Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (12 page)

“
I thought you wanted to move on?
”

“
I do. I didn
’
t think I
’
d be able to sell the rights to the trilogy, but what they offered was crazy high. We can
’
t refuse that. And it
’
s not like I can
’
t watch it if I
’
m feeling nostalgic, right?
”

“
Plus, you
’
re living your own fairytale, isn
’
t that what you always say?
”
Dallas encourages.

She turns to me.
“
Riley, what do you think about the name?
”

“
I
’
m okay with it going. We
’
ll come up with something new. Dallas has some good ideas.
”

“
But Brooklyn named it,
”
she says, tears gathering in her eyes.
 

“
Why don
’
t we all sleep on it?
”
I offer.

“
Okay,
”
she says, then she looks at her watch.
“
At least it
’
s late. Maybe the paparazzi won
’
t be outside. Things have been crazy since that article suggested I
’
m pregnant. Everyone wants some exclusive photo of my alleged baby bump. I
’
ve had to suck in my stomach all day. It
’
s exhausting.
”

“
So are you going to announce it soon?
”
I ask her.

“
No, I
’
m not. Besides, it
’
s not the first time that I
’
ve been pregnant,
”
she makes quotes in the air,
with Knox
’
s love child
.
”

“
That would piss me off if I were Aiden,
”
Dallas says.

“
It does, but I want him out of that kind of spotlight as much as possible. And if he ever said something they would twist it anyway. The tabloids want me and Knox together, because we sell magazines.
”

She meets up with her security detail, and we all leave the restaurant together.

The amount of paparazzi and flashes of cameras catches me off guard.
 

“
Keatyn, Keatyn! Is it true? Are you pregnant?
”
they shout.

She walks directly over to one of the reporters and gives him a dazzling smile, causing the cameras to click away.
 

“
Give me a break, Jared,
”
she says.
“
How many times has it been announced that I
’
m pregnant?
”

Jared scrunches up his face.

“
Exactly,
”
she says.
 

“
We were told you were having a meeting with First Door Films. Rumor has it that they want to acquire Captive.
”

“
We can
’
t comment on that,
”
she says appropriately.

The reporter rolls his eyes but keeps trying.
“
I heard the
Trinity
filming is wrapping up this week. What
’
s next for you?
”

“
I
’
m taking a three-week vacation then I
’
ll be joining Knox and the crew in London to do the location shoots.
”

“
Is this really the last
Trinity
movie?
”

“
That
’
s the plan.
”

He squints at her.
“
But it sounds like you
’
re leaving the door open.
”

“
Knox and I will always leave the door open for the right script.
”

“
And do you have a script in mind?
”

“
Not for
Trinity,
”
she says, walking away toward her waiting car.

“
Wait, what are you saying?
”
he yells, following her.

She turns around before getting into the car.
“
I
’
m saying I
’
m pretty positive this won
’
t be my last movie with Knox, but it
is
the last
Trinity
movie.
”

“
Oh my stars! Did you sign on to do another project together? Why haven
’
t we heard about this?
”

“
Because nothing can be announced at the moment,
”
she teases, then pulls me into the car even though I wasn
’
t planning on riding with her.

Once we
’
re safely in the car, I ask her,
“
How do you do that? You and Knox can both twist whatever they say and turn it around on them.
”

“
I know what they want to hear,
”
she shrugs.

“
What do they want to hear?
”

“
Big news, Riley. But I don
’
t want to talk about that. You and I need to discuss giving up the Captive name. I thought I could do it, but I can
’
t. They want our assets, not the name. That was obvious based on what they upped the offer to.
”

“
Is that the reason you practically kidnapped me just now?
”

“
Yes, Riley, it is. Could you really just let the name Brooklyn chose go to someone who doesn
’
t care about it?
”

“
We have the Brooklyn Wright Marine Biology Memorial Fund. We sponsor up-and-coming surfers on the pro tour in his honor. It
’
s not like we
’
re just going to forget about him.
”

“
Riley, I left the majority of what really happened to Brooklyn out of the movie. You know that. He went through a lot because of me.
”

“
No, he went through a lot because of Vincent. It
’
s not your fault that Vincent tortured him to find out where you were.
”

“
I know it
’
s not, but even after Vincent beat him…even after he was threatened with a loaded gun to his head. And even after Vincent broke two of his fingers, he never told. The name of our company is the only thing—besides my surfboard, my tattoo, and a book of poetry—that I have left of him.
”

I give her a hug.
“
And maybe it
’
s time that you got over the guilt and let it go. Maybe giving up the name will be freeing for you. It
’
s a constant reminder of that pain. That can
’
t be healthy, now that I think about it. Think about all the good things you can do with this money. Not to mention setting up your children and your children
’
s children for life.
”

She sighs.
“
Yeah, I suppose you
’
re right. Aiden said the same thing, but . . .
”

“
I will think about it tonight. I promise,
”
I say reassuringly.

“
Thanks, Riley,
”
she says, kissing my cheek and telling me goodnight as the driver pulls up to my building.
 

I stop before going in, sit on a mahogany bench out front, and call Ariela. I don
’
t want to talk to her in front of Shelby.
 

Asher Vineyards
—
Sonoma County

ARIELA

I smile as one of the photos I took during homecoming of Riley
’
s handsome face pops up on the screen of my phone, indicating a call from him.
 

“
Hey, Kitty,
”
he says, causing certain parts of my female anatomy to warm.
 

“
Hey, yourself. How was your meeting?
”

“
It went pretty well. We
’
re negotiating to sell most of Captive Films.
”

“
Really? Will you still have a job?
”

“
After this deal, I won
’
t need a job, but I
’
ll still work. I
’
m going back to doing what I love
—
producing.
”

“
That
’
s amazing, Riley. I
’
m happy for you.
”

“
Aiden told me that they offered you a job.
”

“
Yeah, they did, but I don
’
t know if I
’
ll accept.
”

“
Is it something you would like to do?
”

“
Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? The ability to design my own venue? Every single venue I
’
ve ever worked at, I
’
ve thought about how I could make it better. And couples are so into personalizing their weddings, to be able to create spaces that would allow them to do that in an elegant way would be so cool.
”

“
Then I think you should take them up on it.
”

“
But the job would be here, Riley,
”
she says softly.

“
What if I told you that I
’
m thinking it
’
s time I put down some roots of my own. I would love to have a place on this coast that
’
s big like my parents
’
place in the Hamptons. Somewhere all the kids could come. Where we could all spend the holidays together.
”

“
Your family would love that. Would you keep your place in L.A?
”

“
I think so. I would assume I will still be here often for business.
”

“
So you
’
d go on location to produce?
”

“
Okay, so this is a secret, but Keatyn and Knox are going to build a small studio in the area. Knox already bought a house near Asher Vineyards, and he and Keatyn bought the land near it that includes large outbuildings to use as sets. She wants to spend more time there. Her and Aiden want to start a family.
”

“
Aiden mentioned this afternoon that the tabloids are speculating she
’
s pregnant.
”

“
Well, that
’
s pretty normal for her. Of course, they all want Knox to be the father.
”
I laugh.
“
It
’
s really kind of crazy.
”

“
Sounds like it. Which is probably why she
’
d like to be here. It
’
s so peaceful and beautiful. And it smells so good.
”

“
How is the wedding planning coming?
”

“
Really good. Oh, I forgot to tell you. I hired an assistant.
”

“
That was fast.
”

“
He flew out this morning.
”

“
From where?
”

“
Don
’
t laugh, but he worked at the coffee shop, and he hit on me, and then he went to see the trilogy with me.
”