“Then why is your picture on the top of every gossip site? The ad is front and center again, and Holly tells me you’re fucking trending on Twitter.”
My stomach twists, feeling weighed down with all of the bullets I just shot. “Shit. Really?“ Trending on Twitter isn’t exactly where I want to be.
“Apparently the citizens of New York are turning this into a fun-filled fiasco. You need to get the hell out of town and really lay low.”
“My apartment—”
Creighton cuts me off. “Is being watched around the clock because it’s been leaked that Cav bought a unit there too.”
“So, what do we do? Go to LA?” I cut my eyes to Cav when I realize I just made us a we and offered up his residence as a solution.
“No, Cannon is on his way. He’ll take you to Teterboro, and you’re getting out of the country for a while. I’ve got a friend with a place in Belize, and he’s agreed to let you stay as long as you need. Since you’re lacking a job, that shouldn’t be a big deal.”
Say what? “Seriously? I need to pack if I’m going—”
“He and his wife leave a full wardrobe at the house, and you’re close to her size. He’s a big bastard, so Cav should be fine. Just get in the SUV when Cannon pulls up, and get the fuck out of town so I can clean up this mess before it becomes a full-blown situation.”
There are plenty of times when I want to argue with my brother, but I’m not sure this is one of them. There’s something in his tone that tells me to choose my fight carefully. I feel like there’s more going on here than what Creighton is telling me, which wouldn’t be all that surprising. I trust him, though, and if he tells me to go, I’ll go.
“Okay. If that’s what you think is best.”
“Good. Cannon just texted that he’s a few blocks away.”
“Sorry, Crey. I didn’t mean for this to happen . . .”
“I know. Now, do what Cannon tells you and I’ll be in touch.”
I hang up and Cav is waiting semi-patiently. His jaw is tense and his hands are clenched into fists. “Your brother’s sending you away, and you’re going to let him.” The words carry a strong dose of fury.
“He’s sending us away. If you’re game, that is. How do you feel about Belize?”
Cav’s brows draw together deeper. “Belize? What the hell?”
I fill him in on Creighton’s directive that I lay low, and give him the details of the conversation that he didn’t overhear. The muscles of his jaw relax and so do his fists.
“Cannon should be here any minute to take us to Teterboro.”
“You’re sure you want to do this?”
“Run away to a tropical paradise with you? My brother has certainly had worse ideas.”
Cav finally smiles and grabs my hand. “Then let’s get a move on.”
We return the gun to the counter and make our way out to the street. Before I can look for Cannon, I’m blinded by flashing cameras. Damn paparazzi. Cav pulls me into his side, and we push through the crowd as the questions start flying.
“Cav, is it true that you answered Greer’s ad? Did you meet all the requirements?”
“Are you a couple?”
“When’s the quickie wedding like Creighton and Holly?”
The last thing I want to do is address any of them. Why? Because I don’t have any answers. Cav, it seems, isn’t plagued by the same problem. He stops and faces the crowd.
“Cannon is right here,” I whisper as the window of an SUV rolls down and he shouts my name.
“This will only take a second,” Cav replies. To the flashing cameras, he says, “If you had this amazing woman on your arm, wouldn’t you do everything you could to make her happy and keep her in your life? I don’t plan on letting her get away.”
The door to the SUV pops open and Cannon motions me inside. I tug at Cav’s arm and he follows.
“Better go find another story to chase, guys. That’s all you’re going to get out of us tonight.”
We both slide inside the SUV, and Cav slams the door as the questions continue to come.
From his seat beside me, Cannon says, “Was that really necessary? This is the start of you laying low. Feeding the press sound bites isn’t necessary. Let our PR people craft a statement, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Cav, on my left, faces Cannon, and I’m caught between two big men, one dark and the other light. When I first met him, I crushed on Cannon, but as I got older, I knew I could never feel that way about a man who was almost as close to me as my brother.
“I think I’ve got PR down. You do realize this isn’t the first time I’ve been chased by paps, right? In LA, you get this kind of bullshit when you go out for coffee.”