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“I wouldn’t thank me yet. I’m not sure my phone call will do any good.”
“I wasn’t just thanking you for making the phone call. I was thanking you for being such a good person—whether it’s taking an unpopular girl to prom, or making sure a woman gets her leaky faucet fixed, or jeopardizing your career to save a prostitute.”
“I’m not that good—”
She grabbed his shirt and tugged him closer. “Can you just learn to take a compliment, Nash Beaumont?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said in his sexy Southern drawl, then he dipped his head and kissed her. But before she could melt against him like butter on warm toast, Nash’s cell phone rang. He gave her one last quick kiss before glancing at the screen to see who was calling.
“It’s Grayson.” He answered the phone. “Please tell me that you’re on your way to Fiji for the shoot, Gray. Deacon will kill you if you don’t get that bathing suit catalog ready by the end of this month.” He paused. “Good. So I’m assuming you talked your perfect model into joining you.” His brow knotted. “What kind of problems?”
Before Eden could eavesdrop more on Nash’s conversation, her phone rang, and she hurried over to answer it. There was no way to describe the feeling of relief she felt when she saw the name on the screen, and she started talking as soon as she answered.
“Madison? Where are you? Are you all right? Did that bastard hurt you?”
“I’m fine, Eden,” Madison said. “But Chloe isn’t. Zac got pretty pissed when she tried to protect you”
Eden was struggling to follow. “Chloe tried to protect me?”
“I told you that Chloe was a deep-down good person, Eden. When Zac found out you were in the hotel suite with Nash, he went ballistic. Chloe tried to stop him from going after you, and he beat her up pretty badly. I’m just glad she called me, and Grayson was able to drive me to pick her up.”
“Grayson?” Eden was now thoroughly confused, and she figured things weren’t going to get any clearer until she could talk with Madison face-to-face. “So are you at the hospital? Tell me which one, and I’ll meet you there.”
“Nope, we’re not at the hospital. In fact, you’re not going to believe where we are.” Madison giggled. “We’re going to Fiji!”
Eden soon learned that there was a big difference between traveling when you were a normal person and traveling when you were a rich person. Normal people had to deal with grumpy airline clerks, security, and late planes. Rich people didn’t have to deal with any of that. They just hopped in a car and drove to a private airfield, where they boarded a private jet and sipped champagne until the plane took off.
Not that Eden took the champagne offered by the smiling airline attendant with the purple-lip-printed scarf. She was too worried about Madison. Nash declined the champagne as well before guiding Eden into the plush cabin. As soon as she saw Madison, she realized her mistake in being worried. Madison looked no worse for wear. In fact, she looked quite content, reclining in the leather seat with a champagne glass in one hand. When she saw Eden, she quickly got up and gave her a hug, swaying a little in her high-heeled shoes.
“Isn’t this great? Even Freddie didn’t have his own private jet. And I can’t believe that I’m going to be a French Kiss model… of course, they might change their minds when they see me in a swimsuit.”
On the ride over, Nash had told Eden all he had learned about Grayson wanting Madison for the swimsuit catalog, and she couldn’t be happier for her friend. “I think you’ll make a perfect model.”
Nash looked around. “So where is my brother?”
“He’s in the back trying to get Chloe to lie down—”
“I don’t need your fuckin’ sympathy!” The curtain that separated the back cabin from the forward was jerked open, and Chloe appeared. Eden sucked in her breath at the bruises on her face.
“Oh my God!” She hurried over. “Are you okay?”
Even with the swelling, Chloe was able to roll her eyes. “Do I look okay to you?”
“No, you look like you need to go to the hospital.”
“That’s the same thing the Woman Whisperer keeps saying.” Chloe glanced back over her shoulder. “But like I told him, I’m not going to a fuck—”
“I think we get it.” Grayson walked out and handed her a plastic bag filled with ice. “No hospital, but at least use this.”
Chloe jerked the ice pack out of his hand. “Gee, thanks.”
“It looks like you could use some ice yourself, Gray,” Nash said, and Eden finally noticed Grayson’s swollen eye. “You okay?”
Grayson didn’t take his gaze off Chloe as he nodded. “I should’ve killed the bastard.”
Madison giggled. “You almost did. And if anyone needed to get his ass kicked, it’s Zac.” She took a big gulp of champagne. “Of course, there will be a price on your head when you get back. And next time, Zac won’t be alone.”
Chloe looked at Grayson. “She’s right. You shouldn’t have forced me to come with you. If I’d stayed, I could’ve calmed Zac down.”
