Page 3 of Real Sexy
I couldn’t hold my questions in any longer.“What the hell is going on, Boone?How could they have a warrant for your arrest?It doesn’t make any sense.”
“I’ll take care of it.It’s bullshit and an inconvenience, but it’ll all be over soon.”
That’s when the thought struck me.“Oh shit.It’s because of Esteban, isn’t it?Did Brandy—”
“It’ll be all right.Stay in the house, because guaranteed there are paps out front waiting to get a pic.Keep off that ankle.”
Then he was gone, and I was left wondering if Boone is straight-up crazy.
Stay in the house.Don’t worry about it.If that’s what he really expects me to do, he’s insane.He’s been gone five minutes, and there’s no way I’m going to sit here and wait.
This has to be because of Esteban, which means it’s all my damn fault.If I didn’t love that stupid parrot too much to let him starve under Pop and Brandy’s care, none of this would have happened.
He’s basically mine in every way that matters.You know, exceptlegally.
Esteban belonged to Mama, and now Pop, but the only reason he’s still alive to talk shit to me is because I’ve taken care of him for the last twenty years.Pop hasn’t done anything but swear at him for as long as I can remember.
And I dragged Boone into this mess because I justhadto rescue the bird.
Shit.
Is there anything I can’t screw up?I shouldn’t have asked for his help.I should have asked Hope for her truck and handled it myself.
I hobble over to my purse and pick up the phone to call my best friend.Hope has tonight off, and we were supposed to go out to dinner if I was back from Boone’s in time.
I hate that I’ve only called her when I need a favor lately, but she knows I’d do anything for her, so that lessens the guilt somewhat.
She answers on the second ring, a smile in her voice.“Hey, girl.What’s happening?I keep seeing pictures of you and that sexy country boy online.I swear, the photographers are having a field day trying to outdo each other.You look so freaking cute together, though.”
“Do you think you could come get me?”
A moment of silence hangs on the line before she replies.“Oh shit, did it already go south?I’m so sorry, honey.What did that jackass do?”
I laugh at the quick change in her attitude.That’s what you call a true friend.
“Not in the way you think, but I need a ride, and my car is at your place.”
“Of course.What’s the address?”
I walk over to the counter where there are a few pieces of mail waiting to be dealt with, and pick one up to rattle off the address.
“I have no clue where that is, but I’ll google.I’ll be there as soon as I can.But tell Boone I’m going to castrate him if he hurt you.”
We hang up before I tell her he’s not here.
Forty-five minutes later, I head to the end of the driveway as I see headlights pull up to the gate.I’m in my jeans from the night before, and a stolen T-shirt of Boone’s tied in a knot at the bottom to keep it from hanging down to my knees.
From my quick scan of the area, I don’t see any sign of cars other than Hope’s big truck, but that doesn’t mean the paps aren’t hiding somewhere.Boone taught me that.
“How do I open this gate?”I mumble.I know Boone has a sensor in his car, but there’s no obvious mechanism for opening it from the inside.Am I going to have to climb it?
I can just imagine the tabloid pictures and headline.
Boone Thrasher’s Girlfriend so Desperate to Get Away, She Climbs Gate in Stolen Shirt
But nothingI do will make the thing budge.Out of options, I grab the metal bar and haul myself up.
Hope pops out of the truck as I throw a leg over the top.My ankle is throbbing, but thankfully the pain is bearable.
