Identity Crisis(78)

He squared his shoulder, still locked in a glare-down with Stacie. ‘I can if she can.’

Stacie offered him a smile that could have cut glass. ‘Don’t you worry, Photo Boy, I can. I promise.’

Kendra released a slow, even breath, an effort to cover nerves that were so not characteristic of K. Ryde on the job. ‘Good. Now I’m going to go freshen my make-up. Remember we want Tess to look bright and shining and the ex to look a little jetlagged.’

Stacie offered a pout. ‘That’s really very cruel of you, Kendra, and here I thought we were friends.’ Then she smiled. ‘Of course, it’s going to be a real effort for me to look jetlagged.’ Did she actually wink at Harris? The blush that crawled up his throat suggested that she most definitely had.

‘What about him?’ Harris said, nodding to Garrett, who sat on the other side of Kendra.

‘I get to be Tess’s adoring lover.’ Garrett said with a smile that looked more edible than chocolate. Kendra wondered how the hell he could sit there all sweetness and light after the shower incident. She expected at least a little brooding on his part.

Harris growled. ‘You get rewarded for fucking up.’

‘Harris.’ Kendra elbowed him. ‘Shut up. I told you it wasn’t his fault.’

Garrett returned his growl. ‘I don’t need you to defend me, Kendra,’ he said.

‘Then fuck both of you,’ Kendra stood and headed for the stairs. ‘I’m touching up Tess’s make-up, and if I come down here and either of the two of you are anything but polite and docile, I’ll march right out the back door and leave the lot of you in Don’s tender care. Am I clear?’

They both nodded. Stacie sniggered, and Kendra flipped all three of them off as she headed up the stairs hoping the two men could hold off on a brawl until after their confrontation with the press. And to be honest, she wasn’t entirely sure but what Stacie might be the best brawler of the three.

When she returned in a clingy summer dress that showed plenty of cleavage in its off-the-shoulder sea foam décolletage, the response she got was stunned awe, which was exactly the response she hoped she’d get from the press and the mob as well. And as much as she hated to admit it, in spite of the fact that this was work, Garrett’s look of appreciation made her feel a little giddy.

‘Don just called,’ he said. ‘They’re expecting us.’

‘Then let’s do it,’ she said. Her eyes locked on Harris. ‘You sure you’re OK with this?’

He nodded and came to his feet, taking her in his arms. ‘I’ll do whatever you need me to do, Ken.’ He shot Garrett an acid glance. ‘Whatever it takes to protect you.’

But Garrett rose from his seat too, and pulled her away from Harris. ‘You don’t need to worry about protecting her, Walker.’ He crushed her to him possessively. ‘I promise you that.’

She couldn’t say she didn’t like it, Garrett being so possessive of her, and something about knowing he’d be by her side made her feel better. She reminded herself once again that this was just another job for K. Ryde – and an easy one at that. Whatever happened upstairs in the shower, well, he seemed to be over it, so she needed to let it go too.

Harris, true to his word, offered Stacie his arm and forced a smile. She batted her eyes at him and returned a smile that was all flowers and bunnies as she folded her arm over his. Jesus, what a bunch they were, Kendra thought. As she reached for the door, Garrett brushed her ear with his lips. ‘You’re amazing, you know that?’ He squeezed her hand. ‘Now, let’s do this.’ He opened the door to a chorus of boos from the mob and the reporters. But when they saw their Tess the boos turned to cheers. And the cheers became a mumble of confusion when Stacie came out onto the porch on Harris’s arm. Harris they liked. Even before Ellis guaranteed their goodwill toward him, with the exclusive for Wilderness Vanguard magazine from deep in the Valderian forest, Harris had a reputation among the green people in Portland, and that was a good percentage of the population. Harris they respected. Kendra could already see people recalculating in their heads.

Everything was going according to plan, until Garrett stepped forward to a muffled whisper among the reporters and mumbling and shuffling of the mob beyond. Kendra’s stomach knotted. What the hell was he up to?

‘I’m very disappointed,’ he said. And the crowd fell silent. Kendra dug her nails into his palm, but he didn’t even flinch. ‘I’m very disappointed that you all thought I would do anything to hurt the woman who has completely stolen my heart.’ He raised her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles, forcing her nails away from his palm. ‘I’m disappointed for anything I’ve done to make you believe such a thing of me.’ He turned to Stacie. ‘As you all clearly know, Stacie Emerson is my ex-wife. But apparently what most of you don’t know is that not only are Stacie and I still good friends, but Stacie and Tess are friends as well.’