Page 106 of Love In The Spotlight

Penelope turned and put her arms out for Laken. “Do I get a kiss too?”

“Can I get a hug?” Penelope asked.

She reached for Jamie’s daughter and gave her a big hug and kiss and then set her down. “You have sweet dreams.”

“You look pretty,” Penelope said. “Like a princess.”

“Aw,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I love you too, Laken,” Penelope said and then ran out of the room.

She didn’t even get to say that back. “My makeup is going to be ruined. I think I’m going to cry.”

“A good thing, right?” he asked.

“Most definitely,” she said.

“Then you can tell her in the morning at breakfast.”

She’d spent the night a few other times and Penelope never questioned anything. She’d told Jamie it’d be fine. That his daughter was too young to need too much of an explanation of the relationship and it would just fall into place.

Thirty minutes later they were mingling with guests. West and Abby came in, followed by Braylon and Lily. Nelson had arrived a few minutes ago and was milling around. Her youngest brother had closed on a townhouse not that far from here.

“I’m still trying to get used to these things,” Abby said.

“Me too,” Lily said.

“People will leave you alone afterward,” Laken said. “The worst part is all the gowns you’ll have. You can’t wear the same one again because someone will notice.”

“What a waste,” Lily said. “I just about cried when I saw the price of this.”

“We could swap them,” Abby said. “We are about the same size. All of us are.”

Laken grinned when she heard that. With all the money she and her brothers had, at the heart of it, they were still simple people. “That’s not a bad idea,” she said.

She moved away from her future sisters-in-law and was talking to other acquaintances she’d run into before when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She turned and came face to face with Alex.

“Look at you all in the public eye,” Alex said.

She hadn’t seen him in years though she knew he still lived in the area.

“I’m not sure what that comment is about,” she said, frowning.

“Come on now,” Alex said. “We know that is why you ended things. You didn’t want to be part of my reality show. You said you couldn’t stand having all eyes on you and yet here you are dating someone who is used to living in the spotlight. The center of attention at all times.”

“I didn’t end things with you because of your reality show,” she said. “I did it because you used me to try to get that show. There is a big difference.”

Alex leaned in close. “Don’t think I don’t know your brother put an end to it before it even started,” Alex said. She’d just get over the fact that she felt more for him than he did for her.

Actually she got over that a long time ago.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said. “Now if you’ll excuse me.”

“Not yet,” Alex said. “And smile. People are watching us. You know it’s going to get out that we are exes and you wouldn’t want to have more talk and make bad press for your brother and boyfriend’s night.”

She felt an arm come around her shoulder. “The only bad press might be me ramming my shoulder into your gut as I slam you into the door. You know, all in good fun for the cameras that I still have those football moves.”

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