“I was just starting to worry about you,” she said. “Did you have another long day?”
“You could say that.” I filled her in.
“I just can’t…how…I…I don’t have words, Kennedy.” Mom let out a long breath. “You’re welcome to stay here. We could share a bed. Or I’ll sleep on the couch and you can have my room. It’ll be like when you were a little girl again.”
“I’m not putting you out of your room and I’m sorry, I love you, you know I do. But you snore like an obese bulldog. I think I’m better off at Nana Maxine’s, as long as the ceiling doesn’t fall and kill me.”
Mom snorted. “Her house can’t be that bad…”
“Maybe I’m exaggerating. A little.”
We said our goodbyes and I called Nan to explain what happened.
When I finished telling her about my too-quiet neighbor, she tsked. “That’s the first thing you learn raising kids, silence means something very bad is about to happen. It’s the calm before the wet, roach infested apartment.”
I bobbed my head as the hot tub duo ambled out of their apartment, looking jazzed by the experience. “Hey, neighbor! Can you believe it?” Paul-whatever tossed her hair and giggled. “I mean who would have thought, you know?”
“Right.” I tried not to growl. “Who would have thought?”
They climbed into the car next to mine and exchanged a high-five.
Nan cleared her throat. “Funny thing. My neighbors can flood their house without ruining my day.”
“Go ahead. Laugh it up. You’ve earned it.”
“I assume you’d like a room in my deathtrap?”
“I could just stay in the guesthouse so I won’t be in your way.”
“That would be awkward, since Joe’s staying there and you two can’t stand each other.”
My eyes widened and I dropped my head in my hand. How could I forget my arch nemesis? For that matter, how could I be in a situation where I’d almost be living with him?
I waved the proverbial white flag. If this was my punishment for trying to pull a fast one on Nan the other day, I promised I’d never try to lie again.
“You’re welcome to stay in the spare room upstairs for as long as you need. It’ll be good to have you around.”
“Thanks,” I began, at the same time she said, “And Joe has been spending more time without a shirt, so, you know, bonus points.”
“Nan. No. Too far.” Even as I protested, my libido gave the image of shirtless Joe an enthusiastic two thumbs up. Maybe I needed to take Ramsey up on his offer of drinks next time, just to give myself someone else to fawn over. “You’re almost as bad as Delores.”
“No one’s as bad as Delores,” Nan said with a sigh.
I had to admit she had a point. “I promised Mom I’d bring her dinner, but are you good if I come by after? It’ll be late-ish. Like nine, or so?”
“Remind me. Which one of us is the old woman?” Nan laughed. “Nine o’clock isn’t late, roomie. See ya then!”
Chapter Ten
Joe
“I still can’t believe that stupid disguise works.” I shook my head at my brother, who had his arm around his wife’s shoulders and a grin the size of the Pyramid of Giza.
Collin tugged at his ballcap and adjusted the brown wig covering his red hair. “Harlow was right,” he said, giving her a squeeze. “People are too caught up in themselves to pay much attention to anyone else.”
My brother was one of the most famous singer-songwriters of the decade—Collin West. The two of us traveled the world while he toured, and I had his back through some rough shit until he met Harlow Hutton, who he promptly fell in love with and married. They’d just returned from their honeymoon, glowing from weeks of sight-seeing and sex.
All around us, a raucous crowd laughed and celebrated the end of another weekday at The Pact, a bar owned by one of Lucas and Harlow’s brothers. Everyone in the place went about their evening, oblivious to the superstars in their midst.
It boggled the mind.
Harlow pulled a pair of dark-rimmed glasses down her nose and peered at me. “People know I’m from around here. They know my brother owns the bar. But a messy bun and some Clark Kent glasses keep me safe.” She shook her head. “Maybe it’d be different if they got their noses out of their phones.”
Lucas slid in beside me, a beer clutched in each hand. “Leave it to my sister and her deep