Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (15 page)

Ava:
 
Really? Um, how about clear mascara, lip gloss, glitter powder, Instagram, and Snapchat?

Me:
 
Instagram only and you have a deal.

Ava:
 
Then I
’
d like to move to California with you and go to the school we visited. (And I might want to adopt a pony too.)

Me:
 
Don
’
t push your luck.
 

Ava:
 
I love you, Daddy.

Me:
 
I love you too, Ave.
 

Shelby
’
s Bungalow - Sunset Boulevard

SHELBY

I plop down on the couch in my hillside bungalow and call my former roommate.
“
Marcy, you
’
re never going to believe where I am.
”

“
I know where I am. At work.
”

“
You have to get off and come over here.
”

“
Where are you? Let me guess. Sugar Daddy kicked you out, and you need my help?
”

“
Nope. I
’
m sitting in a hillside bungalow at
the
Chateau Marmont. It
’
s where I will be living for the next month. Go home, put on the classiest thing you own, and get over here. There are rich men everywhere! You can meet one. And I worked with a personal shopper today and got a shit ton of fancy clothes, not to mention getting my hair and makeup done. You probably won
’
t even recognize me. I look totally classy.
”

“
You looked pretty for those premieres.
”

“
Yeah, but not like this. I look like a lady. I look like I
belong
here.
”

“
Reality check, Shelby. In a month, he
’
s going to find out he
’
s not your baby daddy, and you
’
re going to be out on your ass. Then what are you going to do?
”

“
Get your ass over here, and I
’
ll tell you all the dirty details. Because after last night, there
’
s no way he
’
s kicking me out.
”

I see my personal butler point Marcy in my direction poolside, where I
’
m sitting in the shade wearing a black one-piece swimsuit with a long, sheer cover-up and oversized Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses.
 

She walks right by me.
 

I grin to myself as she takes another lap.
 

When she comes back by me again, I discreetly say her name.

She turns and looks at me in shock, slowly sitting down.

“
Your hair! What did they do to it?
”

“
The stylist said I shouldn
’
t be bleaching. That my natural honey color is more flattering. What do you think?
”

“
You look like a Kardashian!
”

“
Oh my God! Do you think? Maybe I should start building my social media presence now. I
’
ll call it
The Bungalow Life.
”

“
That
’
s actually a really good idea. Those bloggers make big bucks. So tell me why you
’
re here and not with Riley. If you ask me, it
’
s a step backwards.
”

“
Except for the fact that we fucked ten ways to Sunday last night.
”

“
I thought he was in love with the preppy girl?
”

I shrug.
“
What can I say? I
’
m good.
”

“
Tell me what you did!
”

“
When he came home, I was mounted up in one of those over-the-door swings. They aren
’
t as fun as the ones that hang from the ceiling, but it served its purpose.
”

“
What were you wearing?
”

“
That black leather thong with the spiked studs on it. Nothing else.
”

“
What man can resist an invitation like that?
”

“
None that I know,
”
I agree.
 

The butler comes to stand in front of the table.
“
Miss Stanford, is there anything I can get you?
”

“
Do you have a menu or something?
”
Marcy asks.

“
We have a menu, but our bungalow guests can order whatever they are in the mood for.
”

“
You got any corndogs?
”
Marcy asks. I glare at her.
“
Just kidding.
”

“
I
’
d love a grilled chicken salad, Fred,
”
I say,
“
and a bottle of champagne, please.
”

“
Ditto,
”
Marcy says rudely.

In that moment, I realize I won
’
t be inviting Marcy back. I survey the women gathered around the pool and decide I
’
m going to learn to act like I
’
m one of them and not act like my beer-guzzling, corn-dog-eating friend.

I also realize that she
’
s the only one who knows that I
’
m not pregnant with Riley
’
s baby.
 

And that could prove to be a problem.

“
So if you could do anything
—
and money was no object
—
what would you do?
”
I ask her after she
’
s downed three glasses of champagne.
 

“
I
’
d go back to Michigan and open my own nail salon. That
’
s what I went to school for. Thought I
’
d come to L.A. and make a ton of money doing nails. Could never get on at one of those ritzy salons.
”

“
Hmm, what do you think something like that would cost?
”

“
Believe it or not, I know the answer to that question. Eleven thousand dollars. I
’
m saving for it.
”

“
How much you got?
”

“
About eight hundred,
”
she says with a sad laugh.
 

“
If you had enough money, would you leave all the sunshine and go home?
”

“
In a heartbeat,
”
she says wistfully.
“
I miss the seasons. My family thinks I work at one of those ritzy places and that I
’
m learning how to run one. I can
’
t go back until I have the money to do what I said I would do.
”
She looks at her watch.
“
Damn, I have to catch a cab. I picked up a double and need to be back to work in thirty minutes.
”

“
I
’
ll walk you out.
”
 

As soon as she leaves, I go back to my room and call Riley.
 

“
Are you almost done for the day? I
’
m lonely.
”

“
Lonely? I heard you shopped all day and were at the salon.
”

“
Maybe I
’
m just horny.
”

“
Well, that changes things.
”

“
Does that mean you
’
re on your way?
”

“
No, I have a meeting tonight. If I come, it will be later.
”

“
Riley, do you ever loan people money?
”

“
Sometimes, why?
”

“
Would you lend me eleven thousand dollars?
”

“
What for?
”

“
A friend. She wants to open a nail salon back home in Michigan. She waits tables and has been saving for over three years, but with the way things are going she
’
ll never have enough. Never mind, Riley. It
’
s stupid of me to ask. I just had the most amazing day, but I feel really guilty about it.
”

“
Why do you feel guilty?
”

“
Did you give the personal shopper a budget?
”

“
Yeah.
”

“
Was it eleven thousand dollars?
”

“
Actually, it was ten.
”

“
We spent eleven, and I was just thinking it
’
s crazy. Eleven thousand dollars for some clothes and shoes when that kind of money would change her life. Would you be mad at me if I took it all back and gave her the money?
”

“
Keep the clothes, Shelby. Call Tyler with your bank information, and I
’
ll have him wire you the money, and you can write your friend a check.
”

“
Really?
”

“
Yeah, really. It
’
s sweet of you to want to do that. You surprise me. In a good way. In fact, why don
’
t I cancel my meeting and take you out for dinner tonight? If we
’
re going to raise a baby together, I
’
d like to learn more about you.
”

“
Can we eat at the bar here at the hotel? I
’
ve heard it
’
s, like, legendary.
”
 

“
Of course we can. I
’
ll have Tyler make the arrangements.
”

I hang up the phone feeling giddy. Everything is going to work out perfectly.

And the truth is, even though I am lying to him about the baby, I wasn
’
t lying when I said I love him.
 

I look around my posh room. I mean, what
’
s not to love?

Captive Films - Santa Monica

DAWSON

It
’
s getting late, and I haven
’
t heard from Vanessa all day, so I call her.

“
How
’
s the redecorating going?
”

“
It
’
s kind of crazy here. Would you like to come over and see my empty house?
”

“
Is it completely empty? Not even a bed?
”
 

“
Do we really need a bed?
”
she asks, her voice low and sultry.

“
Probably not. I
’
m finished up here. Shall I head that way?
”

“
Yes. I miss you.
”

When I arrive, Vanessa greets me at the door, wrapped in a sheer robe and nothing else.

“
I
’
ve missed you.
”
My lips crash into hers as I pick her up and carry her into the bedroom. All that
’
s there is a mattress on the floor.
 

It
’
s all we need.

“
Damn,
”
she says, stroking my arm with the back of her hand.
“
I
’
m going to have to make you miss me more often.
”