Infamous by Nicole Camden Read Free Book Online Page B

privately.
    He also knew a private investigator in Miami; he’d sworn he’d never lay eyes on the man again after last time, but Benson Hunter was the best in the business, if your business was getting dirt on people.
    Several hours later, he’d left a message for Benson, asking to meet him tonight at Jobman’s Pub, and he’d managed to get all the paintings hung and on display. He wasn’t happy about the lighting in one section, but he’d get that fixed in the morning. Truly, though, he wanted to have a party to promote the opening of the gallery. He’d never had one to introduce Mary’s work to the public, too much had been happening at the time, and now with the addition of Gabriel’s work, it seemed like an excellent time to celebrate, not that he needed the excuse.
    Pulling out his phone, he made a note on a couple of dates in his calendar. He’d check with Lille and Mary, see if they wanted to help with the planning. Lille had mentioned a Halloween party at the pub, but maybe they could have it at the gallery instead. As he checked his calendar, he noticed that it was almost two in the afternoon and that he had a text message from Jordan.
    I’m in love. But she hates me.
    Carl laughed, understanding immediately whom Jordan was talking about.
    â€œShe hates everyone,” he texted back.
    Help me.
    Kim barely seemed to tolerate Carl’s presence; he could only imagine her reaction if he suddenly starting encouraging her to date his friends.
    â€œThink she’s gay,” he responded, which was only part of the truth. He thought Kim swung whatever way pleased her in the moment.
    Maybe I can change her mind.
    Carl winced. So it was like that. He’d been there before. Really, he could offer only his encyclopedic knowledge of 1980s movies as a guide to the hopelessly lovelorn. “‘That’s why they call them crushes. If they were easy, they’d call them something else.’— Sixteen Candles .”
    After a minute, his phone beeped.
    Know what the quote’s from. Not helpful.
    Lol. Sorry, honey.
    That’s okay.
    Carl sighed—even Jordan’s texts sounded despondent. “There in a little while,” he texted his friend. He still had to finish up a few things and head back to Hollywood.
    Okay. John and Mary should be here soon. Lille getting ready to go to pub. Kim is making a virtual tour.
    â€œGreat. Max coming?” Carl texted back. He had forgotten to check with him earlier to find out.
    He will.
    Warn him?
    Hell no.
    Yeah, Carl nodded to himself, pressing the button to lock his phone. He wasn’t going to tell Max, either—it would be much more interesting to see what happened next, kind of like when a bird landed in Mary’s cat-infested yard. Let the fur and feathers fly.

CHAPTER Fifteen

    Kim filmed Lille’s reflection in the bathroom mirror as the woman put on eyeliner. She was wearing lingerie and fishnet tights with a pair of slippers and a silk robe. She hadn’t let Kim film her in the lingerie.
    â€œI’m not aspiring to be a porn star,” she’d told Kim in that snotty tone, which Kim had faithfully recorded. But she thought that maybe Lille didn’t need to be in lingerie for people to want to watch her—she thought that not having Lille in lingerie would actually bring in more ratings.
    â€œDarling, let me do that.” Carl came into the bathroom at the Box carrying a bouquet of fire-and-ice roses. He was also carrying a vintage opaque white vase with little dots all over it.
    The bathroom at the Box was for employees—Jordan had confided in Kim that they used to allow the customers to access it, but that had turned out to be a mistake. Now they let customers try on only some of the costumes, and someone kept an eye on the bathroom the whole time.
    The bathroom was next door to Mary’s office, and it looked the way it had in 1956 when the house was