“You’re killing me, dude,” Boston lamented. “You told me you were up for this one, so I made commitments.”
The reason Boston was one of the most successful agents in L.A. was because he rarely took no for an answer. But no amount of goading was going to persuade Christian to go back to that dog-eat-dog world. “I told you, I’d think about it,” Christian countered, “and I have. But it’s not gonna happen.”
Boston swore under his breath. “The entire film’s scheduled to be shot in Georgia, due to all the state film credits. You won’t even have to step foot in L.A.”
“What about the PR campaign? And the premiere?”
Pregnant pause. “Yeah … there may be a little of that, but we can work around your schedule.”
Christian rolled his eyes. “Heard that one before.”
“Look, man. I know you’re still dealing with crud from the accident … and Heather’s death, but it’s been three years. You can’t hide out forever. Sooner or later, you’re gonna have to face it.”
Christian reached for the empty juice can on the table beside him and crushed it in his fist. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m not hiding out. This is my home. I grew up here, remember?”
“I get that, but acting’s in your blood. You lived for it before … I just want to see you happy.”
“And, make a few million off the deal.”
“That hurt, man. I’m only trying to make a living. Unlike you, I don’t have a brainiac sister who can work her magic and turn my millions into billions.”
Christian’s neck and shoulders tightened. Every conversation with Boston felt like a thrashing. He loved the guy, but he was exhausting. “The acting has never been about the money for me,” he said flatly.
“Spoken like someone with an endless supply of it.” When Christian remained silent, Boston continued. “Okay, we won’t discuss the movie anymore today, but you should do the interview with Introspective Magazine. At least give me that … for old time’s sake.”
Christian blew out a breath. Boston was backing him into a corner. He had a sneaking suspicion that was Boston’s plan all along—to needle him about the movie, knowing he would say no, then hit him up for the interview. That was the problem with having a longtime friend—Boston knew just how to work him. “Okay,” he relented. “When is it?”
“The day after Christmas.”
“Seriously? You booked an interview during the holidays?”
“Oh, quit your blustering. Before you hit it big, you would’ve given your eyeteeth to have an interview with Introspective. The interviewer will come to you.”
“No way! You know how I feel about that. I don’t like anyone coming here. I’ll meet the interviewer at a restaurant.”
“Yeah … right. And get bombarded by curious fans? I don’t think so.”
“Okay, I’ll meet the interviewer at a hotel. I’ll even pay for a private room. How’s that?”
“Nope. Won’t work.”
Christian frowned. “Why not?”
“The segment’s about celebrities in their homes.”
“You’re starting to push my buttons, Boston.”
He chuckled. “Nah! Just doing my job. All right.” He paused. “I’ve got another call coming in. Better let you go.”
“I see how it is … you get what you want, and you’re ready to end the call.”
Boston laughed nervously. “Not everyone lives in paradise, my friend. Like I said earlier, some of us still work for a living.”
“I hear ya,” Christian said dryly.
“Gotta run, man. See ya.”
Before Christian could say bye, Boston ended the call. Christian sighed heavily and placed his phone on the nearby table.
Same old Boston … his nose to the grindstone 24/7. In many ways, he envied Boston. He had purpose … something driving him. Not so long ago, Christian had been like that too, pouring himself into his roles, working dawn to dusk. Going to bed exhausted, then getting up the next day and doing it all over again. But he wasn’t the same man he’d been before the accident and Heather’s death. It had taken super human effort for him to put his life back together, and he couldn’t go back to what he was before. His life at Pupukea Estate was quiet and ordered. And yes, some might call it boring, but he preferred to think of it as peaceful. His gaze took in the immaculately landscaped grounds with the ocean sparkling like diamonds in the distance. One of his favorite spots was right here, where he was sitting, beside the large, free-form pool nestled at the base of a breathtaking, man-made waterfall. The water, steadily cascading over the rocks, was therapeutic, helping to take the edge off his nerves. The estate was his world now, and he couldn’t … wouldn’t go back to that other world. As a young boy, growing up poor in the nearby town of Laie, he never would’ve imagined he would one day have a home like this. His sister Kat bought a house on Sunset Beach and tried to talk him into doing the same, but he preferred to be in the mountains, where no one would bother him. It had taken him months to find the perfect location—remote, yet close enough to the ocean to give him an exquisite view. In fact, he was only about five miles from the beach, even though it felt like he was in an isolated location.
He looked at Sadie, playing in the shallow part of the pool, ten or so feet from where he was sitting.
“Uncle,” she called when she realized he was looking at her. She pinched her nose. “Watch this!” she said, ducking her head under water.
When she came up, he clapped. “Very good.” A broad smile stretched across her face. Sadie was learning to swim. In many ways, his sister Kat’s frequent travels were a blessing, because they allowed him to spend so much time with Sadie. When looking after Sadie, he didn’t focus as much on his own demons. This time, Kat went to the Bahamas to open up a new hotel. She’d get back tomorrow afternoon. It was hard to believe Christmas was only two days away. His stomach clenched. He’d always loved the holidays … until Heather died on Christmas Eve. The last three years, Christmas brought back so many regrets and painful memories that he went on autopilot around Thanksgiving and simply got through the next month as best he could. Had it not been for Sadie, he wouldn’t have even put up a tree. She’d talked incessantly about Santa Claus the past few weeks, and he’d used it as a bargaining chip to promote good behavior. He sighed heavily. All he had to do was survive the next two days, and he’d be okay.
His thoughts went to Everly and the sand fiasco. Everything had been going so well … at first. Her charming accent captured him from the get-go, but it was more than that. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt such a strong connection with someone. When she realized who he was, she didn’t fawn over him like most women did. She just kept talking to him like he was a regular person. He kept picturing how flecks of gold sparkled in her hazel eyes when she smiled. And the way her thick mane of wavy hair framed her delicately sculpted features and rosy lips. It didn’t hurt that she had an amazing figure. Her petite body was slender, yet toned. She had the beginnings of a tan, but it wasn’t overdone like the majority of the women in Hollywood. More than anything, she felt genuine—the real deal, as opposed to the Photoshop version. And, he admired her grit, especially when the mother-bear in her came out, defending her son. Admittedly, he’d overreacted when Jordan threw sand in Sadie’s eyes. And, if he had it to do over again, he wouldn’t have been so accusatory. What was it she’d said to him? Something about “sticking his grin where the sun didn’t shine.” He chuckled.
“What’s so funny?”
He looked up as Mele, his housekeeper and cook took the seat beside him. He and Mele had grown up in the same neighborhood, but they didn’t have much interaction when they were younger because she was ten years older. She and her husband Jarin had three rowdy boys, so Mele could hold her own. Like many locals, she was a coconut—hard on the outside, but mushy and sweet on the inside. Half the time, she treated Christian like he was one of her sons. Mele jabbed him with her elbow. “Well?”
>
“Well what?” he said, rubbing his arm. “That hurt, by the way.”
She fluffed her short hair with a sniff. “You were sitting there smiling like da mongoose that ate da rat. Just tell me, already. What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
Her perceptive black eyes flickered over him. “You not getting out of this, brah. I’ve seen that look before. You met someone.”
There wasn’t much he could hide from Mele. “I did not,” he protested, but couldn’t hide the smile that broke over his lips.
She pointed. “Ah, I knew it. Who is she? Do I know her?”
“Nah, she’s here on vacation.”
Her face fell. “What? How long is she here for?”
“A coupla weeks.”
She sighed heavily. “Well, at least you’re showing some interest. I was beginning to wonder if ya gonna spend the rest of your life holed up here, licking your wounds.”
“Hey, that’s harsh.”
“No, it da truth,” she countered, clamping her lips together so forcefully that it caused her fleshy chin to jiggle. Then her eyes grew soft around the edges. “I’m glad you found someone.”
He held up his hands. “Whoa! I only met her today. Don’t go marrying me off just yet.”
She laughed. “What’s her name?”
“Everly.”
“Hmm … I like it. Is she pretty?”
“Of course she’s pretty.”
“When do I get to meet her?”
Before Christian could answer, a loud siren rent the air, causing the hair on his neck to lift. Fear licked through Mele’s eyes as she grabbed his arm. “Oh, no. Is that what I think it is?”
Christian’s mouth went dry as he nodded. Then he reached for his phone and tapped on the Internet app to check the weather. Sadie scampered out of the pool and ran to them, her hands pressed over her ears. Mele placed a towel around her.
“Do you think it’s a test?” Mele asked.
Christian glanced at the strip of ocean in the distance. “Tests are done at the beginning of the month, and they don’t last this long.”
“It hurts my ears,” Sadie said, wrinkling her nose as she drew her chin into her neck like a turtle trying to escape into its shell.
A minute later, Christian’s lips formed a grim line. “According to this report, there’s been an earthquake in Canada. A tsunami’s headed right for us.”
Tears pooled in Mele’s eyes as she placed her hands over her mouth. “I’ve got to call Jarin. He’s got to get the boys to higher ground. How long have we got?”
“According to this report, about five hours.”
CHAPTER 4
Everly was so bent-out-of-shape after the beach incident it took her over an hour to calm down. Unable to get Christian off her mind, she pulled out her laptop and Googled him. The first images she found showed him on the red carpet at a movie premiere, smiling and waving at the camera, a blonde bombshell draped over his arm. It didn’t take long to find more—the news report outlining the car accident that left his girlfriend paralyzed from the waist down. And then a few months later, the girl took her own life. Everly felt a wave of compassion for him. It was grueling to lose Mitchell in a freak diving accident, but for the most part, she’d been able to deal with the pain privately. She couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for Christian to have his personal tragedy plastered all over the media for the world to see. Looking at him, it was hard to believe he’d experienced a minute’s worth of hardship. As far as outward appearances went, the Christian she met on the beach embodied the superstar actor who radiated confidence. But she knew from experience that tragedy left a scar, not easily erased. It just went to show, no one is above heartache. Her mama always said, “If you think someone else has the perfect life, then you should clean your glasses and look again.”
Admittedly, it was a little hard to stay peeved at Christian after reading about those tragic events. Still, he had no right to treat Jordan the way he had. She should’ve known from the moment Christian flashed his cocky grin that he was trouble. She drew the wrong sort of guy as sure as bees attract honey. It seemed to be in her DNA. Her mama had never been keen on Mitchell, but she held her tongue because she knew how much Everly loved him. When Roland came along, Mama was very vocal about her dislike for him. If only Everly had listened, it would’ve saved her a world of grief. Even now, 2 ½ years after the divorce, she was still trapped in Roland’s treacherous web. There seemed to be no escaping his influence, even here, on this island.
The beach house was getting a little stuffy. She pulled at her shirt before going to open the scroll-out windows. Back home, she could’ve just turned on the air, but this house didn’t have air conditioning. According to the instruction book from the owners, it wasn’t necessary due to the constant breeze. As she opened the windows and yanked back the drapes, it occurred to her that Briggs might be watching. She glared out the window. If she caught sight of the wretched man, he was going to get a piece of her mind, by golly!
Jordan had been watching a movie on her iPad. The minute it was over, he placed it on the couch and bounced up and down. “Can we go back to the beach?”
The eager expression on his little face was so darn cute that if she hadn’t already made other plans, she would’ve taken him. “We’ll go to the beach tomorrow, okay?”
His face fell.
“We’re going to a luau at the Polynesian Cultural Center. And then we’re watching the night show.”
He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want to go to the night show.”
“Don’t you want to see the guys twirling fire?” Heck. She wanted to see them. In high school, she was a majorette. The grand finale of the football season was when the majorettes twirled fire. The stadium lights were turned off, and the batons were lit. Of course, she only twirled a baton, whereas these guys twirled knives. It had been intimidating enough to twirl fire, much less knives.
Jordan clapped his hands. “I want to see the fire. Can we go now?”
“We have to get cleaned up first.”
“Okay, Mommy.”
Everly’s heart jumped into her throat when she heard the ear-splitting sound of a siren.
“What’s that?” Jordan said, wide-eyed.
“I—I’m not sure. But it can’t be good,” she mumbled, reaching for the TV remote. She flipped through the channels until she came to a local station. She broke out in a cold sweat, realizing what was happening. Her hands started to tremble.
Jordan tugged on her shirt. “Mommy? What’s wrong?”
Panic tumbled over her as she bit into her lower lip. The grim-faced news anchor was telling people to evacuate to higher ground.
“If you get stuck in traffic, you need to leave your vehicle and proceed on foot. I repeat. Leave your vehicle, if necessary, and walk.”
Her mind whirled as she tried to think. Where were they supposed to go? This trip was turning into a nightmare. She shuddered to think what would happen to them if a tsunami actually hit. Her thoughts raced to the 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand the day after Christmas. She remembered it so vividly because her friend had been there on vacation with her parents. They were having breakfast at a resort when the deadly wave hit. Lynn was the only one of the three who survived.
Fear iced through Everly as she looked at Jordan, so innocent and vulnerable. She had an overwhelming need to protect him at all costs. But, how? For a second, she felt paralyzed, unsure what to do. She uttered a silent prayer for help and then forced herself to act.
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Jordan said from the backseat.
“I know, honey. We’ll get something to eat soon.”
“But I’m hungry!” he whined.
Everly fought to keep her voice even. “There’s nothing I can do about it right now. Please just sit back, okay?” She gripped the steering wheel, panic boiling inside her as she glanced at the endless expanse of ocean on her right. What had looked so picturesque the day before was now
a ticking time bomb, and they were stuck in gridlock traffic. She kept expecting a wall of water to rush over them any minute. It had been over an hour since they left the beach house and they’d gone little more than a mile. The scene around them was chaos, with horns blaring and throngs of people walking beside the cars. Everly had tried to call the owners of the beach house to ask where she could go to reach safe ground, but no one answered. She was grateful she’d had the presence of mind to look up an evacuation map before darting out the door. From what she could tell, most of the people on foot were tourists that looked scared out of their minds.
According to the map, the closest place for them to go was up Pupukea Road. And according to the GPS, they were only a couple of miles away. But in this traffic, it could take them two or more hours just to reach the road. And then they had to go up it a few miles to get to the safe zone. People were walking faster than she was driving.
“My tummy hurts, Mommy. I’m hungry.”
Jordan was asking for a snack when they left the house, but Everly was too keyed up to stop and give him something. The backpack containing the food was in the backseat. There was no way to get to it while driving. To make matters worse, Jordan could sense her fear, growing larger by the minute. When she saw an empty space on the side of the road, she made a split-second decision. She pulled over so quickly on the shoulder of the road that the car behind her had to slam on the brakes to keep from plowing into the back of her. The man laid on his horn and shook his fist as he drove past.
“Sorry,” she said absently, barely looking in his direction. She reached for her purse and slung it over her shoulder. Then she exited the car and rushed around to get Jordan. She’d put essentials in the backpack, in case they had to walk. At the time, however, she really didn’t think it would come to that. But here they were. Unfortunately, she’d be forced to leave the remainder of their luggage locked in the trunk. If a tsunami hit, the car and the luggage would be obliterated. The need to get Jordan and herself to safety was so consuming she could hardly breathe. She tried to regulate her breathing as she unbuckled Jordan from the car seat and took a firm hold on his hand.
Love on the Rebound (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 3