Page 99 of The Ex-Best Thing
“Yeah, but there are tons of photographers on his…oh. I get it now.” He looks between us, then to Olive, who’s approaching from the back of the house. “They know you’re here.”
“They just know about me,” I tell him. “Not my sisters. We’re kind of hiding out. We have Colby’s Airbnb for another week.”
“Are you sticking around for the festival?”
“What festival?” Zoey asks.
“Their beach beautification board is putting on a music festival for a fundraiser.”
Peter snaps his fingers, pointing at me. “And Benny said he’d get on stage if we could get Bree Belacourt on stage. He knew you were Anne, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. I’ve known him a long time.”
He shakes his head. “What do you say, then? You want to get Benny back on a stage?”
Of course I do, but it’s not that simple. I shrug. “It has to be his choice.”
“You creatives are all the same.” He’s smiling, so I know it’s a joke. When he looks at Zoey a beat too long, I want to kick him to drag his attention away from her, but he’s out of reach. Does he know he’s staring? “I used to dream about marrying you.”
Okay, yeah. He knows.
Zoey looks up, her sleek brown eyebrows raised. “Charming.”
“You look amazing in person. They say don’t meet your heroes, but I don’t know. I’m really digging this.”
Zoey arches a single eyebrow.
Well, then. “Peter, do you want me to find Benny or Colby for you?”
“No, but thanks for offering. I drove by and saw all the commotion and wanted to make sure they were okay. But now I get it. Though…” He glances over his shoulder, then back at us. “Do they realize they’re at the wrong house?”
“Are you going to correct them?” Zoey snaps.
“I wouldneverbetray you,” he says, pressing a palm to his heart like he’s hurt she could even suggest such a thing.
I’m a little stunned by this exchange, so I don’t even notice when Colby leaves the house and heads our way until he’s almost next to Peter. “Cat’s out of the bag, then?”
“Peter will keep our secret.” I give him a hard look. “Won’t you?”
“Of course. Didn’t we just go over this?” He claps Colby on the back. “Apparently you know how to be a vault.”
“It’s Benny, really…anyway, my grandma is supposed to host bunco tonight, so I’m heading over there to help her get the house ready. You ladies need anything?”
I sit up. “Can I come with you?”
Colby pauses. “Sure. Let me tell Benny.”
“Okay. I’ll get my shoes.”
“Meet me at the Bronco.”
I’m five feet away when I hear Peter say something about Zoey’s hair and she shoots him down. “Want to admire my engagement ring?” she asks.
If I know Peter at all, though, that’s probably not going to stop him. I turn and walk backwards. “He’s harmless, Zo. Mostly just a big flirt.”
“Hey,” he calls, his grin stretching wide. “I mean every word I say.”
“Sure.” I’m laughing when I let myself inside.
