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said, extending her gloved hand toward Courtney. Phone tag insinuated Courtney had tried calling the television host back, something she had not done. But there was no point in correcting her. “I hoped we could chat,” Aimee continued.
Chat. The woman didn’t know the meaning of the word. She’d seen a few episodes of the Star Insider, and when the woman did an interview, it resembled an interrogation from a police drama.
She eyed the distance between her and the main entrance. If she made a run for it, she’d only draw more attention her way. People on the sidewalk were already slowing down and looking in their direction. Not to mention, Aimee might sneak inside before the door closed behind her.
“Maybe for a few minutes. I don’t have a lot of time tonight.” She’d seen family members handle the media before. Sometimes if you gave them an inch, they took it and left you alone. Of course, sometimes the reporters took what you gave them and tried to hang you with it. She’d heard Aimee was the hanging type, so she needed to watch every word she said.
Aimee smiled, reminding Courtney of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland, and she immediately regretted her decision. “Don’t worry, I won’t take a lot of your time. Earlier this evening I caught J.T. on his way in. He mentioned you have some plans this evening.”
Just how long had she been hanging around outside? Whether Josh had something planned for them or not, she’d use his statement to her advantage. “Uh, yeah. We’re meeting with the wedding planner this evening.” She ignored the stares following them as they entered the building and walked toward one of the small sitting areas in the lobby.
“Do you mind if I record this?” Aimee pulled off her gloves and winter coat as she sat down.
If she said yes, it might appear as though she had something to hide. While she did, Courtney didn’t want Aimee to think she did. “Of course not.”
Aimee signaled to the woman with the video camera and the photographer to get into position and waited until the camerawoman gave her a thumbs-up. Then she launched into her list of questions saved on her phone, starting with how they’d met and how they’d managed to keep their romance a secret for so long. After blowing through those at a breakneck speed, she moved on to Josh’s reputation—a topic Courtney tried to keep far from her thoughts. Sometimes she was more successful than others.
“How do you feel about the fact J.T. has been associated with so many women over the years?”
“It’s in his past, so it doesn’t bother me. Just like whoever I dated before him doesn’t matter to him.” Courtney mentally high-fived herself for giving the reporter what she considered the perfect answer.
The woman patted Courtney’s arm as if consoling a dear friend. “I doubt you can compare your past with his. He’s been photographed more than once with a topless woman on his boat. And he’s been rumored to have threesomes. Not to mention, I have it on good authority he cheated on Naomi Tillman, the mother of his daughter, and that was why she ended their relationship.”
They’d never gone into specifics about why his relationship with Naomi ended. Still, the idea he’d cheated on her didn’t sit right. As for the other rumor, she’d never heard it mentioned anywhere, but it didn’t mean it wasn’t true.
But whatever the truth, she wasn’t going to let Aimee think his past bothered her. “The past is the past. I’ve seen people change when they fall in love. My cousin Trent is a perfect example of that. And I know Josh loves me.”
Okay, she knew he didn’t love her, but he did care about her. If their relationship was truly all about getting back custody of his daughter and physical pleasure, he wouldn’t hold her during the night. No, he’d enjoy the sex—correction, the mind-blowing sex—and head back down the hall to his bedroom. He wouldn’t make sure he was up every morning so he could have coffee with her before she left for work. And he wouldn’t sit around at night and watch old sitcoms with her or play chess.
“True, but not all women would feel the same way. J.T.’s lucky to have someone who is so understanding.” Pulling a bottle of water from her giant shoulder bag—the thing was so large Courtney wondered what else she might have inside it—she took a sip before continuing. “Other than a date and location, no details about your upcoming wedding have been released. People are understandably curious, especially since you’ve only been engaged since December. It’s even been suggested you’re rushing the wedding because you’re pregnant. Is it true?”
The heat burning her neck made an instant detour to her face. That rumor was floating around? Maybe she needed to pay closer attention to the tabloids.
“Nope.” One thing she could say with certainty was that she and Josh would never be expecting a child. “Since we just want a small wedding, we saw no reason to have a long engagement.”
Aimee’s expression went from expectant to disappointed. “So it’ll only be family members at the wedding.”
They’d both included a handful of friends to the guest list, but Courtney saw no reason to share specific details with the reporter. “More or less.” She turned over the cell phone in her hand and glanced at the device. “It’s later than I realized. I’m sorry I can’t chat longer.”
Aimee again flashed her bright smile and stood as Courtney did. “Will you be granting any media outlets access to the wedding?”
“We haven’t decided.” They discussed it and agreed to keep it as private as possible, so only Today Magazine would have access to Cliff House for the wedding. Of course, it wouldn’t stop other reporters and photographers from camping outside the fence. The woman standing in front of her didn’t need to know that either.
She kept her eyes focused on her destination, the elevator, rather than the people still glancing her way. Thank you, she thought when the doors opened immediately, allowing her to escape the unwanted attention.
Josh glanced at his watch while he listened to his father again invite them over this weekend. Where was she? She was usually home by now.
“Sorry, this weekend doesn’t work,” Josh explained for the second time. “How about one night next week? Maybe Evan and Gemma can join us.”
He got it. His dad and Laura wanted to meet Courtney before the wedding. But he had other ideas for them this weekend, ideas that didn’t include her family or his. Maybe if his dad had called earlier in the week and invited him, he would’ve been more open to the idea. The night before he planned to take her away for the weekend was just too late.
“I’ll call Evan on Monday and see what he has going on next week and then call you.” If another couple joined them at dinner, it would take some of the attention off Courtney. “Say hi to Laura and tell her I hope she feels better soon.”
The woman needed to stop going on cruises. Last winter, she’d sprained her wrist when she slipped on water near a pool and tried to break her fall. The winter before that, she got food poisoning while on a cruise in the Caribbean. This time she’d turned her ankle walking down the stairs and broke it, forcing them to end their vacation early and return home.
From inside the kitchen, he heard the door open. Josh stepped into the hall as Courtney slipped off her long wool coat, revealing the forest green, knee-length dress underneath. He didn’t know what they called the style of the dress, but he did know it hugged her in all the right places. And he wanted nothing more than to ease it off her shoulders and past her breasts so he could give them the attention they deserved. Then he’d tug it the rest of the way down and take her in the hallway.
But what he wanted and what he planned to do existed on two different planets.
