“That’s part of the reason why I called.”
“If you want me to bitch slap Benny, I won’t even charge you.”
I laugh, despite myself. “Slap him with a lawsuit unless he prints a retraction, yeah, that would be a good start.”
“It’s already drafted up, that poor girl. Who is she?”
“Someone I feel like I’ve known my whole life,” I say, meaning every word. “I met her here a week ago, and let’s just say things are goin’ really good. In fact, I don’t know if I’m gonna come back.”
“Jesus Christ, Brett,” he mutters. “I know you and matters of the heart, you’re all in. How do you know this woman isn’t just after your money like all the rest?”
“She isn’tsome woman,her name is Bailey Owens and I’m in love with her.”
“Jesus fucking Christ.”
“It’s sudden, but she didn’t know who I was until some little shit from Alpine Falls rang TMZ.”
“Find out those kids’ names, that’s a violation of?—”
“I’m not suing little kids,” I say. This man is a bulldog, and sometimes I have to remind him to rein it in. “And for the record, Bailey isn’t after my money, she isn’t like that.”
“There you go again. I’ll type up an agreement for her while I’m at it.”
“You’ll do no such thing,” I growl. “Andre, I love you, but sometimes you gotta let me figure some shit out on my own.”
“I don’t mind that, as long as there’s some kind of written agreement.”
I get he cares about me—or cares about getting paid, either one. Deep down in my soul, I knew my past relationships were always gonna fizzle out. I knew when a woman was only into me because ofRock Altman.Not because of the real me. It was all about the money and fame.
Bailey doesn’t have one bone in her body that could make her do something like that. She just isn’t wired that way, and if he thinks that proves I’m stupid, then so be it. I’m not gonna make her do anything…
“I’ll sign anything you want,” Bailey says from behind me.
I spin around, running a hand through my hair when my eyes land on her. “Andre, I gotta go. Send that email today to Benny, remind him why you have the nickname Andre Bulldog Fields while you’re at it.”
I can imagine Andre grinning as he reclines on his leather office chair I bought him as a Christmas gift. “I knew today was gonna be a good day. I’ll text you when it’s done. Also, I think a press conference would be a better angle?—”
“I already know what I have to do.”
“Don’t go arranging anything televised before you call me.”
“Of course. Goodbye, Andre.” I hang up on him. “Bails?—”
She’s in front of me before I can blink. “Don’t even say it. I know it’s not your fault.”
“That isn’t what I was goin’ to say, but itismy fault. I dragged you into this.”
“You didn’t drag me! What were you going to say?”
“That I understand if this is too much. What that jerk Benny did is inexcusable.”
“It is, and it sounds like you have an excellent lawyer on your side to handle that. One thing I also need to learn is not to be a hothead. It would be easy to go out there and find Benny, hang him up by his coattails in the town square, and throw rotten tomatoes at his head?—”
“Vigilante justice? I think Benny could learn a thing or two from you Wyoming girls.”
She smiles softly. “And while I’d like to do just that, I also know that’s exactly the type of publicity that will harm you and bring more scrutiny on me, and we don’t want that.”
“I’m scared,” I tell her honestly. “Scared you’ll read one article too many about me, about yourself, andus, and it’ll be too much. They are ruthless.”
