Page 126 of Pink

By the time Gigi did get to her mother’s room, the hospital announced over the speaker system that visiting hours were ending. One of the two people waiting outside her mother’s room had Gigi grateful for the announcement.

Kayla offered her a small smile and a warm hug that Gigi took happily, saying, “Didn’t want to head out before I could say goodbye. Don’t worry. I’ll have all the changes in the schedule handled. I’ve already got a new suite—a whole floor, actually—booked and ready at The Plaza. Just worry about your mom tonight, okay?”

“Thanks. For everything. You’ve always got it under control even when everything is blowing up around me, Kayla.”

“Seems as though that’s happening a lot lately, doesn’t it?” asked the woman to Kayla’s left.

It was the first time Gigi had seen Marla since the women flew in. Her agent wore the same white power suit she always preferred, and the cold attitude that could burn anyone who got too close hadn’t changed, either.

Nothing new to see here.

“Marla,” Gigi said, offering nothing else.

Not a hug.

Her hand.

Or a fuck, either.

“I sincerely hope this latest issue isn’t going to affect your walk in the Delavange show in two days, Gigi. It’s too late to consider changing the headliner now. Delavange won’t be pleased, and you can bet you won’t wear another of his garments let alone walk in Fashion Week again if you pull out now.”

That’s what she cared about?

“I haven’t even seen my mother yet, and you’re already barking at me about my runway walk,” Gigi said. “I don’t even know if she’s awake in there or—”

“She is,” Kayla spoke up, shooting Marla a frown. “Or she was when I talked to her. She said the water tasted like crap, so I ran down to the vending machines and got her a bottle that she likes instead. She looks worse than she is, I promise. The doctor said she would be out of here in a few days. They just want to see the swelling go down and make sure there’s no infection in the wound on her head.”

Bile rose to the back of Gigi’s tongue. They found her mother in the bathtub, unconscious. The detective was right in how he made her feel—this was partly her fault. She just wasn’t clear on all the damn details.

The guilt would kill her.

“And she was asking for you … a lot,” Kayla added.

Perfect.

That just made Gigi’s heart hurt worse.

“Yes, unfortunate your mother was hurt today,” Marla said, lifting her hand to inspect the French manicure on her nails as she spoke. “Seems bad things tend to happen when you’re not where you’re supposed to be, Gigi. A shame, that.”

“What does that mean?”

Marla shrugged, her steely brown gaze drifting from Gigi to a spot over her shoulder when she replied, “Well, had you been at our meeting during lunch, then you and the entire security team would have been at the hotel, yes? Something to consider. And do not think for one second that this little issue of your mother being in the hospital will stop your responsibilities. You’re still expected to show up for the run-through with the rest of the models for tomorrow as well as the—”

“Marla,” Kayla muttered.

“One thing at a time, then.” The woman lifted her hands high at Gigi’s glare. “I’m just saying. It wasn’t like the team needed another mess piled on top of the mountain you’ve already created for us during this trip, Gigi. You used to be so much better at just doing what you were told … we had much less problems then.”

She was not doing this.

Not tonight.

“That’s quite enough,” Gigi muttered, over the entire day. She had more questions than answers. A mother that needed her. A runway walk coming up that she couldn’t not do but no longer really gave a shit about. And a man who still wasn’t answering her calls. The last thing she was going to do was stand here with Marla and let the bitch tear her down more than she already was, even if only emotionally. “Visiting hours are over. Make sure the car is here in the morning—I’ll be in the backseat on time, ready for the day. Are we clear?”

Marla tipped her head up, her gaze colder than ever when she replied, “I’m not sure there’s very much that’s clear in your world right now, Gigi.”

How could she respond to that?

Gigi didn’t even bother.