Page 23 of Hideaway Heart

“What picture?”

“It was online this morning. I’m not sure where it was taken exactly, but you’re standing in a parking lot holding coffees.”

I groaned. “Goddamn it. Can you send me the link when we get off the phone?”

“Sure. Adelaide got the biggest kick out of it. She’s just beside herself with excitement that she’s practically breathing the same air as her favorite singer. What’s she like?”

Glancing at the house, I lowered my voice. “She’s, ah, slightly difficult.”

“Really? She seems so sweet in interviews. So down to earth.”

“Maybe she’s only sweet to people she likes.”

Veronica laughed. “She doesn’t like you?”

“Not a bit.”

“What happened to your charm and magnetism?” she teased.

“I don’t know, somehow she’s immune to it.” I left out the part where I walked in on her naked, peed on a tree close to her bedroom window, and insulted her. “Mostly she’s just pissed to have security on her vacation. Not that I blame her—the cabin she’s renting is small.”

“How many bedrooms?”

“One. And one bathroom.”

“Wow. Thatissmall, especially for two people who just met.” She giggled. “Did you cuddle up last night?”

“Hell no. After threatening to make me sleep outside, she finally offered me the couch—which is too short for me. My legs are all cramped up today.”

“You’ll live,” Veronica said cheerfully. “Try to see things from her perspective. She was probably trying to escape from being a celebrity and just be a regular person for a couple weeks.”

“But you don’t get to be a regular person if you want to be famous,” I insisted. “Why is that so hard to understand?”

“It’s not hard to understand, but it might be hard to live that way,” Veronica said gently. “Imagine being surrounded by tons of people all the time who want a piece of you, but who don’t really care. That has to be strange and lonely.”

“Stop taking her side,” I complained, even as my heart tugged a little in Kelly’s direction. “She’s mean to me.”

Veronica laughed. “Poor Xander. But lots of people are mean to her too. Adelaide and I were looking at her Instagram earlier, and some people are just flat-out rude in the comments.”

“She’s not supposed to be posting on social media anyway,” I said gruffly. “But she pays no attention to anything I say. And she tried to ditch me this morning.”

“She did?”

“Yes! Took off in her car when I was in the bathroom.”

Veronica laughed again. “How far did she get?”

“Not far at all—a Starbucks up the road. That’s where the photo you saw was taken. She got recognized inside the place, so someone probably followed us out and snapped it.”

“Well, I’d love to meet her,” said Veronica. “Why don’t you bring her over this weekend?”

“Because we’re not friends,Roni.She’s just a job.” I said the words, but somehow they rang a little false. Isort ofliked her.

And dammit, I wanted her to like me.

“Well, if you change your mind, we’re planning to throw some stuff on the grill around four tomorrow, and you’re both more than welcome. Adelaide would lose her mind if she got to meet Pixie Hart. And at least here you know she’d be safe and maybe even stay off social media.”

“I’ll think about it,” I said, eyeballing the front door again. “Thanks for the help at the bar. I owe you.”