Sunrise: Movie Star, Fake Relationship Romance (Chasing The Sun Duet Book 1)

by Kaci Rose

  "Maybe that's what Holly was trying to figure out. They’re on your side. You know that they have shown it. I think maybe she was wanting to see how you want them to react without flat out asking you."

  "I feel horrible because I don't want to show him any support of any kind. I mean, I'm over him and our relationship. I'm just pissed at how he ended it. What kind of man does that? And how did I see any good in him those years we dated?"

  "How long did you date?" I ask.

  "Just over two years. We started dating our senior year of high school, and he was my date to the senior prom. He was that guy you didn't think would stick around after you slept with him at prom, but he did, and he treated me like gold. But when the plans were changed, then it was like a switch flipped. When he left town, I didn't even know he was into investing. I thought he was running a small hotel in Wilmington."

  She tucks some hair behind her ear and rests her head on my chest. I don't think she even realizes she did it.

  "Let's change the subject. Tell me about your childhood," she says.

  "Well, here's something not many people know. I was adopted." I don't know why I admit it, but it feels right telling her.

  "Really?" she asks but doesn't lift her head, and I'm thankful for that. Having her this close makes admitting something so personal a little easier.

  "Yeah, I was really young, still in diapers, so I have no memories before my parents. They are amazing, always supportive. When I was approached by an agent who was at a school play, my parents sat me down said they knew I was eighteen and could do what I wanted, but I was two months away from graduating high school, and they wanted me to finish school. My dad said if I did, he'd drive me out to Hollywood and help me get set up. They have done so much for me, so of course, I did what they asked. Then getting booked from my first audition, and things have been a whirlwind since."

  I remember that conversation with Mom and Dad, and I'm thankful I listened. I was in the right spot at the right time because of it.

  "But growing up on a small ranch was just like you'd expect. Early morning chores, early bedtime, long drives into school. I learned how to drive a tractor by the time I was twelve and a four-wheeler before I was ten. My first car was a pickup truck. I'm still close to them. I try to call and let them know before things hit the paper. They were happy I fired Gina. My mom said she didn't like her but couldn't put her finger on why, so she never said anything."

  "I've told you a bit about growing up on the island. But this inn was always my second home. My parents grew up here, but both their parents moved back to the mainland not too long before I was born, so I only saw them in the summers. They came to the island for a few weeks. I guess they didn't like each other, so they never visited at the same time, which was fine with all of us. All four of them passed before I graduated high school. Mrs. Keller has been like a grandma to me though she was a lot younger when we first met her. She babysat me and was always bringing me gifts when she traveled. She only has one grandbaby, and they live out in Seattle, so she only sees her a few times a year when she goes out there, and then they visit every other summer here."

  She stares, lost in thought. "We took family vacations during the off-season, which was great because it was off-season almost everywhere else too. We went to Disney, Yellowstone, Gettysburg, Philadelphia, New York City, and Key West. We visited Disney a few times and always with Brynn and her parents. Brynn is like a sister to me. We grew up together and did almost everything together, and we had planned to run the inns together from day one. You ever think of tracking down your biological parents?" she asks.

  "Actually, they tracked me down a few years back. They saw I was making a name for myself in Hollywood, and since they are still druggies, they thought I owed them a free ride. It wasn't pretty, and when I didn't give them money, they tried to go to the press. Wren was great at shutting that down. They are in jail right now for extortion, along with multiple drug and theft charges. They were court-ordered to attend rehab before fulfilling their sentence, and then when they get out, they have to go to some other rehab-like programs. So, we'll see if it works. I don't think I want a relationship at all with them, even if they clean themselves up. The run-in with them made me realize I was on a path very close to ending up like that. I slowed down on the drinking. I hadn't touched any drugs, but I knew it was a slippery slope in Hollywood. It was about a year before I stopped drinking altogether, and that's when the playboy act got old fast. Been trying to get away from it ever since."

  "I really think Gina was the problem there. Now that she's gone, I have a better chance of changing my image. Yeah, Matt and Cassie were pissed about the statement we released because she had told a few other people nothing happened, and they came out and verified it on social media. Apparently, Mark slept with another costar's wife, so the guy blasted their plan all over social media. It's been a shit show that I have been staying out of. Wren says it's more than enough to take the spotlight off me for a bit." I finish relaying what Wren told me last night.

  The sun is about halfway over the water by now and bathing the morning in beautiful pinks and purples. Neither of us speaks again until the sun is fully out of the water and the bright colors start to fade to normal daylight.

  "We should go inside so you can eat," I whisper, breaking the comfortable silence.

  "Yeah, you need to eat too." She sighs.

  "How about we take the day and go explore the island? Take me off the beaten path and show me the places the locals go. Bonus, it counts as an outing if we’re seen getting more of the donuts later." I wink at her, and she laughs.

  Such a beautiful sound filling the air and washing over me. My dick seems to like it too, because he wants attention from the beautiful girl who's been pressed against me all morning. I can't blame him. Having her in my arms made everything feel right for the first time in a long time.

  I head back to my room and turn on my phone and search the headlines on Matt and Cassie. They aren't pretty, but they are at least saying that they tried to use me in their divorce. One paper is going to say they set me up.

  I check what is being said about Lin and me, and it's all positive. One website did a write-up based on public knowledge about her degree and running the inn after her parents' death, using photos from the inns' social media. It's all done very nicely, so I go as far as to shoot the editor an email and thank them for the article. I get an email back almost instantly, asking if I'd be willing to do an interview with Lin about how we met, even if it's online since we are still stuck on the island.

  It would be good for them, and since they were nice in their write-up, I say I need to talk to Lin and will get back to them. I shoot Wren an email, asking his thoughts, though my guess is he might be sleeping.

  I get ready to spend the day with Lin, which doesn't feel like a day for the cameras or keeping up appearances. It feels like a day for us. I was worried about her wanting more from me, but I think I might be the one slipping too far down that hill.

  Chapter 22

  Linly

  I'm cleaning up the coffee machine when Kade comes back downstairs to join me.

  "Ready to get going?" I ask.

  "Yep, what's on the list first?" he asks.

  "Well, you've seen Main Street, so I was thinking I'd take you to Arch Rock to begin. You okay with a little hike?" I ask.

  "Yep, let's go." He takes my hand.

  Arch Rock is at the other end of the island, so I take the more scenic roads close to the water. I roll the windows down, and the wind and salt air fill the car. Thankfully, I pulled my hair up today, but it does not stop Kade's and my hair from blowing in the breeze. It's so freeing.

  We get to the state park entrance, and Kade sits up.

  "It's a state park? Will that help with Main Street?" Kade asks.

  "I don't know. This is a park for nature and not really the history, though locals try to say Blackbeard buried treasure out there. Now it's illegal to try to dig it up, s
o it just stays a rumor." I shrug.

  I like that it won't be able to be disproven. It's a fun little tale of the island I will get to tell my kids, and they can pass it on to their kids.

  I park in the parking area and pull out a couple of bottles of water and head up the trail. It's a fairly easy half-mile hike before the arch comes into view with the ocean beyond it.

  "Wow." Kade stops and starts.

  It's a gray rock that has formed a natural bridge with an arch under it. The trail splits here. You can walk under the arch down to the beach or climb to walk over the stone bridge.

  "So, choose your path. Under the arch or over it?" I ask.

  "We can walk up there?"

  "Yep, the views are amazing too," I tell him.

  "Up we go!" He smiles, and we take the more difficult path up and around the side to climb up the rocks.

  Once we get to the center of the natural bridge, I sit down in the middle and dangle my feet over the edge. Like this, it feels like you are sitting over the ocean even though directly below you is the sandy beach.

  "I can't believe you live here. It's the perfect vacation spot, yet you get to be here all year," he says, scanning the water.

  A few boats dot the water, mostly for fishing, but there are two sailboats out for the day too.

  "Yeah, even when my family would go on a vacation, we'd always compare it to home and think about how much better Hummingbird Island is to Key West; how it's more beautiful than Yellowstone National Park and friendlier than Disney. Normally, we couldn't wait to get home."

  "You come up here often?" he asks.

  "I did once I hit high school. It's where I'd go to think. When I was debating on breaking up with the guy I was dating junior year, and I was sitting here lost in thought, my dad sat down beside me. I had no idea they knew I came out here, but they did. He sat here, and we just talked. He wasn't my dad; he was my friend, so what was said didn't leave the bridge. I broke up with the guy the next day. I told my dad I did, and that was it. It wasn't spoken about again."

  "It's a good spot to shut out the world and think." Nodding, Kade closes his eyes and lies back on the bridge.

  With the sun on his face and his hair windblown with a slight curl, I don't think before I reach over and run my hand through it. He opens his eyes to look at me but doesn't move. His breathing picks up like mine does, and we just stare at each other.

  After a minute, Kade moves his hand over mine in his hair and pulls it down to his chest, sandwiching my hand between his chest and his hand right over his heart. His heart is racing, like mine is.

  Slowly, his other hand pulls me to him, and while I'm the one leaning over him, he is still in complete control as he kisses me. His hand in my hair guides the kiss. It's a light kiss that makes the butterflies take flight and leave me wanting more.

  We both know there is no one around to see us kiss. This isn't for show and it isn't for the sake of our fake relationship. This kiss is for us. Neither of us wants to push it any further or put an end to it. When the screech of a seagull flying near us startles me, we pull back, laughing a bit.

  I look up at the seagulls circling us to see if we have any food, and determined to keep the daylight, I stand.

  "Ready to see the cove?" I ask.

  "Yep, I'm already starting to feel like a real local." He smirks.

  On the way, I tell him about the cove.

  "The path to the cove is on Josh's property, and he doesn't mind his friends, who consist of almost every local, using it. You can only access it from his property. The three houses that back up to it are his, his sister's, and his parents', so you only ever see locals here. Even more so in the summer when we want to get away from the tourists."

  I park the car on the street, and we head to the almost hidden path on the side of Josh's house. Once we clear the back of his property, the view opens up to us. The dune grass starts in his backyard and goes all the way to a few feet before the water, leaving a small beach to sit and enjoy.

  There is one other couple who I point out to Kade.

  "That's Sarah and Ned. She's an elementary school teacher, and he runs the newspaper. If he sees you, he might want an interview," I warn him.

  "Ahhh, speaking of which. An online paper wrote up a nice piece on you and the inn and what they knew of our relationship. It's really complimentary, and I emailed them and thanked them for doing such a tasteful piece. They want to do a video interview since we are stuck on the island," Kade says, watching my face.

  "I've done interviews for the inn, so if you think we can trust them, then sure. But I want to read the post first so I can correct anything that's wrong. I want the truth out there," I tell him.

  "Okay. And if Mr. Newspaper man there wants an interview?" He nods over my shoulder.

  "He's harmless, but it would really help his career. I say we do it, but you have the last say on it," I tell him.

  He nods. "We will do it."

  "Little Linly, is that you?" Ned calls out.

  "Yes!" I call back, and they quicken their pace to walk our way.

  "So, it's true? You and Kade, huh?" He looks at us.

  "They weren't at the restaurant," I whisper to Kade before they reach our side.

  "Yeah, it's true," I tell him as Kade wraps his arm around my waist.

  "Any chance I can get an interview with you two?" Ned asks.

  "Ned!" Sarah, his wife, slaps his arm. "She's one of us. Don't hound her."

  "It's okay." I look at Kade who nods. "We'd be happy too. You have my number. Call me and we can do it over lunch at the inn."

  "Oh, I won't turn down lunch. I'll call you tomorrow," he says, and they walk off without a look back.

  "Wow," Kade says once they are out of earshot.

  "What?" I ask.

  "They treated me completely normal, no gushing, no autographs, just the interview, and okay, call you tomorrow. I'm not used to it."

  "This is Seaview, not Hollywood," I remind him.

  "Hey, why is it called Hummingbird Island?" he asks.

  "Hummingbirds fly south to Mexico in the winter but return each spring. About a week before you showed up, they returned in droves, and we have a hummingbird festival. You can find them all over the island throughout the summer. Many homes will have hummingbird feeders, and the inn even has a few. Apparently, when the island was first inhabited, there were hundreds more of them here. There is still a bunch, but I'm sure the numbers have dwindled since then. They are unofficially protected on the island, so don't mess with them," I warn him.

  He nods as we walk back to the car.

  "Mind if we make a not so touristy stop?" I ask.

  "Of course not," he says and smiles at me.

  His smile falters when I pull into the graveyard and make my way over to the side where my parents and Brynn's are.

  "I always stop when I'm on this side of town. You’re welcome to join me." I nod up the hill a bit.

  He follows me, and I stand with my parents to my right and Brynn's parents to my left.

  I smile at Kade as he looks at the headstones.

  "I like that they were buried next to each other," he says.

  "It only seemed right, but they bought these plots when we were little, so it was their choice," I tell him. "I think they are watching us. Hell, if I know our moms, they might have planned this all out just for some kicks." I shake my head.

  "Then they'd get along with my mom because she would do that too. Heck, she tries to play matchmaker to any single person in town," he says. "Favorite memory of them?"