35
Dillon
“You want a beer?” Ro asks when we are settled in our booth in the VIP section of the bar. A waitress hovers at the edge of our table, trying to pretend she’s not ogling me like I’m her meal ticket out of here. Ignoring her, I nod at my brother, and he places our order. Ro is returning to Ireland tomorrow, and I’m not going to see him now until Christmas.
“Thank fuck, we got the album wrapped in time.” Jamie stretches his arms along the other side of the booth. “I am so ready for some sexy times with my woman under the hot Mexican sun.”
“Do you want to kick him in the nuts or shall I?” Ro asks, leaning his elbows on the table.
“The honor is all yours. Go for it, little bro.”
“You two need to get laid. Stat.”
“I’m working on it,” I say as the waitress returns with an ice bucket filled with cold beers. Her fingers brush mine as she hands me a bottle, batting her eyelashes and pretending to be demure. “You’re wasting your time,” I tell her. “I’m not interested.” The only woman I have eyes for these days is a certain Hollywood princess who is determined to keep my current blue-balls status intact.
“I am.” Ro leans back, leaving the ball in her court.
“Awesome. I’m on my break in thirty minutes.”
“Looking forward to it, darling.” Ro winks, but the instant she’s gone, the smug smirk drops off his face.
“Getting back in the saddle?” Jamie asks, bringing his beer to his lips.
“More like forcing myself back in the saddle.”
“Why force it if you’re not feeling it?” I ask, instinctively knowing there’s more to it.
Ro’s Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. “Clodagh is back with her ex.” He drains half his beer in one go.
“Fuck. Are you sure?” I swallow a mouthful of beer, and the cold liquid is soothing going down my throat.
“She told me herself.” He rests his face in his hands, looking glummer than the Grinch on Christmas morning. “I’m such an idiot. You all told me we were moving too fast. Now I’ve sent her running straight back into that dickhead’s arms.”
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Ro.”
“Except fall for the wrong girl,” Jamie unhelpfully adds.
“If you hadn’t met her, you wouldn’t have Emer,” I remind him because he adores his little girl.
“I know. It just hurts that she’d leave and go back to Colin so fast.” A muscle clenches in his jaw. “I don’t want that prick anywhere near my daughter.”
My phone vibrates on the table, and I swipe it up, answering when I see it’s my sister. “You all done?” I ask, wondering if she wrapped her meetings up quicker than planned so she could get here earlier.
“Not yet. I’ve still got two more meetings.”
We have decided to hire a new publicist because we need someone who is completely on the ball to manage our publicity going forward. Dixie is competent enough, but things will get real when the news finally comes out about Easton, and I want the best person on our side. Which is why Ash spoke with Viv’s mum and then lined up preliminary meetings with a few top publicists she put her in contact with. She’ll pick someone suitable, and then we’ll meet with him or her to ensure we can work with the person before we make an official hire.
“So, what’s up?”
“I got a call from Charlotte.”
I instantly straighten in my chair. “What’s wrong?”
“She said someone needs to come over to be with Viv. She’s worried about her state of mind.”
“Did something happen?” I was over there yesterday, and everything was normal. As in, she’s trying to pretend the sexual tension between us isn’t close to combusting and still clinging to Easton like superglue.
“All she said was Vivien was upset and someone should be there for her. Easton is on a sleepover with Lauren and Jon, and my guess is she’s lonely and getting lost in her head.”