Page 21 of Pin-up Girl

“People will believe what they want.” We’d all learned that a long time ago. “Besides, it’s not out of nowhere. Brodi and I have been chatting online for a while now. Not that I knew it was him, but…”

Alys’s mouth formed a perfect O, and no one responded.

“He’s BW,” I said. “I didn’t know and neither did he.”

Ravyn blew out a noisy exhale. “Vegas just retracted those odds.”

How much less likely is it that I’m married to his ex-boyfriend? Fuck. “Please…” I’d lost track of what I was asking.

“It stays between us. We promised,” Evie said, and Alys nodded her agreement.

“Be careful.” Ravyn’s words caught me off-guard. “Rich guys who think they can do and buy anything… They will always think that.” She came from one of the wealthiest families in the state, and I assumed she spoke from experience.

But I’d been there too, even if I didn’t associate with my family or their money. “I know. I’ve got this all under control.” I’d already set some rules, and I would lay down more. I wouldn’t yield on any of them, and everything would be fine. I had this under control.

My friends and I returned to the front of the store to find Brodie waiting patiently. As soon as I approached, he pulled me close and gave me a hard, fast kiss. “Missed you, Peach.”

His voice and touch sent a shiver of desire through me.

Ravyn cleared her throat in the least subtle way possible.

This was totally fine. I absolutely had things under control.

7

clint

The radio provided most of the conversation as I drove Dee the distance between her mom’s house and mine. Regina should have dropped her off this evening, but because Dee can’t play, come get her, so I can get some work done.

I’d been furious about the call, but given Dee’s sullen mood, I was glad I hadn’t made her sit up there the rest of Sunday.

It had been a week since Aubrey and I got married, and nothing much had changed, including this type of tug of war over Dee’s welfare. Not that I expected a big shift, and things with Aubrey going way better than my first marriage.

Everything was a competition with Regina. I’d loved her once, or I wouldn’t have married her. We clashed hard, though. That kind of passion could burn with flames that consumed everything.

Especially when Regina had decided I was the reason she wasn’t landing headlining roles, and she torched my career in retaliation. I dreaded the day when she told Dee that momma only got pregnant because your dad’s an asshole.

I thought Regina was as interested in having children as I was. That was what she’d told me at the time, but during the divorce…

“Did you do anything fun this weekend?” I asked Dee, trying to draw her out of the shell she’d been in since we got in the road.

She sank lower in her seat. “I watched movies in my room. Mom was busy.”

God damn that woman.

“Did you see anything good?”

“Step Up. Flash Dance. Showgirls.”

Wait. What? “Say that last one again?”

“I’m kidding, Daddy. I didn’t watch naked people movies.” Dee laughed.

The joke was reassuring. Hearing her poking fun at me being a dad was normal. I did wonder though, “How do you know what Showgirls is?”

“I have the internet and unrestricted access at Mom’s.” Dee sounded like the duh was implied.

She was supposed to have some sort of parental controls at both houses, but she wasn’t the one I should bring that up with.

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