Page 21 of Adrian (Love Under the Lights 3)

Hating that I had no alternative, I started the car and drove to my parents’ house. It wasn’t my first choice, but the fact that their community was gated meant no photographers could lurk around trying to get another photo of me.

Just after I got through the gates of my parents’ development, I pulled over and tried calling Adrian one more time in a last-ditch effort to be able to avoid going to my parents’. Once again, the call went right to voicemail, leaving me no choice.

“This is going to suck so hard,” I grumbled when I spotted my sister’s car in their driveway. I briefly considered camping out in my car, but I knew I’d never hear the end of it if my mother spotted me out here.

I slowly walked up the sidewalk to the front door, dragging my heels all the way. When the knob turned in my hand, I heaved a deep sigh of relief because I just might be able to sneak up to my old room without anyone spotting me. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on my side today.

“Look what the cat dragged in,” Cindy drawled with a smug smile when I tried to tiptoe past the formal living room.

Busted.

I pasted a smile on my face and walked over to my mom to brush a kiss against her cheek. “Hello, Mother.”

My mom narrowed her eyes at me. “Your sister was just telling me about a photo TMZ has of you and Adrian Clarke.”

Of course, she was. Cindy was a gossip of the worst sort. “Yeah, I just found out about it when my neighbor sent a text to warn me the paparazzi are camping out in front of our building.”

“It’s yes, not yeah,” she corrected with a frown—or at least as close to one as she could do with all the Botox she had in her face. “Please use proper English, Casey. You know how I hate when you use slang.”

It was ridiculous that I was in the midst of earning my PhD, but my mother treated me like I was an idiot.

“Yes, Mother,” I agreed, knowing there was no use in arguing.

“However did you manage to meet a celebrity of his stature?”

“I actually met him at the dog park.”

My mother rolled her eyes. “You should’ve called Cindy so you could introduce her to him. I’m sure they would’ve gotten along so well.” She flashed Cindy an approving smile.

My mother had to be the only woman in the world who would chastise her daughter over not setting her sister up with the man she was dating. I was sorely tempted to bang my head against the nearest wall, but the only thing that would gain me is a headache. “Sorry I wasn’t thinking about finding a way to introduce him to Cindy,” I said stiffly.

“They’d be the perfect pair together, don’t you think?” she continued as though I hadn’t said anything. “She’s certainly more beautiful than that costar of his.”

She didn’t bother adding that Cindy was also more beautiful than me. Why bother when she’d already said it a million times before?

“Imagine your luck, bumping into Adrian Clarke twice,” Cindy sighed. “It should’ve been me instead of you. At least I could’ve done something about it.”

“I didn’t bump into him at the farmers’ market,” I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest in a protective gesture.

“Oh! I assumed you got another ridiculous job handing out samples, and that’s why the paps got that photo of the two of you together.”

“Nope. He took me there to buy ingredients for the dinner we made together last night. At his house. After we spent the entire weekend together.” My lips curved up in a grin at the shocked looks on both their faces. I must’ve rendered my mother speechless since she wasn’t berating me for talking about sex, even if I’d just implied it instead of coming right out and saying I’d slept with Adrian.

“Adrian Clark had sex with you?” Cindy finally asked, shaking her head as though she didn’t believe it was possible.

“Yup,” I confirmed with a wide smile.

“Oh my gosh! Please tell me you didn’t give up your V-card because you actually thought he was interested in a relationship with you?” Her gaze raked up and down my body. “You do realize it was a one-time thing, right? I mean, he could literally have any woman he wanted.”

My mother nodded in agreement. “You know how men can be about sex, dear. That’s why you need to keep your legs closed when you find the one who is worthy of marrying you. He won’t want to buy the cow if the milk is free.”

I fought against the sinking feeling in my stomach, wondering if the reason I hadn’t been able to reach Adrian was that they were right. But then I remembered how he’d pushed for me to spend the entire weekend with him. If he’d only been after sex, he would’ve tried his luck sooner than Sunday night. “Something’s wrong,” I blurted.

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