Chapter Sixteen
Kayla was laughing at the entranced expression on Rocco’s face as the giant teacups began spinning in wide and gentle circles, when her laughter evaporated. “You have got to be kidding me!”
Stormy glanced up from helping Madison turn the central wheel that spun the cup faster. “Something wrong?”
“Bad enough Jared is ninety minutes late on our one family day this week, but he’s bought Simone with him.” Following Kayla’s incredulous gaze, Stormy glimpsed Jared loping through the crowd, baseball cap pulled low over shades, his bodyguard a few steps behind and the French journalist beside him.
On Kayla’s lap, Rocco squealed in protest and Kayla loosened her hold. “Sorry, bubba.”
Puffing, Madison hauled on the wheel. “Faster, Stormy, faster. Let’s crash!”
“You’re a thrill monster.” Grinning, Stormy picked up the pace.
The cup spun, Jared disappeared from sight and when it swung around again, he and his crew were waiting by the turnstiles. “Her photographer’s there as well,” Kayla said, outraged.
“Remember what we talked about,” Stormy reminded her quietly and the brunette blew out a frustrated breath.
“Don’t overreact,” Kayla muttered.
“Good girl.” Crazy that she, of all people, was giving marital advice, but Kayla and Jared were on a collision course and someone had to drive the safety car. Elizabeth would defuse the situation, but Dimity had dragged her into one of the park’s bars. Stormy was getting mighty tired of Dimity.
As the cups slowed to a stop, Madison spotted Jared and waved joyously. “Look at me, Daddy!”
Grinning, Jared waved back. Simone motioned the photographer forward and Kayla help up her hand like a traffic cop. “Stop!” Thrusting the baby at Stormy, she jumped over the pink rim and marched over to the railings to glare at the photographer. “Do not take unauthorized pictures of my children.”
“Well, I tried,” Stormy said to Rocco, who cooed at her.
“Can I jump out too?” Madison asked.
“No, honey, wait for the man to unbuckle us.”
Kayla glared at Jared. “Why is the press here?”
“Hey, calm down, it’s all good.” He tried to put his arm around her and his wife shook him off.
“And you’re an hour and a half late.”
“I’m so sorry, it’s my fault.” Simone stepped forward smiling. “And this was my idea, to photograph Jared with your children—and you—who are clearly so important to him.”
The faintest contempt tainted her smile; the bitch just couldn’t help herself.
Stormy craned her neck for the attendant. “Can you hurry it up, please?” There were babes in the wood needing protection and she didn’t mean Kayla and Jared’s kids.
She was inured to covert spite from other women, a mean form of jealousy, but Kayla wasn’t. The attendant ambled over and unlatched the safety gate. Carrying Rocco, Stormy shepherded Madison out of the cup and gestured to the bodyguard. “Bill, could you take the kids for ice cream?”
He was only too happy to oblige. As soon as she’d offloaded the kids, Stormy targeted the photographer. “Hello,” she said, walking between Simone and a bristling Kayla with her hand outstretched. “We haven’t met.” She gave him a siren’s smile. “I’m Stormy, the Walkers’ nanny.”
“I’m Giles.” Dazed, he took her hand and kissed it. “Enchanté.”
Since Simone had never acknowledged her existence, Stormy continued to address Giles. “Kayla was expecting this to be private family time.”
Kayla took a deep breath. “I’m sorry if I was rude, but Jared should have cleared this with me first.”
“Cleared it with you?” Jared repeated slowly.
“Checked with me… I mean, discussed it.”
“It was a last-minute idea and I thought you’d get a real kick out of having family shots included in the profile. Simone is doing us a favor, arranging for a photographer to come along.”
Stormy wrested her hand from Giles’s grasp.
“Wait.” Kayla’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you just said this was last-minute?”
“For Jared,” Simone interjected. “I had the idea last night when Giles and I met up.”
“Well, I hate to be the spoilsport,” Kayla said firmly, “but I feel very strongly that this is something Jared and I should discuss first. So we can set guidelines around what exposure our kids get to paparazzi.” Simone winced at the reference to the gutter press.
“For Pete’s sake, Kayla, this isn’t some chance shot through a telephoto lens.” Frowning, Jared removed his shades. “Giles is contracted to Rolling Stone magazine.”
“And we’re your family,” Kayla said shakily, “not accessories to your rock-star lifestyle.”
Jared planted his legs apart and dug his thumbs in his jean pockets. “Now you’re just being silly,” he said coldly.
“What Jared is trying to say,” said Simone, obviously seeing her “exclusive” vaporized by a marital brawl, “is that you don’t yet fully understand—”
“Thank you, Simone,” Kayla snapped, “we don’t require an interpreter.” She looked at Jared, frustration in her brown eyes. “Babe, right now you can wear a baseball cap and sunglasses and be anonymous, but what if you get really famous? We need to protect our children’s privacy as long as we can. So we can keep bringing them to places like this.”
“I find it interesting that you are in France,” Simone commented, “and yet you choose to visit what you have in your own backyard in Los Angeles.”
“Are you suggesting I let them loose in the Louvre?” Tentatively, Kayla smiled at her husband. “Can you imagine our Maddie with the Mona Lisa?”
Simone touched his arm to attract his attention. “I believe the Louvre has an excellent children’s educational program.”
“I often think those programs are more about the parents than the kids,” Stormy commented.
Kayla folded her arms. “Oh, little Louie,” she mimicked, “he’s so culturally aware. Such a wonderful reflection on moi!”
Simone smiled. “You are right,” she said gently. “I am being rude, interfering in your day. Accept my apologies. Giles and I will leave you to it.”
“I’d appreciate that,” Kayla said tightly.
“I’m so sorry, guys, if we’ve wasted your time,” Jared apologized. When they’d gone, he glared at Kayla.
“I’ll go see how the kids are doing,” Stormy said hastily. She walked toward the ice cream stand.
“What was so hard about phoning before you sprang press on me,” Kayla said behind her. “You put me in an impossible situation.”
“I put you in an impossible situation? You just humiliated me in front of people I respect.”
“To hell with them, your family’s supposed to be your priority today.”
“So all this childish hostility is payback because I’m late? Zander called a band meeting to tell us no extra concerts… Oh yeah, I knew you’d be thrilled…”
“We bought you a cone,” Madison called excitedly.
“Great!”
As Stormy took Rocco from the bodyguard, he murmured, “Safe to go back yet?”
“Give them a few more minutes,” she replied with more optimism than conviction.
* * *
“Uh-oh.” Standing under the striped awning of a bar, Elizabeth watched Kayla march toward them, her pretty face a thundercloud, and a scowling Jared in her wake.
“Will the fun never end?” Dimity said sarcastically beside her.
Since touring was teaching her to shrug off exhaustion and setbacks, Elizabeth took a deep breath and ignored Dimity’s snark.
Kayla arrived, visibly trembling with rage. “I want Jared to spend some quality time with his kids,” she fumed. “So I would really, really appreciate it if you’d let Stormy join you. She’s already worked two hours overtime because of his lateness.”
Dimity brightened. “How about I leave with you?”
“No,” Elizabeth retorted. She touched Kayla’s arm. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.” Her eyes were bright with anger. “But I’m damned if I’m relieving Jared of the kids until tonight. Can I borrow your room?”
“Of course.” Elizabeth handed over her key card.
“Don’t tell him where I am.”
“We won’t.”
The moment Kayla left, Dimity said, “I’m not hanging out with Sucker-lips. Besides, you said if I wasn’t having fun after an hour we could go.”
“An hour on the rides,” Elizabeth said, exasperated. “We’ve spent the last two in the bar.”
“I’m a grown woman,” Dimity whined. “I don’t do theme parks.”
“We’re finding your inner child if it kills me.” Elizabeth propelled her forward.
Jared was only too happy to give Stormy a break. “God forbid, I ruin another woman’s afternoon,” he said bitterly, ignoring Stormy’s denial. “Go have fun,” he ordered. “Bill and I will be fine with the kids on our own.”
Passing Rocco to the surprised bodyguard, he took his daughter’s hand. They headed for the carousel, Madison skipping along happily beside her daddy.
“Quick,” said Dimity, “let’s run the other way in case they change their mind.”
Elizabeth spotted a flash of blue on the ground. “Rocco’s pacifier. Wait here, while I catch them up.”
As soon as she left, Stormy turned on Dimity. “What is your problem?” she demanded. “Elizabeth’s doing everything she can to give you a good day and you’ve been acting like a spoilt brat ever since we left the hotel.”
“Says the expert on infantile behavior.”
“I know more about kids than you do!”
“I wasn’t talking about the kids.”
It took her a moment. “I’m the baby?”
“Helpless, needy, completely reliant on cuteness to have your essential needs met.” Dimity raised her perfectly arched brows. “Am I missing anything?”
“You know, I’ve really tried to let this go,” Stormy said, “because I feel sorry for you.”
“You feel sorry for—?” Dimity snapped her mouth shut as Elizabeth returned.
The biographer looked between them curiously. “So before we move on, anyone pregnant?”
Dimity snorted. “Don’t you need to get laid for that?” She looked at Stormy, her gaze insulting. “Let’s ask the professional.”
Ignoring her, Stormy smiled at Elizabeth. “Not pregnant,” she said, then muttered for Dimity’s ears. “Though some of us can get laid.” Enough of playing nice.
“Okay.” Elizabeth checked her park brochure, then scanned them from head to toe. “No surgical collars or orthopedic devices…check.”
“What?” said Dimity, who was clearly still thinking of a comeback. She groaned aloud as Elizabeth led them toward Happyville.
“This looks like fun,” Stormy enthused for Elizabeth’s benefit, then lowered her voice. “Stop being a bitch, bitch!”
“No back or heart problems?” Elizabeth called over her shoulder.
“No,” they chorused.
“Great, we’re sorted then.” Elizabeth led them on.
“I’m surprised you have no back issues,” Dimity hissed. “Your boob-zookas must weigh a ton, but I guess you’re always lying down.”
Stormy glared at her. “Does not having a heart count as a heart problem?”
Elizabeth stopped suddenly, causing Dimity to bump into her and stumble. “I won’t be a moment,” she said. “Wait here.” She wandered over to a ticket booth.
“Nice trip?” Stormy said, starting to enjoy herself. Hanging out with a four-year-old was giving her an appreciation of toddler humor.
Dimity ignored that. “And what do you mean by saying you feel sorry for me?”
“First tell me why you hate me so much.”
A bellowing laugh drew their attention. Elizabeth was pointing them out to the ticket-seller. He waved and they waved back, feigning smiles.
“I don’t hate you,” Dimity said through her clenched grin. “I despise you. You set equality back a thousand years by perpetuating the myth of the helpless female. The only success you’ve ever achieved has been through riding on some guy’s coattails—sorry, I meant dick.”
“You know nothing about me!” Stormy began, then saw that Elizabeth was waving them over. Still fuming, she pushed through the turnstile and onto a covered platform, joining the line of people filing into a cartoon-colorful coaster. Taking a padded seat in the rear car, Stormy ignored Dimity when she sat beside her.
“Wait,” the PA said, as the safety bar lowered with a hydraulic wheeze. “We’re missing Elizabeth.”
The redhead was leaning over the guard rail, waving a handful of vouchers. “You two are staying on this ride until you make your peace.”
Despite her anger, Stormy was amused. “Is she threatening us with a kids’ coaster?”
Dimity straightened. “This is a roller coaster?”
“And to answer your question,” Stormy said as the train began to move, “I feel sorry for you because I’m building a life independently of Zander, and you don’t have a life outside your job.”
Dimity said hotly, “I’m more independent than you’ll ever be!”
Stormy felt her body press into the soft vinyl seat as the train climbed vertically to the top of its arc. “Oh, please, you’re as hungry for Zander’s approval as I used to be. You’re waiting on his convenience, same as I was. Being taken for granted, same as I was.” She parroted the PA’s earlier sarcasm. “Have I missed something?”
“Zee and I are equ… Aaaaagh!” The car plummeted backward leaving Stormy’s stomach somewhere in the clouds, alongside Dimity’s scream.
“Are you scared of roller coasters?”
“Of course not.” Color returned to Dimity’s knuckles as she loosened her grip. “It caught me by surprise, that’s all.” Her eyes widened as the car reached the top of the second arc and they hung momentarily suspended, facing the ground below before swooping to earth. Dimity screamed again.
To hell with her. Stormy lifted her arms, relishing the free fall. Her life was finally on the right track and that was all that mattered. Clouds massed like cotton candy. Below, the park popped with color and she caught the occasional heated whiff of fried food and spun sugar.
Three more times the train swung around its track. At the end of the ride, she looked at Dimity and giggled. The PA was disheveled and mad, with her blond ponytail askew, but when Elizabeth called, “Playing nice with Stormy yet?” she defiantly folded her arms and stared straight ahead.
“She won’t keep this up,” Dimity muttered, “she’s too soft.”
At the end of the second ride, she looked a little green, but remained silently defiant. Halfway through the third, Stormy was shaking her head at her, astounded by her continued stubbornness. “But mostly I feel sorry for you,” she said, picking up the conversation, “because I can swallow my pride and accept help when I need it. You can’t even ask for help.”
“Fine, I’m asking,” the PA snarled, as the train rumbled to a stop at the platform, “Help me fake this.” Stormy sighed, but leaned in close. Touching heads they gave Elizabeth a big smile.
“Aww, sweet.” She handed the attendant another two tickets. “Next time, mean it.”
“I just remembered, I’m pregnant,” Dimity yelled as the roller coaster left the station.
“Not anymore,” was the biographer’s cheerful reply.
“That woman is a goddamn sadist,” Dimity ranted as the train began its climb. “I can’t believe I ever thought she and Zee should…” Her voice trailed off.
“Get together,” Stormy finished. It hadn’t taken her long to see the attraction was mutual. It would have hurt more if either Zander or Elizabeth understood where their relationship was leading. Stormy took a grim pleasure in being the only one smart enough to see they were soul mates. “Wait.” She glanced at Dimity. “Are you actually trying to protect my feelings?”
“Only while I’m at your mercy,” Dimity said. “Get me off this thinnnnnng!” She scrunched her eyes shut as the car took its first plummet.
“When I first met you, I so admired you,” Stormy mused as they caught their breath through the straight. “You had the looks to manipulate men, but you weren’t interested. You were in a job you loved, you were being paid the big bucks and you got respect for what you did. In a way, I probably idolized you more than Zander. Only then I realized that for all your education and your connections and your high salary, you were snooty, snappy and mean. No wonder you haven’t got any friends.”
“I have plenty of—”
“You resent Zee helping me although I haven’t earned it, because for you everything comes down to account balances and who owes who. I accepted help from him because I didn’t have a choice if I wanted a new life, but you’ve always had an easy life with lots of choices and advantages. Try being kind for a change.”
“My life isn’t easy. Most of my salary goes toward keeping Mom afloat, so don’t tell me I’m not kinnnnnnnnnd!”
Stormy waited for the car’s next climb. “I thought your family was rich?”
Dimity unfurled her fingers one by one from the rail and shook the circulation in. “We were,” she snapped, “until my father ditched us for an ambitious bimbo he’d got pregnant and screwed my mother over in the divorce settlement.”
“Now I get it. I remind you of the gold-digging mistress who stole your daddy away.”
“No, you remind me of my martyred mother who refuses to take responsibility for herself and is sucking me dry emotionally and finan—” She clapped a hand over her mouth and stared at Stormy.
“It’s okay,” she responded dryly. “Your mom can’t hear you from here.”
The car nose-dived. Dimity scrabbled for the rail, found Stormy’s hand instead and hung on for dear life. Stormy started to laugh, it was so ridiculous.
When the car stopped and began its slow crawl to the top, Dimity seemed to realize she was holding Stormy’s hand and dropped it like a hotcake.
“And now you apologize for being a mean girl,” Stormy prompted. But the PA was craning her neck to look behind them.
“I hate backward,” she moaned.
With a sigh, Stormy recaptured her hand. “If we’re getting off this fucker, we need to make it look like we’re having fun,” she said and hauled Dimity’s arm upright as the car plummeted to earth.
The PA’s scream nearly pierced her eardrums.
* * *
You’re late. Where are you? Zander texted. Before pushing Send, he paused to enjoy the rare sensation of being the offended party.
Elizabeth replied immediately. Sorry. Meet u at Kayla and Jared’s suite. 201.
He frowned. Why?
No reply. Grumbling about mountains having to come to Mohammed, Zander caught the elevator down to 201. His day hadn’t gone well. As expected, his manager and bandmates had been royally pissed by his refusal to book extra shows. And he’d gotten used to being liked.
Privately, Robbie had suggested the engineers could set up sound support if Zander was worried about vocal strain. Zander was still fuming about that. He was a rock ‘n’ roll hard man, not some lip-syncing sugar shaker.
Distracted, he only realized he’d walked into an ambush when Elizabeth dragged him into the hall, whispered details of marital mayhem at the theme park, then asked for his help with that expression he’d come to dread. Trust. Her insistence on seeing him as a socially responsible human being drove him crazy.
She waved his lecture aside. “We haven’t got time for that now. This is serious, Zander. Kayla’s even talking about going home. I don’t think Jared realizes how seriously he screwed up today.”
“Fuck. Where is he?”
“At the cocktail party that Musique Magazine organized.”
“Right.” He’d had Dimity decline his invitation; there were only so many “promising newcomer” events a veteran could stomach.
“Jared’s texted Kayla half a dozen times, but he can’t leave because he’s getting an award.”
Zander sighed, and surrendered to the inevitable. “Where is she?”
Elizabeth indicated a door. “I’ll check on the kids.”
“Isn’t Stormy here?”
“She and Dimity ditched me.” She grinned when he raised his brows. “Long story, I’ll tell you later.” Doc disappeared toward the sound of the blaring TV and Zander knocked.
“I’ll be out in a m…m…moment.”
Pathetic. “I’m coming in.”
Kayla was sitting cross-legged on the bed in semidarkness, hugging a pillow. She looked hopefully toward the door, probably expecting Jared. Seeing Zander, she bowed her head. “I don’t know why Elizabeth called you.”
“Me neither, but we’re stuck with it. Shouldn’t you be at the party with Jared?”
“Would you accompany someone who’d told you to stop acting like a spoiled brat?”
“My dates don’t expect me to change.”
He switched on the light and Kayla winced and shielded her eyes. “You never really wanted us on tour,” she said, “so at least you won’t try and talk me out of leaving.”
“That depends on your motives. If you forgot to turn the iron off, fine. If you’re rushing back because there’s an opening at a correctional school for that scary daughter of yours…even better.”
Her lips quivered into a smile.
“But if you’re conceding the field, then you’re playing right into the hands of that pretentious Gallic kiss-ass.”
Kayla straightened. “Jared’s so gullible, it makes me sick,” she confided. “But it’s not just her. I’m tired of having to compete for my husband’s attention. Tired of ignoring everyone’s surprise when he introduces me as his wife. I can see what they’re thinking. ‘That short, fat chick, seriously?’”
“Who gives a fuck for the opinion of groupies, hangers-on and posers?” Zander curbed his impatience. “Jared sure as hell doesn’t see you that way.”
“No,” she said bitterly, “apparently he sees a nagging, critical shrew.”
“And is he wrong?” Zander asked and had to duck the pillow she threw at him.
“Maybe this was a bad idea,” Elizabeth said from the doorway.
Undeterred, Zander sat on the end of the bed. “Your husband is surrounded by women telling him he’s wonderful. You don’t counter that by constantly reminding him of his faults.”
Kayla bit her lip. “I married him because he was a ten to me.”
“Yeah, but for them he doesn’t have to earn it.”
“They don’t want him, though, do they? The man I fell in love with. All they see is money and reflected glory and sex with a rock star… He could be anyone.” Her eyes flashed. “I shouldn’t have to compete. I’m his wife. He’s mine!”
“Then quit wimping out and go stake your claim. You think anyone messed with Sharon Osbourne?” Zander eyed her bird’s-nest hair. “But fix yourself up first.”
“You mean turn myself into something I’m not.”
“I mean wash your face, brush your hair and change into something that’s not covered with baby drool.” He had no time for self-pity. “Be the woman who talked me into auditioning her husband, instead of somebody’s mommy. Ever think some of your insecurity might be down to missing that person as much as he does?”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Probably,” she gulped.
“So suit up for battle.”
Kayla scrambled off the bed and stopped halfway to the en suite. “Stormy’s not here. Who’ll take care of my kids?”
“The hotel will organize a sitter,” he said.
“I’m not leaving them with a stranger.”
“We’ll look after them,” Elizabeth reassured her and, satisfied, Kayla disappeared into the bathroom.
“We?” Zander repeated.
“Rocco loves you,” she said. “Stay for half an hour until I get him settled.”
“First I’m the agony aunt, now I’m a babysitter,” he grumbled, rising from the bed. “No wonder saints are martyrs if one good deed only leads to another.”
“You were awesome,” she said, eyes shining. “Your bedside manner needs a little tweaking, but—”
“My bedside manner is the best thing about me,” he corrected. Damn but she was gorgeous with shining eyes. “And women overcomplicate relationships. Every interaction between couples comes down to a single question. ‘Do you want me?’”
Their gazes locked, then remembering his decision to be sensible, Zander broke eye contact. “Besides, I can’t have romantic strife affecting Jared’s performance through the tour. It’s all about me, after all.”
“Right,” Elizabeth said solemnly, “I keep forgetting.”
“Tie some string round your finger,” he suggested and went into the living room before he threw her on the bed and to hell with waiting. There were cartoons on the TV. A cat chased a dog across the screen. Everywhere the natural order was in chaos.
“Mommy’s sad,” Madison said, without taking her eyes off the screen. As always, the hostility in her voice implied it was his fault.
“You guys are staying, isn’t that great,” he said, already regretting his intervention. From the play mat on the floor, Rocco cooed at him, Madison turned round to glare.
“Mommy wants to go home to ’merica.”
“She’s going out to meet Daddy, you can talk to her about that tomorrow. Tonight, Elizabeth and I are looking after you.”
Her scowl darkened. “Do you know how to look after little kids?”
“No idea.”
Her expression grew speculative. “We get ice cream for dinner.”
Zander kept a straight face. “Okay.”
“And we have a swim in the pool.”
“Would my hot tub do? People would keep asking me for my autograph if we went to the pool.”
“I s’pose,” she said begrudgingly. “An’ I go to bed when I want.”
He was only here for an hour, then they’d be Elizabeth’s problem. “Sure.”
Kayla came in on a waft of scent, in a little black dress and with her hair piled high. “Magnificent,” Zander said.
Elizabeth followed. “Gorgeous, isn’t she?”
“Yeah,” he said, no longer looking at Kayla.
Madison sensed a jailbreak and got all whiny. “I don’t want you to go, Mommmmy.”
“What flavor ice cream?” Zander asked her. “Chocolate, hazelnut, deadly nightshade?”
“Oh no ice cream.” Kayla gave her appearance a last check in the hall mirror. “They’ve already had one today.”
“Got that.” Elizabeth handed Kayla her wrap.
“And bed by seven.”
As Madison opened her mouth to protest, Zander caught her eye and winked. She paused, her small brow contracting in a frown. Then she giggled.
Smart kid.