A Hollywood Bride (Ryder & Paige 2)

“—and the contract.”

“I’ll handle it,” I say.

“Huh?”

“I said I’ll deal with it. You need to get well and not worry about comics or contracts or…anything like that.”

“Thanks, but I can take care of all that,” Oliver says.

I cross my arms. “No, you need to be with your wife, making sure that she and the baby are fine. I’m good at handling details like this. Trust me.”

“Well…I hate to involve you, but it isn’t that complicated,” Bethany says. “There’re just some notes that need to be taken to my lawyer. I didn’t get to type them up before, you know…”

“No problem. I can do that.”

Bethany has the neatest handwriting I’ve ever seen. Her lawyer won’t have any problem understanding what she wants. And if he needs clarification, he can always call her.

“Well, okay. If you insist. They’re on my desk in my office.” She smiles. “And thanks.”

* * *

Ryder

It’s pretty obvious that Paige wants to take care of the contract stuff for Bethany as soon as possible. Since I’d also like some time alone to figure out who’s pretending to represent me, I tell her to take the car and go. I’ll arrange for a ride later.

“Are you sure?” she asks.

“Positive. I know you’re going to worry about it otherwise, and the traffic’s not too bad right now.” Not that that’s saying much. It is L.A. after all.

“Okay. Thanks.” She goes on tiptoe and kisses me on the mouth. The spontaneous public display surprises me. She’s never done it before. Warmth curls in my belly. I hug her tightly, wanting to prolong the moment.

“Catch you later.” She gives me a quick smile and slides into the Mercedes.

I watch her leave, then pull out my phone when the car disappears from sight. The lawyer’s office has already responded.

Lex is on vacation. Will be back next week. If urgent, we can have one of his associates take a look, but it may take longer.

Of all the time to be on vacation, naturally it has to be today. The other people in his office aren’t as familiar with my situation…but I don’t feel like waiting.

Yes. Have somebody else get me the answer. It’s urgent.

I also text Mira, but she’s out of town as well for some emergency meeting with production people for one of her clients. I consider calling and asking her point blank, but something stops me. It’d be better to see her reaction in person when we talk about this. Can you swing by as soon as you’re back in town? I text.

Will do.

The sight of Bethany’s face won’t leave me. She looked awful, and I bet there were a lot more bruises and injuries underneath the hospital gown. The woman is admirably upbeat, but I wish she’d at least groused about how unfair it was that she’s hurt or something. That might’ve made me feel…

I narrow my eyes. Less guilty? The realization doesn’t make me particularly proud of myself.

If someone on my team caused Bethany’s accident—directly or indirectly—I have to take care of it. And without involving Paige. Keeping her in the dark is lying by omission, but the alternative is losing her.

And I can’t lose her. Not now.

Chapter Twenty

Paige

Even with the lighter than normal traffic, it takes a little over an hour to reach Bethany and Oliver’s house. My phone’s been buzzing nonstop in my purse, but I’ve been ignoring it. I never talk on the phone when I’m driving, not even for Ryder.