Kicking Reality

“It’s back to brown now.” Knowing Mom is close by, I pray she doesn’t say anything about Logan. “So, any chance of getting you to fly over for the summer? I’d love to spend some time with you once our filming schedule finishes.”

“I’d love to but me and the girls planned a trip to Miami if Dad lets me.”

I laugh, rudely. “Yeah, good luck with that. Pigs will fly before Dad lets you hang out in Miami. He doesn’t even let you go to the city.”

“Thanks for bursting my bubble,” she complains. “I got to go, I’ll give the phone back to mom.”

There is a shuffle and more noise until Mom says she’s back.

“Miami huh?” I bring it up while scrolling through my phone looking for what Wesley posted.

“Maybe you can take her? Or maybe Ash and Logan.”

“Let the man-whores loose in man-whore city.” I keep my tone controlled, not wanting the spur of jealously to be known.

“You’re right. I love Ashley, but in a way, I’m glad Alessandra has tamed him. As for Logan.” There’s a pause, and I wait with bated breath for her to continue. “He’s going to break someone’s heart one day. I truly feel sorry for that woman.”

I swallow the giant lump in my throat. “Why do you s

ay that, Mom?”

“Because Logan has always struggled with stability. His behavior has been erratic and unpredictable. I love him like my own but Reese leaving him did more harm than good.”

“But Aunty Reese is your best friend. Why didn’t you say something?”

“Why? Because she had her own battles. I just wished she would have worked them out and been there for him. At the end of the day, she’s his mother, not me,” she admits.

I don’t know how we steered onto this topic. As much as I wanted more insight into the past, Mom is on point with Logan’s behavior. He was like that, I knew that. Everything we did together was erratic and irresponsible. But it’s what I needed. I was sick of being the responsible one.

“Change of subject. . . . Did I tell you George is in heat?”

Mom laughs through the receiver. “He’s male. Can male dogs be in heat?”

“I didn’t think so but he’s dry-humping everything in sight. In fact,” I look towards the window where I see him on the balcony dry-humping the outdoor furniture. “He’s going for it right now. He has a thing for the outdoors.”

“I think I need to pay my grandson a visit.”

“Yes!” I cheer loudly. “Are you planning to fly over?”

“One of my fellow author friends has a ranch in the Hills and was planning a book launch in a few weeks. I’d love to go support her plus I wouldn’t want to cramp your apartment. Let me confirm the dates and we’ll make something happen. I know you’re a busy woman building your empire and all but hopefully you have time for your mommy.”

“I always have time for you.” I smile.

“Okay kiddo. I gotta go, meeting in the city with my publisher,” she tells me in a rushed tone. “Do you think my red dress with the gold buttons makes me look like an aging whore?”

“You lost me at gold buttons, Mom.”

We hang up the call with enough time to spare for me to get changed. I could hear Wesley shouting my name; impatiently waiting outside until he gives up and tells me he’ll wait for me in the car. We had a lunch with fellow castmates at an upmarket restaurant near Laguna Beach. The drive alone will be long, and Cliff wanted the cameras in Wes’s car switched on to capture our conversations.

A part of me needed the distraction; my mind unsettled after the conversation with Mom.

“So who’s at the lunch today?” Wes asks, switching lanes without using his blinker.

“Kyle and Kelly,” I say. “Harley and Poppy. Oh . . . and Farrah.”

Farrah was known as the Hollywood train wreck. Her father owned some oil company making them billionaires. She was a spoiled brat born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She was politically incorrect and went out of her way to stir trouble—her favorite pastime.

She was also a walking billboard for plastic surgery; having done her lips, cheeks, breasts, and her latest being butt implants.