Page 115 of Pink

Gigi sighed. “Mom.”

“Kidding.” Then, she smiled wider at Lev. “Hi. I’m Kimie Parker. And you’re the man I keep seeing plastered all over the papers with my daughter—Lev, right?”

His mouth opened to reply.

No sound came out.

Behind Kimie Parker, the security in the middle of the three men explained, “Screened as always, Miss Gigi. We didn’t think you would mind her coming to the door without a phone call, however.”

“That’s fine,” Gigi replied.

“Is it?” Lev muttered.

Kimie’s gaze turned on Gigi, a little sharper than it had been for Lev when she said, “So, what the tabloids said were true?”

“Well—”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

Gigi laughed weakly. “I didn’t want you to worry. A lot of it is nothing but lies.”

“Right.”

“What are you doing here, Mom?”

“You’re walking the runway for Fashion Week, and you seriously thought I wouldn’t come to watch you? At home?”

Beside him, Gigi stared at her mother like she was begging the woman for something he didn’t understand.

“Are we going to keep standing here like this or are you inviting me in?” Kimie asked. “I didn’t drive here from Jersey to book my own hotel room, Gi. I shouldn’t have needed to wait thirty minutes downstairs, either. I’m your mother.”

Okay, that was enough of that. Lev stepped back from the door first, but Gigi was quick to follow when he said, “Come on in. We’re waiting for food, and then we’re going to wake up my daughter to eat. You might as well join, right?”

Kimie huh’d under her breath, saying to Gigi as she passed her by beyond the doorway, “He’s really got a kid, too, does he? I thought the rags were just reaching with that. Apparently, I should be following the tabloids more often. They clearly know more about your life than I do lately, Gigi.”

Ouch.

Gigi said nothing, simply slammed the door behind her mother. The stare she shot him, however, both pleaded and thanked him at the same time. For what, he had no idea.

But damn.

This had been quite the morning. It could only go up from here, right?

Lev hoped so.

• • •

“Arely’s first day at kindergarten went spectacularly,” Lev said, laughing. “And you’d be proud of how many pictures I took.”

“I liked the one you sent me. Did she pick the outfit, or you?”

“Her.”

Gigi grinned, the pride shining through when she replied, “Girl has style, Lev. You should really consider getting her an agent or something.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

A shrug fell from her shoulders. “Partly.”