We were in a holding pattern, but eventually it would change. Until then, I would play the same role I had for most of my twenties: Hollywood party boy.
That was the main reason I started up the pool parties again, as a kind of cover for Jack and me while we waited for the right moment.We need to act normal, Jack had said. I’d thought people might be hesitant to come back to my parties at first, given the circumstances. But if anything, more people than ever were begging for an invite. I found myself the center of notoriety—and having Jack as my boyfriend only seemed to make memoreinteresting.
Teddy McCallum never failed to attend, his eyes bugging out of his head any time he saw someone he thought might be the criminal type. I told Jack I’d disinvite Teddy if the gawking made him uncomfortable, but he just smiled and said that Teddy seemed like someone who needed more friends, not fewer. “But how about you take a leaf out of Chateau de la Lune’s book, and ban photos and video?”
It seemed like a reasonable compromise to me, and hell, there were always a few Castellanis around to enforce it. The old security firm had been usurped by Jack’s contacts, and I felt safer for it.
“Oh my god, he’s sohot,” Nate moaned, looking over my shoulder. “Is Freddyevergoing to notice me?”
I jerked around in the pool, grabbing at Jack’s hat to keep it on my head. My heart gave a happy little bounce. Jack, Freddy, and a few other Castellani Family members were walking down the path toward the pool.
“If you want Freddy so bad,” I sighed, “justaskhim if he wants to hook up.”
Nate had been staying with Jack and me for the past week, after telling me that Brent Elwood was on holiday in Europe for a few months, and he didn’t like being left alone in that big house, especially after what Jack had said about—he always lowered his voice to a stage whisper—“the necklace.” He’d been lusting after Freddy Lazzaro since he first laid eyes on the guy.
“He’s never alone toask. It’s alright foryou,” Nate snarked. “You’ve got yours; screw the rest of us, huh?”
“Pretty much,” I said with a grin. I watched with pride as heads turned after Jack as he walked directly toward me.
He reached us, nodded at Nate, and crouched down by the side of the pool, where I was bobbing in the water. He grabbed his hat with an exasperated smile, and settled it on his own head.
“I’ve been looking for this.” He kissed his fingertips and then pressed them to my lips. “Boss called me in for a meeting tonight. Wanted to stop by and let you know. Everything under control here?”
I tried not to let my worry show. Every time he had a meeting with Don Castellani—which was often, now that he was an important Family member again—I wondered if he’d return to me with a few extra holes in him—or at all. But, I always reminded myself, if anyone could take care of himself, it was Jack.
“All good,” I said. To the side, I could see Teddy trying hard to listen in, but the noise of the crowd covered Jack’s voice.
Nate swam up and interrupted. “Has Freddy said anything about me?” he asked.
“Not in my hearing,” Jack said diplomatically, and we watched Nate swim off with a dejected air.
“We have another drought, you can splash around in Nate’s drool instead of water, eh?” Jack said, flicking water at me. “Now, I also wanted to give you this—came in from my cousin for your sales in Vegas.” He wiped his fingers dry before pulling a check out of his pocket and showing me. “Not bad for a hobby, sweetheart. Think you might have to accept you’ve turned pro.”
I hadn’t expected anything at all to come of my paintings, and the number of zeroes on that check made me do a double take. “What the—?”
“Didn’t I say you had talent?” He gave me a soft-eyed smile, and tucked the check back in his pocket. “I’ll put this up in the house. You have a good time, little troublemaker. But nottoomuch troublemaking.”
“Not without you,” I said with a grin. But it faded as I thought about the night ahead of him. “Be careful tonight, JJ. Promise?”
“Promise,” he assured me. “No need to worry. It’s just another business meeting.”
But I couldn’t shake off my unease.
* * *
When Jack came back later that evening, I could tell that something had changed for him. It was the dark look he got in his eyes.
The same look he’d had the night three men broke into the house, trying to kill me.
I was sitting at the tiki bar and talking to Nate and the bartender. Jack slid onto the stool next to me and gave an up-nod to the bartender. “Beer and the usual.” When the beer came, Jack leaned forward to smile past me at Nate, pushing the drink toward him. “I think Freddy could do with this, if you want to take it over to him.”
Nate just about broke the land speed record getting to Freddy with the drink.
“Oh, shit,” I said, as Jack’s smile disappeared. “What happened?”
We both paused as the bartender slid a Hollywood Harlot in front of him. Jack took his first sip without even flinching. I’d made it our tradition that he had to have at least one every pool party night, in honor of the night we first met.
He even seemed to enjoy them—sometimes.
