Page 75 of Love In The Spotlight

WORTH IT

“Hey,” Jamie said, opening the door to his house five days later. “You look like you’re dragging.”

Laken squinted one eye at him. “You don’t tell a woman she doesn’t look good.”

“I didn’t say you didn’t look good, just that you look tired.”

“Same thing,” she said. “But I’m happy to be here and meet.”

On Sunday she’d had to fly out last minute to meet with a business that West was getting close to finalizing a deal with in New Mexico. She returned home yesterday afternoon and went right to work.

To meet with her here rather than in her office meant that she had to rearrange a ton of things and find time she didn’t have.

He felt bad, but it was important for this to work and he wasn’t about to bring his daughter out anywhere yet.

“Penelope is eating breakfast,” he said. “She gets up around seven but doesn’t eat until eight. She likes to play and watch TV first.”

“Not much different than a lot of people who don’t eat right away,” she said.

“Did you?” he asked.

“I had coffee and a banana running out the door. At least I didn’t have to drive this morning. I had West’s driver bring me here and he’ll wait and then bring me to the office. I wouldn’t have had anywhere to park my car at the office and didn’t want to have to go back home with it and then back to the office.”

“This put you out, didn’t it?” he asked.

“It’s worth it,” she said. “Don’t feel that way.”

“You need to get some help,” he said.

“I’m working on it. Does Penelope know I’m coming?”

Laken took her jacket off and handed it to him, then slipped her ankle boots off her feet since it was a little wet outside. He tried not to grin at the black socks on her feet with the hearts on them. He didn’t expect that with her black dress pants, but her sweater was red with white and pink mixed in.

“She does,” he said. “She’s excited.”

It made him feel like shit that he didn’t have friends over for his daughter. She got to play with kids at the park when Janelle brought her, but they didn’t know who she was either.

It was time to make this public. He knew it. Once production started, they’d get publicity going.

“I’m glad,” she said.

He leaned down to kiss her, then grabbed her hand in his and walked toward the back of the house where his daughter was eating her French toast with a bowl of berries next to it.

“Do you want some breakfast with us?” he asked. “I haven’t eaten yet either.”

He’d done that on purpose to get her to sit and eat with them maybe as a family. To relax them all, himself included.

“I’d love to,” she said. “My banana will only go so far. Hi, Janelle.”

“Hello, Laken. I’m very pleased with the news. Would you like some tea or coffee?”

He hadn’t expected Janelle to say that but was happy when Laken smiled softly back, knowing the “news” was that they were dating. “Thank you. I think tea sounds lovely.”

“I’ll get it with mine,” he said. “Penelope, do you remember Laken?”

“Did you bring more animal pictures for me?” Penelope asked when she looked up in her blue glasses. His daughter had to match her glasses to her clothing daily.

Anything for her to think it was fun so that she wore them.

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