Page 3 of A Way Out (Rock Star #2)
“Were you supposed to fly out with them?” It still didn’t make a whole lot of sense, though. Why fly here and then to Missouri? Well, maybe it sort of, kind of could make sense for the one living in Washington.
“Fly out with them? What are you talking about—oh crap. The wedding.” He could practically envision the woman, slapping her palm to her forehead. “I can’t believe I forgot.”
“They haven’t been gone long,” he said helpfully. “Maybe you can still catch your flight.”
“That’s not what I forgot. I forgot about the wedding. I thought she’d be here. I don’t know what to do now.”
She sounded despondent, and Oz was a sucker for a helpless woman, apparently. “I’m going to open the gate. Why don’t you drive up so we can speak in person?”
“I assume you’re safe since you’re at their house when they’re not.”
He chuckled. “I’m the house sitter. Totally safe.”
He watched a Cadillac XT6, sport model, in a shade somewhere between gray and black, roll into view.
Nice ride .
Holly wasn’t exactly chatty about her life before forming Panic Station, but gossip and rumors filtered through bands like they were a bunch of middle schoolers, so he knew she’d come from money but had been disowned when she came to LA and formed her band.
This sister, he guessed, had not been disowned. Unless she was like Holly and had made her own fortune.
The vehicle rolled to a stop in front of the steps The tinted window rolled down, and Oz got his first glimpse of the woman driving this fine ass car.
She didn’t look very tall, although it was admittedly hard to judge, as she was seated. She was pretty, with smooth dark hair, understated makeup, and a strand of what he’d bet were real pearls around her neck.
She looked like old money.
Oz strode down the steps and started to lean on the open window, but he caught her flinch. He froze. Unbidden and yet unsurprising, he thought of his sister and the psychopath she’d married. If only any of them had realized that before the guy killed Raquel.
Oz lifted his hands, palms facing out, and said, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
Her tawny eyes widened.
“I’m Oz. Oz Garcia.” He gave a little wave and offered up an encouraging smile.
“I’m a friend of Holly and Sam’s. Taking care of the house while they get married and go on their honeymoon.
” Sort of. That he was leaving in a few days to actually go to the wedding seemed way too complicated to explain at the moment.
“Close enough to watch the house but not close enough to attend the wedding?”
“Actually, I was invited to the wedding,” he retorted.
She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m so sorry. That was rude. I’m not having the greatest of days. Or weeks, for that matter.”
“Damn. It’s only Sunday afternoon.”
“Exactly.”
Those protective instincts kicked up again. “Do you need help? A place to stay?”
Her laugh was mirthless. “All of the above and then some. God, I should have called first.” She rubbed at her forehead. “I wasn’t thinking. I just wanted to leave. I didn’t plan like I normally do. I’ve been driving for two days, and I am completely fried.”
“Do you have a name?”
She blinked.
He shrugged. “I figured maybe I should know your name before you unload any more personal info.”
“Oh. Um, Maria, er, Bernard.”
“Nice to meet you, Maria.”
He caught a glimpse of movement from behind the passenger seat, and then a child’s voice said, “Mommy, are we there yet? Can I unbuckle?”
Way too curious now, Oz leaned close enough to the vehicle to observe a toddler who was maybe three or four, buckled into a car seat. She had dark pigtails and big eyes like her mom. Flashing a smile, she waved at him; he automatically waved back.
“Hang on, Riley,” Maria said. “Aunt Holly isn’t here. I need to figure out what to do.”
She pressed a button on the vehicle’s dash, and Holly’s name flashed onto the screen.
“Hey, Maria, what’s up?” Holly’s voice cut through the speakers a moment later.
“Aunt Holly,” the little girl piped up.
“Riley? Is that you? Are you guys in the car?”
“Yes,” Maria said. “We’re parked in front of your house right now.”
“My hou—are you in LA?”
“We are.”
“What in the world are you doing there?”
Maria glanced up at Oz. “It’s a long story. And I’ve just found out you aren’t here.”
“Hey, Holly,” Oz called out, because he hated for people not to know who was listening in on their conversations.
“Oh, hey, Oz. I take it you’ve met my sister?”
“Yeah.” He paused and then asked, “Do you want to come inside?”
“Yes, please. Holly, I’m going to use the facilities and get Riley settled, then I’ll call you back.”
“Sounds good. Talk to you later. Oz, take care of her.”
“Will do,” he promised automatically. That was what he did. He took care of people.
Maria killed the engine. Oz stepped back instead of assisting Riley out of her car seat, since he didn’t want to spook mother or child.
From this vantage point, he was able to confirm that Maria wasn’t particularly tall, maybe five-five at most. He also noted that she filled out a pair of black leggings like the style had been designed specifically for her body. Holy shit.
The woman was fire .
Which was a thought he planned to keep to himself.
Besides very obviously being way outside his financial zip code, she was clearly running from something, and if he had to guess, he’d say it was a man.
Which meant the last thing she needed was some guy she didn’t know fawning all over her like she was the hottest thing he’d seen since, well, quite possibly ever.
She deftly unbuckled the toddler, lifting her out of the seat and placing her on her feet next to the vehicle. Riley stood next to her mom’s leg and stared at Oz.
“Do you have a dog?” the little girl finally asked.
He chuckled. “Nope.” There had been times in the last couple years when he wasn’t even sure how he was going to feed the kids and himself, so yeah, a dog had never been a consideration.
“She’s currently obsessed with getting a pet,” Maria said as she pulled a gigantic purse out of the car and swung it over her shoulder. “And it’s, like, the worst possible time in our lives.”
“I get it,” he said. “Come on in.” He led them up the steps to the house. “I assume you’ve been here before?”
Maria nodded. “I was here when Holly and Sam got engaged. They threw a New Year’s Eve party, and Sam popped the question right after midnight. It was so romantic.”
Ho boy, did she ever sound wistful. He bit back the urge to assure her that there were plenty of romantic guys out there in the world, and once she was over whatever the hell was going on with her current situation, she’d find one of her own.
Was it weird that he suddenly wished he were more romantic?
Yeah, it was totally weird.