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“Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t Mom and Dad tell me?”
“We all thought you had enough on your mind already. It’s no big deal.”
Yes, it was. A huge deal. Bullies were after my sister because of me. I took a deep breath but failed to calm myself. How had I let it come to this point? I’d ignored the tabloids because I didn’t care what Marion said, what anyone thought. But I’d never imagined it would escalate like this. Did my parents have to deal with uncomfortable questions? Had they kept this from me just so they wouldn’t worry me? I was thirty-two. They didn’t have to protect me.
I needed to fix this.
Was this what Hailey Connor had meant when she’d said innocents could be dragged in?
Despite myself, I’d slid Hailey’s business card into my wallet after she left my office last week. I smiled, remembering the unabashed way she gave me shit, the way her brown eyes had narrowed on me. I’d liked her eagerness to do her job. I admired her persistence, even though I’d been pissed that my team had blindsided me with the meeting. She hadn’t been intimidated by me. That had been sexy as hell. And the way her dark hair fell over her breasts, highlighting her small waist had been even sexier.
When she’d left her card on my desk, I’d nearly wrapped an arm around her waist, pulled her flush against me to kiss her. Clearly, I was out of my mind.
But the fact remained that my approach had been wrong. I’d thought I didn’t need anyone managing the scandal, that it would just fade away on its own. I was still convinced that it would eventually die down, but if there was a risk it would harm those I loved before that, then I’d do whatever it took to manage it.
“Did you hear anything I just said?” Bianca inquired as we headed to my car.
“Sorry, I was lost in thought.”
“Hmmm... were you thinking about a woman?”
“No.”
“You totally were. You answered too quickly.”
“Mind your own business, Bee-Bee.”
“Let’s make a deal: you stop calling me that, and I won’t annoy you. On second thought... nope. I like annoying you too much. So... who were you thinking about?”
“Bee-Bee,” I warned.
“Fine, keep your secrets. I hope to meet her soon.”
I said nothing. I didn’t want to bash my sister’s hopes. Bianca was too young to understand what it was like to be so deeply betrayed, hurt, and disappointed that you could never imagine trusting anyone with your happiness again.
I was hoping she’d never have to find out. I would do my damn best to make sure no asshole broke her heart. Then again, I wasn’t the best judge of character, or I wouldn’t have bought Marion’s spiel.
After dropping off my sister, I called Deborah.
“Reid, I’m about to leave the office. Anything you need me to do before?”
“Listen, Bianca just gave me some troubling news. Kids at school are picking on her because of the things the tabloids are saying.”
“Ah....”
“Are you sure no one in our PR team can handle this?”
“They wouldn’t be half as good at it as someone routinely dealing with tabloids and gossip sites. I have a list of other specialized agencies. I’ll call another one and set up a meeting for you since things between you and Ms. Connor clearly didn’t work out.”
I clasped the steering wheel tighter, considering this. Judging by the fact that the first thing that came to mind when I thought of Hailey Connor was the way her hips had swayed when she walked out the door, I should tell Deborah to find someone else. Yet I couldn’t ditch the thought that Hailey was the right person for this.
“No, it’s fine. I’ll contact Ms. Connor myself.”
I needed to fix this mess. The first step was getting back in Hailey Connor’s good graces.
Chapter Three
Hailey
