Page 68 of Worst Nanny Ever
The cashier has paused, noticing our exchange, but Travis nods at her. “We’re getting it.”
She keeps ringing up the purchases. When she finishes, the total is staggeringly high, enough to make me queasy, but he doesn’t so much as blink when he hands over his credit card.
I didn’t think that kind of thing would do it for me, but it sends a little shiver down my spine. Or maybe it’s Travis himself who’s doing that. His usual self-control has shattered, and I feel like he could do anything right now. Push me against a wall and ravish me. Rip into someone. Play a riff that will go down in history…
“You’re staring at me,” he comments, his voice low and ragged, as he returns his credit card to his wallet and nods his thanks to the cashier.
“I am,” I agree. “I’d like to do it some more if you don’t object.”
“I do,” he says roughly. “When you look at me like that, it makes everything…”
“Harder?” I ask with a hint of teasing in my voice.
He shakes his head almost savagely. “You’re not going to make me laugh right now, Hannah. There are some things not even humor can fix.”
I take possession of the cart, so I have something to do with my hands. “I disagree. Besides, I don’t think Alice and her friends are dangerous. Just misguided. She told me she’d found out about you from some recent post she’d seen in her superfan community. I got her to show it to me on her phone.”
He dips his head and stalks toward the doors, which open for him. I know they’re automatic doors that open for anyone, but the way they open makes him seem like royalty.
Focus, Hannah.
I follow him out to the car with the cart. “I’m going to figure out a way to verify my theory, but I think Rachel might be behind the post.”
He swears and raps his knuckles against the back of his car. Then he looks at me, his eyes a little wild. “If Lilah finds out about this before the sixty days are up…”
I swear too as the truth settles heavily on me.
He runs a hand through his hair carelessly, tousling it. Then, as if realizing what he did, he smooths out his hair to hide the birthmark. It makes me sad, seeing him hide who he is. But I understand, especially after what just happened in the toy store.
“We’re going to fix this,” I insist. “You said Lilah doesn’t have access to the internet, and at the moment the problem is contained. We have to keep it that way. I have an idea for how we can figure out if Rachel was behind this.”
He studiesme. “We?”
“We.I might have pissed Rachel off when I got her to take down that post about you and Ollie. We had Sophie’s lawyer friend reach out to her, and I guess she was pretty rattled. Anyway…Eugene’s son is some super-nerdy computer whiz. So maybe he can help us get to the bottom of it.”
He shakes his head. “Why does it matter? The damage is done.”
“It matters. Because if she did it, she’s going to answer for it. In the meantime, you’re going to get in touch with this fan group and tell them to take the post down because it’s a violation of your privacy. I’m guessing they’ll do anything for Ships Junior.”
He groans but stands up straighter, pinning his eyes on me. “I’m glad you’re on my side.”
“Remember that the next time you try to argue with me.” I squeeze his hand. “You need to go home and play the drums.”
Surprise registers in his eyes, but he nods. “Yeah, you’re right.”
“Do you want me to call Rob?”
He gives me a ghost of a smile. “I can still operate a phone, if I choose to.”
“I think you should ask him to come over and jam with you. Maybe tell him what’s going on.”
I have two brothers and a single dad, and all three of them need help figuring out when they should lean on their friendships. Something tells me Travis is the same way. He’d offer help but never ask for it.
“I’m fine, Hannah,” he says, then circles around to open the passenger door for me.
“I can open my own door, if I choose to,” I say.
“Glad to hear it, but I got to it first.”
