Page 51 of Love In The Spotlight

“Some of the night,” she said, smirking at him. “Maybe talk another part of it. It’s not like we have a lot of time together alone.”

He felt bad for that. He wanted to say it was all on his shoulders. He was the one working the past several Sundays and would be again for several weeks until the football season was over.

But Laken had been traveling her fair share too and then working nights and weekends, even if she was doing it at home.

“We don’t,” he said. “Things will slow down for me mid-February.”

“I don’t feel as if anything slows down for me,” she said. “But I won’t be traveling as much because I’ll be focused on working with you. West’s wedding will be sooner than most realize.”

The announcement hadn’t happened yet, but he was told any day now. He’d kept quiet on it. Not that he had anyone to even tell.

“Are you going to be planning that?” he asked, frowning.

“No. Abby will do it on her own or ask for help if she wants it. It’s going to be somewhat small, which is funny to say considering the size of our family.”

“You’d keep it right for family,” he said. “I understand that.”

“West was considering renting a private island and flying people there on his jet. He could do it easily in a few days back and forth, but Abby said no way. They met in Aruba and I think he just wanted to bring some of that back for her.”

“It sounds to me like she doesn’t care about those things,” he said.

“No,” she said. “She doesn’t at all. The wedding will be at West’s home in the Hamptons and it’s primarily going to be immediate family, which is huge. My uncle on my father’s side has four kids, my uncle on my mother’s side has nine kids.”

“Nine!” he said, shaking his head. “I can barely handle the one I’ve got.”

She laughed. “Tell me about it. West will secure a hotel for family only for everyone too.”

“Sounds like it’s going to work out,” he said.

“It always does,” she said.

He grabbed another strawberry, then walked back into her living room to look out at the view.

“I don’t miss this,” he said.

“No?” she asked. He hadn’t heard her come up behind him but felt her hands go around his waist.

“I lived it enough. It’s quiet in here other than you know the world is moving fast out there.”

She popped her head around the side of him. “I’m used to fast but understand. We traveled a lot with my father in the service. My younger siblings never experienced that. Not Talia. She’s only ever lived in two houses. The little ranch that we had when we moved to Fort Bragg, which is Fort Liberty now. And then the house West had built years ago. Other than college, that is.”

“I lived in one house my whole life too, before college,” he said. “Sometimes coming from a small town where everyone knows you isn’t a good thing.”

“I didn’t have that,” she said. “We blended in more than anything. Military families come and go. I never really developed any close relationships with people either. Just my mother and brothers.”

He never thought of it that way.

“I guess I could say the same.”

“Not even Penelope’s mother?” she asked.

“I don’t want to ruin our lighthearted conversation with that tonight,” he said.

“Which means mind my own business?” she asked.

“No. Not at all. Very few know about Penelope’s mother. Actually only three people. Me. My agent, and my attorney. Well, of course Janelle too.”

“Your parents don’t know?” she asked wide eyed.

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