Well, in truth, his ex had done the trashing.
The tabloids were just going to finish it tomorrow. So said Hans and her contact atRaglan—the most offensive and therefore most popular of the online tabloids.
The short version of the story? His ex-fiancée lived in his house, took his cash, enjoyed the trappings of his fame… while cheating on him with one of his Bel Air neighbors—an investment broker who wore suits.
“Where am I supposed to go?” he asked. And dammit again with the lack of Bax in his tone and a lot of Brennan. “Em’s still at the house. I told her she could stay until she found somewhere else.”
Courtney’s eyebrows seemed to lift right up of their own accord. This was not normal Bax, because Bax was badass. This guy—the one with a voice crack—was not badass.
Brennan was the guy who used to be nice to Courtney and shared his after-dinner Andes chocolate mints when their families went to supper together. He was the guy who assured her there was nothing wrong with her when Tommy Rigby broke her heart at sixteen. He was the one who made her feel seen when everyone was all eyes on her musical savant of a brother.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Courtney asked, dropping her tone into neutral territory and not you-have-me-up-against-a-wall-so-I’m-gonna-spit-in-your-eye territory. That’s where they spent most of their time these days.
He shook his head, opening and closing his hands on the steering wheel.
“Do you want me to drive?” she asked—and not just because she’d never driven his Aston Martin before and would actually really enjoy it. The circumstances notwithstanding.
Instead of answering with words, Bax revved the engine and headed toward the road, winding around the tropical flowers and palm trees lit from the bottom with spotlights like they were the genuine celebrities on the property.
“How are your mom and dad?” Courtney asked, chirpy. She already knew how they were—her mom reported in on them often. They were presently on a world cruise they’d planned to stay on up until Bax’s wedding—the wedding that wasn’t happening anymore.
“They’re fine. Currently in paradise or playing the slots on some ship. Right or left?” he asked, terse, without emotion.
Brennan was well and truly gone… again.
Yay.
Not.
“Gotta choose,” he said with a growl. “Before the light turns green.”
Yup, total Bax, which made her stomach hurt a little, since she hadn’t seen the hope of Brennan like that in years. She sort of missed that guy. Missed who he had been back then.
Missed whoshehad been back then.
“Serious, Court. Right or left? Where to?” he asked, terse as hell.
She scowled and glanced at her cell to find a serious lack of instruction from Hans.
“Right,” she said on a whim.
He turned. “Where are we going?”
“My condo.”
“Court,” Bax said. No… he didn’t say it. His voice cracked a little as he whispered her name. Huh, maybe Brennan was back for more than a brief stay. “It’s Friday night. Tell me you don’t have plans?”
“Of course Ihadplans.” She rolled her eyes dramatically and did a Vanna White air-swipe along her red dress. “Those plans, however, have been wrecked. So now I have new plans. You plans.” She made sure the point came across that she didn’t like those plans.
“Me,” he said like a grunt.
“Ding, ding, ding.” She twirled her index finger in his direction. “You.”
“I can stay at Hans’s place.” He scowled. “If he won’t let me check in at the hotel, I’ll just stay with him. Then you can get back to yourplans.”
If only it were that simple, right? Alas, no. Simplicity was missing from the evening.
She shook her head, that blown-out brown hair tumbling.
