So. Long(254)
He’s texted a couple of times, but he’s busy finishing up filming the segments they need for Celebrity Homecoming. That must mean he’ll be heading to California soon. I swallow the sour taste that thought sends to the back of my throat.
No. It’s good that he’s going home. He needs to deal with this Arianne-slash-baby situation. And I have shit to finish for Aunt Delores so I can move forward with my life. No idea what that will look like, but I need to figure it out.
At least one positive thing will come of him heading west: the paparazzi will probably follow him and leave the rest of us peons in peace.
A brisk knock sounds at the front door. Well, it can’t be someone with a camera, because Thug Three would have shooed them away.
I wrench the handle, opening the door.
My smile falters. “Oh, it’s you.”
Trudi Perky-Pants frowns. “Well, nice to see you, too.”
“What do you want, Terrier?”
“You know, you could be nicer. You might like me if you give me a chance.”
I take in her designer duds and her spiky, wonderfully straight hair, shaking my head. “Doubtful.”
“Well, wait until you hear what I have to say. Then decide. Until then, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, but only because Buck’s so taken with you, and I like him.”
I clasp my hands and hold them up by my ear, as if hugging myself. “Gee, that just makes me want to grab your hand so we can skip through the wildflowers and be besties forever and ever.”
Terrier—I mean Trudi—glares. “Fine, be that way.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
I sit at Nan and Pops’ table, my leg bouncing almost out of control. Trudi shoots me a dirty look. Fine.
I stand and pace the length of the kitchen, moving into the living room. “Where is he? Why on Earth isn’t he here already?”
Nan sits at the table, her hands folded at her chin, eyes closed as she says, “Lou, just be calm. Everything will work out the way God wants. Whatever is true and right will prevail.”
“Sorry, Nan. Of course, this is the right thing. It is.”
Finally, Buck pushes through the door with yet another large bouquet. It’s a shame they’re for a different woman this time.
I swallow hard when Buck doesn’t greet me with any sign of affection, just a solemn nod. I bite the inside of my lip, nodding in return.
A knock at the front door sends a cold hand of fear straight through to my heart. I told Buck he should do right by his child, but having a front row seat to watch it happen isn’t exactly what I had in mind.
The cameras roll, and every move I make will be scrutinized by the nation. The video Buck showed me yesterday will be aired either before or after this segment, depending on how things go for Buck.
Either way, Trudi assures me the world will understand that I’m not some skanky prostitute. I’m just an ex-wife who needed some financial assistance. Buck’s career can’t take a hit like that.
Plus, even though I’m a tough bitch who really doesn’t care what the public at large thinks about what I do, I will eventually need to make a living. So it would be helpful to come out of this with a little less stink on me. The last thing I need is to have everyone I interview with thinking I’d sell myself to the highest bidder. Because, in reality, I’d only ever sell myself to Buck, but I can’t exactly tell anyone that.
Nan goes to the door, opening it to Arianne. She floats in on her cloud. Her perfume precedes her, clogging my already strangled throat.
Buck steps to her, taking her hand. “Arianne, thank you for coming. I just want to say how sorry I am about the way I behaved the other day. Your—your news caught me by surprise.”
“Aw, Buck. I understand. It is rather shocking, isn’t it?” She smiles at him like she’s always known he’d come around.
Trudi pushes the white and purple box across the table toward Buck.
He glances at it and smiles. “Arianne, you’ve met Trudi, our field producer, right?”
Arianne blinks and blushes prettily. “Oh, Buck. Of course, I have. So good to see you again, Trudi.”
Trudi just smiles and gives a little wave. Buck clears his throat again.
“Anyway, Trudi and Barry Thompson, the show’s producer, think—since you’ve been cast sort of as the ex-girlfriend, that it would be the perfect chance to declare our reunion to the world if you were to take this pregnancy test and we can unveil the results as part of the show. Kind of solidify us as—” Buck coughs again, and again. And again.
Pops pats him hard on his back. “You okay, Son?”
I take a deep breath and step in. “Arianne, I want to apologize for coming between you two. I didn’t know there was a little one in the mix. I was raised in a broken home, and I’d never want to cause that to happen to any child. I think what Buck meant to say was that revealing the good news on the show would solidify you all as a family on national television.”