“I think we should let the new guy go first,” Mandie’s husband Adam said once Beau was ready. Everyone else agreed.
“Uh, okay…” Beau got up and walked over to the ball return, looking nervous. I jumped up and joined him, feeling sorry for him. He had to be embarrassed that he was so clueless.
“How about if I give you a few pointers,” I whispered. He nodded eagerly.
I showed him how to pick the right ball for him then led him up to the approach. “Start back here and take a few steps, but make sure you stay behind the foul line. Focus on the second arrow from the right, and aim for the pocket between the one and the three pin.”
“Hey, you want to use the kid lane, with the gutter guards?” Tessa’s fiancé, Brendan, hollered out.
I thought Beau would be offended, but he just laughed. “Can I? It might be the only way I can get the ball all the way to the end.”
He let the ball dangle from his hand and swung it erratically towards the center of the lane. I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “No, you need to have better control than that. Let me show you.”
I stepped close to him, moved his arm into the proper position, and guided it slowly, demonstrating how to swing it and when he should release the ball. I did it a second time mainly because I enjoyed touching him.
Eventually, I had to let go so he could try it on his own, though. He stepped back, took a few practice swings, then launched the ball. But he let go too soon, and the ball dropped from his hand like an anchor and bounced down the lane, thudding loudly.
I put a consolatory hand on his bulging bicep. “Don’t worry. You’ll get the hang of it.”
Beau winced and hung his head, but he didn’t get mad, even when some of the others laughed at him. He just laughed with them. I liked that about him. Some guys were so competitive they acted like brats every time they missed a shot, but Beau seemed happy just to be there. Could small town life appeal to a rich, famous guy like him?
Beau took his second turn, carefully aiming the ball and practicing his swing. That time the ball arched from his hand, hit the ground with a soft thwack, then glided down the lane, knocking down half the pins. Behind us, my friends cheered.
“You did it!” I squealed and gave a little clap. Beau turned to me, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, then he smiled and swooped me up in a bear hug. His thick arms wrapped around me, lifting me off the ground and pressing me to his chest. I clung to him as he swung me around.
When he stopped and loosened his hold on me, I slid down him till my feet touched the ground. Beau quickly dropped his arms but didn’t step back. I didn’t either. It felt too good to be close to him. I grinned and whispered, “Good job.”
He smiled back at me, but not the movie star smile that made everyone go gaga over him. This one was more personal, way more intimate. “Thanks for showing me. You’re a great teacher.”
I quickly turned away, overwhelmed by the way he was looking at me. My friends were staring at us. I sat down, wishing I had a drink or some food to focus on instead of my confusing feelings and the questions in my friends’ eyes. Beau sat down next to me, too close. I couldn’t think about anything but his nearness and his touch.
When the neon sign over the snack counter caught my eye, I jumped up. “I need a drink.”
Beau stood up, too. “I’ll get you one.”
“No, it’s fine. I can get it myself.” I waved him off. More than a drink, I wanted to get away for a moment.
“Please, let me. It’s the least I can do since you fed me that delicious lunch.” He gave a cocky grin. “Would you like a snack, too?”
I sighed. He obviously wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “Sure. Maybe a Coke and some popcorn?”
“Sure thing. Be right back.” Beau walked away, and all my girlfriends immediately turned their gaze on me like snipers.
“I have to go to the restroom.”
I started to walk off, but a chorus of voices rose up behind me saying, “Me too. I’ll go with you,” and suddenly I was surrounded. We moved en masse to the ladies’ room. As soon as we got inside, the inquisition started, their questions ricocheting like bullets off the metal stalls and hard, tile floor.
“What was that?” Lindsey asked, tossing her mass of blonde hair over her shoulder.
“What was what?” I acted oblivious and headed towards a stall.
Lindsey grabbed me before I could escape. “You know what I’m talking about. That hug.”
Tessa crossed her arms and stuck out a hip. “Yeah, what’s going on with you two?”
“Have there been any more kisses?” Leanne fluffed her permed hair, and her eyes sparkled as she stared past her own reflection in the mirror to mine. The bright lights above the sink shined on me like spotlights.
I quickly looked down at the tiny, black and white tiles on the floor, letting the dizzying pattern send my mind back to that moment in his suite. “There was one more…”
Mandie grabbed my arm and bounced up and down, her red lips gaping like a fish. “Oh my gosh, I knew it! Tell us everything!”
In the mirror, I could see my cheeks redden like I’d smeared on two big circles of clown paint. “It was… intense. But I told him I’m not interested in being the flavor of the week, and he’s not the kind of guy who has serious relationships.”
Tess raised an eyebrow and leaned against the sink. “But yet you’re still hanging out with him.”
“He came to the park to help her set up for the festival today,” Lindsey said, a knowing look in her eyes.
“When the real maid told him I’d quit, he showed up at my door this morning to see if I was okay. He said he still wanted to be friends.”
“That’s so sweet!” Lindsey cooed.
Tessa shook her head. “That guy definitely wants to be more than friends. You all saw the way he hugged her. He looked like he was about to kiss her.”
Lindsey put a hand on my arm. “But he didn’t. He’s trying to show you he respects you. Maybe he’s ready for something more serious.”
Leanne nodded and turned away from the mirror. “He does seem like a nice guy, really down to earth. He acts like one of the gang.”
“He is nice. He’s so different than I thought he’d be. But it doesn’t matter. If he finds out I lied to him, he won’t want anything to do with me.” My head hung under the weight of my guilt. I felt terrible for lying to Beau and trying to take advantage of his situation. None of them had an answer for that because there wasn’t one. I’d dug my own grave, pretending to be something I wasn’t.
“Are you still going to write an article about him?” Tessa asked.
I shook my head. “No, I can’t do that to him.”
Lindsey took my hand and squeezed it. “So tell him the truth. He’ll take it better if you tell him yourself instead of letting him find out on his own. Maybe he can help you come up with some other story idea.”
She was probably right, but what if he got mad and never wanted to see me again? I knew our time together was bound to end sooner or later, but I didn’t want to risk cutting it short by telling him.
“When I find the right moment, I’ll tell him,” I said, but the right moment would be the last possible one.
Leanne sighed, pouting. “Wow, Cara. This is so cool. You’re going to become a famous celebrity journalist, move to Hollywood, and have a whirlwind romance with the country’s most eligible bachelor.”
I gave a forced grin. It sounded like a fantasy, but the dream had lost its luster for me. But what did I want instead? I didn’t know.
My girlfriends finally gave me a chance to use the toilet, so I hid in the stall for a few moments, trying to clear my head. When I came out, I didn’t have any more answers than before.
We made our way back to the lane where Beau and the guys were chatting, surrounded by a smorgasbord of junk food and drinks. Beau looked up and smiled at me as I approached and held out a paper cup. I took it and sat down next to
him, hoping he wouldn’t ask me what had taken us so long.
“I got you some popcorn, but I thought the others might like some food, too, so I got a little bit of everything. Have whatever you’d like.” He gestured towards the pile of snacks on the table.
“That was really nice of you. You didn’t have to do that. Everyone usually buys their own snacks.”
He shrugged. “I like your friends. They seem like good people. I wanted to show my appreciation for them welcoming me.”
“They are good people. It can get annoying living in a small town because everyone knows your business, but the people care about each other.” I would miss that if I ever moved away, especially to a cutthroat place like Hollywood where I wouldn’t fit in at all.
“You’re lucky to have them.”
“Yeah, I am.” I sighed and reached for the popcorn. I thought I wanted fame, but after getting to know Beau, I realized that wouldn’t satisfy me any more than it had him. What I really needed was to embrace the people in my life who already cared about me and forget about trying to make a name for myself.
Tessa and Leanne were chatting nearby, so I turned my attention towards them, hoping to take my mind off myself and my worries. “Tessa, how are things going at the employment agency?” Leanne asked.
“Everything’s going great! So good, I’m actually going to take a vacation soon.” Tessa gave a relieved smile.
Beau perked up and leaned forward. “You run an employment agency?”
“Yeah, I’m about to celebrate my one-year anniversary.” She beamed with pride.
Beau put his arm around me, distracting me for a moment. “Maybe you could help Cara. She needs a new job.”
Tessa gave me a confused look. “You quit your job at the—”
“Resort,” I blurted out before she could say newspaper. “I didn’t like being a maid, at the resort,” I clarified, giving her a cautious look so she wouldn’t say anything to blow my cover, but she decided to goad me, instead.
“Well, at least you still have your job at the—”
“Diner.” I glared at her. “Yeah, I can pick up a few more hours.” That wasn’t a complete lie. I did fill in at the diner once in a while when they were short-staffed and I wanted to earn a few extra bucks.
Beau looked at me curiously. “I didn’t know you worked at the diner. I thought you said your mom worked there.”
“She does, and I help out sometimes. I’m sure the owner would be willing to let me work more if I wanted to.”
Tessa shook her head and gave me a disappointed look, but there was no way I was going to reveal the truth to Beau in the middle of the bowling alley, surrounded by people. When and if I did tell him, it would be in private so no one else would be there to witness my shame or the rejection I knew would follow.
My friends took the hint and laid off the pressure the rest of the evening, so eventually I was able to relax and enjoy myself. Beau got a little better at bowling as the night went on, and he seemed to be having a good time. He didn’t try to hug or kiss me again, just sat next to me and chatted like we were friends.
With so many players, it took a long time to play one round. By the time we were done with it, Mandie and Leanne wanted to leave to get their kids in bed. The others agreed to call it a night. Everyone made a point to say goodbye to Beau and tell him they were glad he’d come. He beamed at their words like he’d won an Oscar.
With the others leaving, we headed out to the parking lot, too. The sun had set, and a cool breeze prickled my skin. I rubbed my bare arms as I climbed onto my scooter. Beau wrapped himself around me, instantly warming me. “Kind of chilly now, huh? I’ll be your jacket.”
I drove to the resort and pulled around to the side entrance by the penthouse elevator. Beau got off and turned towards me. His dark, slicked-back hair shined with moonlight, and so did his perfect, white teeth. “Thanks for a great day, Cara. It was the best one I’ve had in a long time. Do you think we could do it again sometime?”
“Yeah, why not?” I said casually, but my insides were having a party. Beau really did like being with me, even if I wasn’t willing to get physical. Although, I was having a hard time resisting after the few, innocent touches he’d given me.
“How about the Harbor Festival tomorrow? I’d like to try those games again, see if I can improve my score.”
My hands curled tight around the handlebars, instantly damp. “Isn’t that kind of risky? The whole town will be there.”
He shrugged. “I checked the news, and there’s been no mention about me hiding out here. It seems like the people of Sweet Bay are willing to keep my secret.”
What could I say? He knew I was going, and I did want to spend more time with him. So much so, if he was willing to risk it, so was I.
“That would be great. Would you like me to pick you up, say, around 10?” As soon as I said it, I realized he probably would prefer to have a limo driver, but he gave me that smile that made me feel like jelly then brushed a hand down my cheek.
“Can’t wait.”
Chapter 15
Beau
I hadn’t been this excited about something since I landed my first movie role. Everyone else I knew would’ve thought it was totally lame, but I couldn’t wait to play silly games, eat fair food, and ride the Ferris wheel with Cara at the festival. All of it sounded like fun, but it was the “with Cara” part that made my heart flutter just thinking about it.
I knew now that I wasn’t interested in a fling with her. Since we were supposedly “just friends,” I had barely touched her all day, but I was happy just to be with her. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted more, but not only physically. I wanted a lot more. I wanted a ring and a ceremony and a house in the suburbs and maybe even a dog and a couple kids. I wanted a life with her, a family. That was what I’d been missing.
My own family hadn’t filled that need even when they were alive, but being around Cara and her friends in this small town made me realize what it could be like. Money, fame, flings — those didn’t satisfy, but real relationships did. And what I had with Cara felt real.
I wanted to tell her that, but it felt too soon. I needed to gradually move from friends to something more to prove to her that I was serious. But in the meantime, I planned to enjoy every minute of my time with her, starting with some old-fashioned, small town fun at the Harbor Festival.
I waited by the side door of the resort, wearing my “everyman” disguise of tee shirt, jeans, sunglasses, and ball cap. She pulled up a few minutes early in a tee shirt and shorts with her hair in its obligatory braid, poking out from under her helmet. I wanted to wrap that braid around my hand and pull her in for a kiss.
I liked that she didn’t go to a lot of effort to impress me. It didn’t seem to matter to her that I was a celebrity, she was confident in her own skin. She was also smart and fun, and she didn’t try to get anything out of me, either, like most people did. It made me want to give her the world.
“Hi Beau.” She gave me a shy smile. Was she feeling the same thing?
“Good morning. Great day for a festival, huh?” I glanced up at the bright, sunny sky then climbed onto her scooter behind her. I wrapped myself around her, savoring the contact. I wanted more, but for now, this was enough.
We made it to the festival in a few minutes, and Cara easily found a little spot for her scooter even though the parking lot was crowded with cars. Beach Boys music drifted from the raised gazebo in the center of the park where a live band played — a quartet of guys with shaggy gray hair wearing Hawaiian shirts and flip flops.
“What would you like to do first?” Cara grabbed a flyer from a woman passing them out at the main entrance then handed it to me.
I perused the list of events. “Shrimp eating contest, anchor pull, clam shucking contest, remote control boat race, fishing tournament. Wow, you guys go all out.”
She wrinkled her nose at me. “Is this too lame? We don’t have to stay long, if you don’t want.”
&
nbsp; “No, this is great. I’d like to see all of this.” It was the truth. I’d never done any of that stuff; it sounded fun.
“Do you want to participate?”
“Well, I don’t like shrimp, I don’t know how to shuck a clam, and I’ve never gone fishing, but maybe I could handle the toy boat race.”
She grinned and reached up to squeeze my bicep. “I bet you’d do pretty well at the anchor pull.”
I flexed my arm and winked at her. “You think so, huh?”
We made our way into the middle of the festivities, going slow, looking at everything there was to see and do. When we got to one of the games, Cara grabbed my arm and pulled me over towards it. “Here you go. You can learn how to fish before the tournament.”
I looked down at a little swimming pool full of plastic fish. A few kids with tiny fishing poles with magnets for lures were dangling their lines over the pool, trying to snag a fish. A woman on the other side of the pool cheered and released the fish every time one of the kids caught one.
I shook my head at Cara who had a cheesy grin on her face. “This is my kind of fishing. I’m going to blow these losers out of the water.”
I grabbed one of the fishing poles and pretended to cast my line into the pool, squeezing my way in between the little kids. They looked at me like I was crazy.
“Hey, no fair, this is a kid’s game!” one of them said.
Cara burst out laughing and tugged me away from the game. I abandoned my pole and followed her, enjoying the feel of her hand on my arm. We headed over to the tent where the briny scent of raw clams overpowered the aroma of fried food.
A hodgepodge of people sat in a row with three buckets in front of each of them — one full of fresh clams and the others for the separated shells and meat. The contestants furiously grabbed clams from the first bucket, cracked them open, slid their knives along the shell, popping loose the meat, then tossed the empty shells into the last bucket and reached for another.
Stalking the Billionaire Celebrity (Sweet Bay Billionaires Book 2) Page 12