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“If I thought it would do any good, I’d roll it up and smack you both on the nose like the naughty damned pups you are.” Greg glanced over at John, who just sat quietly, sipping his coffee. “John, can you talk any sense into these two kids of yours?”
“Only one of them is officially mine,” John reminded him over the rim of his coffee mug. It had a reprint of Munch’s “Scream” on it. “But I’d love to make the other one official, since I already think of her as my daughter.”
His words filled me with warmth.
“If he marries her, all this goes away!” Greg exclaimed. “Don’t you get that? Nights at the Waldorf Astoria and two hundred dollar pairs of Nikes go bye-bye!”
He waggled his fingers, glaring at me. I looked down at my shoes, feeling guilty. Had they really cost two hundred dollars?
“You don’t know that.” I turned to the manager, frowning. “So the news is out now. Let’s see what happens. Black Diamond is number one and the world now knows Dale Diamond has a girlfriend.”
“A fiancée,” Dale countered, putting his arms around my waist from behind. I closed my hands over his.
“So let’s see what happens,” I said.”Maybe it won’t make any difference at all.”
“I can tell you after twenty years in this business, it’s going to make a very big difference, young lady.”
“You can’t cry over spilled milk,” John interjected. “The horse is out of the barn, as they say. So let it run.”
“Let it run?” Greg put his head in his hands. “Listen, kid, I’m on your side. Quit treating me like the damned enemy. I do what I do for a reason. You might not know what that reason is, but I always have one.”
“You’re just afraid your gravy train is going to run dry,” I countered.
Greg gave me a sharp look and then met Dale’s eyes over my head.
“Did you ever think about what would happen to Sara if it leaked out that she’s your girl—fiancée? She’s going to be hounded, constantly, by the paparazzi. And they can be brutal. Once they know her name, they are going to uncover everything they can about her. And I mean everything.”
“What?” I felt suddenly faint.
“Didn’t think of that, did you, sweetheart?” Greg gave me a sad little smile.
“Fuuuuck.” Dale drew the word out, arms tightening around me, resting his cheek against the top of my head. “I’m sorry, Sara.”
“It’s not your fault.” If anything it was my fault, for nudging Matt to ask Dale to be a bridegroom, so we could walk down the aisle together, even if it wasn’t my wedding. What had I been thinking? Of course it would mean they’d dig into my past. They’d find out about the stepbeast, about my mom. About everything.
“Well I’m glad you both now see the gravity of the situation.” Greg leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Well what do you want me to do?” I threw up my hands, exasperated. “Become a hermit and never leave the house again? Move to Taiwan? Kill myself?”
Dale’s arms tightened at that last.
“No of course not.” Greg sighed. “Well… maybe that first one… just until the tour is over…”
“About that…” Dale kissed the top of my head. “It’s probably not the best time to bring it up, but I want to bring her on tour.”
The manager looked at him, aghast, and so did I.
“Absolutely not.” Greg’s jaw tightened. “I forbid it.”
“Everyone already knows, right?” Dale shrugged. “So if she’s on tour with me, we have round the clock protection. If she’s here?”
“I’ve been fine here,” I protested, glancing at John. “We’ve been fine, haven’t we?”
“True.” John nodded. “But that was before they were focused on you. Now they have a name to go with the face. We’re secluded here, but not that secluded.”
“You really want me to go with you?” I turned in Dale’s arms, looking up at him.
“I’m tired of being apart.” He pressed his forehead to mine. “I can’t stand one more goodbye.”
