Page 55 of Love In The Spotlight

“Sounds like the best plan I’ve heard in a long time,” he said.

17

GET A SECRET OUT

Jamie and Laken lounged by the fireplace with a plate of warmed-up snacks in front of them. No champagne yet and they were fully dressed.

“These are only crispy in a few spots,” he said. He picked up a mushroom and looked at the bottom. They were stuffed with a variety of fillings.

“I was multitasking,” she said, grinning. “Checking on too many things at once. Or more like putting too many things in at once to keep them warm all together.”

“Some didn’t need to be warmed up as much as others,” he said, popping it in his mouth. “But it all tastes fine.”

“You could say I was a bit preoccupied.”

“With what?” he asked. If anything, he was the one who was trying to figure things out in his mind. He felt he had more to air out than her and was wondering if he was going to go through with it.

“I feel as if I put pressure on you to talk about Penelope and her mother. That was wrong of me. I’ve played it back in my mind and I believe it was sexual endorphins that loosened my tongue. As much as I’d like to know, I don’t want it to be at the risk of what we might develop.”

He leaned in and kissed her. “That might have been the most perfect thing you could have said to me.”

“Because you’re thinking about if you want to go through with it?” she asked. She picked up a beef skewer and pulled the meat off with her teeth and chewed.

He wouldn’t lie. “I am thinking about it. It’s hard to get a secret out I’ve had for years.”

“And we’ve only been on a few dates,” she said. “I understand. It’s very early.”

“It is. But again, something in me let you into my house knowing that you might see my daughter. You know about her when the rest of the world doesn’t.”

“Because of work,” she said. “Without that, we wouldn’t have this.”

He wanted to debate that, but it was the truth.

In an area this size, he would have never run into her otherwise.

They didn’t frequent the same spots. Hell, he didn’t even go out much anymore.

She had admitted she didn’t like to be in the spotlight like her brother. She could handle it, but he’d seen her get in her car and shy away fairly fast after their lunch.

He wouldn’t have cared if she’d stayed by his side while he had the pictures taken, but nope, she was out of there as if she was an hour late for a ten-minute meeting.

He suspected that had more to do with not wanting her brothers to know, but in his eyes, that was easily written off as work too.

“We wouldn’t,” he agreed. “And what a sad thing that would be. So instead of saying it as a negative, maybe think of it in a positive light.”

“We could,” she said. “As long as you feel I’m not pressuring you.”

“I don’t think you are. I knew starting this business that Penelope couldn’t be a secret anymore. I came to terms with that. I’ll need to let out just enough information, but the truth is, I can’t always hide everything because when or if it comes out, people always assume the worst.”

“What is so bad about it?” she asked.

“Shame,” he said, snorting. “I’m not sure I’ve said that out loud, but it’s the truth. And sometimes the truth is worse. I don’t want Penelope to feel what I do. That she has to live with my poor decisions in life.”

“Stop,” Laken said, putting her hand up. “Don’t do that. You just told me to think positive and I’m going to say the same thing. There is no shame in having a beautiful intelligent daughter. It doesn’t matter how she came about. You could have easily adopted her after she was left on your doorstep by a strung-out teenage girl. It wouldn’t make you love her any less.”

“Shit,” he said. “I’m not sure why I never thought of that. Or my agent or lawyer if it came out. You aren’t far from the truth though.”

“You had a child with a strung-out teenager?” she asked lifting an eyebrow. “I know you had a reputation back in the day, but the minor part is getting to me more.”

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