Austin had taught her that. If she didn’t care what the public thought, it took away their power. She fiddled with the thin, white blanket covering her legs. “I don’t want to come home.”
“What?” Her father’s voice sounded strained. “Why? We need to fix your image.”
Dani wasn’t sure she could explain it to her father. He wouldn’t understand. The only reason she had an image was because her father was famous. She really didn’t want to be. He definitely wouldn’t understand that.
“I have a job…” Oh, man. Why did the lamest thing ever come out of her mouth? Her job? Being a maid? That’s what she wanted to stay there for?
“Danica. Come home.” The phone rustled and she heard him say, “Just a minute,” to someone else.
That was the father she was used to. The one who was too busy for her. The one who commanded her to do whatever he said, with no input from her. The man who expected her to be his pretty ornament, brought out and paraded around when he wanted.
She glanced at Austin, who looked like he was trying very hard not to listen in on her conversation. He was by the window, looking out. Her resolve hardened and she gripped her phone tighter. “I want to live my own life.”
“Dani…I have to go. I’m sending the plane. End of discussion.” He hung up the phone, and Dani’s shoulders deflated. He’d won. Again.
Why did he always get what he wanted? She had no real power, and her father knew it. She put her phone down on the bed and Austin turned to her. “What did your father say?”
“I’m going home, I guess.” She made a face. “Dad’s sending the plane. End of discussion.”
“You don’t have to get on it.” He shrugged when she looked at him. “I mean, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
“You don’t know my father,” Dani said quietly.
“Maybe your father doesn’t know you.” He walked to her and took her hand. “You’re stronger than you think.”
Dani stared at Austin, his words sinking in. Was she strong, though? Could she do what she needed to do? She’d lived her whole life in her father’s shadow. Could she break free, and do something on her own?
Chapter 28
Dani shielded her face as Austin tried to move past all of the paparazzi gathered outside of the hospital. It was a madhouse, microphones and cameras stuck in her face as so many of them shouted out insane questions.
“Did you overdose?”
“Are you and Austin Scott a couple?”
“When will you get your life under control?”
That last one really hit Dani hard. When would she get her life under control? Everything felt like it was spinning, and she was helpless to do anything about it.
Austin helped her into the golf cart, but it was surrounded by reporters and they had a terrible time getting anywhere. Dani was sure her face would be all over the news in a few minutes. Heck, it probably already was.
When they finally got back to the resort and made it inside where the paparazzi weren’t allowed, she sighed and ran a hand over her hair. “Thank goodness.”
“Are you okay?” Austin asked, joining her on the couch.
“Yes.” She lied. She wasn’t okay. She was bone tired, and just wanted to sink into nothingness. She’d been drugged, and now her father wanted to take her on some stupid publicity tour. She was just done.
“You don’t look okay.”
“I’m just tired of it all. I can’t stand the cameras. Paparazzi. They make me crazy.” She put her head in her hands.
Austin rubbed her back. “I still think they would ignore you if you decided to live a normal life. They would get bored and go bother someone else.”
“But I can’t.” She looked up at him. “I don’t know how.”
“Just run away with me,” Austin said, cracking a smile.
She couldn’t quite tell if he was joking or not, but she decided to play it up as a joke and poked him in the side. “How would that help? You’re famous.”
He chuckled, but something told her he was disappointed with her answer. She ignored the shift in mood. She couldn’t think about Austin that way. She needed to do as he said. She needed to disappear from the tabloids.
“I’ve decided,” she finally said after a moment of silence between them.
“What did you decide?”
“I’m not getting on the plane.”
Austin slowly nodded. “I’m proud of you.”
“It’s scary, but I don’t want to go back to that. I want my own life.” Even if it meant giving up all the things she was used to, the Gucci bags and the Jimmy Choo’s. The price seemed too high right now.
“You can do it.” He squeezed her hand.
Dani’s heart swelled. Austin truly had been a massive blessing in her life. He was so encouraging. Her chest constricted as she thought about how much he’d done for her. She wouldn’t ever be able to pay him back.
But there was also this nagging feeling deep in her gut that told her he wasn’t just being nice. There was something he wanted from her. Was that the truth? Or was that her paranoia seeping in? She wished she could take all of his kindness at face value. But it was so hard to do after what Raphael had done to her.
She simply wasn’t ready to jump into another relationship.
Austin looked up at the full moon. It was a quiet night. The resort hadn’t been as busy after the holiday weekend. Now, it was Wednesday evening and Austin was feeling the pressure. He was leaving tomorrow.
He’d made the offer to get Dani a plane ticket again, but she refused. She was not ready to leave. She wanted to do it all on her own, which he understood and admired. He just wasn’t sure where that would leave them.
He took in a deep breath. The salty sea air made him itch to go into the water. He’d been good the last few days, relaxing and letting his knee heal, but right now all he wanted to do was let the waves hit his feet.
“Want to take a walk with me?” He waited to see what Dani would say.
“Sure.”
“I want to wade in the ocean.”
Dani smiled and stood. “That sounds like fun.”
They walked around the resort to the boardwalk, and then down to the sandy beach. Austin pulled off his shoes and socks and placed them by the sign that reminded people there was no lifeguard on the beach. Dani took off her sandals and placed them beside his shoes. For some reason, looking at their shoes together like that made a wave of emotion swell in Austin.
It was kind of dumb, but the shoes sitting together made them look like they were a family. He could imagine a small pair of shoes sitting there as well. The mental image made his heart thump in his chest. It was sappy, but he didn’t care.
Having Claire almost take away what he’d had with Dani had made him see that life was too short to sit back and let things happen. He didn’t want to stay silent anymore about his feelings. If Dani wasn’t ready for a relationship, then he’d wait for her. But he was done pretending he wasn’t in love with her.
The cold water rippled over his feet and he sucked in a breath. Dani giggled. “Yeah, that’s a bit frigid. But it feels good, too. Doesn’t it?”
“Yes. I just wasn’t expecting it to be that cold.”
They walked along the water’s edge making footprints in the sand that would fill up with water when the waves came in, and then back out. Austin itched to reach out and take Dani’s hand. Finally, after a few moments, he gathered up his courage and did so. Her skin was warm and soft, and she didn’t pull away.
He wondered what he could say to express how he was feeling. All of the words that came to mind didn’t even begin to touch the surface. He wanted to be with Dani. He wanted to be the one who took care of her, to keep her safe from all the crazies in the world. He adored everything about her. How does a person say that, though?
Dani’s thumb grazed over his, and he took courage. He slowed his footsteps. He opened his mouth to start the conversation, but Dani spoke first.
>
“Kay called me into her office this morning.”
“Oh?” He peered at her, bathed in moonlight. “What did she want?”
“She gave me my paycheck.” Dani hid a smile.
“That’s good.” Why was she acting funny?
“It was a lot more than I thought it would be.”
“Really? Why?”
“I had given Kay a ring that I found in a room. I guess the woman who lost it was so thankful she gave me some reward money.” Dani grinned. “I got over a thousand dollars.”
“Whoa, seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s enough for a plane ticket.”
“I know.” Dani examined her fingernails. “I’ve been thinking a lot about my future and what you’ve been saying.”
“And?”
“I’m going to find my own place in LA and enroll in college.”
A swell of emotion closed his throat. She was going to break off from her father’s money. Danica Jordan was going to make it on her own. He knew she could do it. He squeezed her hand. He knew she could do it.
He stopped and turned to her. The moonlight made her look even more beautiful, if that was possible. He wasn’t sure. She was radiant on her own. But something about the waves of the sea and the mood of the evening made his heart leap. He reached up and brushed his fingers down the side of her face. “You’re amazing.”
She shook her head. “Not really. I’m nothing special.”
“Don’t say that. You’re special to me.”
She swallowed and broke his gaze. “I’m not. I’m just a celebrity that wants to get out.”
She was so much more than that. But he honestly wasn’t sure he could put it into words, so he bent down and lightly brushed his lips against hers. The kiss ignited a fire inside him, and he pulled her closer. His lips danced with hers. A wave of water washed over his feet and up his ankles, sending a shiver through him. Dani smiled and pulled back. “You’re still bothered by the cold?”
“Not really paying much attention to it, to be honest.” He kissed her again. His world tilted as the sensations of kissing her tingled across his skin.
She put her arms around his neck and leaned into him, deepening the kiss. He wasn’t sure exactly when he’d fallen in love with Danica Jordan, but this evening, he was sure he never wanted to spend his time with any other woman.
When they finally broke apart, he placed his forehead on hers and cupped her cheeks. He loved her with all of his heart. And now, he just had to gather up his courage to tell her.
Dani pulled back and rubbed her arms, not meeting his gaze. “Austin…we need to talk.”
That didn’t sound good at all. He nodded, mentally preparing himself for whatever she was going to say. “All right.”
“You’re leaving tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“And…” She seemed to struggle with what to say. “I think we should say good-bye.”
What exactly did she mean by that? “You don’t want to see me in LA?”
She frowned. “I don’t want to give you the wrong impression.”
“And what impression would that be?”
“I can’t date you.”
Austin’s head swam, and he fought to keep himself from stumbling back. “Why?” Did she dislike him that much?
“I just need to find myself.” She wouldn’t look him in the eye. “Plus, you’re famous.”
He worked his jaw as he thought about what her words implied. He was famous. If she were with him, she’d still be under a microscope. He understood her desire to get out of the media’s attention, but if she really cared for him, she wouldn’t let that stop her.
Which meant Dani didn’t feel the same way about him. He swallowed back the hurt. Dani didn’t love him.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do it. I can’t live with my life on display anymore. You said so yourself. If I start living a normal life, people will get bored and go find someone else to look at.”
Yes, he’d said those words. But he hadn’t been in love with her at the time. He didn’t realize his own words would come back to haunt him. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Is that what you really want?”
An expression came over her face that he couldn’t quite read, but it was gone before he could really take it in. She nodded. “Yes.”
“Then, I support you.” He said the words, but he didn’t mean them. He didn’t want her to say good-bye. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He wanted to kiss her again and make her forget that the paparazzi even existed.
But that wasn’t fair. If she wanted to live in obscurity, that was her choice. A lump in his throat caused him to swallow and step back. He needed to get away from Dani before he did something totally embarrassing, like beg her to give him more of a chance.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. He thought maybe she was blinking back tears, but she turned from him, and he couldn’t quite tell.
He waited until she turned back toward the resort before trailing after her. He didn’t want to be the one to pick up his shoes first and destroy the illusion of a family that he’d imagined.
Chapter 29
Dani clicked the computer keys, her essay almost done, which was good because the school library was going to close soon. It had been six months since the Grand Cayman incident. No, the video wasn’t gone from the internet, but she’d managed to blend into a new life, attending UCLA and working at a mom-and-pop coffee place. At first, the paparazzi was in her face, but Austin had been right. As she settled into her new life, the public lost interest.
Her father hadn’t been too happy with her decision not to do the publicity tour with him, but he’d mellowed out since she enrolled in school. It helped that UCLA was his alma mater. He seemed pretty happy that she had chosen that school.
Her phone chimed and she fished it out of her bag. It was her father, which made her happy. But even though she liked hearing from her father, a tiny part of her was disappointed it wasn’t Austin.
Not that Austin had texted her since she left Grand Cayman. No, he’d kept his word to her that they were going to say good-bye. She hadn’t gotten anything from him. Not that she was bitter. She was trying not to be. But if she were being honest, she missed him.
She unlocked her phone and looked at her father’s text.
Do you want to go out to dinner with me this weekend? Just the two of us?
That was a surprise. Since when did her father have enough time to do something like that? He must be between movies. She replied.
Sure.
After she sent the message, she opened a new text window and typed in Austin’s name. She sat there, staring at the screen. What was she doing? Was she thinking of texting Austin?
That was ridiculous. She hadn’t heard from him. Why would she text him? She closed the window and put her phone away. Now wasn’t the time to be thinking of Austin anyway. She had to get her essay done.
She stared at the words on the screen for another ten minutes before half of the library lights clicked off, signaling it was about to close. She saved her document and pulled out her thumb drive. She’d just have to get her head on straight tomorrow and finish.
She packed up her belongings and headed outside. Her apartment was a fifteen-minute walk, but she enjoyed the time to think. It was definitely jacket weather in mid-March, but Dani didn’t care. It wasn’t too cold.
As she walked, she popped in her earbuds and turned on her favorite K-pop playlist. When “Wish You Were Here” came on, she couldn’t help but think of Austin once again. He had been a rock for her in a time in her life when she needed a rock so badly. He had given her more than food and shelter when she was homeless and penniless. He’d given her confidence.
She’d been unable to trust him at the time, but now, looking back, she had no reason to think he’d wanted anything from her. If he had, wouldn’t he have kept trying to see her after they went back to LA? But she hadn’t seen him at all,
which made her convinced that he had simply been a nice guy, taking in a woman who was stranded.
She couldn’t get Austin off her mind, and when she finally entered her tiny two-bedroom apartment and found her roommate gone, she decided to pull out her phone and send off a message. It wasn’t odd, right? He was a friend. She could text him if she wanted. Right?
She tossed her backpack into the corner of her room and plopped down on her bed. It took another ten minutes of staring at her phone screen before she fired off a quick text.
Hey, I was just thinking of you. How are you doing?
Her heart thundered in her chest as she waited to see if he would respond. When no text came back, she swallowed her disappointment. He might be busy. Or maybe he wasn’t interested in her anymore. He could be dating someone else.
She tossed her phone on her nightstand and stared at the ceiling. It had been a mistake to cut off ties with Austin. She hadn’t really realized it until just now, not hearing back from him, but she missed him fiercely. He had been the nicest man she’d ever met. He was so selfless and kind to her, at a time when she’d been desperate.
And now, thinking that maybe she’d never talk to him again made her ache. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes. Austin’s face filled her mind.
Her phone made a noise and she nearly jumped off the bed. Her heart went into her throat as she picked up her phone to check the messages. Austin had texted her back.
I’m doing fine. How are you? Is everything okay?
And that was Austin. Worried about her, as usual. She blinked back tears. Why was she so emotional over that? He was always a nice guy. So what? She didn’t have to get all sappy about it. Still, she couldn’t turn off the tears.
Yes. I’m okay. I just got to thinking about you and started missing you. Is that stupid?
She held her breath, waiting for what he would say to that. His message came in a minute later.
Why would that be stupid?
Well, he had a point. Why did she always do that to herself? She always assumed she was being stupid. Now, she’d embarrassed herself again.
A Case of Extreme Mistaken Identity: A Romantic Comedy (The Billionaire Club Book 2) Page 15