Gate Guy wasn’t budging, though. "Still gonna need it."
"Davis. Darla Davis." Not that it mattered.
"What do you know?" Gate Guy pulled his lips together into something that kind of passed as a smile. "You’re on the list."
"No way." That could not be. Not at all. "Can I see?"
"I can’t let you see the list," he said, as the gate opened. "But you have a good day."
Talk about shoddy security. But while she couldn’t quite believe she got right in, it wasn’thersecurity, so this was one problem that wasn’t hers to solve.
There was one other little thing, though—
"Which house is Mach’s?" she asked as sweetly as possible, given her disdain for the amount this guy must be paid to just let randoms drive right on through.
Security here was definitely not paid well enough because Gate Guy had no issue giving her directions to Mach’s house, either. If she’d have asked, he probably would’ve given her the key and the combination to the safe.
The directions were simple, which was how she pulled into the circular drive of a monstrosity of a mansion that supposedly belonged to Mach. She put her car in park, headed up the walk to the front door, and did her best not to be impressed with the details on the stucco finish.
She was here for a purpose, not to admire anything. So she rang the bell and didn’t even look at the fancy wooden scrollwork around the doorbell.
Shouldn’t they have one of those camera doorbells? That would at least give them a scootch more security since that was clearly an issue.
The door swung open and… it was not Mach.
"Holy shit, it’s Darla," Tanner said as a greeting.
"I’m looking for Mach," she said. "Is he home?"
"Uh… out in the pool." Tanner jerked his thumb behind him.
"May I?" she asked, nodding in that direction.
He grinned. "Yeah."
"This way?" She pointed toward the sliding door that seemed to lead to the backyard.
Tanner nodded, and the sly grin was very reminiscent of Mach. Sam came from the room to the right. Her face lit up at seeing Darla.
"I won’t take long," she assured them.
What she had to say would take only a moment. Because she was about to give him her problem and he was going to help solve it. And then they were both going to go their own way.
"I am super happy you came by. Mach’s been trying to get ahold of you. He’s worried," Sam’s genuine smile made Darla wish it was totally normal for her to show up at a rock star’s house and then hug the pop idol that came out of the other room.
Because she could seriously use a hug right then, and Sam was super nice.
But it wasn’t time to harass all the famous people. It was time to harass one particular celebrity. So she headed toward the door Tanner had motioned to before. She didn’t have to turn to see that Tanner and Sam kept pace with her because they were right there with her.
"This is so exciting," Sam said. "I’m so glad I didn’t offer to pick up the ladies."
Darla didn’t know what that meant, and it didn’t really matter because it was none of her business and all of that. Deep breath in, she paused at the sliding door, glancing onto the patio.
No Mach.
But what if Mach was in the pool with a woman? And if he were back there with the woman, why did it make Darla feel like she’d finally caught that nasty stomach bug?
It wasn’t like she wanted anything more than for him to put her life back to rights. So it didn’t matter who he was with or what he was doing with them.
