Page 52 of Reckless

Harlow laughed. Relieved, so relieved at Jenna’s response.

“I hate it too. I’m working on getting past it. Can you at least tell me if Hector or Luis are involved in this cease and desist thing?”

“Not that I know of. Your dad does talk about them in interviews, though not as much. He feels bad about that too. But that you don’t know tells me maybe they weren’t supportive when Gloria did whatever she did at this dinner?”

“No, they weren’t. To be fair, Hector didn’t participate in her attacks but there’s tension now between me and them because I stood up for myself, and they’re not used to that.”

“They don’t know you at all then. Which I guess is not only a pity, but the root of the problem,” Jenna said.

“Not everyone wants to know me. I’ve got to deal with that like anyone else. And I’ve hit a place where I am unwilling to take a bunch of disrespect for doing nothing more than existing.”

“Well, good. I’m sorry they’re not being the brothers they should. I’m sorry about a lot of stuff.”

Harlow blew out a long breath. “None of this is yours to feel sorry about. You can mention to my dad that there was a dinner where a falling out occurred and that’s probably why Gloria is being like this. But if you can, as a favor to me, try not to make a deal of it. He’s on tour. He’s got to get up on stage and entertain over and over and this will mess with his mojo. There’s nothing he did or can do now to make Hector and Luis be any different. She formed them into what they are, but Dad will feel guilty for it anyway.”

“I’ll do my best. Because you’re on tour too. But when you’re done and he’s done, I think it’s time for us all to have a long talk regarding your mother,” Jenna told her.

Sounded fucking terrible. “If things change, let me know. She shouldn’t get to decide the timing because she’s feeling a way about me getting up and leaving the table where she is insulting me.”

“I never turn my phone off when your dad is gone for work. If you need anything, including a sympathetic ear, call me. Promise,” Jenna said.

“Okay, I promise. I’ll call if I need you. Thank you for being there to answer.”

When Miles came offstage later that night he was exhilarated and starving, so he went looking for Harlow so they could eat some late dinner together and he’d make her tell him why she was brooding. But she wasn’t in their green room or around the stage either.

“She just went outside to get a breath,” Brian said.

“She okay?”

Brian said, “Go find her and make her tell you.”

“Harlow doesn’t respond well to making her do anything,” he muttered, and Brian laughed and laughed.

“Yeah, no shit. But you’re alive and unbruised, so you’ve got something going for you because otherwise, she’d never tolerate it.”

Miles thanked Brian and went back out.

They nearly crashed into one another when she entered the building as he was leaving. He caught her around her waist. “Hey. I was just looking for you. I’m starving. Come eat with me. The garlic is singing a siren song.”

That’s when he noted her expression.

“What’s up?”

She told him about the cease-and-desist Gloria had sent her father.

The first three words that came to mind were those he thought of most often when it came to Gloria Martin. “What the fuck? How’s your dad taking it?”

“It was Jenna who called, not him. He’s trying to shield me from it. Like I don’t already know how she is. I’m so mad he didn’t tell me.”

“You’re both the same. He won’t tell you to protect you and you won’t tell him to protect him. Meanwhile, Gloria runs riot with her bullshit and hurts you both for funsies.”

Her eyes widened and he wanted to apologize. Didn’t really want to cause her distress but damn it, this fucking woman was a tornado, and she was dead set on hurting Harlow. She needed to share this stuff with her dad and he sure as hell needed to share with Harlow. She wasn’t a kid anymore. Their mutual secrecy hurt them both.

“Telling him changes nothing.”

“I bet he’d say the same,” he challenged.

She growled.

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