He stood up and pulled her close. There, under the stars, across the country from home, she swayed with him to a song only he knew but she felt like she’d heard before. Wanted to hear it again.
“Adrian! Hey, is that you? Do you want to introduce your lady to the viewers at home?”
That this was bellowed through a bullhorn from a tiny boat some hundred yards away did not mitigate Gillian’s distress. Adrian put her behind him and backed into the house where Gavin was.
“Gavin, we’ve got company. Paps know we’re here.”
“On it. I just checked on Miles, he’s sound asleep, but I’m setting the alarm when I go out. You two stay in here. I’ll handle the authorities.”
Gavin swung his bulk from the seat he’d been occupying. Within hearing, but giving Adrian and Gillian privacy.
“Damn it. I didn’t even get twenty-four hours. One of the neighbors might have tipped them off for a couple of bucks. Or they followed us from the airport earlier. Who knows. We need to move.”
“Neighbors call the media? Really? You think they’d hate having the press here with all the noise and nosiness.”
“People do it all the time. Once it amazed me. Now I suppose I’ve just gotten used to it.”
“That’s ridiculous! Why should you get used to people selling your privacy for money? These people live in huge waterfront mansions. Unless they need to pay for a liver transplant, selling out other humans to the media is unacceptable!”
“God help me, I adore you, English.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“Do we really need to move? This house seems very self-contained. I’m fine with whatever you decide, but I don’t necessarily think we have to move right away. Will they swarm up onto the lawn?”
“No. That’s private property. They’ll camp on the street out front and then on the canal outside, all waiting with cameras to get a glimpse. I’m not as exciting as some others, or hell, as exciting as Brandon is, so there’ll be five instead of fifteen. But that’s five people with cameras trying to get a picture of my son. I’m not down with that.”
She took his cheeks in her hands and tipped his head so she could reach up to kiss him. “I love when you protect him.”
“Of course I do. He’s my son. You’re my woman. You don’t need to have pictures of every trip to get gas or coffee run on gossip sites. I have to deal with it, but you two don’t. I won’t have it.”
Gavin came in some minutes later. “There’s another who just showed up. Cops arrived, chased them off but they know just how far to stay offshore. Stick to the roof or the indoor pool and you’ll be all right. Cope wants me to ask you about adding another person to security while you’re here, and also if you’d like to move to a place in a high-rise? He’s got several contacts through the record company. Pap-free building, though you’d be losing the pool.” He shrugged.
“What’s your perspective on it?” Adrian asked, patting his pants pocket. Looking for cigarettes he’d ceased smoking some years before, she knew. Old habits die hard, as she knew very well.
“This house has great security. Anyone comes onto the dock and lights and sirens come on. Anyone tries to enter the house and same. I do think two of us running interference would be good, especially as you’ll be heading into town tomorrow and then up to Orlando. If you do the parks, it’ll be nice to have us around just to give you some space in case you’re recognized.”
Which of course he would be.
This made her appreciate Seattle even more. Most of the time he was left alone and she knew he liked it that way.
“I’ll talk to Cope myself. But let’s get the extra guard here. I want him on Miles and I want someone with weapons knowledge.”
“Weapons knowledge?” she asked weakly.
“I told you it could get hairy out there sometimes. Chances are we won’t need it. But should anyone even try to throw down, you’d be amazed at what a former Navy SEAL or an ex–special forces Marine like Gavin here can do to defuse it.”
“I’m going to go check on Miles.”
She knew he was all right. Knew it in her heart and also trusted Gavin on his word, specifically because Adrian did. But she had to see him herself.
“Go on up, English. I’ve got calls to make. There are movies in our room you might want to check out. Audition is one of them.”
She shivered. “That one is so creepy. I won’t start without you, I promise.”
After standing over Miles where he’d sprawled on the big bed, she also checked the door to the balcony, making sure it was bolted, which it was. She left his door open, knowing she’d feel better if she could hear him if he woke up.
She liked this house. It was palatial, yes, but someone lived here too. It was nicer than a hotel room would be, though she’d go along with whatever Adrian and his team decided.
“Andy, tell me the news,” he said when Cope answered.
“First things first, everyone all right?”
“Yeah. Pap just yelled from his boat asking if I wanted to introduce Gillian to the readers at home. Fuck. Um, no, I don’t! I don’t want my kid in the rags and risk him seeing twenty-five-year-old losers living at home ripping his appearance to shreds. Or saying Gillian isn’t pretty enough or that she should wear makeup to Tart or whatever. I sure as hell don’t like it when they do it to me. I’m not going to tolerate my family being pulled into it.”
“Adrian! Hey, is that you? Do you want to introduce your lady to the viewers at home?”
That this was bellowed through a bullhorn from a tiny boat some hundred yards away did not mitigate Gillian’s distress. Adrian put her behind him and backed into the house where Gavin was.
“Gavin, we’ve got company. Paps know we’re here.”
“On it. I just checked on Miles, he’s sound asleep, but I’m setting the alarm when I go out. You two stay in here. I’ll handle the authorities.”
Gavin swung his bulk from the seat he’d been occupying. Within hearing, but giving Adrian and Gillian privacy.
“Damn it. I didn’t even get twenty-four hours. One of the neighbors might have tipped them off for a couple of bucks. Or they followed us from the airport earlier. Who knows. We need to move.”
“Neighbors call the media? Really? You think they’d hate having the press here with all the noise and nosiness.”
“People do it all the time. Once it amazed me. Now I suppose I’ve just gotten used to it.”
“That’s ridiculous! Why should you get used to people selling your privacy for money? These people live in huge waterfront mansions. Unless they need to pay for a liver transplant, selling out other humans to the media is unacceptable!”
“God help me, I adore you, English.” He kissed the tip of her nose.
“Do we really need to move? This house seems very self-contained. I’m fine with whatever you decide, but I don’t necessarily think we have to move right away. Will they swarm up onto the lawn?”
“No. That’s private property. They’ll camp on the street out front and then on the canal outside, all waiting with cameras to get a glimpse. I’m not as exciting as some others, or hell, as exciting as Brandon is, so there’ll be five instead of fifteen. But that’s five people with cameras trying to get a picture of my son. I’m not down with that.”
She took his cheeks in her hands and tipped his head so she could reach up to kiss him. “I love when you protect him.”
“Of course I do. He’s my son. You’re my woman. You don’t need to have pictures of every trip to get gas or coffee run on gossip sites. I have to deal with it, but you two don’t. I won’t have it.”
Gavin came in some minutes later. “There’s another who just showed up. Cops arrived, chased them off but they know just how far to stay offshore. Stick to the roof or the indoor pool and you’ll be all right. Cope wants me to ask you about adding another person to security while you’re here, and also if you’d like to move to a place in a high-rise? He’s got several contacts through the record company. Pap-free building, though you’d be losing the pool.” He shrugged.
“What’s your perspective on it?” Adrian asked, patting his pants pocket. Looking for cigarettes he’d ceased smoking some years before, she knew. Old habits die hard, as she knew very well.
“This house has great security. Anyone comes onto the dock and lights and sirens come on. Anyone tries to enter the house and same. I do think two of us running interference would be good, especially as you’ll be heading into town tomorrow and then up to Orlando. If you do the parks, it’ll be nice to have us around just to give you some space in case you’re recognized.”
Which of course he would be.
This made her appreciate Seattle even more. Most of the time he was left alone and she knew he liked it that way.
“I’ll talk to Cope myself. But let’s get the extra guard here. I want him on Miles and I want someone with weapons knowledge.”
“Weapons knowledge?” she asked weakly.
“I told you it could get hairy out there sometimes. Chances are we won’t need it. But should anyone even try to throw down, you’d be amazed at what a former Navy SEAL or an ex–special forces Marine like Gavin here can do to defuse it.”
“I’m going to go check on Miles.”
She knew he was all right. Knew it in her heart and also trusted Gavin on his word, specifically because Adrian did. But she had to see him herself.
“Go on up, English. I’ve got calls to make. There are movies in our room you might want to check out. Audition is one of them.”
She shivered. “That one is so creepy. I won’t start without you, I promise.”
After standing over Miles where he’d sprawled on the big bed, she also checked the door to the balcony, making sure it was bolted, which it was. She left his door open, knowing she’d feel better if she could hear him if he woke up.
She liked this house. It was palatial, yes, but someone lived here too. It was nicer than a hotel room would be, though she’d go along with whatever Adrian and his team decided.
“Andy, tell me the news,” he said when Cope answered.
“First things first, everyone all right?”
“Yeah. Pap just yelled from his boat asking if I wanted to introduce Gillian to the readers at home. Fuck. Um, no, I don’t! I don’t want my kid in the rags and risk him seeing twenty-five-year-old losers living at home ripping his appearance to shreds. Or saying Gillian isn’t pretty enough or that she should wear makeup to Tart or whatever. I sure as hell don’t like it when they do it to me. I’m not going to tolerate my family being pulled into it.”
