Beverly Hills Hotel but…”
“You know I don’t care about that.” I sigh. “I’m not sure if I can impose on him again.”
“Does he know who you are?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. He’s aware I come from money, I think, but he only knows me as Sofia. Not Sofia Winters, heiress to the Winters Hotel empire.”
“Okay, how about this? I’ll go to the mall, get you some clothes and toiletries to get you through the next few days. While I’m gone, you can talk to Jett and see if you can stay here. If not, we’ll think of something else. Okay?”
I look at her for a minute. When I ran, I really didn't have a plan; I still don’t have one. I just need some time to get my head straight. Some time away from Thomas, from my parents, and from the paparazzi.
“Okay, thank you. That could work. But you'll have to go a few towns over. And nothing fancy.” I look down at my clothes. “Target clothes will be fine. I need to blend in and not bring attention to myself.”
“I can do that. Been a while since I’ve been at a mall. Should be fun.” She bounces in her seat a little, seeming excited by our covert operation. It makes me feel a little better, like everything isn’t so dire.
I met Maya on the first day of preschool and we've been friends ever since. I don’t know where I’d be without her in my life. Growing up and surrounded by stuffy adults at all the parties we had to attend, we were lucky we had each other's company. When we got our licenses, we drove straight to Rodeo Drive and shopped till we dropped.
She stands, and I do too. I put my arms around her, squeezing her tight. “Thank you, Maya.”
“You would do the same for me. Now, here you go. I got these for you, before anyone noticed.” She pulls out my phone and my purse from her bag.
“Thanks. Oh,” I say, picking up a baseball cap I found on the kitchen counter. “Should I do something with my hair?”
“Like what? You better not be thinking about cutting it yourself. Mario would kill you.”
I lift my hair into a ponytail and slip it through the hole at the back. “No, I wouldn’t do that. But what about putting a color through it? That way, if anyone sees me, they'll need to look twice to recognize who I am. I know I can't hide forever but, maybe…”
“Okay, I’ll get some hair dye too. But I am not going to the salon with you. When Mario sees you, he may just faint.”
She's not lying either. Mario is the best hairdresser in the southern hemisphere. He books out months in advance and is very selective of his clientele.
We make our way downstairs, and I walk Maya to her car. She waves at someone behind me, and I turn to see Jett wiping his hands on a rag. I pause to take him in; he looks sexy as hell in his fitted black T-shirt that molds to his chest and with jeans that were made for his body. He approaches me as Maya reverses out, honking the car horn as she drives off.
“Nice hat.”
I smile. “Sorry, hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all. Did the visit go well?”
Jett walks back into the shop, and I follow him but slip and stumble on something on the floor. Grease, maybe? Jett’s arm instantly wraps around me, stopping me from falling.
“If you're going to stick around here for a few days, we may need to get you some different footwear. I mean, I love these shoes”—he opens the door to an office, then closes it behind me—“but they're not very practical around a shop like this.”
“Hmm… about that.”
He sits against a big desk. “Babe”—he takes hold of my hand and yanks, pulling me in between his thighs, his hands resting on my hips—“I know you’re running from something, and you don’t need to tell me from what. But if you need a place to lie low for a few days, you’re welcome to stay with me. It’s not much, but no one will annoy you here.”
I rest my hands on his chest. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. And as much as I enjoyed last night, I promise to keep my hands off you.”
“Thank you, Jett, for everything. There aren't a lot of men like you around.”
“Do you want to borrow my truck to go