A Valentine for Kayla by Kimberly Rose Johnson Page B

Kayla?”
    Estelle laughed and looped her arm through his. “DJ, stop toying with this girl. You know you’re mine. It’s time you came home. Your fans miss you.” She batted her lashes and smiled her I’m-a-star-and-everyone-loves-me smile.
    â€œFans?” Kayla’s face paled. She looked from Estelle to him. Her eyes widened. “Oh my goodness! I can’t believe I was so blind. I understand what’s going on. Don’t bother calling, DJ .” She said his name as if it were a dirty word, then turned and jogged across the street and disappeared inside her florist shop.
    His stomach sickened as he rounded on Estelle. “What are you doing here and how did you find me?” He kept his voice low. “I blocked your number for a reason. We are over. Done. Kaput.”
    Estelle waved a hand and shook her head. “Jerry told me where you were. Don’t be a child. We had a spat. That’s no reason for you to disappear and block me from your life.”
    He rubbed his neck. “I can’t believe this.”
    â€œBelieve it, baby, because I’m here to bring you back with me. LA isn’t the same without you. I need you in my life.”
    Now he understood Jerry’s prediction that he’d be back in Los Angeles soon. He worked to control his anger and kept his voice cool. “Right. Like you needed all those other men. I’m only a distraction in your downtime. Someone to stroke your enormous ego.”
    â€œGive me a break.” She looked over her shoulder. “Behave yourself. The paparazzi will be here any minute.”
    â€œWhere is your bodyguard?”
    â€œI didn’t think I’d need him here, so I gave him a couple of days off.”
    Derek narrowed his eyes as he spotted two well-known and aggressive photographers running toward them. “Not a smart move. You brought them here. You deal with them.” He spun around and jogged to his pickup, but before he could pull out, Estelle hopped into the passenger seat holding her spiky shoes.
    â€œThis is perfect. They’re going to eat this up.” She feigned a look of surprise and raised her hands to supposedly block their shot.
    He rolled his eyes and tore away from the curb. “Where’s your car? I’ll drop you off.”
    â€œAnd leave me alone with them ? No way! Please, let’s find a quiet place to talk. You have no idea what your disappearance did to my career.”
    â€œNor do I care.” He spotted her Mercedes on a side street and slowed.
    â€œPlease, DJ, I’m begging you.” She rested a hand on his arm, her voice panicked. “I know I shouldn’t have ambushed you like I did, and yes, I made an anonymous call about you and me being here, but please don’t leave me alone with them. You know how they freak me out.”
    His heart softened. Estelle’s love-hate relationship with the paparazzi was no secret to him or anyone who knew her. She needed to stay in the public eye for her career, but their aggressive tactics scared her. “Okay. We’ll leave your car here for now. But don’t think you’re going to wiggle your way back into my life. When I left Los Angeles, I left everything, including you, and I’m not going back.”
    â€œI’m not leaving without you. I need you in my life.”
    A glance in his rearview mirror showed no one following. His shoulders relaxed as they cruised toward his mom’s place. “You don’t need me. I recall you once calling me eye candy. Seems to me all you want is eye candy to parade around with, so don’t insult me by pretending you care about me as a person. You never did.” He whipped into Mom’s long driveway and followed it until he reached the house, which was not visible from the road. He pulled to a stop, took a bracing breath and faced Estelle. Her blond hair curled in soft ringlets around her beautiful face. He’d once loved