But then Silas walked up, grinning. He’d been stuck behind the counter, signing people up after telling the pap none of them could come in unless they bought a year pass. “Suckas.” Silas laughed. “I just made two thousand dollars.”
Ford, who looked exhausted from it all for once, shooed them toward the exit. “Next time, fellas. Let’s let the customers work out in peace.”
But there was one guy still talking to a cute girl at the leg extension machine.
“Hey!” Ford yelled, heading over there. “Get away from her. You’re wasting your time. I’ve never even seen her before.”
“Somebody isn’t high for once,” Holden mumbled. He wasn’t wrong. A bad mood was a tell-tale sign that Ford was sober. I hated to admit it, but drugs and alcohol gave our baby brother a much better personality.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and shouted at the reporter, “Don’t believe him. They dated for two months in ninth grade! She was his firsteverything.”
Holden and Silas laughed.
Ford whirled on me, his eyes lighting up like a pair of blowtorches.
But I wasn’t done. “She’s actually an extraterrestrial being and she’s raising his secret lovechild. Who happens to be green. They have to hide him in the basement. Why do you think he bought that massive ranch?”
Thankfully, the woman laughed and shook her head. Ford could take a lesson. Instead, he glowered, looking mad enough to kill.
“You better hide all the castration tools.” Silas chuckled under his breath.
The pap finally exited when Ford snapped at his bodyguard to do his job. Ford hated using the man. He prided himself in being a down-to-earth guy. It was his brand. He only kept Jeff around for emergencies. But apparently, Ford’d had enough today.
As he walked over, his entire forehead in a crease, I said, “Keep frowning like that. Pretty soon, you’ll have to put more Botox in that pretty face than David Hasselhoff’s.”
“Shut it,” he muttered as he stepped under the barbell on the Smith Machine. Holden was wrong. The rims of Ford’seyes were red and he had that half-dazed look that screamed he’d taken a hit of something before he arrived tonight.
“What’s up your butt?” Silas asked, stretching his arm out.
Ford swung his glare on Si.
Holden leaned in with a sly grin. “Peytonshut him downearlier.”
I huffed. “Leave her alone. You’ve hounded the crap out of her. Move on. She’s not interested. She’s not the only pretty girl out there.”
“Just the only one who won’t give him the time of day,” Silas said.
“Your fame and money aren’t going to work on her.” Holden chimed in. “She’s not ready for a relationship, man. She’s not over Braxton. And once she is, she’s going to want someone who will be committed.”
“I’d get her over him real quick.” Ford winked and I almost puked in my mouth. “I’d be committed. If I could haveher.” I glanced at my two older brothers. Their skeptical expressions said they were as unconvinced as me. “Besides, I’m not the one y’all should be giving the pep talk to. At least I didn’t make out with another man’s fianceé.”
My jaw clamped. “Please. You’ve slept with how many married women?”
“None,” he said.
“That’s not what The Nashville Noise said,” I corrected. Yes, I’d subscribed to the tabloid. It was too fun getting under Ford’s skin.
Ford cracked a thumb knuckle. “Fine. At least none whotoldme they were married.” He settled the barbell against his shoulders. “You act like I don’t have any morals.” He dropped into a squat.
Silas and Holden snorted at that.
“Quit trying to deflect.” Ford smirked. Then hepushed the weight up. “It’s been almost two months and you’re still letting that kiss lull you to sleep every night. Admit it.”
“M-kay.” I yawned.
“The Kiss of Shame,” Holden said dramatically, a twinkle in his eye.
Silas’s brows flicked. “The Professor’s Passionate Kiss.”
