Lola rolled her eyes.“Sure.Everyone knows that.Look, I’mtrying to make my boyfriend jealous.He’s here tonight and his ex is, too.She’s a bore but she’s rich, and that dumbass seems to think he missedsomething when they broke up.”
“I don’t care.”Honesty came too easy to him.
Garrett ignored the woman who had her hand on his chest.“Boyfriend?Who is he trying to impress?”
Amy sighed.“Jason Hart.He’s a couple of years older thanus.He was a football hero around these parts.He dated this rich girl in highschool.She might have money, but her family has no class at all.He was rightto dump her.”
“Oh, he didn’t dump her.At least that’s not the way hissister tells it,” Lola explained.
He did not want to listen to town gossip.Not when Oliviawas out there waiting.It had been a while, and she was probably wondering ifthey were brooding back at her place.Or worse, if they didn’t care at all.“Again…”
Garrett held up a hand, stopping him.“How does your sistertell it?”
Keane took firm control of his impatience.He might be theone in charge when it came to some things, but Garrett knew how to getinformation out of people, and he had that look in his eyes.So Keane wentquiet.
Lola seemed to revel in the fact that she was the center ofattention.Her lips curled up, and she leaned in.“Well, his sister says thatJason was at a party with a bunch of his friends.That whore was not supposedto be at the party.She didn’t even go to our school.She’s too fancy for that.You know they call her daddy the devil around these parts.”
Oh, there it was.They were talking about Olivia.He felthis spine straighten, but Garrett’s eyes flashed.He wanted more information.
It hurt him, but he kept his mouth closed even when hewanted to tell them to stop talking about her that way.
Information was valuable.Garrett taught him that.Knowingwhen and how to get it was important.
This was one more piece to the puzzle that was OliviaBarnes-Fleetwood.
“Anyway, she showed up because one of her weirdo friendsfrom that pervert resort place had a boyfriend there that night, and sheoverheard Jason talking about how he wouldn’t have to work after he marriedLiv.He would get a cushy job with her daddy and live his life in luxury whilehe found a woman he actually wanted on the side,” Lola explained as though shewasn’t discussing a man who was obviously complete trash.“That girl threw afit.The cops came out and broke up the party.”
Garrett looked his way.“Well, that confirms pretty mucheverything she said.”
No one saw her as more than a golden ticket to somethingbetter.No one except the boy she loved as a child, and he couldn’t love herback the way she needed.
She needed them.She needed him and Garrett to show her noteveryone was out for themselves.He didn’t want her money or familyconnections.He wanted her gorgeous body and free spirit.He wanted all thelove he sensed she had to give.
“Hey, Lola,” a deep voice said.“What the hell are you doinghere?I told you to stay home.”
Lola turned and put a hand on her hip, cocking it perfectlylike this was her I’m-arguing-with-my-man pose.“You don’t get to tell me whatto do, Jason.You ain’t my husband and it sounds like you’re never going to be,so I can do what I like.”
The two faced off, and Keane got a good look at what seemedto be one of the men who treated Olivia like crap.
Jason Football Asshole was roughly six foot three, and whilehe was undeniably athletic, there were signs that he was starting to lethimself go.His belly wasn’t quite flat and there was the start of a doublechin, but the vestiges of his former glory still clung enough that Keane couldsee why he would be sought after.Though obviously not for his personality.
“Lola, I told you why I’m doing this.Now get your ass backhome.Once I convince her to give me another chance, we can quietly see eachother,” he said through clenched teeth.“But I can’t go after our cash cow ifyou’re hanging around making a spectacle of yourself.And stop going placeswith Amy.I told you she’s a whore.”
Amy simply grinned up at Garrett like nothing the other guysaid could bother her.“I’m not a whore.I’m a slut.No cash required, big guy,though I wouldn’t mind you buying me a drink.”
The urge to spank Olivia’s gorgeous ass damn near overtookhim.He was here in this weird reality show hell because of her insecurities.“You two should handle your shit.I’ve got a woman to find, and Jason, if youtry to even talk to Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood, I will personally kick your ass.”
Jason looked over like he just realized someone was there.“Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m Olivia’s man, and I’m not about to let somegold-digging, sad-sack, peaked-in-high-school asshole pester her,” Keaneannounced.
Jason’s eyes flared.“Olivia doesn’t have a man.Not sincethat city asshole dumped her.My sister talked to her last week.She didn’thave a boyfriend.”
“Now she has two,” Garrett offered, gently pressing againstAmy’s arm.“Sorry, buddy.You lost her a long time ago, and we have her now.We’re not going to let you use her.”
Amy huffed and put a hand back on Garrett like she couldclaim him with touch.“You ain’t with that whore.”
Keane felt his whole body grow larger.“What did you say?”
