Page 62 of Fight For Me

They glare at each other, and I can see that neither of them is going to budge. Everly didn’t just inherit her mother’s looks—she got Paige’s stubbornness, too. I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that glare.

“What if we all went?” Aunt Paige suggests brightly. “IloveMiami. We can hit South Beach and go salsa dancing!”

“I don’t think that’s a great idea,” Aunt Daisy says. “That producer wants to get the guys on camera. If we all go with them, we’d just be playing into their hands.”

“Well the guys can stay home then,” Paige says. “It can be a girl’s trip!”

Fox waves at her. “Remember me? The guy who’s actually on the show?”

“That’s another thing,” Reed says, pointing at Fox. “He isn’t twenty-one yet.”

“Come on, Dad,” Everly cries. “There’s plenty of stuff Fox can do that doesn’t involve drinking. You’re just making up excuses now.”

“That’s actually a pretty reasonable concern,” Daltrey cuts in. “If Fox is recorded drinking while he’s underage it would cause some serious trouble.”

“You think I’m dumb enough to drink on camera?” Fox asks, sounding nearly as pissed as Everly.

“I think a TV producer will do anything for ratings—including putting you in situations that might get out of control.”

“You know that drinking doesn’t just happen in Miami, right? I could just as easily get caught drinking here.”

Daltrey narrows his eyes. “Have you been drinking? Where? Were there cameras there?”

“Jesus,” Fox mutters. “You’re as bad as Reed.”

“Would you feel better if Wyatt goes too?” Paige asks her husband.

“I doubt Wyatt wants to come,” Alex mutters. My gaze snaps to her but she’s staring resolutely at the patio bricks, a sour expression on her face.

Fox growls. “We don’t need a babysitter, Aunt Paige.”

“He wouldn’t be babysitting,” she argues. “He’d be hanging out at the beach with his cousins.”

“You know,” Rose says thoughtfully. “That’s not a terrible idea. It actually sounds kind of fun. What if we all go?”

“You want to go to Miami?” Everly asks, surprised.

Rose shrugs. “Why not? I feel like I haven’t really been able to hang out with you guys lately. You’re so busy with the show and I’m busy with the shelter. A little vacay sounds fun.” She eyes her dad. “And if having more of us together helps these guys to calm down a little, all the better.”

“I thought you didn’t want to be on camera,” Daltrey points out. He doesn’t look any more thrilled about the idea of Rose joining in.

“Everything is negotiable, right? We can work out what I’d be comfortable with.”

“Babe,” Leo begins in a low voice. “Do you think that’s a good idea for you? Being on TV?”

Rose straightens her shoulders. “I refuse to not live my life because of some assholes in the media. If I want to go and have fun with my cousins, I’m going to do it, even if that means I get some publicity.”

“But this is exactly what we were afraid of when they signed up for this show,” Daltrey argues. “That the producers would pressure them to get more of you involved.”

“The producers aren’t pressuring me at all,” Rose says. “This was my idea. I’m making this decision.” She grins at Will. “You’re coming too, by the way.”

“What?” he yelps, but Everly is already squealing too loudly for anyone to hear him. She throws her arms around Rose. “River, you’ll come too, right? Leo? What about Eva?” She claps her hands. “All of us in Miami together! This is going to be so much fun!”

“I did not agree to this,” Will calls.

“Keep telling yourself that,” River mutters at his side. “You think you have any chance of not going now? You know what she’s like.”

“Seriously,” Will says, louder now. “I didn’t volunteer for this.”