Page 56 of Caught Looking

We could trust them.

I glanced at Rhett. He shrugged. “Might as well tell them.”

The poker chips were forgotten. I didn’t look away from Rhett for this first part. It was time to come clean and I needed to look him in the eyes. “First off, I want to make it crystal clear that Annalise and I are together. We’re real.”

Rhett’s jaw snapped and his eyes went dark. But he didn’t lunge across the table and strangle me, so that was something. He’d probably save that for later.

“But it started as a friend helping a friend.” I told them everything.

“I have always hated Owen fucking Montgomery,” Chris seethed. “He keeps coming after me like I’m not married to a fucking brilliant photographer. If I want my life documented there is only one person I’m letting do it.”

“Have you ever been golfing with him?” Wes asked, staring at the table.

“I have.”

“He’s scum,” Wes whispered. Then he rubbed his eyes. “That bastard gavemenightmares.”

“Why did they hire him to document the Tangerines if he’s so awful?” Everett asked.

I shrugged because it baffled me too. “Maybe it’s one of those inside secrets? We all know he’s an asshole but maybe their celebrity owners don’t.” So they’d hiredthe best.

“Hell,” Everett leaned back in his chair, “they should have hired Willa.”

Willa Cooper had been our third leg on a three-legged stool in college. Ev, Me, and Willa were as tight as friends got. Only Everett never got the blatantly obvious memo that Willa was in love with him. Then he disappeared off the radar when he got the yips. Willa and I remained close.

And she had a huge talent. In college she’d documented our team for us. It won awards. But since then she’d gone in a different direction.

Maybe if I could talk some sense into Kristin Holt and Travis Brantley and offer them a valid alternative, they’d listen.

“You need somewhere to stay?” Marcus asked.

“She’s staying at my place for now,” Rhett ground out.

Yep. I was getting an ass kicking later. “You got a line on something old man?”

Marcus shrugged his wide shoulders. “My life is here in Boston now. The last couple of years we haven’t even gone to visit the house in Tampa. Was thinking of selling it.”

I sat up straighter. “You live down the street from Rhett, don’t you?”

Marcus laughed. “Well, I used to. That’s where the house is. Interested?”

“Maybe.” Did I want to buy a house? Maybe. Yes?

Rhett growled but didn’t say anything.

“How about you use it for a little while. See if it suits you. If you want it, let me know. We’ll work it out. If not,” he shrugged, “I’ll just put it on the market. But it’s secure. That’s why I bought it.”

And why Rhett lived down the street. I’d been to Marcus’s once when he retired. I didn’t remember much about it other than it was on the water and the whole house seemed to be built around the pool.

A pool. A yard. Security. A place where Annalise and I could figure out who we were away from Owen. “I appreciate it.”

“I’ll get you the keys and have my company make sure it’s ready for you.” Marcus nodded once. Done deal.

The rest of the guys were pissed on our behalf. “You need anything, you say the word,” Erik said.

“We can make a body disappear if needed,” Chris grinned. “I have a boat.”

After the poker game Rhett followed me back to my room as expected. I unlocked the door and held it open. He stepped inside without saying a word.