Cassie stuck out a hand and Rhett shook it. “You’ve got a deal, Corrigan.” She did a little jig. “I can’t wait to tell Jolene.”
“Tell me what?”
She turned and saw Jolene standing right beside her.
“Holy fuck! It’s him! Mr. Superstar!”
Cassie took her roommate’s arm. “Behave,” she hissed, under her breath. She turned back to Rhett. “Rhett, I’d like you to meet Jolene Farrell.”
Rhett’s wry smile caused Cassie to stifle a laugh.
“Pleased to meet you, Jolene. Cassie’s got a proposition for you.”
Jolene looked back to Cassie and then to Rhett again. “Cut the crap. What gives? You two are hiding something.”
Cassie’s fingers dug into Jolene’s arm, warning her. “Jo, we’re moving into Rhett’s gatehouse.”
“No shit!”
She flashed her friend a warning look. Jolene had the decency to look slightly apologetic. “Thank you, Mr. Corrigan. I don’t know how much more of Roach Motel we could’ve stood. That’s a terrific deal you’re offering.” She eyed him a moment. “What’s the rent?”
Cassie knew Rhett would say they could stay for free. He’d already revealed a generous nature but she didn’t want to take advantage of him. She still had some pride and refused to become a charity case. She caught his eyes before he answered.
“What are you paying now?” Rhett asked.
Jolene told him, shaving off twenty dollars. Cassie glared at her but Jolene looked as innocent as Snow White.
“I’m sure my accountant will agree to that,” Rhett told them. “Especially since no one’s been using the gatehouse for a while.”
Cassie spoke up, wanting to be sure Jolene understood what living on Rhett’s estate would entail.
“Jo, you absolutely can’t blab about what you see. We’ll have to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”
“That’s not necessary,” Rhett said.
She shook her head. “No, I’m overruling you on this matter, Corrigan. We both will sign the NDA. I’ll put it on my list and speak to your attorney about it.” Turning back to her friend, she said, “We need to respect Rhett’s privacy.”
Jolene nodded confidently. “Got it. No cozying up to the tabloids. Keep any and everything I see confidential. Don’t pump guests for opportunities. Be invisible.”
Cassie nodded encouragingly. “And?”
Jolene thought a moment. “Watch my pottymouth. Save it for on stage.”
Cassie beamed as she Rhett. “I think we have everything under control at this end. When can we move in?”
“You work out the details. Use the card and get some movers in. Today, if you can. The sooner you get settled, the better.” He thought a moment. “Oh, the place is furnished. The kitchen’s got dishes and pots and pans. Appliances, too. TV with cable and DVR. Wireless Internet. You won’t need much, besides your clothes. Will that be a problem?”
Jolene snorted. “If you saw how little we have, Mr. Corrigan, you—”
“Call me Rhett.” He glanced at Cassie. “I need to get home and try to look and feel human.”
She nodded. “You do look a little uncivilized. Some problem?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell you about it later. Good meeting you, Jolene.”
“You, too, Rhett.” She smiled at him.
Rhett returned to his SUV. He leaned out the window. “I have LoJack. I’ll handle the Rover mess. You arrange the move. Try to get over after that. I have this charity thing I want to talk to you about.”
“Okay,” Cassie happily agreed. She waved as he pulled out from the parking lot.
The minute he was out of sight, Jolene slammed into her, clutching her as a drowning woman might.
“Oh. My. God. We are going to get out of this hellhole. I can’t believe it, Cass.”
Cassie hugged her back. “I told you he’s really nice.”
Jolene’s eyes gleamed. “Really, really, fucking nice.”
“I meant what I said about the NDA, Jo,” she said sternly. “You do know what that is? It’s a legally binding contract.”
“I know what it is,” her friend said, impatience laced in her voice. “ It means we have a confidential relationship that involves sensitive info which we are not at liberty to reveal. Ever.”
“Exactly. What we see. What we hear. What’s discussed. In the short time I’ve known him, what I understand is how private Rhett Corrigan is. This job is an incredible opportunity for me, as well as having housing on his property offered to us at a song. We can’t jeopardize that.”
Jolene sniffed. “You mean that I can’t jeopardize it.”
Cassie hugged her friend. “You know how much I love you, Jo. But you thrive on gossip. You can’t talk to anyone about Rhett. Not just reporters from the tabloids or the paparazzi. I mean anyone. No dropping Rhett’s name in conversation or where we live. No hints regarding anything about him. What he eats. What he wears. Who comes to visit him.”
“So, I pretend I don’t even know him?” Jolene asked.
“Yes. Don’t ever refer to him in any situation. No impressing others—especially strange men—about your slight connection with him.” Cassie paused. “And about men.”
“My track record is abysmal with men,” Jolene acknowledged. “You don’t need to rub it in.”
“You can’t bring any of them back to Rhett’s estate, Jo.”
Jolene’s jaw dropped in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
“This is a dealbreaker, Jo. You have a history of bringing guys back to our apartment. Half the time you don’t even remember their names. That’s got to stop.”
Jolene crossed her arms. “I am not giving up my sex life for Rhett Corrigan. Especially if I can’t sleep with him myself.”
Cassie sighed. “I’m not asking you to become a nun. If you want to hook up with someone, that’s your business. Just take it back to his place. Not Rhett’s.”
Jolene pouted a moment but Cassie stood firm, sternly glaring at her.
Jo caved. “Oh, all right. All sexual escapades will take place away from our new place. Far be it that I sully Rhett Corrigan’s reputation by bringing home strays.”
“Thank you.” Relief swept through her. She only hoped she’d gotten through to her friend. “Remember that the NDA will be legally binding. If you break it, Rhett won’t hesitate to sue.”
“Oh, that would be priceless. He would get such a huge settlement.”
“I’m just warning you, Jo. We can’t slip up. It would cost me this job and we’d be booted from his property.”
Jo grew thoughtful. “Are you sure about the rent? What he described could go for triple what we pay now. Probably more. It’s a hell of a better zip code than the one we live in now.”
“I’m sure. We’ll need to pay on time. I don’t want to take advantage of Rhett’s hospitality. I won’t endanger my job.”
“How’d this come about? Mr. Hero offering us such a sweet deal?”
Cassie blushed. “Remember I told you that he gave me a car to drive? Well, it was a very expensive Range Rover. Who knows how much something like that even costs?”