Page 41 of Nothing to Do

“I’m sorry, I don’t—”

“It’s okay. It’s okay. Dyce said you had no idea who he was either. Any doubts about that are gone now. You don’t watch much TV, do you? Read the gossip mags? Follow celebrity-watch blogs?” Her loose head shook. “You’re like the cherry on our sundae…” Her jaw shifted out of place and back in. “I wonder who you have heard of… Did you know Roman?”

“Lowe?” It was something of a relief to catch a whisper of the thread of a conversation that whipped around in the invisible wind, teasing her with proximity only to then snatch it away. “I knew he was—that he is an actor. I’d heard the name. I don’t think I could tell you anything he’s been in though.”

“If things don’t work out with Dyce, I’m giving you K2’s number… Not that it would do you any good because he’s never reachable on the phone. Maybe his coordinates. Yeah, I’ll give you his coordinates, the last known ones anyway, and we’ll parachute you in.”

Okay, was this a prank? Was Zane somewhere laughing at her confusion? Was it payback? She was… stumped.

“K2?”

“Oh, if you don’t know Zane Dyce, you’ll never know Kinloch. Fun fact, I won a contest once.”

Whiplash to—what?

“You… won a contest?”

Was this the same conversation or had they moved on to something else? Talk about dynamic.

“Your sister won a contest, right?” Mrs. Kyst-Lomond said. “That’s how you ended up here?”

“I ended up here because my mother didn’t want my sister coming alone. Alessia’s the baby.”

“Protecting the people you care about is important.”

“Mrs. Kyst-Lomond—”

“See…” she said, spinning again to lounge on the lounger. “It sounds like you’re accusing me of something.”

“Accusing you of—no, why—”

“Oh, I know, I couldn’t have more permission if I paid the man. If anyone’s allowed to kiss Lomond, it’s me, times a million. The things I put up with for that dude…”

“Your husband?”

“You ever been married?”

“No.”

“You know, marriage… It’s this weird construct we accept the world over, yet it’s… I don’t know. People like Jane, my closest, sweetest Jane, for women like her weddings and marriage are a life goal. She’s dreamed her whole life of the dress and the man. Me? I never thought about it much. Not until my ex did the whole down on one knee thing. God, I ran and ran and ran… At lightning speed. Poor Porter. Then there’s Z, who didn’t even bother to propose, he just opened the door, and I walked on through. There’s wrong and then there’s right. Porter was a good guy, he is a good guy, and I thought we fit but…” She sighed. “Sorry, enough about me, tell me about you, Thea Florin. Sister to Alessia Florin, fan of Roman Lowe… right?”

Cool condensation trickled down the glass, dampening her fingertips. It slipped, just a little, until she tightened her hold again.

“Yeah, that’s about it.”

“Never married. Kids?” She shook her head. “You’re some kind of mentor, right? You’d have a blast with Roux. I’ll give you her number, doesn’t matter if you know her, she’ll pay you more money than you’ve ever seen in your life.”

“Pay me for what?”

“To work with her, and to exploit her husband, her favorite hobby.”

“Mrs. Kyst-Lomond—”

“Just call me Roxie, Thea. We’re girls now. Do you like seafood?”

“Yes, I… yes.”

“Good because we’re getting a spread for dinner. Everyone will be here. They have to be, it’s a sort of intervention. I feel for Struan, but what’s a guy to do, you know?”

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