“No. Other than this week. But that’s just a breakup thing.”
“You want to talk about it?”
I wasn’t sure if he was referring to the breakup, or to that thing I couldn’t stop doing. But either way… “Not really. But you don’t need to worry about me having a drinking problem or anything. I promise. It’s more of a… a man problem.”
Seth’s eyebrows drew together and I could feel his response to that one, a very big-brother response. Like,What man is causing you problems?“You sure you’re okay?”
“Not that kind of problem. Notaman. Just men in general. I mean, me and men. Actually…” I made a kind of sigh-groan. “I’m the problem.”
“Oh. I see.” His lips quirked a little, amused. Seth had fine lips. Full and pouty like Brad Pitt.
“Your daughter’s lucky,” I muttered. “She got your lips. And my sister’s stubbornness, actually. So, good luck with that.”
His eyebrow lifted.
Then his eyes drifted over to Johnny. “So… you been spending a lot of time with Johnny O?” The question was casual. Too casual.
“You know, you’re not as cool as you think, Seth Brothers.”
He was. He was way cooler than he thought. That was what made Seth so cool. He wasn’t full of himself, when he really could be.
He laughed, a soft, smoky laugh. “Neither are you, Angeline Delacroix.”
I tried not to smile. It felt like a compliment, coming from Seth.
“He’s nice,” I told him, feeling kind of defensive of my client.
“That’s what I hear,” Seth said, deadpan. He was eying Johnny again.
We both knew he’d heard no such thing.
* * *
As the night progressed, I really started to question what the hell I was doing here.
Just like my sister was questioning it. I could see it all over her face.
Yes, I wanted to help Johnny save his career. I’d explained that to her already, to prepare her for seeing me show up at the Champagne opening with him; I figured I owed her that much.
But there were so many other ways I could help him as his publicist or even as his friend, if I wanted to be his friend, other than bringing him to dinner at my parents’ house.
For his part, Johnny was on his best behavior. Not fake, which would’ve come off entirely wrong in front of Elle and Seth, who’d known him for a long time professionally and socially. But more like the nicest version of himself.
By the time we were finished dinner and I decided we should cut and run before anything went sideways, Johnny had really won over my parents. Clearly, they thought he was a great guy. Why wouldn’t they? All the other rock stars my sister brought to dinner were great guys. She’d married a great guy. Why would my charming client be any different?
I made sure our goodbyes were quick, and I gave Seth puppy dog eyes so he’d hopefully get the message and prevent my sister from following us outside, where she could get nosey. He slung an arm around her when we walked out the door and I knew it was killing her to not go look out the window, see if we came in the same car and if Johnny opened my door for me or what.
He did.
But just as I was about to get in, Flynn’s car pulled into the driveway. He was barely in park when he got out, his eyes locked on me. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
Jesus. What did my sister do, text him the second I said we’d be leaving soon, so he could confront me in the driveway for her?
“Okay.” I tried to smile at Johnny when he shot me a questioning look. “Can you wait for me in the car?”
“Sure.” His hand lingered on my back a beat longer than necessary. Then he gave Flynn a look. It was a man to manI’ve got my eye on youlook. That hyper vigilant mode of Johnny’s had switched on again; the one I’d glimpsed the other night when he caught me crushing on Dean. And when he’d saved me from that carload of guys.
Flynn gave him a stoic yet icy look right back.
