Page 78 of Driven Daddy

“I know. I’m one of the authors.”

“Oh. Sorry.” The man had the good grace to blush. “Go ahead.”

Inside, there were more men setting up lights around a king-sized four poster bed. If I didn’t know better, I would think this was a very different kind of shoot. The sheets were high-end white cotton, and the fluffy duvet cover gave me a hard moment.

Much like the duvet on my own bed at home.

The cottage.

Not home, Rita.

One that Penn had set me on oh so gently before he utterly destroyed me from the ground up.

I shut my eyes and drew in a steadying breath. No need to go down that lane. I was tired of Penn Masterson living inside my head. I only had room for fictional men right now.

Suddenly, a woman came out of the bathroom with a slick-looking guy. He had more rings on his fingers than I did. I glanced down at the six I wore habitually. Thin silver bands I mostly forgot about they were so much a part of me and then onegold ring with an onyx stone that was my father’s. I toyed with the band on the underside of my middle finger.

Pretty much the only thing I had from either of my parents.

“Rita?”

I looked up from the dim memories and smiled. Finally, someone I knew. “Hey, Stacy.” She was the head of the charity that this photoshoot was for.

“I can’t believe you came in for this a second time.” She gripped my hands. “I’m so sorry we had to redo everything.”

I squeezed her hand back. “Not your fault. I’m just sorry things didn’t work out with the previous shoot. I appreciate that Mr. Wainwright is willing to reprint the calendar.”

“We lucked out on that for sure. I didn’t even know it was an option until I spoke with Asher at another charity dinner. His wife, Hannah, is a big advocate for feeding senior citizens. She’s always pushing Asher to give his money away. I confess that I never dissuade her.”

I laughed. “Or me.”

Stacy’s cheeks pinked up. “You’re always so generous. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate it.”

“I wish there had been a program like this when I was growing up. I’m just happy to help in some way.”

“You are. Believe me you are. And now that we have Bridget Sheppard filling in, we’re going to get so many more sales. Asher might have to do a second printing.”

“That would be great for Saving Hearts.”

She finally let my hands go when someone on the crew called her name. “Got to make sure everything is okay over there. Thanks for coming by. Truly.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” The hint of bonfire had my hackles rising. No way. No actual way.

I glanced at the door and sure enough Penn stood in the doorway, his notebook clutched against his chest, the tip of apencil stuck out from behind his ear. He wore his usual uniform of all black, including his scuffed Doc Martens.

And he looked disgustingly sexy.

Damn him.

I pulled my sunglasses back down off my head against the blinding lights and tried to melt into the crowd of people near the water and snacks table, but he zeroed in on me as if he felt the same pull I did.

An annoying pull, no less.

His fingers tightened on his notebook as he gave me a very thorough once-over, then he met my gaze again before he followed another, taller man through the living space to where the woman from the bathroom was.

Must be the famous model.

I recognized her in that out of context way. She was usually on a glossy magazine spread or on a billboard in Times Square. As my apartment was directly above it, I’d seen her face splashed on the ever-rotating digital billboards for a famous perfume brand. Her classic beauty was the kind that stopped people in their tracks.

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