I nodded. "And I think we should go out tonight. Yesterday was a huge success. If we're gonna be out of town for a couple of days, we need to leave them with plenty of material."
"You mean go to dinner?"
"I mean go to dinner then go out. Get all dressed up and go to a nightclub."
Lowell wrinkled her nose at me. "I don't go to nightclubs."
"I know. Which is why we should."
Lowell shook her head. "I don't want to project a party-girl image after what I did."
"That makes sense, but I think the press needs to see you out at night, looking hot." I watched her face. "You can be a good
role model by enjoying yourself responsibly."
She looked as though she was struggling with the idea of the club, but then she nodded. "While people still care."
Not caring about her seemed impossible.
"Works for me," I said and started counting the minutes until I could hold her tight little body on the dance floor.
* * *
She came out in a short, skin-tight black dress and black booties. I almost passed out.
"Is this okay? Or is it too slutty?" she asked.
"It's perfect."
She looked tentatively pleased. "Really? You'd tell me, right? I'm used to having my stylist do all this. Okay, my stylist is Tori, but still."
"Skype her," I said, pointing at her laptop. "She'll approve, I swear it."
Lowell went over to her computer and fired it up. After clicking away for a few seconds, she smiled at the screen. "Tori? How are you? I miss you!"
In spite of my protests, Lowell hadn't allowed a single person from her inner circle to meet me. Not Tori, not Shirley, and I hadn't even glimpsed that Gigi with the long legs again. Lowell had been working with them all from her laptop at home. She was protecting me like Fort Knox. I wasn't sure if she was keeping me away from everyone because she wanted to shield me, or because she was embarrassed by me, or because she thought somehow one of them would be able to tell that I used to be her stepbrother—just by looking at me in person.
But Tori knew who I was. And yet Lowell still wouldn't let me meet her.
"Oh my fucking God, Lo!" A voice that must have belonged to Tori screamed from the computer. "I saw the pictures from Disneyland—that was so cute—and Kyle is so hot! I can't believe he's your stepbrother. That sucks so hard! I swear, you two look like you were made for each other! Holy freaking—"
"Enough," Lo shrieked. "Kyle's right here!"
Hmm. Maybe this was why she'd kept us apart.
"Oh geez, I'm sorry!" Tori wailed, and I tried not to laugh as Lo adjusted her dress and tried not to die of embarrassment. "Is he still right there?"
"Yesss," Lo said through gritted teeth.
"Oops." Tori promptly stopped talking.
"Can you check my outfit before I go out for the night?" Lo asked, sounding defeated.
"Your dress looks wicked hot," Tori said, regaining her enthusiasm. "I was there when you picked that out, remember? We went shopping for slutty clothes so you could finally get over your dry spell? Well, this is it! That dress screams sex!"
Lo glared at the computer screen, her shoulders rising and falling as she tried to maintain her composure.
"He's still right there, isn't he," Tori squeaked, not bothering to make it a question. "I'm so sorry. I'm just excited!"