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What choice do you have?
She bounced her head against the cushion of the couch. None. No choice at all without emptying out her savings. First month, last month, security, on no notice? Yeah—thousands of dollars even in the crappiest parts of town. Not to mention moving.
She forced herself to read the letter. The legal jargon was hard to wade through, but the gist was that she’d become a nuisance. Gee, there was that lovely word again. That the neighbors around her—she’d bet ten dollars it was Mr. Zulinski—had complained enough that her landlord had no choice but to evict her.
She didn’t want to be a nuisance. She would love to tell the reporters to take a hike, but the more she spoke to them, the more they wanted. The only recourse had been to ignore them. Why wouldn’t it blow up in her face?
Shocker.
Well, one thing was for sure. She hadn’t had this problem until Michael. Sure there had been a three-ring circus after Snake died, but it had died down as quickly as it had bubbled up. Michael was a rising star, with a famous family added into the mix. And it had taken two of them to make this mistake.
She hauled herself up off the floor and up the stairs before she could think about it. She’d talk to him. Maybe she and Axl could crash at his place until she found work. Then she could get a place. Michael kept asking her take advantage of the perks of being married.
Perks that didn’t include her being naked.
Though, honestly, that was a damn good one. She pushed that aside for practical matters. She had forty-eight hours to get her life on track. She took a minute to call Lori and update her on the mess. She agreed to take Axl for the night so she could feel out Michael.
Yeah, you’ll feel him out all right.
She dragged her old hardback suitcase out of the closet, and ignored that damn voice. Okay so maybe she listened a little when she pulled out matching underwear to toss into the mix of clothes. She only took a few days worth. The rest would have to be packed up. She’d have to use Axl’s savings, but she’d be sure to put the money back as soon as possible.
She called for a cab. She’d have to use some of her precious last paycheck, but getting a bus to Malibu would take her all night in transfers. She filled her duffel bag with paperwork she thought she might need and hoped that she wasn’t making a colossal mistake.
By the time the cab arrived, four more cars and a van were out front again.
An older gentlemen leaned out the window. “You some sort of famous person, lady?”
Chloe opened the door and shoved her bags in before dropping into the backseat. “No, just someone in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She huffed out a laugh. “About three times now.”
“Now there’s a story.”
“A long and rather boring one.” She looked over her shoulder as two cars started following them. She gave the driver Michael’s address as she glanced at his tag. “Carl, there’s an extra twenty in it if you lose them.”
“Now that’s what I like to hear.”
There was a small part of her that felt bad for her neighbors, but the rest of her was relieved to leave them in the rearview tonight. She was tired of being selfless today. There was only so many times she could get kicked in the face before she started slapping back.
It wasn’t a short ride to her husband’s house. God, just the word sounded foreign on her tongue. But if she was going to ask for help, then it was time say the word out loud. Even if she didn’t know exactly what she was going to say when she got to his door.
They got off the highway and Laguna P
oint’s craggy coastline came into view. The waves crashed and foamed just below them on the winding coastal road. Buildings got ritzier and more glamorous with every turn. By the time Carl pulled up to the address Michael had given her, all the spit had dried in her mouth.
“Are you sure this is it?”
“Yep.” He craned his neck up at the apartment complex. “You sure are movin’ on up there, lady.”
She opened the door, wincing as she read the fare. It took almost half the money in her pocket, but she didn’t short him on the tip. Including the extra twenty she’d promised him. “Thanks.”
“Pleasure.” He gave her a wink and took the money from the small window. She slung her purse and duffel bag over her shoulder, then dragged her suitcase onto the huge, circular sidewalk. Her driver pulled away right after she shut the door, and she had to stifle the urge to call him back.
This so couldn’t be right. She could smell the ocean from where she stood, though she couldn’t see it thanks to the monolith of a building in front of her. A huge stone garden with a steel and glass sign told her she was indeed in the right place.
Laguna Estates.
The other side of the world from Carson.
She’d never cared about the way she looked until right then. For God’s sake, she hadn’t even taken time to change out of her work clothes. She tucked her hair behind her ear, wishing for one of her hair ties. She should have taken a shower or made herself a little more presentable—something.
