“Any particular reason?”
“Because men who get too close end up getting sucked under.Hey, don’t blame me,” he added when she opened her mouth to call him a sexist pig.“Rosario’s the one who came up with Riptide.I suggested we use Gravity.”
Okay, she hadn’t seen that one coming.“Why Gravity?”
“Because it has no relation to Sierra.Nobody outside the team would guess it was her code name.”
Sierra’s staff must have received a similar message, because the house exploded into a flurry of activity.Pots clanged in the kitchen, and it sounded like somebody fired up a blender.A young man vacuumed like his life depended on it, while an older woman spritzed the air with the scents of lavender and vanilla.
Sloane picked up the remote control and turned off the television.She glanced toward the kitchen, winced at the sound of glass breaking, before turning her gaze back to Navarre.“Any idea what they’re doing in there?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”He pressed a button on the radio.“How’s it looking out there, Jackson?”
“Situation normal, though I’m sure that’ll change pretty soon.”Jackson’s deep, velvety voice came over the speaker.“Me and Rosario are covering the gate; Garrett and Wade are out back.”
That surprised her at first; she’d assumed that one of the Flints would want to be at the gate when Sierra arrived.But then she remembered Wade’s tendency to scare the crap out of most people, and the placement made total sense.Not to mention, he didn’t strike her as the type who gave a damn about meeting a celebrity.From what she’d seen, he usually preferred to stay out of the public eye.
“What should I do?”Sloane asked.“Does Sierra want to see me when she gets here or is it better if I stay out of sight?”
Navarre shrugged.“Her associates didn’t list any protocols for this particular situation, so you might as well stick around for the meet and greet.She might want to…I don’t know…say hi to the person who’s acting as her body double.If she doesn’t, she’ll probably just ignore you.”
There it was again, that twinge of doubt that refused to completely go away.It slithered down the length of her spine and settled in the pit of her stomach.“What if she thinks I don’t look enough like her?”
“It’s a little late to worry about that, don’t you think?At this point, it really doesn’t matter.Her sister gave you the stamp of approval.That ought to be good enough for Sierra.”The confidence in his voice soothed the worst of her nerves.“Relax, you look just like her.”
His words caught her by surprise.“Was that a compliment?”
“It was the truth.Don’t read too much into it.”
They settled into the large living area, the soft hum of the air conditioning cutting through the thick Florida humidity.Conversations dwindled to murmurs as Sierra’s staff kicked their final preparations into overdrive.
At last, the ping of a notification sliced through the quiet.The security detail escorting Sierra had arrived at the front gate.The flurry of activity ratcheted up to a frenzy, culminating with a pair of young men lining up at the door, one holding a tray of meticulously arranged finger foods, while the other cradled a glass of whatever concoction they’d whipped up in the blender.
Navarre’s gaze flicked to the glass.“Is there alcohol in that?”
The taller of the two men stared at him as if he’d asked if one of the ingredients was strychnine.“Of course not,” he replied, his tone clipped.“It’s an energy smoothie.Ms.Page likes to refresh and recharge after a long flight.It has orange juice, vanilla yogurt, strawberries, flax seed, and a touch of honey.No alcohol.”
The corners of Navarre’s mouth twitched.“Good to know.”
Less than a minute later, the double doors swung open, and Sierra Page breezed into the house, looking surprisingly fresh for someone who’d spent most of the day on an airplane.Not a hair out of place.Her makeup was flawless.She wore a cherry-red blouse over tight-fitting jeans and knee-high boots.An entourage trailed in her wake, dragging enough luggage to hold every piece of clothing in Sloane’s closet.She carried a clutch that couldn’t hold more than a cell phone and a pack of gum, which she handed to one of the waiting men in exchange for the smoothie.
She sipped the drink, and a look of pure bliss lit her face.“Thank you, Jordan.You always know how to take the edge off a long, hard day.”
Her voice sounded softer than it usually did in interviews and carried a hint of a British accent even though she’d never lived there.Perhaps she was practicing for an upcoming role, or she’d picked it up from people she associated with.Whatever the reason, it wasn’t Sloane’s business.
Jordan beamed at the praise.“My pleasure, Ms.Page.If there’s anything else you’d like from the kitchen, just say the word.”
She picked up one of the pastry bites from the tray and popped it into her mouth.As she chewed, her gaze drifted to Sloane, and for a few long moments Sloane wished the floor would open and swallow her whole.
Something resembling amusement flittered over Sierra’s face as she looked Sloane over.“So.You’re me.”
Sloane’s heart pounded in her chest, so loud she wondered whether anyone else could hear it.She’d met celebrities at conventions before, where they got paid to be nice to attendees, to make idle chitchat while they posed for pictures or gave their autograph.But now the tables were turned, and she was the one who had to make nice, because the last thing she wanted was to say the wrong thing and jeopardize a lucrative contract.
Steeling her nerves, she lifted her chin and gave her best fake-it-till-you-make-it smile.“At least for the weekend.Any pointers?”
“Yes, don’t screw it up.”All trace of humor left Sierra’s face.“If the press figures out you’re not me, I’ll never hear the end of it.Neither will your boss.Do you understand?”
Since the floor didn’t seem inclined to swallow her whole anytime soon, Sloane nodded.“I’ll do my best.”
