“I haven’t heard anything, either,” Marco added.
“I don’t see Bella yet. I thought she’d be out front by now.” Nick was running a few minutes late and it was five past noon. He noticed a woman with striking red curls walking towards them. He couldn’t see her face as she was wearing sunglasses and a huge floppy sun hat hid her face. She was also dressed in dark, baggy sweats. But when she reached the car, she looked up and he realized it was Bella and she wore a panicky expression. He unlocked the door and she jumped in and immediately locked it behind her.
“Is everything okay? You look great. Love the hair.”
“Thank you. I’ll explain when we get to the beach, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. That’s my cousin Andrea in the back and Marco. They both work at the concierge desk.”
“Nice to meet you both,” Bella said politely.
Something was definitely off about Bella today. She sounded stressed and a little scared. Nick wondered what was going on and he hoped he could help—at least to get her to relax and take her mind off whatever was bothering her.
“I hope you’re hungry? We have a ridiculous amount of food. Marco made Brazilian steak tips to cook on the grill and Andrea made a pasta salad. I also made a caramelized onion dip, spicy tuna tartare and, of course, cheese and crackers.”
“I am and that sounds wonderful. I brought some wine and chocolate from Sweet Inspirations. My sister and I were just there yesterday.”
Once they reached the Eel Point beach, they unloaded everything, and found a good spot near the water to set up their chairs and the grill.
Bella peeled off her huge sweatshirt and baggy sweatpants and had on a cute pair of shorts and a short-sleeved Nantucket red t-shirt. It was warm out, so Nick wondered what was up with the dark baggy sweats but didn’t feel it was appropriate to ask.
Once everything was settled and Andrea and Marco had thrown their lines in the water, Bella turned to Nick. “Can we take a quick walk?”
“Of course.” He realized she didn’t want the others to hear what she had to say.
They walked down the beach until they were out of earshot.
Finally, Nick asked, “Is everything okay? You seemed a little frazzled when I picked you up. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Bella sighed. “This is incredibly awkward. I probably should have told you sooner, but it’s just been so nice being Bella on vacation and totally anonymous.”
Nick had no idea what she was talking about. “Okay.”
“I love that you have no idea who I am. That’s such a gift, to be able to totally be myself and just have fun.”
“What do you mean?”
“So, remember when we met and I told you that I was out of work?”
He nodded.
“Well, that was true. But I didn’t explain what that meant or what I do. I live in L.A. and am an actress. I just finished up a movie and am taking a much-needed break. I get recognized and hounded by the media, so it’s been wonderful to have a break from that.”
As Bella was talking Nick’s mind began processing what she was saying and connecting the dots. He’d thought she looked a little familiar when they first met, but he didn’t think much of it.
“So, who are you? Someone that I might know?”
She laughed lightly and then turned the full force of her smile on him and he felt it again, the smile that was so familiar and so attractive to him.
“Maybe. Do you know who Cami Carmichael is?”
His jaw dropped. “Of course, and now I feel like an idiot. How could I have not noticed that?” He was blown away by her revelation and shocked that he never saw it.
“The shorter dark hair really made a huge difference. And when I went out anywhere, I usually wore my sunglasses, and no one gave me a second look. But I got a little too comfortable yesterday when I was shopping with my sister. I wasn’t wearing the glasses and a young girl, a cashier in a shop—she noticed. And someone behind her snapped a picture and posted it on social media. So, word is out, and they know about the short dark brown hair.”
“So that’s why you got the new do. I really like it. The color suits you.”
She smiled again. “Thanks. This is actually close to my natural color.”
He shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe you’re Cami Carmichael. I did not see that coming.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. But it was really nice when you just thought of me as Bella, someone on vacation.”
Nick could see the worry in her eyes that now things might change. Beyond his initial shock, he didn’t see why they had to.
“You’re still Bella on vacation to me. Is Bella your real name?”
She nodded. “Yes. My manager thought for privacy reasons, I should use something different. I am glad I agreed to that.”
“Yeah, Cami doesn’t fit you as well. You’re Bella to me.”
“Should I tell the others? I always worry about too many people knowing, but it sounds like it’s already out there.”
Nick glanced at Andrea and Marco, who were deep in conversation.
“I don’t think you have to worry about those two. Andrea is a Whitley and she used to be our GM. She knows that it’s important to keep secrets like this to protect your privacy. That’s why we get so many celebrity guests here.”
Andrea and Marco were seated when they returned, with their poles in hand and Marco was in the middle of an animated story that had Andrea laughing. Nick and Bella got their rods ready and cast the lines into the water and then they sat, too. Bella took a deep breath and told Andrea and Marco what was going on and who she really was. After their initial shock, they were both very cool about it.
“We get a lot of celebrities at The Whitley and it’s often a problem for them. You don’t have to worry about either of us saying anything. We know how difficult that must be,” Andrea sympathized. A moment later she grinned and said, “I do have one question, though. Is it true what they say about Grayson George being a jerk?”
Bella laughed. Grayson was her co-star in the last project she worked on. “You didn’t hear it from me, but he’s awful. I won’t work with him again if I can avoid it.”
“I knew it! I was never a fan of his.”
“Have you had a good vacation so far?” Marco asked.
“Yes. It’s been incredible and fun having my sister here this past week. She went home today.”
“Well, you’re always welcome to join us if we’re doing anything. Sometimes we’ll grab a drink after work at the outside bar,” Andrea said. Bella appreciated the invitation.
“Thank you. I will probably take you up on that. Do you think I have to worry about the media coming onto the property?”
Nick shook his head. “No. We have a security team and if someone does come onsite, they’ll be swiftly escorted away. But we can’t stop them from waiting outside the main entrance, unfortunately.”
“Maybe I’ll lay low for a bit and hit the beach instead of going into town. I do have lots of beach reading to catch up on.”
“That sounds like a good plan,” Andrea agreed.
Bella was so relieved that Nick didn’t seem to be too weirded out by her news. Too many times, that had happened. Once people realized who she was, they acted differently toward her. But Nick, his cousin and Marco were just fun, normal people and she relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon.
They caught a few fish—well, Marco and Nick did. Andrea and Bella didn’t have any luck, but they didn’t care. It was fun having a glass of wine and eating all the delicious food everyone brought.
“How did you make your steak tips, Marco? They’re so good,” Bella asked.
He grinned. “It’s just garlic, a little olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh parsley. Lots of garlic!”
They stayed at the beach until almost six, when the temperature dropped a bit and they reluctantly decided to head home. No one was hungry enough to cook their fish because the
y’d been snacking all day, but Nick suggested coming for dinner the next night.
“I’m off tomorrow, too, and have some leftover fish from when Bella and I went a week or so ago. I can cook it all up. If that sounds good?”
“I’m in. I’m off around five,” Andrea said.
“And tomorrow is a day off for me, so count me in.”
Nick glanced her way and Bella nodded. “Definitely.”
“Perfect, why don’t you all come by around six.”
When they got back to The Whitley, Bella was thrilled to see that the cars that had been waiting out front earlier were gone. Still, she pulled on her baggy sweatshirt, big sunglasses and floppy hat just in case.
“Thanks for coming with us, Bella,” Nick said.
“Thanks for including me.” She waved to Andrea and Marco in the backseat. “Great to meet you both. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
When Bella walked through the lobby, she thought she sensed a few people looking at her more than usual but wondered if she was just imagining it and was paranoid that she was going to be recognized. When she got to her room, she took a hot shower, wrapped herself in one of the comfy bathrobes and made a cup of hot tea. And then she opened her laptop and went online.
She saw the media had done some digging and recognized her sister from old family photos and that confirmed for them that the cashier was right, and Cami Carmichael was on Nantucket. Someone saw them get into the white Whitley Range Rover for their ride home, so that’s how they knew where she was staying. She tried not to feel stressed about it by reminding herself that it was inevitable at some point that she’d be found out. And at least at The Whitley she was more protected as the hotel was on private and secluded grounds, and the beach was totally secure. The only way to access it was to walk across the property and there was good security.
So, she drifted off to sleep planning to spend the next day relaxing on the beach and doing some binge reading. And she was looking forward to dinner at Nick’s. She was thrilled that her big news didn’t seem to faze him, or Andrea or Marco, either. She enjoyed meeting the other two and thought they made a cute couple—although, she realized that she didn’t know if they actually were a couple or not. They just seemed to fit together, from what she saw.
Chapter 22
Bella had the perfect beach day on Monday. The skies were clear, the air was warm, and no one bothered her. She walked the beach, swam a little and read a lot. She didn’t see any paparazzi in front of the hotel and hoped that meant they’d given up and were onto something else.
She showered, dressed in her oldest, most comfy jeans and a thin white cotton sweater and was drying her hair when the phone in her room rang. It startled her because it was the first time the phone had rung since she’d been there. Everyone she knew just called her cell phone.
“Hello?”
“Bella? It’s Andrea down at the concierge desk. I’m getting off in a few minutes and didn’t know if you wanted to meet me in the lobby and we can walk over to Nick’s together?”
“Oh, sure! I’ll be down in a few minutes.”
She hung up, ran a brush through her hair and grabbed a bottle of wine she’d bought earlier that week. She didn’t want to show up empty-handed.
She donned her dark glasses, grabbed a light jacket and headed down to the lobby to meet Andrea.
They walked the short distance to Nick’s place in less than ten minutes.
“I’ll meet you there in a few minutes. I’m just going to run home and grab a salad I told Nick I’d bring.”
Andrea walked toward the house next door, while Bella knocked on Nick’s front door.
He opened the door a moment later and she tried not to stare. Nick looked amazing. He was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans, but his arms were lean and muscled and Bella had noticed on the beach that he had some impressive abs. His hair was slightly damp, and she guessed he’d recently showered. He grinned when he saw her.
“Come on in.”
“Andrea ran home to get a salad she’d made.” She handed him the bottle of wine.
“Great, thanks. Everything is just about done, so once they get here, we can eat.” He opened the wine, poured her a glass and got a bottle of beer for himself. Marco arrived a few minutes later and Andrea was right behind him. They ate on the back patio and the fish was just as good as she remembered.
Bella mostly listened as the other three told stories that had them all laughing. Nick and Andrea were obviously great friends as well as cousins, and Marco was so full of energy and funny. They were entertaining, and Bella was surprised at how fast the hours flew by as they laughed and talked and had a few drinks. She was envious of the three of them, that this was just a typical night and they could do this whenever they wanted.
Finally, a little after ten, Marco yawned and a moment later Nick did, too. Andrea saw it and laughed.
“I think that might be a sign that it’s time to call it a night.”
“Yeah, I have the early shift tomorrow,” Marco added.
“I’m in early as well to do our weekly orders,” Nick said.
“This was a lot of fun. Thanks for cooking, Nick,” Bella said.
He smiled the big slow smile that lit up his whole face.
“Anytime. I’ll walk you back when you’re ready.”
She was about to protest and say she could go herself, but then she looked outside. It was dark, and she knew he’d insist anyway.
“Thanks. I’m ready.”
They all said their goodbyes and Nick walked Bella back to the hotel. They walked slowly, chatting all the while.
When there was a lull in the conversation, Bella impulsively asked what had been on her mind more than once since she’d met Nick. “Nick, you’re a great guy. How is it that you’re still single?”
He laughed. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in a serious relationship. It’s hard sometimes with my job and the hours, all the nights that I work. Mary, the girl I was serious about, had a normal nine-to-five job and she just got sick of it eventually. Since then, I’ve kept it light and just dated here and there.”
“If it was the right person, that wouldn’t be an issue,” Bella said.
“You really think so?” He sounded surprised.
She nodded. “I do. You could find a way to make it work, somehow. It’s similar with me, maybe even worse as I’m often gone for weeks or months at a time on location. That means a long-distance relationship at times and that can be challenging.”
“Yeah, I’d miss you if we were together and then you left for a few months,” Nick admitted.
“It’s not ideal, I know. There’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot, though, since I’ve been here. I’ve had a lot of time to think. And I may be looking to put my own production company together. To build a team and make the kind of movies I want to see. And that would give me some flexibility on where things are shot and with scheduling.”
“That sounds awesome. But wouldn’t you have to be in L.A. for that?”
“Not all the time. The company could be based there, but so much these days can be done virtually. It’s just something I’m thinking about.”
“Well, it sounds exciting. I hope it works out for you. Though I have to admit, I’m going to miss you when your time here is up.”
“I’m going to miss you, too, and this place. You’re so lucky to be able to live and work here. I wish I could figure out a way to do that, but it seems impossible right now.”
“Yeah, I guess that wouldn’t work. You’ll just have to take more vacations and come back in between movies.”
She laughed. “Oh, I’m already thinking about that. I hear the fall is great here and there’s a Christmas Stroll in early December.”
“The Stroll is a busy weekend and a good time. If you can make it for that, I think you’d really enjoy it. It’s like the last hurrah before the slow winter season.”
They reached the hotel entrance, and both paused outside the
front door. Bella wasn’t in a hurry to go inside just yet. She impulsively leaned over and kissed Nick on the cheek. “I really had a great time, yesterday and tonight. Thank you.”
Nick smiled and took hold of her hands. He pulled her close to him and every so lightly brushed his lips against hers. It was a quick kiss, whisper-soft, and it gave Bella the shivers.
When it ended, he looked her in the eyes and said, “I thought about doing that all night. Goodnight, Bella.”
“Night, Nick.”
Chapter 23
Tuesday morning at eleven thirty, Grandfather popped his head into Paula’s office, David right behind him.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Of course.” Paula wondered what the two of them were up to.
“So, David and I were just talking, and he mentioned seeing that a new restaurant just opened near the Wharf. The Portside or maybe Starboard?” He glanced at David.
“It’s Portside. I noticed it when I was downtown the other day and asked your grandfather if he’d been there yet. He suggested we go for lunch and if we like the food, invite them to join the Taste of the Town event.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. Grandfather, you’ll come with us?”
But he shook his head. “No, you kids go ahead and go. I have an important meeting at noon.” He grinned. “The boys are coming for lunch and a quick card game.”
“That’s right. It’s already that time of the month.” Once a month, Grandfather had some of his oldest friends in for lunch, cards and gossip. “We could go a different day, so you could join us?”
“No, we need to get this nailed down. I trust your opinion. Go and have fun.”
“Want to leave in about fifteen minutes?” David asked.
“That’s perfect. I’m just finishing up some paperwork.”
David drove and they reached the Portside a few minutes before noon. It was near the waterfront but on a quieter side street, so it wasn’t as busy as the more visible restaurants. Which was a good thing as they didn’t have to wait for a table and were seated immediately. The blue and white nautical decor and big glass windows overlooking the water almost gave the feeling of being on a boat. And the menu was mostly focused on seafood. Paula decided to treat herself to something she only got once or twice a season—fried Nantucket scallops. David went with broiled scrod and an appetizer of fried clams for them to share.
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