Beautiful Liar (The Reed Rivers Trilogy 2)

I chuckle. “I’m afraid to ask.”

“That’s what Hannah calls it when Hazel’s sleeping with her bottom straight in the air. She smashes her cheek into the mattress and curls her little legs up underneath her, and points her butt straight up. It’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Send me a pic.”

“Reed, Hazel is my baby.”

I laugh. “I want to see.”

“Are you drunk?”

“I’m just in a good mood. Now, send me a fucking photo of your baby doing butts up coconut before I beat your scrawny ass. My time is valuable, man. I don’t beg.”

He laughs.

My phone pings.

“I sent it.”

“Aw. You’re right. That is adorable.”

“I can’t get enough. I’ve got like nine hundred photos of the same basic shot on my phone.” He chuckles happily. “But, surely, you didn’t call to hear me gush about Hazel. I’m guessing you’re calling about your party? I RSVP’d right before you called. It’s perfect timing. Hannah’s mom and my parents were already coming into town for the weekend for Hazel’s birthday party on Sunday, so we’ve got overnight babysitting. Same with Josh and Kat.”

“Oh, you’ve talked to Josh? He’s coming, for sure?”

“Yeah, he texted both of us. You didn’t see? He and Kat changed their flight to come to LA on Friday now.”

“Awesome. You guys will have to pre-party at my house on Saturday afternoon.”

“Count us in.” He pauses. “So, you haven’t said a word about Hazel’s birthday party being the next day.”

“Yeah, I totally forgot about that. Does it start before two?”

“No. It starts at three.”

“And you’ll be serving booze, I hope—preferably Bloody Marys?”

“Yes, to booze. I’ll add Bloody Marys to the menu, specifically.”

“Then I’ll be there.”

Henn pauses. “That’s it? You’re not going to complain the guest of honor has no idea it’s her fucking birthday? Or that we’ll be partying till dawn at your place, and that getting up for a baby’s birthday party the next day is the last thing you want to do?”

I laugh. “Nope. I’m looking forward to Hazel’s birthday bash. My party will be one for the record books, but it’ll be crazy and hectic. It’ll be nice to hang out with everyone the next day in a chill environment where we can actually talk. Just don’t let me down on those Bloody Marys, and we’re good.”

“Wow. You’re in a shockingly good mood.”

I can’t help smiling from ear to ear. “Yes, I am.”

“Is there a specific reason?”

My smile broadens. I bite my lower lip. “Remember that hot bartender from Bernie’s the other night?”

“No. Remind me what she looks like.”

He’s being sarcastic. Georgina is unforgettable.

“She’s here. She stayed the night.”

“No.”

“Yep.”

He makes a sound like he’s blown away. “Well, that’s a twist I didn’t see coming. I thought you said she hated your guts. You said she told you to fuck off and die in front of your gate and then took off in an Uber.”

“She did.” I chuckle. “But I happened to see her at the RCR show last night, and one thing led to another... And now she’s here. I just made her breakfast, Henny.”

“She’s breakfast-worthy?” He whistles. “Wow. That was fast. Okay, back up. How did you ‘happen’ to run into her at the RCR concert? You pulled strings, didn’t you? You made her think she’d won backstage tickets in a contest or something.”

I smirk to myself. “You think I’m so Machiavellian, so sneaky and diabolical, I’d pull strings behind the scenes to create a situation where I could have a second bite at the apple with a woman who’d rejected me, without her even realizing I’d played God?”

“That’s precisely what I think of you.”

“Well, you’re absolutely right. Thank you for knowing me so well.”

I tell Henn the whole story. Georgina’s internship, and how it came about. I tell him about the grant and that Georgina has no idea I’m the one who funded it. And, finally, I tell him about the interview I had to throw into the pot to get CeeCee to agree to doing the special issue.

“Wow, that’s going to be one hell of a thorough interview when she’s through with you,” Henn says. “Considering she’s got the entire summer to gather information.”

“Yeah, especially since Georgina will be staying here at my place the entire summer.”

“You’re shitting me.”

“Nope. I invited her this morning. And she said yes.”

He’s quiet for a beat. “I’m sorry. Could you hand the phone back to Reed, please?”

I laugh. “I know. It’s crazy.”

“You invited her for the summer... for the article?”

Anxiety flashes through me. Did I jump the gun? Inviting Georgie for the whole summer was a spur of the minute decision. Seeing her with Amalia, for some reason... it felt so natural and right. Plus, I knew she’d be in my life throughout the summer, regardless, working on the special issue... And, suddenly, I couldn’t stand the thought of Georgina staying in a hotel throughout the summer, when she could be under my roof... “No, I asked her to stay for purely personal reasons,” I admit.