Page 158 of As They Are
“Kerry is. Not closely, but your house makes more sense. It’s closer to her work. So, she’s never there?”
I rubbed my face. “That’s one of the ways I’m managing, yes.”
“I can’t believe it. You’re lying to us all. You even hadmefooled.” She let out a laugh and then paused. “Wait a second, you’re in denial and it’s been months. I won the damn bet!”
“Tammy, you can’t let this get out.”
“You mean I know I won and I can’t even get the money out of it?” She threw her hands in the air. “You’re a cruel man.”
“Sorry, but it was needed. You saw her the first day of filming. She was miserable.”
“And what did you get in return?” she asked. “One doesn’t just do all of this for nothing.”
“I didn’t ask for anything. I just wanted to help. She’s the one who made sure she did things in return.”
“Sexual things?”
“What?”My cheeks felt hot. “No! I mean, notdirectlyin return. But that’s beside the point.”
“Don’t tell me you’re using her for?—”
“Tammy,no.I would never.”
She eyed me. “You’re right. You wouldn’t. But I’m still worried about her. About you both, at this point.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“Even when it’s done? You’re just gonna let her leave?”
I slumped. “I guess so.”
“You’re not happy with that, are you?”
“Not really, no. But it’s the plan.”
Tammy frowned. “Why don’t you just ask her out? See if she’ll come back when she’s done with her projects.”
“She’s famous in Nashville.”
“And now she’s famous here.”
I still shook my head. “She doesn’t feel that way about me.”
She let out a barking laugh. “Yeah,right.What, do you think I’m oldandstupid? That girl definitely likes you.”
“I’m sure in some ways she does,” I said, thinking about the sex, “but in others not so much.”
“Have you asked her?”
“Well, no.”
“Then, how could you possibly know?”
“I—okay, maybe you have a point.”
“I haveallthe points, and then some. So, are you gonna do it?”
Letting out a sigh, I added, “This could go wrong. What if she says no and it gets weird?”
