“Sure. How do you take it?”
“It’s for the fudge, not to drink.”
“You’re making me coffee fudge?”
River smiled over at her and replied, “I’m making it for everyone. There are no almonds in there, so I can’t add those, but hopefully, you’ll like it.”
“It’s for everyone, but you hopeIlike it?” Kennedy teased.
“Shut up.” River laughed and opened the chocolate chip bags. “And no, I don’t have a whole vision of your lives in my head.”
“You thought we lived by the ocean and that I don’t or can’t cook, probably because you think we have a full staff at our house.”
Kennedy moved over to the coffee machine and got to work.
“I meant the cooking thing as a general getting-to-know you question. And I guess I thought all celebrities live by the ocean.”
“Most don’t. There are only so many truly private beachfront properties anywhere, but especially in a highly concentrated place like LA. I don’t know that I want a house on the beach to begin with, but even if I did, it would have to be as secluded as I can get it. For Cam, too. We have to be careful. We live in a gated community not because that’s where rich people live, but because if we didn’t, unsavory people could get to us.”
“Like those bus tours of celebrity homes?”
“Those still manage to make it in at times, but I meant really unsavory people. Criminals, mostly. Stalkers specifically is what I’m worried about.”
River stopped what she was doing and turned to see Kennedy staring at the coffee as it streamed into a cup.
“Have you ever–”
“Yes,” Kennedy interjected. “On my show.”
“Shit, Kennedy.”
“I was fine. It was just scary.”
River walked over to her and, without thinking, placed her hand on the small of Kennedy’s back.
“You were really okay? Is he behind bars?”
“He’s out now, unfortunately. It’s a long story, and I did not mean to get us on this topic.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind. I feel shitty for not even thinking about that before.”
“Never had someone write you letters about how you’re meant to be every day for a year and then show up on yourset and inside your trailer? You’re really missing out, River,” Kennedy said, but River could tell that she was deflecting.
“He was in your trailer?”
“Yes. He didn’t hurt me. He tried to plead his case that he was the one for me, and I got security there.”
“And he wasn’t arrested?”
“He was. He served a little time, but he got out. He was required to enter a program, and he did that, I guess. I haven’t heard from him since.”
“I’m sorry, Kennedy. I hate people sometimes.”
“I don’t know.Youare kind of growing on me.” Kennedy smiled before she cleared her throat and moved back away from River, who only just remembered that she’d had her hand on Kennedy’s lower back. “So, fudge?”
“Do you want to learn or watch me make it?”
“Both. How do I do that?”
