed off every curve with a whisper-thin blouse that was cut deep in the front, so her cleavage was on display. She wanted Toni tonotice her body, but until she saw Toni, Addie had a shawl tossed over her shoulders.
I look like a lost hippie.
The shawl look was fine in Scotland, but here in Toni’s expensive hotel, it drew a lot of attention—or maybe it was the tight jeans? Or the hippie hair? Whatever the cause, Addie felt like a bug. People were either looking like they might want to squish her or collect her.
She tried to be casual as she looked around the lobby. Several men stared back at her, and one woman at the desk gave her the assessing stare of “Do you belong here?”
Addie was fairly sure she did not, in fact, belong here. She wasn’t a famous writer or actor.Yet.She whipped out her phone and texted.
Here early. Traffic wasn’t awful for a change.
The three little dots of a message danced over the screen not even twenty seconds later, and the fact that Toni was quick to reply made Addie smile to herself. Maybe Toni would invite her upstairs. Maybe—
