The Rock Star’s Fake Fiancee - Kenzie Reed Page 0,94
of the fence twenty-four hours a day. We’ve set up security cameras, too, and those are constantly being monitored. Nobody could sneak in here.
And yet…I don’t think Callie’s here. I’m almost certain it’s an intruder. Unfortunately, my cell phone is sitting on the table. Moving quietly, I peek through the gap between two screens.
Oh hell.
Not an intruder. Worse.
It’s Carole. And Daisy. And Mayor Culpepper. And Tyrell, Callie’s uncle and owner of the newspaper. And Callie’s cousin Naomi. And Gramma Mae. Daisy, Carole, Naomi and the mayor are sitting at the four chairs around the table, and the others are standing.
The mayor has a shotgun lying across the table in front of him.
Daisy reaches over and grabs a handful of the French fries I cooked. Her mother smacks her hand. Daisy looks at her defiantly and stuffs the French fries in her mouth.
They all turn to look expectantly in my direction. They heard me call out, so they know I’m here.
And I left my clothes in the kitchen.
It’s dark in the barn, but it’s not going to be dark enough to hide my naked ass. Picturing the mayor’s shotgun, I look around the dressing room area for pants. I grab a pair that are hanging off the rack and pull them on. As I zip them up, I realize they’re Parker’s. He’s stockier than me, so they’re loose…and they’re bell bottoms with big flowers embroidered on them. Monica got some hippie clothes for a baby-bump photo shoot of her and Parker. She wore a flower crown and had flowers painted on her face and her pregnant belly, and Parker was an over-the-top hippy dude. It was cute and funny in that context; on me, it looks idiotic.
“We know you’re in there!” Mayor Culpepper yells.
“Coming!” I yell back.
I want to change out of the pants, but I don’t have time. I rip the chef’s hat off my head, untie the apron, and snatch a T-shirt off a hanger. I put it on and hurry out into the dining room.
“Hello, Sebastian,” Daisy says, and she shoves a French fry in her mouth. “You’ve got some ‘splaining to do.”
“Uh, hey,” I say. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“It looks like you’re engaged to be married, yet making a romantic dinner for my daughter.” Carole Abernathy looks at me with a contempt that makes me want to shrivel up and fall through a crack on the floor.
“That’s not it,” I say desperately.
“I thought so highly of you, too.” She’s got the mournful, woe-is-me tone of voice perfected, that’s for sure. “Did the whole band know? Even Monica?”
“What the hell are you wearing, son?” Mayor Culpepper demands.
“Is that some kind of big city fashion trend?” Tyrell squints at my shirt. “I hope it’s a short-lived one.”
I stare down at my outfit. My T-shirt says “Feel the Heat” and has a picture of me playing a guitar.
I flash a sickly smile. “Uh, it’s a kind of private joke.”
Mayor Culpepper’s frown deepens. “I don’t get it.” He fingers the shotgun as he stares at me.
“I just can’t believe Callie would do something like this.” Carole shakes her head slowly.
I feel utterly horrible, but I don’t want to tell her the truth without Callie’s permission. That will open up another can of worms—the fact that Callie paraded around in front of everyone in disguise, pretending to be some mystery woman. She lied to her family. I wouldn’t feel right snitching on her.
“I agree, I never thought she had it in her.” Gramma Mae reaches over and grabs some fries too.
“Gramma Mae!” Daisy glowers at her. “Don’t make it sound like something fun and mildly naughty. She’s cavorting with a man who’s almost married! And stop stealing my fries. I’m a nursing mother, I need the calories.”
Gramma Mae snorts. “Your fries? Those are Callie’s fries.”
“They’re adultery fries. The fries of sin. None of you should be eating them.” Carole pulls the bowl away from them and sets it down in front of her.
Mayor Culpepper reaches his arm out and pulls the shotgun closer to him.
“Callie was never like that before you got here.” His thick brows draw together. “We welcomed you to our town. Treated you like family.”
“You did,” I say hopelessly. And I can’t stop staring at the shotgun as it inches closer to him.
This is a freaking nightmare. Mystery fiancée? What was I thinking? How stupid could I be? I mean, how did I think it was going to end? Especially once I started actually dating Callie.