Outsider (21 page)

About
halfway through dessert—the conversation had turned to all the places they’d be
traveling to when they headed overseas in a few weeks—Dare breezed into the
room.

“We
weren’t expecting you!” Gwen said, obviously delighted to see her eldest son.

“Does
that mean I should get lost?” Dare asked, dropping a kiss on her upturned cheek
and another on Reagan’s.

“Sit
down,” Gwen said. “I’ll get you some cobbler.”

“I
see you’re spoiling the brat again,” Dare said, grinning at Trey, who’d long before
finished his cobbler and now repeatedly leaned across the wide table to steal
cherries from Ethan’s plate.

“It’s
a tough job,” she said as she went into the kitchen.

“Well?”
Reagan said, her rosy complexion going grayish.

“What?”
Dare asked, sinking into the chair next to Trey.

“How
did the press conference go?”

“Oh,
that,” Dare said. “It was fine.”

“That’s
all you’re going to tell me?”

“Max
diverted all your questions to Steve, who insisted he was too hung over to
respond.”

“How
pissed was Sam?”

“Pissed,
but he kept his mouth shut. We opened by telling everyone that the entire band
would rather be in Los Angeles supporting a dear friend in his time of need.”

“I
tried to call Sed this morning,” Trey said. “He really is torn up about this.
So much so that I was allowed to talk to Jessica because he didn’t think he
could talk.”

“We
should go see him,” Reagan said. “Even if he thinks he doesn’t want us to.”

“Did
Toni get ahold of you?” Dare asked Reagan, who scowled at him.

“No.”

“Logan
called this morning. Toni’s little sister is in the hospital.”

“What?
Is she okay?”

“Something’s
wrong with her heart, but I think she’ll be fine. Logan feels terrible about
missing the funeral tomorrow, but thinks Toni needs his support more than Sed
does.”

“Of
course she does. Toni adores her sister. I’m sure Logan is a tremendous comfort
to her.” Reagan stood from the table and pulled her cellphone out of her
pocket. “I need to call her.”

“I
thought you hated her for leaking your secrets to the tabloids,” Ethan said.

“If
it was really her, and I now honestly doubt that, I’ll chew her out later. I’m
sure she can use a friend right now, but she’s probably terrified to call me.”

Ethan
smiled at her. Reagan might be too forgiving for her own good sometimes, but he
knew firsthand how wonderful it was to be granted her forgiveness. Ethan was
blessed to have two amazing loves in his life. He would do everything in his
power to ensure no one ever took them away from him.

Reagan
hadn’t anticipated that meeting Trey’s parents would make her gloriously happy.
Within moments of meeting Gwen Mills, Reagan felt that she was the mother who had
been missing from her life. She admired Mrs. Mills’s strength, kindness,
openness, and her creativity. She was a woman Reagan could look up to, and they
shared a deep love for Trey. Dr. Mills reminded her of her own father, with
several important exceptions. He wasn’t judgmental, and from what she could
tell, he wasn’t an overbearing, controlling hardass. So perhaps their
differences outweighed their similarities. Reagan did miss her dad—they’d been
through a lot together—but as much she’d been afraid to call him when she’d
been hired to go on tour with a metal band, she was terrified to contact him
now. What if he’d read the tabloid stories about her? She knew he’d never
forgive her for leading an alternative lifestyle. Maybe it was best if he
thought she was the cheating whore those stories made her out to be.

Reagan
excused herself from the table, went outside through the French doors off the
kitchen, and after gawking at the intricate tilework of the swimming
pool—undoubtedly more of Gwen’s incredible work—dialed Toni on her cellphone.
Toni didn’t answer, so Reagan left a message.

“Toni,
Dare just told me that your sister is in the hospital. I hope everything is
okay. If you need someone to talk to or anything at all, please call me. I
promise I won’t yell at you about the tabloid situation. I’ve cooled down since
the last time you saw me, and I’m thinking more rationally. If you were the one
who leaked the information, I’d very much like to hear your explanation. I’m
sure you had a very good reason. And if it wasn’t you, well, I owe you an
apology. After your sister is better, we’ll straighten this out. Focus on
taking care of yourself and your family. I just wanted you to know you still
have a friend.”

Reagan
hung up, her heart heavy. She didn’t have any siblings, but she could imagine
how devastated Toni would be about Birdie’s health concerns. Because of Toni’s
current home situation, Reagan doubted Toni would come back on tour with them
even if they did clear her of wrongdoing. Reagan had so enjoyed her company,
and Logan would likely be unbearable without Toni to moon over at every opportunity.

“Did
you talk to her?” Trey asked.

Reagan
turned to offer him a weary smile. She hadn’t realized he’d joined her outside.
“I left a message.”

His
lower lip poked out as he assessed her. “You look depressed, baby.”

She
felt depressed.

“You
know I can’t have that.” His ornery grin sent off alarm bells in Reagan’s head.
He cocked his head to one side, long black bangs shifting to cover one eye. He
had a laser-like focus on the pool behind her. “I think a little swimming will
cheer you up.”

“I
didn’t bring a suit.”

He
blinked, and when his eyes focused on her and the corner of his mouth turned
up, she knew she was in trouble.

“You
won’t need one,” he said.

He
made a grab for her, but she sidestepped and darted in the opposite direction.
“Don’t you even think about throwing me in that pool, Trey Mills.”

“Too
late. I’ve already thought about it.”

Reagan
raced around the edge of the pool until she heard Mrs. Mills call, “No
running!” She slowed her escape to the fastest walk she could manage.

“Terrance
Charles Sol Mills, you leave her alone this instant,” Mrs. Mills yelled.

Trey
continued to stalk Reagan with a long stride. Apparently he wasn’t willing to
break his mother’s no running rule. “I will not leave her alone in any instant.
Not until she’s laughing.”

Reagan
released a half-hearted chuckle in an attempt to save herself.

“A
real laugh,” Trey said.

Reagan
had to admit that last one had sounded fake. “Tell me a joke,” she said,
squeaking and jumping forward when Trey’s fingertips brushed her shoulder.

“I
don’t know any good ones. Do you Ethan?”

Reagan
looked to Ethan for assistance, but he was too busy grinning to rescue her. She
should have kept her attention on her escape route. Confronted by a low wall backing
a raised flower bed and benches, she stopped short.

Trey
folded her in his arms and tipped them both into the pool with a splash. Clear,
cool water enveloped her, but did nothing to cool her anger. She surfaced,
sucking a breath into her lungs, and blinked water out of her eyes.

“Damn
it, Trey,” she sputtered. “I’m drenched.”

“You
sure are,” Trey said, tossing his head back and laughing as if she were the
funniest sight he’d ever seen.

“She
isn’t laughing,” Ethan pointed out.

She
scowled at Ethan standing at the edge of the pool. “You’re supposed to rescue
me. Isn’t that your job?” But she knew Ethan wouldn’t jump in after her unless
she was truly in danger.

“Now
I have you all to myself,” Trey said, squeezing her tight.

She
tried to struggle, but the feel of his arms around her was too soothing.

“I’ve
got you,” he whispered. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“But—”

“Everything
is going to be okay, Reagan. I promise.”

Now
fighting tears, she pressed her face into the crook of his neck. She was used
to going to Ethan when she needed someone to make her feel secure, but Trey was
pretty good at it too. He was good to her. Good for her. She would never feel
complete without him in her life.

“Hey,
I’m feeling left out over here,” Ethan said from the side of the pool.

“There’s
an easy solution to that problem,” Trey said. “Join us.”

Reagan
chuckled under her breath. Yeah, right. Ethan wasn’t the type of guy who’d jump
into a pool fully clothed. He was much too serious for such silliness.

At
the sound of a loud splash, Reagan gasped and jerked around, staring in
wide-eyed wonder as Mr. Tall Dark and Serious surfaced behind her. “Ethan!”

She
burst out laughing at his wide-eyed, baffled expression. He seemed to be
wondering how he’d ended up in the pool.

Trey
sent a splash in his direction. “I don’t think you’re wet enough.”

Soon
they were all splashing and shouting and laughing together. Reagan loved how
Trey brought out Ethan’s playful side. Hell, before Trey had come into the
picture, she hadn’t known Ethan possessed a playful side. They were good for
each other and good for her. She wasn’t going to let the opinions of others
take that away from her.

“This
is good to see,” Dare said, lounging in a chair on the pool deck, sipping what
appeared to be lemonade. “I haven’t seen any of you smile for days.”

“Is
that so?” Trey said, trudging through the water in his sodden clothes.

“I
was getting concerned,” Dare said.

“You
should be more concerned about yourself,” Trey said. Without warning he grabbed
the end of Dare’s lounger, tipping him and his glass of lemonade into the pool.

Consummately
cool, Dare somehow managed to look like he’d meant to slide into the pool fully
clothed. He even prevented his drink from spilling as he dropped into the
water. He took a casual sip, set the glass down poolside, and then launched
toward Trey, catching his ornery little brother off guard.

“Reagan,
help!” Trey shouted just before his head went under water. Dare held him under
with one hand and reached for his lemonade, taking another sip as he held
Reagan frozen in place with a steely glare.

“You’re
on your own, Trey,” Ethan said.

“For
heaven’s sake, Darren,” Gwen said calmly, “don’t drown him.”

“Someone
has to keep him in check,” Dare said, allowing Trey to surface. “I swear the
brat could get away with murder. All he’d have to do is train
the look
on judge and jury, and they’d let him go free.”

“This
look?” Trey asked, his head tilted just so, his gaze sincere, his mouth slightly
twisted with amusement.

Reagan
was yards away, but she wasn’t immune to
the look
. She was already prepared
to give Trey anything his heart desired.

“That’s
the one,” Dare said, and he shoved Trey under the water again.

“I
thought I was the only one who couldn’t resist that look,” Ethan said, shaking
his head.

“There
are few who can.”

Trey’s
head bobbed above the surface again, and he drew a deep breath. “Mom!” he cried
before Dare shoved him under again.

“Darren
Edward Lunar Mills behave yourself,” Gwen demanded.

Reagan
sniggered, not at the usage of Dare’s full name—though that was pretty
funny—but at how he immediately obeyed his mother’s demands. Dare whispered
something to Trey, which made Trey glance nervously at Reagan, before Dare pulled
himself out of the water and peeled off his dripping wet shirt.

“You
baby him, Mom,” Dare said as he flipped his lounger upright and spread his
shirt out over its back. “You’ve always babied him.”

Gwen
offered her eldest a smile that reminded Reagan so much of Trey it made her
laugh. “Well, he’s my baby. And he’ll continue to be my baby until
you
give me grandchildren.”

“I’d
better buy him a pacifier then,” Dare said as he settled back in his lounge
chair with his glass of lemonade.

“Reagan,”
Gwen said, “don’t you have any nice friends you could set him up with?”

Reagan
snorted on a laugh. Dare Mills needed no assistance finding dates. When she figured
out that Gwen was sincerely asking for her aid, she said, “I’ll see what I can
do. But I’m pretty sure all of my friends would die on the spot if I told them
I got them a date with Dare Mills.”

Gwen
scowled. “He’s not all that bad.”

Reagan’s
eyes widened. “I meant they’d die because he’s so famous and good looking and
rich and talented and kind and polite. Any girl would be lucky to have him.”

Trey
cleared his throat behind her, and she cringed. “Any girl but me,” she amended.

“I’ve
always thought he was a catch,” Gwen said, concern marring her brow. “So why
doesn’t he ever bring a nice girl home to meet us?”

“I
will when I find the right one,” Dare said.

“Well,
hurry up about it,” Mrs. Mills said, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s
getting harder and harder to find diapers in Trey’s size.”

“Mom!”
Trey protested.

When
laughter exploded from Ethan, everyone joined him—even Trey. Gwen invited them
for dinner, but the visitation for Sed’s father was that evening and the three
of them were planning to go.

Reagan
tried to prepare herself for going from such an uplifting day to an evening
focused on loss. She wasn’t sure her nerves could handle such a shift.

“You
be sure to come visit while you’re on break from the tour at the beginning of
June,” Mrs. Mills said, offering Reagan a loose hug against her damp clothes.

“I
definitely will, Mrs. Mills. It was wonderful to meet you.”

“Is
it too presumptuous of me to ask you to call me mom?”

“Jeez,
Mom,” Trey said, leaning in to peck her on the cheek, “you’ve only known her
for a few hours. You’ll scare her away.”

Reagan
covered Trey’s face with one hand and smiled brightly, her eyes swimming with
tears. “I’d be delighted to call you mom.” So that meant she had two moms now.
Not her own—that family-deserting bitch could die for all she cared—but Ethan’s
mother was wonderful to her as well.

Mrs.
Mills—
Mom
—turned to Ethan, who was standing off to the side as the
others said their goodbyes. “Ethan, you can call me mom whenever you feel comfortable
enough to do so.”

He
nodded, a pleased smile curving his lips upward.

“This
is about as comfortable as Ethan gets,” Trey said, patting Ethan on the ass.
The affectionate gesture made Ethan’s body more tense, not less so.

“I
wish I’d gotten to spend more time with Dr. Mills,” Reagan said.