“What’s going on?” I asked casually, all while my insides were doing the damn jig on my internal organs.
Reid slid over the thing he had been staring at, and my eyes about shot from my head. “You have got to be fucking kidding me. What in the hell are you doing with that?” Snatching the card off the table, my insides lurched as I ran to the garbage can to purge the contents of my stomach.
The kitchen was silent as I let go the salad I managed to cram down for lunch, but my hand was throbbing from holding on to the damn card so tightly. Once finished, I wiped my mouth off with the back of my sweater, and quickly walked over to the sink. Sticking my head under the faucet, I swished some water around in my mouth, then spit it down the drain. Turning around, I gripped the counter top with my free hand and purse my lips together tightly.
“She wants me to send them out.”
Glaring at Reid from across the counter, my hands wanted to throttle that gorgeous tattooed neck of his. We shouldn’t have to be dealing with all this bullshit. That woman was the devil, and the spawn growing inside her round, unblemished, perfectly symmetrical belly probably wasn’t even Reid’s kid. All of this could easily be solved with the damn DNA test; if she hadn’t basically cock blocked him with legal action. Apparently, that was the only time she cock blocked the idiot since she bent over several times for the taking. Just being a publicity stunt, my ass.
“Why couldn’t you have just shoved it up her ass, Reid? Then, we wouldn’t have this problem at all.” Dropping the announcement on the floor, I forced my hands together in front of me. This way I had less of an urge to strangle the man causing all these problems.
“Molly Anne, I thought we had talked about this, and were dealing with it?” Obviously frustrated with my outburst, Reid hastily stood up from his stool and walked over to the wet bar, grabbing the bottle of Jack and filling his glass to the brim. It had been forever since I’d seen him actually take a drink, that while watching him bring the glass up to those lips actually had my mouth hanging open. “Don’t even start,” he threatened, closing his eyes as the liquid slid down his throat.
“Well, if you didn’t want my thoughts on the matter then why in the hell did you show me the announcement? You damn well know that I can’t keep my mouth shut about anything.”
“Molly Anne, I asked your opinion on what I should do. I don’t know the proper protocol for this kind of thing, and believe it or not, you come from the right upbringing that even though you want to piss and moan about the situation, you know the proper etiquette for shit like this.”
Letting out a loud huff, I stomped over in his direction and snatched the glass from his hand. Bringing it to my lips, I snarled at him while throwing back the remnants of liquid goodness back. “Formal or not, Reid Chambers, I don’t want to see the birth announcement of your bastard child going out before our wedding announcements do.”
My eyes grew large while my hand shot up to cover my lips, as if to force the spoken words back into my stupidly large open mouth. Moments like that would have rendered my mother’s backhand across my face, and I had really strived over the years to at least try and think before opening that damn mouth of mine. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean it like that.”
Reid closed his eyes, and then rubbed his eyebrows intently. “Yes you did, Molly Anne. But, I do understand the anger and hostility you have toward the situation.”
“I’m just so tired of everything. I want her to go away, I want the wedding to be over, and I just want to fucking live with you in our happily ever after that every fucking fairy tale has promised me.” Handing Reid the empty glass, I turned around to face the large glass window. Everything outside was so calm and peaceful, unlike the tension that was slowly suffocating the life out of both of us inside the house.
Was it formal to send out wedding invitations along with birth announcements? No, but then again who got married to a man who had another women knocked up? Fuck, if we were going to be paying for both, might as well save some money on the shipping costs. I’d say we were killing two birds with one stone, but then that made me think of murder, and those thoughts mixed with a baby really screamed for someone to have me committed.
“Just send them out,” I mumbled to Reid, dropping my head in shame.
Reid’s arms wrapped around the tops of my shoulders, forcefully pulling my body back into his solid frame. A soft kiss was placed on the top of my head, then gently rested his chin on the back of my crown. “I love you, Molly Anne, and no matter what happens, you are the woman I am marrying. You are the person I am making those vows with, and you are the one who will be stuck with me for the rest of our lives. This baby changes nothing.”
“This baby changes everything, Reid.”
“We aren’t even sure it’s mine yet.”
Turning around in his arms, I glanced up into those tortured eyes of his. “That’s the problem, Reid. It totally could be yours, and it scares the shit out of me.”
“Well, what do you want to do?” Grabbing either side of my face, Reid forced the continued eye contact as my insides screamed to break away.
“I’m not running away from this, Reid. But, I’m not exactly sure on how to proceed with it either.”
“Do you want to put a hold on the wedding until after we sort some of the stuff out?” Reid’s voice was calm as he spoke those words to me. I didn’t know if it pissed me off more that he seemed okay with pushing our wedding back, or if all this commotion and my bitterness gave him the idea to do so.
“No. Absolutely not,” I stammered quickly, shaking my head vigorously out of his grasp. “I’m not putting our lives on hold while we wait for news that could swing either way.”
“I love you, Molly Anne. You are the only woman in the entire world that would ever put up with all this bullshit.” Letting out a small laugh, Reid’s hands slink back around my body, once again pulling my closer into him.
“I’m pretty sure the majority of the female population would put up with your antics, Reid Chambers. Nice try.” Rolling my eyes, my head hit his chest and I let out a small sigh. I knew I wasn’t the only woman in the world that would do just about anything to be a part of this man’s life. Hell, most women would cut their left breast off for a night in bed with him.
“I am a pretty good catch, huh?” Without even looking up at the man, I knew there was a stupid grin spread across his face. Shaking my head, I buried myself deeper into his embrace and held on a little tighter. I could get past this issue, we both could get past this. This baby was not the wrench thrown into our forever mix, only a minor mishap that I needed to just let go.
Maybe let it go over a pool infested with starving sharks, hungry for slutty baby momma trying to ruin my life………………..but I would still be letting it go.
“So does this mean we aren’t going to order pizza?” Tiny interrupted. I had totally forgotten he was listening to this whole giant fiasco, and probably thought we were both equally bat shit crazy. Reid for getting involved with some hooker, and me for continuing to be involved in this disaster.
“No, I’m totally game for pizza, Tiny. Matter of fact, how about we go pick it up? This way I can run a little errand for the baby to be.” Letting out a wicked laugh, my mind turned with the great idea that popped into my head.
“Molly Anne,” Reid cautioned, looking at me with concern in his eye.
“Oh, no. It’s fine, Reid. I just want to get her a little something for the baby, that’s all. You ready, Tiny? We can order in the car.” Smiling at Tiny, I placed a quick kiss to the side of Reid’s face and patted the other with my hand.
“This doesn’t feel like a good idea, Molls,” Tiny warned while pulling the keys out of his pocket and looking to Reid for help.
Still smiling, I headed down the hallway for my purse. She wanted to announce the upcoming birth of her spawn being born, and I had the perfect present in mind. I was sure they sold stripper poles in glittery pink for little baby girls. With that tramp as t
he mother and who knew as the actual father, I doubted there was much hope for her career in the long run. Was it mean of me to think that way of an unborn child? Probably. But, my judgment was questionable at the moment, anyhow. Just ask my boss what she thought of me.
Chapter 14
Making it Rain has a completely different meaning now.
“You’re seriously going to send those out?” Danielle tossed me a disgusted look from the other side of my desk.
“I kind of have to if the DNA test comes back positive.” Shrugging my shoulders, I leaned back in my chair and pursed my lips together. The stack of announcements had plagued my desk space for the last two weeks, mocking me every single time my eyes caught their bright pink cheerful swirls on the glossy paper.
“I can’t believe she is going to name her Rain. Seriously, who in the hell does that?” Snatching a card off the pile, Danielle let out a disgusted snort and flung the announcement behind her. “Didn’t Reid have any say on the name?”
“He didn’t want to be any part of it. It’s not his daughter.”
“Even if I didn’t create the kid, I would have saved the poor soul from an awful name like that. She is already going to have a two bit slut muffin for a mother; her name is basically lighting up the billboard for her future stripper career in Vegas.”
Laughing, I closed my laptop quickly and tossed a folder over the cards on the desk. I needed to take them to the PR department, but couldn’t quite bring myself to hand them over in hopes that this whole thing would just blow over quickly. The damn beached whale should pop soon, and as soon as the thing was out of her vagina, samples were being sent to the lab and the truth would finally come out. Totally unsure of what those results would actually be, but to hell if we were waiting any longer.
A ping from my phone sitting on my desk caused my breath to seize immediately.
“Oh, for all the love of taffeta and tulle! Give me that,” Danielle demanded, grabbing the device from my desk as I continued to stare at it. This could be the phone call that I’d been waiting for; this could be the end to the madness before the wedding.
“You have got to be kidding me,” Danielle snarled. Thrusting the phone outward toward me, she rolled her eyes then firmly crossed her arms in front of her.
“What?” I commented, taking the phone and glancing down at the text message.
*Reid* She won’t shut up about those damn pickles. I took her a jar and it wasn’t the right one. She wants ones in a short jar…….where in the hell do I find them?
Softly muttering a few of my favorite curse words, I narrowed my eyes at the text message as the anger built up in me.
“She needs to fucking stop calling and texting all the damn time. Danielle, I’m sick of her constant needy behavior; she is driving me freaking insane!”
“I don’t know what to tell you, Molly.” Danielle offered me a half apologetic smile.
“I don’t care if she’s giving birth to a freaking two headed purple alien named George. That woman has no right to call in the fucking middle of the night and demand him to bring her pickles that come in the squatty jar.” Throwing my phone across the desk top, I cringed when I heard it shatter on the hard tile floor.
“Well, now I’m only speaking in technical terms, but I think she does have the right to call him.” Danielle winced for the impact of my verbal onslaught, knowing damn well the comment she made would push me over the edge.
“Well, fuck. I guess the tramp can call him and text him over and over again. But, to demand pickles in the small jar opposed to just grabbing whatever is on the shelf is absolutely absurd.” Tossing my lap top open again, I quickly typed out grocery delivery service in the Google Task Bar. “Give me your phone,” I demanded, letting a wicked smile creep across my now demented face.
Snatching the phone Danielle had offered out to me, I quickly dialed the number on my screen as the genius plan of mine played out in my head. “So, the bitch wants pickles. I’m going to give her pickles,” I muttered while the call was connecting.
“Hi, yes, I’m wondering if you can deliver one hundred cases of pickled asparagus to a private residence? Yes, as soon as possible please.” My mother might have taught me how to be tactful, but I also learned the finer arts of revenge. Never mess with a southern woman and the power of the internet.
***
It wasn’t until after lunch that I heard from Reid. I ignored his first call, knowing by now the swamp troll had probably gotten my gift, and for all intents and purposes, she called Reid complaining. I personally would think that getting a bunch of pickles delivered would be a blessing, since she had such a craving for them. But, sadly, my gift did not go over as intended. The words insensitive and spiteful were tossed out a couple times, but honestly, I didn’t really care. The blimp should be popping soon, and everything in my life would be back to normal.
“Hey, Molly?” Megan said from her desk in her office.
Pushing my chair back slightly to see her clearly, I responded “What’s up?”
“Slight problem in the studio.” Megan winced at the admission, while holding the phone away from her ear a few inches. I could hear screaming and yelling on the other end, which promptly sent my rather amused mood straight into the toilet.
“Something you can’t handle?” I mouthed to her. I just had a fantastic morning ordering a crap load of pickles, and now had to deal with something that probably wouldn’t have happened had anyone listened to me about rehab for Chance.
“Pretty sure it’s going to involve both of us.” Megan’s face said it all. Whatever just happened in the studio was not going to be an easy fix. I watched as she said a few more words in the receiver, then calmly placed the phone back on its cradle. Grabbing her keys from her desk drawer, she looked over at me with a frown plastered across her face.
“I’m going to head over to the studio and deal with the situation there, and you might want to head down to the prescient on Capitol Hill.” Handing me a brightly colored pink Post It, she said sorry quickly and ducked out the door before I could question what was going on.
Looking down at the Post It, the corporate lawyers number was written in black ink, with a call immediately and have them meet you underneath the number.
“Well, fucking black kittens on Halloween,” I said loudly. Either someone was arrested or Brantley’s crazy ex-wife had filed another restraining order on his cheating ass. Sadly, my gut was leaning toward someone being arrested, again.
“Hi, I’m Molly McGlenister,” I said to the corporate business suited man walking into the small waiting room.
“Bruce Winston,” the man replied, offering his hand out as a friendly gesture. Smiling, I took his hand gently, then pulled back quickly. The heat in the small room had been cranked up to its max, leaving every orifice on my body sweating like a stuffed pig.
“Have you been briefed on the situation?” Bruce asked me while taking the empty chair next to me at the table.
“No, I’ve only been here like five minutes before you. They led me straight back to this room when I mentioned who I was here for.” Normally, that wouldn’t be a good sign being stuffed in a private room, but then again, we were dealing with a famous person.
“Do we know who was arrested at the studio?”
“That I do know.” I offered a smile. Luckily, Megan had gotten to the studio before I arrived at the station, and sent me a text on who actually got hauled in. “It’s Chance Hill.”
“I didn’t have time to go over the files kept at the office, but am I presumptuous to say this isn’t the first time something like this has happened?” Bruce pulled out several stacks of paperwork from his leather brief case, and situated them neatly on the table.
“Nope, you hit the nail on the head. However, I’m not actually sure what happened this time. Last time, it was for public intoxication and starting a small riot outside a liquor store in New Mexico.” I almost felt embarrassed telling the man that this was a normal occurrence f
or this band member, but then again, I was only his manager. “Normally, they release him within twenty-four hours with some fines and community service to complete.”
Without uttering another word, Bruce gave me an irritated look, and then went back to stacking his papers. For some reason, I felt like the one in trouble sitting next to this man. He better be worth every damn penny the label was paying him to be that arrogant.
A knock on the door broke the weird tension in the small room, and two men dressed in suits entered. One positioned himself along what I figured was a two way mirror and took the tough guy stance, folding his arms across his chest. The second pulled out the chair directly across from me, and tossed a manila folder on the table.
“I’d like to say this was an easy open and close kind of deal today, but that’s not going to be true for Mr. Hill’s case.” The man leaned back in the metal chair, and I watched as a small sweat bead trickled down the side of his hairline.
“What are the charges being placed upon my client, officer?” Bruce said dryly. He pulled a pen from the inside of his suit jacket, and made sure everyone in the room knew he had it in his hand. Apparently, clicking a pen meant business in his world.
Flipping open the folder, the officer slid the folder in front of me. Glancing down at the open pages, Bruce snatched the folder out from under my nose before I had a chance to read what was typed on the pages.
“This isn’t going to work for us.” Closing the folder, Bruce patted the top of it, and then slid it back to the officer.
“Huh? Wait, what did it say?” I asked quickly. My head snapped back and forth between the officer and Bruce, waiting for one of them to tell me what the charges were.
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