Page 47 of Reckless

Then again, she hit those drumshard,so she had her own fire.

Miles gave her a bullet pointed explanation of the whole situation at Hector and Mindy’s place. He knew Nora had heard from Harlow all the shit Gloria had pulled, or part of it, Miles figured she kept the worst of it to herself. He also knew the two shared a deep loyalty and trust, so he didn’t sugar coat it.

Nora cursed at the end. “Lazy slut? That fucking woman. I’m glad you were there and that you got her out of that place. This won’t be the last she hears of it. Gloria has a long game planned. She’ll drag out whatever this is to give maximum impact.”

“What is her damage anyway?”

“Who knows? Over years Harlow has wondered the same. I can’t ask Richie because he will definitely get involved.”

“Well, maybe he should?” Miles walked a careful line here.

“You and I, and most likely Richie would agree. But Har doesn’t. And she gave me her trust. I can’t betray it.”

“No, You’re right.” He didn’t know Richie well enough to say how the man would feel one way or the other. But the way he’d built his life around Harlow’s schedule when she was growing up so he could be an active part of her life was a clue.

“She just turned the water off. I need to go.”

“Tell her I said to check in with me when she’s done with breakfast,” Nora said.

“I will. Do you think her brothers will show up tonight? Or should I tell them not to or?” Miles just wanted to make things better for her. She deserved it.

“Don’t get in the middle of that part. Be there whatever happens. She loves them. Even when she knows they’re weak and don’t love her the way she deserves. We willallbe with her tonight if they show up or if they don’t. Someone might get hit in the head with a guitar, who knows?” Nora laughed.

Miles really liked Nora.

Harlow smelled coffee and moments later, bacon and so she quickened and got her clothes on before heading out to the living room where he’d set up breakfast at the table.

“Poppy just brought by dailies and stole a piece of bacon. Said it was her price for not complaining that you won’t be at yoga this morning.”

“Look at you tattling on your baby sister,” Harlow said as she opened the curtains all the way to see the city outside.

“Hey, look, I know not to mess with your bacon. Poppy has to face that on her own. I’m no fool.”

She noted the bottle of hot sauce, pleased he remembered she loved it on her potatoes and eggs.

Harlow needed to do a quick check of the calendar on her phone to be sure there was nothing more than signing some merch and a meet and greet with fans on her schedule that day. She hadn’t turned it on yet, not wanting to face whatever might be there—or not—after that scene the night before.

When they’d finished and Miles had wandered off to do his own work, Harlow finally turned her phone on and waited for all the buzzing and dinging indicating texts and emails to stop.

“That sounds busy,” Miles said from where he’d been at his laptop.

“I had it off. You know how it is,” she said, looking at the screen. Multiple texts from Nora. One from Brian. Poppy saying she’d dropped dailies off with Miles instead of downstairs. Nothing from Gloria but two messages from Mindy.

The first was an apology that they’d been driven away from the house by Gloria. Harlow wanted to quibble with the brevity. It needed more than two sentences to be made right. But at the same time, these things should be said to her in person, or at least on the phone. And, most importantly, by Hector himself.

The second was a text saying she and Hector—but not Luis—were still coming to the show that night, and there was no way to stop the sound of disbelief that came from her lips.

“Harlow?” Miles asked, watching her while she scrolled through her messages.

“Mindy and Hector are coming tonight.”

He didn’t like Harlow’s expression at all. Though she was trying to act nonchalant, he could see she was upset.

“I can deal with the box office if you want. Say no tickets are available. Or make sure they get no backstage access. Just the show and they go home afterward.” He was on his feet and at her side before he’d even thought about it.

She sighed. “No. I can’t uninvite them after she apologized and then said they were still coming. It’ll look spiteful.”

“The fuck do you care what they think of you? They’re in the wrong, Harlow. And you deserve a little spite.”

---