My Famous Frenemy
by Piper Rayne
Self-Published
Book 6 in The Greene Family series
Hollywood heartthrob, Gavin Price invaded our small town, Sunrise Bay, like he owned it.
Gavin was my biggest celebrity crush when I was young. He bears the charisma of an easygoing boy-next-door mixed with a rule-breaker personality both in person and on screen.
For a moment, I thought maybe my fairy godmother sent him to me.
Until he decided to run against my mother for mayor.
Everyone in our town knows my mom’s happiness comes before my own, so I take it as my personal mission to show him who really runs this town.
I just didn’t realize that being my mom’s right-hand woman would put me in such close proximity to him. Very quickly, I question whether he wants to win the mayoral race or me.
Genre:
I'm not going to lie ... I wasn't particularly looking forward to this book.
I don't know. The little tidbits we get of Gavin and Posey didn't thrill me, and I kinda rolled my eyes at the idea of another celebrity moving to Alaska.
I mean, at least Posey isn't an aspiring singer. haha.
I just felt like maybe Piper Rayne is borrowing tropes from their other series, and that's annoying.
I wanted something fresh.
I didn't really care about the political race, and them competing. It led to some cute moments, but Posey's intensity in supporting her mom - even when not agreeing with some of her mothers platform - grated on me.
And I get it.
Posey's issue was making sure her mother was happy.
It is a unique issue for a character to have, I have got to say. I didn't hate that. I just hated that she willingly let it get in the way of her own happiness.
I liked Gavin's issues more. A recovering alcoholic, and sick of the pitfalls of being a celebrity. Not the most original - but more understandable. After all, how many child actors have come out in their adult years and told us how messed up their childhood was? How being a child actor has tainted their careers as adults? How they doubt acting would have been their choice if they had one?
Gavin's story lined up with reality, and I appreciated that. I even appreciated why he was running for mayor.
As for the romance - meh. I didn't really feel it. It was hot at times, and other times, just ... meh.
I love this series, but I don't want to read meh.
While there were things I enjoyed about this book, I didn't love it. I can't see myself re-reading this one day. It was fine, and if reading the series for the first time, I wouldn't even think about skipping it. After all, just because it wasn't for me, doesn't mean you won't like it. :)
He lingers, so I ask, with my heart pounding,
Posey: “Did you need something else?”
Gavin: “No. Thanks for squeezing me in.”
Nora: “That’s what he said,”
Nora says from Malia’s chair. I groan.
Nora: “Have a great day, Gavin.”
He stands there for a moment, then shakes his head and leaves. The bell rings with his departure. I can’t deny I feel deflated. I kinda thought maybe he was going to ask me out.
Fran: “Someone needs to get that man a set of balls,”
Fran breaks the silence and everyone agrees. Chevelle: “You message us the minute you get somewhere. You never know.”
Posey: “I thought you were just saying how cool it must be to be him.”
Mandi sprays my hair, putting her fingers through my long red strands.
Chevelle: “Yeah, but I’m not naive. Maybe he came to Sunrise Bay because the LAPD is closing in on him.”
Posey: “Closing in on him?”
I don’t know why I bother leading Chevelle down this road. Her eyes go wide.
Chevelle: “They discovered where he hid the bodies.”
Mandi: “Bodies?”
Mandi’s forehead is wrinkled in confusion.
Chevelle: “Of the ones he lured in with those good looks and actor charisma, only to bury them alive.”
We both stare at her in awe.
Mandi: “Do I need to take you to the hospital?”
Chevelle waves us off.
Chevelle: “I’m just saying. Did I tell you about this creepy guy I keep seeing at the docks?”
Mandi: “Do we want to know?”
Chevelle: “He’s going out late at night. The other day I had an early morning gig with these salespeople from Seattle and he was just returning,”
Mandi: “So?”
Chevelle: “Night fishing? Come on. He’s totally dropping bodies in the water. I told Cam.”
Posey: “And what did he say?”
Cam is Cameron Baker, heir to Baker Enterprises, which owns all of the fishing docks. He’s also my stepbrother, Fisher’s best friend.
Chevelle: “He said we should scope him out and follow him one night.”
She gives a full-body shiver.
Mandi: “Are you going to?”
Chevelle: “No! Me on a boat with Cam and no witnesses in the dead of night? One of us wouldn’t be coming back.” Posey: “What do you need me to do?”
There’s steel in my voice.
Marla: “You’re busy, Posey. I’ve got it.”
Chevelle’s door opens.
Chevelle: “You got this, Marla!”
She slams it again.
Posey: “Honestly, Mom, things are calm at Fringe. I could use a distraction. I’ll totally be your campaign manager.”
Mom shakes her head.
Marla: “I can’t ask that of you.”
Posey: “You’re not asking. I’m volunteering.”
I snap my fingers and hold out my palm.
Posey: “Give me a pin, Xavier.”
He groans.
Xavier: “How do I go from never waiting in a line at a club or restaurant to passing out fucking pins?”
Mandi smacks him in the back of the head.
Mandi: “Language.”
He rubs where she hit him.
Posey: “So?”
She pretends to think it over. Chevelle’s door opens.
Chevelle: “You know she’s going to do it anyway, so just agree.”
She slams it again. A smile creeps across my mom’s lips.
Marla: “Are you sure?”
Posey: “Definitely,”
I say with a smile.
Marla: “Okay. You’re my campaign manager.”
Xavier crosses the small hallway we’re all huddled in and shoves the box in my arms.
Xavier: “Then these are for you. I’m out.”
He walks down the stairs without another word. For a moment, we all share a concerned look, having no idea what’s going on with him.
Posey: “Yay!”
I say to break the tension, and I give my mom a huge hug. Mandi joins in and we’re all jumping and screaming in excitement.
Chevelle: “Aw…”
Chevelle whines from the other side of the door.
Marla: “Chevelle, I know your room is messy, just come out here,”
my mom says, and her door springs open. Chevelle flies down the hallway and joins our hug.
Chevelle: “Marla Greene for mayor!” Posey: “Don’t play games you can’t win, Gavin.”
Erwin squeaks, and his eyes flit from me to Gavin and back.
Gavin: “Oh, I’m gonna win, Posey. I tend to get what I want.” Gavin: “If I win, you cut my hair for free every two weeks for the next year.”
She scoffs.
Posey: “Two weeks? You can at least go three weeks.”
I shake my head.
Gavin: “Three weeks and I’m shaggy. I am trying to win an election.”
I wink and her eyes narrow. Her eyes bore into mine.
Posey: “Fine. But if I win, I get to cut your hair however I want. Even shave it all off if I see fit.”
Damn. She’s evil. I glance back at our water, then at her water tower.
Posey: “I like that look on you,”
she says, twirling her pointer finger in my face.
Gavin: “What look?”
Posey: “Fear. Like turkey around Thanksgiving.” I blink because his face is right in front of mine.
Gavin: “Posey?”
he says in a low voice.
Gavin: “Stop imagining me naked.”
I blink and come back to myself, scoffing.
Posey: “In your dreams.”
Gain: “You’re right.”
I shake my head and scowl, not understanding.
Posey: “What?”
Gavin: “In my dreams, you would be picturing me naked and…”
His gaze travels up and down the hallway before he leans in and lowers his voice.
Gavin: “Imagining me fucking you.” Gavin: “No good-luck kiss?”
Gavin asks after I step away.
Posey: “No, but I can offer you a good luck kick in the nuts.” Cade: “Want to go make out under the bleachers?”
Cade whispers, not quietly enough, to Presley.
Presley: “Sure, babe, I’m seven months pregnant. I’d love to fold myself under metal stands and make out with you.” Posey: “Maybe you just need to relax. A massage might do you good,”
Gavin: “Are you volunteering?”
Her expression doesn’t change, but her cheeks pinken.
Posey: “I’m your hairdresser. The massaging stops at the scalp.” Naomi: “Where’s Gavin Price?”
Posey: “Not my day to let him out of the cage,” Gavin: “You can. You’re choosing not to. Put yourself first, Posey. I promise it’s going to feel amazing.” Gavin: “Sometimes you just have to say fuck it.”
He shrugs.
Gavin: “That was my life, and it sucked, but I made it through. I’m here now.” Posey: “Why are you here?”
I ask him as we step through the doors.
Gavin: “To learn how to braid hair.”
He has a smile plastered on his beautiful face. I hate that his face makes me melt in appreciation even when I’m annoyed with him.
Posey: “You don’t have kids,”
Marla: “Nice to see you two. I’m going to set up.”
Mom heads down the hallway. Gavin nods in her direction.
Gavin: “Erwin, go help Mrs. Greene with her bags.”
Posey: “She doesn’t need help, Erwin, stay put,”
Erwin retraces his footsteps back to us.
Gavin: “Go, Erwin,”
Gavin says and steps forward.
Posey: “Erwin, you take one more step and I will break that Rubik’s Cube once you find it.” Emilia: “It’s daughter/daddy night. Mommy is drinking wine. She said one bottle might not be enough.”
I run my fingers through my niece’s thick hair. Jed rolls his eyes.
Jed: “Molly is making me come, even though I do a kick-ass job already. Right, kiddo?”
He raises his hand, and she smacks it.
Emilia: “Kick ass.”
Emilia grins. Jed pulls her close.
Jed: “That word stays between us, okay?” Posey: “Grandma Ethel!”
Posey screeches. From the reception area, we see numerous elderly people pulling condoms down bananas. I bust out laughing.
Gavin: “Holy shit. This is where we’re gonna stay?” Isaac: “I need a Magnum. I’m not used to working with something so small,”
one man calls to the instructor.
Woman: “Shut up, Isaac. Try extra small.”
The man raises his cane in the air.
Isaac: “Get some glasses next time.”
Woman: “I go on how it feels,”
she says with a huff. Dori puts her arm through mine and guides me down the hallway.
Dori: “Can you believe they think we don’t know how to use a condom? I only had one son, so suffice it to say I used birth control quite successfully. My son, on the other hand…”
She shakes her head.
Dori: “Nine kids. Maybe I should’ve had a sit-down with him.”
She laughs. Gavin: “Don’t shy away from me. You’re beautiful.”
Posey: “You can’t say things like that. I have to hate you.”
He chuckles softly.
Gavin: “I don’t believe you hate me, but it does make me all hot when you pretend to.” Shit, they’re like kids who are well-behaved in front of their parents but holy terrors away from them. Midge leans over, looking around to make sure no one is listening.
Midge: “Did you like the nightgown?”
Posey’s face lights up.
Posey: “I did. It’s so beautiful.”
Midge: “I know. I hope you have the same luck in it that I did.”
She looks dreamy now, as though she’s left our table and traveled back in time to when she wore it.
Posey: “Oh, um… no. We didn’t.”
Posey looks at me and I’m sure her blush is more telling than her adamant tone.
Gavin: “No, we did not,”
I confirm. Ethel’s eyebrows raise.
Isaac: “I heard you, I’m right on the other side of that room,”
Posey nearly chokes on her eggs, and he waves her off.
Isaac: “It’s fine. What happens here stays here. We don’t gossip about who sleeps with who.”
Earl: “Like Vegas,”
I sigh and stare down at my plate.
Posey: “Well then, I guess you know our secret.”
Posey sounds less than thrilled.
Ethel: “I think it’s great.”
Ethel beams at me.
Ethel: “Posey’s always been so stubborn, but you’ve persevered. That says a lot. I knew when your meet-cute was you running her off the road that it was a match.”
She acts as if I just proposed to Posey.
Posey: “Nothing says romance like dangerous driving and potential vehicular manslaughter,”
Posey deadpans.
Midge: “Could you imagine if it still has the same effect all these years later?”
Midge interrupts, still in some other universe.
Posey: “Eat so we can leave,”
Isaac: “You seem like you were a generous lover,”
A small whimper leaves Posey, and I pile a forkful of eggs into my mouth.
Midge: “So, you’ll tell me, won’t you?”
Midge pats Posey’s hand. She swallows her bacon and looks at Midge’s hopeful expression.
Posey: “Tell you what?”
Midge: “If you’re with child. I conceived all my children in that nightgown. We had some wonderful nights.”
I choke and cough all my eggs onto my plate. Another whimper comes from Posey, a little louder this time. Gavin: “Baby, I’ll fuck you every minute of every day, but if you need me to prove where my loyalty to you is, I will. It’s not with my dick, it’s with my heart.” Posey: “You are something.”
Gavin: “You’re everything.” I’ve played second to everyone else’s desires my entire life and I can’t allow myself to accept that position in the life of the woman I love.
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