Chapter Thirty-six

“If you absolutely had to decide...Kevin, or AJ?”

Megan heart jumped and she whirled around from the rack of keychains she was looking at to see Casey holding up two t-shirts, one with Kevin’s picture on it, the other with AJ’s.

Casey waved the shirts at her. “I only have enough money for one, and I already have two Kevin shirts, but AJ’s my second fave. I can’t decide!”

Megan tucked a strand of hair behind her ears and took a deep breath.

“Um, then I’d go with AJ,” she said.

Casey studied the shirts and set the Kevin one back in its place. She joined Megan in browsing the keychains while Myra flipped through some posters nearby.

“How come you didn’t go to lunch with AJ?” Casey asked casually.

“Because he was going to meet up with Amanda, and I didn’t want to be a third wheel. Besides, you guys are only here until late this afternoon, and I wanted to spend time with you.”

“Don’t you think you should keep an eye on her?”

“Why?”

Casey sighed. “Megs, you really don’t know a thing about her, do you?”

“I know she’s a big fan of the eyeshadow and lipstick.”

“No, no, not just that.”

“Well then, Case, what am I missing here?”

Casey leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “Amanda Latona and AJ have been going off and on for a couple of years now. They break up, but he always ends up going back to her, or vice versa. She dated one of the guys from NSync.”

“Really? Which one?” Megan asked, suddenly interested.

“It doesn’t matter, Megs. But after him, she went after AJ. She’s always on the lookout for the bigger and better catch.”

Megan flinched at that phrase, thinking Amanda would get along splendidly with Charlene.

“She’s bad news for AJ. It’s a crappy relationship and I was so glad when they broke up and he started dating you. You’ve got to keep her away from him!” Casey said in desperation.

“Whoa, calm down. If I remember correctly, Dana told me she walked out on him. I doubt he’ll take her back.”

“She’ll do anything to get him though. She’s evil!”

“Casey, you can’t say that. What if it’s not true?”

Casey pouted. “Okay, so I don’t know her personally, but from all I’ve heard and seen on the
internet --”

“That’s your source? Girl, you should know most of that is just made up by people who don’t like her.”

“But what if it’s true?”

Megan put her arm around the younger girl’s shoulders and guided her to the counter to buy her shirt.

“I trust AJ, really I do. He wouldn’t do anything, so I don’t have to worry.”

Casey set her purchase on the counter. “If you say so.”

Myra joined them, carrying several posters. At Megan and Casey’s curious expressions, she blushed.

“What? They’re posters of the guys. I need something to decorate my office, don’t I?”

Casey laughed and hugged her mother.

They finished shopping and Brett drove them to a nice restaurant for lunch. Megan told Brett he had to eat with them.

“You’re not allowed to sit at a separate table and pretend not to know us,” she said, pushing him into a chair. He tried to decline, but Megan insisted.

Appetizers and drinks were ordered and Megan excused herself to go to the ladie’s room. She had to pass through a casino in order to get to it, though she wasn’t really surprised. Everything in Las Vegas was connected to a casino of some sort.

She walked into the restroom and saw a dark-haired woman standing at the sink, her back to Megan, and talking on a cell phone. She half-turned and Megan swallowed a gasp, jumping into the closest stall and quickly closing the door.

“I’m here with him right now,” Amanda said excitedly into the phone as she finger-fluffed her bangs. “His girlfriend? At the hotel. Or out shopping or something, I don’t know.”

Megan stood completely still, not making a sound as she listened to Amanda’s part of the conversation.

“Are you kidding? Of course he’ll come back to me. He always does, you know. She’s just a fling anyway, no big deal. AJ never could be alone for very long.”

Megan silently seethed, forcing herself to stay put and not run out and jam Amanda’s tube of bright red lipstick right up her pretty nose.

Amanda finished primping, turning her head from side to side to check her appearance.

“I’ll be sure to give you all the details later. But I gotta go, he’s waiting for me.” She laughed, a loud, overconfident laugh that grated on Megan’s nerves. “I left him practically begging for me. All right, talk to you later.”

She tucked her phone in her purse and left the restroom. Megan counted to fifty before emerging from her stall to stand at the sink. She studied her reflection, wondering how AJ could go from Amanda to her. She didn’t want to think it was because she’d been there at the right moment, when he was lonely and wanted someone close.

Forgetting why she came to the restroom in the first place, Megan hurried out into the casino, scanning the brightly lit room for any signs of Miss Mary Maybelline and AJ. Suddenly she heard that laugh again.

She turned around and followed it to a poker table. Marcus stood just off to the side, keeping watch. AJ was carefully studying his hand, with Amanda hovering over him possessively. He looked up, saw Megan and dropped the cards on the table to hug her. Amanda huffed, her nostrils beginning to flare.

“What are you doin’ here, babe?” AJ asked, instantly taking notice of the stiffness in Megan’s body.

“Myra, Casey and I finished our shopping and decided to have lunch here. Are you having fun?”

AJ nodded, a slight frown marring his normally upturned lips.

“Yeah, I’m winning actually. Want to join us?”

“Sorry, can’t. The girls are waiting for me.”

“Come on, AJ, the dealer is waiting,” Amanda cooed, waving him back.

“Just a sec, Manda.”

“No, AJ, you really should get back to your game,” Megan said while staring directly at Amanda. “I wouldn’t want to leave Amanda begging for you or anything.”

Amanda jerked, her mouth dropping open as she realized Megan must have been in the lady’s room and heard her talking.

AJ was thoroughly confused as his eyes darted back and forth between former and current girlfriends.

“Um, Amanda? Do you want to join Megan and the Dawson’s for lunch?” he asked.

Megan and Amanda were locked in a heavy staredown at the moment, one that AJ was afraid to see the outcome of. Finally Amanda tore her gaze away and smiled sweetly at AJ.

“Sure thing, sweetie. We can finish this game some other time.” She picked up her purse and followed the couple back into the restaurant with Marcus close behind.

Casey’s eyes widened as they approached, and Megan shook her head. Casey relaxed and studied the menu.

Lunch was tense, and for that Megan was sorry. She had wanted it to be fun for Casey and Myra, seeing as how they were leaving today. Marcus and Brett shifted uncomfortably in their seats, wishing they were elsewhere at the moment. Amanda picked at a salad, obviously annoyed that her afternoon with AJ had been interrupted.

“Wow, that was great,” AJ said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and reaching for his water glass.

“Yeah, great,” Amanda echoed, dropping her fork on her plate, utterly unimpressed.

Casey quietly glared at Amanda from across the table, with the older woman returning fire.

“Anyone up for dessert?” AJ asked, trying to keep the mood light and failing miserably.

“Oh not for me, hon,” Amanda cooed. “I have a photo shoot next week, can’t afford to pack on extra pounds.” She shot a pointed look in Megan’s direction.

Megan accepted the look and reached for the dessert menu.

“Does anyone wanna split a pie with me?” she asked. “Cherry, chocolate fudge? I certainly don’t have anything to worry about, I was cursed with a high metabolism.”

AJ glanced at the two bodyguards for help, but they had suddenly decided the carpeting pattern was unlike any they had ever seen before.

“Cowards,” he hissed.

Marcus smiled without raising his eyes. Megan ordered a chocolate silk pie served with ice cream. The table was silent until the pie arrived. Everyone but Amanda helped themselves to plates piled high with the gooey confection.

AJ ended up with a dab of whipped cream on his chin. Megan and Amanda nearly bruised him in the process of trying to wipe it off first.

“Ack! Thanks, but I can do it myself,” AJ said, leaning as far away from them as he could.

Just as he finished cleaning his face, a cell phone rang. AJ, Amanda, Megan, Marcus and Brett all reached for their phones.

“It’s mine!” Megan exclaimed triumphantly, waving it in the air. She turned away to take the call.

“Megan?” came the tentative male voice.

“Yes, who is this?”

“It-it’s Clayton Arnold.”

Megan’s blood ran cold and her grip on the phone tightened.

“Yes? How are you, Clayton?” she asked quietly.

“Um, not good. Actually, I’m calling about your mother.”

“What about her? I thought I made it clear that I want nothing to do with her. I hope she’s not using you to get to me, because if she is --”

“There’s been an accident,” Clayton broke in. “A bad one.”

AJ paused in his chewing when he saw Megan’s face turn white and her hands start to tremble. She squeezed her eyes shut and pressed two fingers to her mouth.

“Yes, yes, I’ll be there. Thank you for calling me. Good-bye.”

AJ didn’t know who had called, but obviously the news wasn’t good. Megan ended the call and set the phone on the table, her eyes still closed.

“Megan? What’s wrong?” AJ asked softly.

She shook her head and held up a hand, opening her eyes to reveal tears.

“Shit, what happened?” AJ asked, scared now.

Amanda watched the scene with disgust, believing Megan to be a brilliant actress.

“What? Somebody die?” Amanda practically snorted.

Megan slowly turned to face the dark-haired woman, all of her anger, hurt and frustration of the past few weeks finally rising to the surface.