“Nana,” Cam said on his approach to hand over the delicate glass of sherry.“Drink your booze.Leave the sex interrogations until after we’ve eaten.”
“I still say it’s a travesty you keep yourself locked up, Parfait.Colliers are prime physical specimens,” Mimi said and sipped her drink.“And Tripp doesn’t mind answering?Do you, Sexy?”
“No, I will talk about sex all day long, ‘specially with a hot woman.”
“I want to know the answer.”Roxie seated them on another couch.A party couch that wasn’t usually there.“What do women call you in bed?”
“Women call me whatever the hell they want in bed or anywhere else,” Tripp said.“If I’m getting pussy, I’m not listening.”
“Oh, please,” Roxie said.“No one believes that.Mimi?”
“My soul sister is right, you can’t help yourself, sweetie.You’re a Breckenridge.”
“A bleeding heart?”Cam said.“You don’t fall for that, do you?It’s all an act, Mimi.He’s a sex addict.”
“And proud of it.”Tripp relieved Mimi of the glass to take the rest of the sherry in a shot himself, then stood up.“You need another drink.”
“Mix me a cocktail,” Roxie called as he disappeared into the store by the beer fridge.
“Not your husband!”came Tripp’s response.
“No, just my freeloader!”
“Lime drop?”
“That’ll do,” Roxie called, wearing a smile.“Ariella wants one too.”
“I really don’t,” she said, finally finding her voice and her feet.“I have to go.”
Except the camera crew could be out-front, lying in wait.Would it be too dramatic to climb over the back fences?
“Candy—”
“I can’t,” she said, backing away.“I’m sorry.I’m so sorry I—I have to get out of here.”
Out of the state, maybe the country, how many passports did she have left?She couldn’t handle it happening all over again.
Cam came to her, but didn’t stop her, he crowded her back until she was cornered by the front door.
“You’re in trouble?”he murmured.
“It’s not like that.”
“I know who Ariella Tipton is.”Of course he did.“And I knew Spencer Raith.”
He did…?“How?”
“I knew your name.Your face was never shared.”
“It was almost ten years ago.”
“You were too young.”God, this was excruciating.“I was in the room when my father made that decision.”
Grief gave way to curious confusion.“Your father?”
What did that…?Cam was—Thena, his mom.Thena Collier.Roxanna Kyst… What did Tripp say…?Lomond was a well-known name—and Caspian.Caspian Collier.
“Oh my God,” she exhaled, “You’re a CollCom Collier?”
