Everly tightened. “What do you mean?”
“The reason you broke things off with Christian was because you were distraught over the way the media hounded you.”
Her brow creased, and she wondered where this was going. “I don’t like having my personal life displayed to the world.”
“And you were worried about what Roland would do.” Florence gave her a probing look. “Am I right?”
“Yes.” She began winding her hand around her purse strap.
“Okay, the media’s hounding you now. Could it get any worse?”
Everly thought for a minute. “I’m not sure. I keep hoping that the paparazzi will grow tired of my story and move onto something else. But I know that won’t happen if I get back together with Christian. I’ll be hounded for the rest of my life.”
“Let’s talk about Roland.”
At the mere mention of his name, fresh anger scoured over Everly.
“Things are already bad with him. The damage has been done. You really have only two choices—go back to him or fight.”
The fire in Florence’s eyes awakened the fight in Everly as she straightened to her full height. “The first choice is not an option.”
Florence nodded in satisfaction. “Good.”
She paused, and Everly wondered again where this was going.
Florence locked eyes with Everly. “Here’s the most important question of all—do you love Christian?”
Everly was unprepared for the tumult of emotions that rolled over her.
“Do you?” Florence prodded, her steely look willing Everly to tell the truth.
“Yes, I love him.” The spoken words were not only an admission to her mama, but also to herself.
“I figured you must. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be so miserable.”
The words settled like a steel weight on her chest. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to come across that way.”
She waved away the apology. “Love is not something you simply fall into. It has to be fought for. There are always obstacles. And you can’t give up just because things are hard.”
Everly swallowed hard to stay the emotion.
Florence put a hand on her shoulder. “Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.”
The words burned through Everly as her head shot up. A sob started in her throat and worked its way out of her mouth. She gulped in order to choke it back down. Then the dam broke. She threw her arms around her mama and began to cry.
Everly was sitting at her desk, trying to work out the new fitness schedule for the instructors when a knock sounded on her office door. She looked up as Jessica the Zumba and spinning class instructor stuck her head in the door.
“Hey,” she said. “Have you been online in the last hour?”
Everly’s throat went dry. “No. What’s going on?” She braced herself for the answer. There was no telling what the media had put up about her this time.
“I think you’d better take a look.”
Dread churned in Everly’s stomach. “Okay,” she said, trying to keep her expression passive, even though she felt shaky. “What site is it?”
Jessica came around the desk. “Here, I’ll show you.” Everly scooted back her chair, so Jessica could get to the keyboard. A minute later, she pulled up an interview with well-known Katie Moss from CBS. And then Everly realized Katie was interviewing Christian! He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that emphasized his muscular biceps and pecs. A dart of warmth shot through Everly. Seeing him again made the pain of losing him so sharp she felt it in her chest.
“Thanks for joining me today,” Katie began.
Christian smiled. “I’m glad to be here.”
From what Everly could tell, it looked like they were in the living room of a hotel room. Was Katie in Hawaii? Or had Christian gone to her?
“To start our interview, I’ve got to ask the one thing viewers will want to know. Are you going to do another Jase Scott movie?”
He looked thoughtful. “Let’s just say I’m considering it.”
That was certainly news to Everly.
“Ooh, I hope you do,” Katie gushed. “That’s such a great series. Few actors are as successful as you.”
For the first time, Christian looked uncomfortable. “I love making movies. It’s what I do.”
“And you do it well,” she purred, touching his arm. “ I understand you do all of your own stunts.”
“Yes. It helps me connect on a personal level with the character.”
Katie’s voice grew businesslike as she switched gears. “There’s been a great deal of controversy surrounding your recent relationship with Everly Watson. Can you tell me about that?”
“Certainly. I met Everly and her son Jordan when they came to Hawaii on vacation.”
Katie stopped him. “It is my understanding that Everly went to Hawaii searching for information on a former husband who was presumed dead.”
Everly clasped her hands together tightly, waiting to see how he would respond.
“Yes, she was seeking information about him, but she was also on vacation.”
“How did you meet?”
A crooked smile formed over his lips. “We were both at the beach. I ran out of sun block, so I asked to borrow hers.”
Katie laughed. “How very fortunate for her.”
He grinned. “And for me.”
Rosiness spread over Everly’s cheeks, and she could feel Jessica’s watchful eyes on her.
Katie continued. “So the two of you formed an attachment and started a relationship?”
“Yes, that’s the shortened version.” Christian told about the tsunami threat and how he’d taken Everly and Jordan to his home for safety. Then he outlined how they’d ended up staying with him.
“Let’s talk about the pictures taken of the two of you in the hot tub on Christmas.”
Everly held her breath, waiting for his response.
“After Everly put Jordan to bed, I suggested that we go for a swim. That ended in the hot tub. Everly didn’t want to leave Jordan alone, but I assured her he would be fine. I brought out a baby monitor that I sometimes use when my niece stays over. We took it to the pool, so we could hear if he needed anything.”
“I see.”
“Everly’s a great person.” His voice grew affectionate. “She’s warm and open, and I feel blessed to know her,” he finished, looking directly into the camera. Everly had the impression he was looking straight at her.
“It sounds like you’re very fond of her.”
“Oh, it’s more than fondness. I’ll say it straight out. I’m in love with her.”
Katie was surprised. “That’s a bold statement.”
Christian placed his hands together. “Katie, there’s very little about my life that the media doesn’t already know. So, I figure I might as well say it myself and save on the speculation.”
The stinger found its mark as Katie laughed nervously. “Sounds reasonable, I suppose.”
He cleared his throat. “As you know, I went through a difficult time when my former girlfriend, Heather, passed away.” He hesitated. “There aren’t any instruction manuals for that kind of thing. One minute you’re living your life, and the next, everything falls apart. I …” He stopped, his eyes filling with pain. “I shut down … stopped acting … stopped living … mainly just existed, you know?”
She gave him a sympathetic nod.
“Everly helped me find my purpose again. She brought light back into my life.”
Everly couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down her face.
“Why her?”
“That was a rude thing to say,” Jessica said, frowning.
Christian rubbed his jaw. “Because ever since I’ve met her, she’s all I can think about.” He laughed. “I love the stubborn glint in her eyes when she’s irritated. The way her hair falls on her shoulders. Her adorable southern accent. How she can give me a good tongue-lashing when the situatio
n warrants it. I love that she’s such a good mother to Jordan, always putting him first, even if it means sacrificing what she wants.”
“Interesting. What do you mean by that?”
He shook his head. “Everly knows what I mean,” he said quietly.
Katie eyed him. “Let’s talk about regrets. Do you have any?”
“Who doesn’t,” he said dryly.
She offered him a courtesy smile. “Point taken.” She leaned forward slightly, honing in for the kill. “But I want to hear about your regrets.”
Irritation crawled up Everly’s neck. Why was she hounding him? Was she trying to get him to publicly admit that he regretted the accident and Heather’s death?
Christian looked thoughtful. “My biggest regret of late is that my relationship with Everly caused her to come under public scrutiny. She’s a good person and doesn’t deserve that.” He looked into the camera. “I will be forever grateful for her, because she gave me the courage to start living my life again. And Everly …” he paused, a ghost of a smile on his lips “… no matter what happens from here on out, I want you to know that I love you anyway.”
“Well, that’s just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard,” Jessica cooed.
Everly looked straight ahead, tears brimming in her eyes.
CHAPTER 17
When Everly returned home, she found her mama sitting on the sofa, a strange expression on her face.
Her stomach rolled as she looked around wildly. “Where’s Jordan?”
“He’s fine.”
Relief pulsed over her. “Where is he?”
“Outside. Playing catch.”
It was a cold, overcast day. Certainly not the best day to be outside playing. She thought her mama had better judgment than to allow him to do that. “Did he wear a coat?”
Florence nodded. “Of course.” She smiled and patted the spot beside her. “Sit down. I want to talk to you.”
Everly removed her coat and placed it on the table. “Is everything okay?” Her mama was acting really strange.
“Yes, it’s fine, dear.”
Everly sat down beside her. Florence took a deep breath. “Did you see Christian’s interview today?”
“Yes, but how did you know about it?”
“Charlotte called and told me to watch it.” Her eyes started shining. “He really loves you, doesn’t he?”
A lump formed in Everly’s throat. “Yes.”
She shifted uncomfortably. “I hope you’re not upset …” She began chewing on her lower lip as she glanced toward the patio.
Everly looked in the same direction, not seeing anything amiss. “What’s going on?”
Florence squeezed her hand. She looked like she was going to say something but then changed her mind and stood. “Let’s go outside.”
Her mama’s odd behavior was perplexing and a little irritating. Everly knitted her brows. “Tell me what’s happening!” She was already stretched to the limit emotionally and couldn’t handle anything else.
“It’s better if I just show you.” She motioned. “Come on.”
“Fine,” she huffed. When they stepped through the patio door, into the backyard, Everly couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She gasped, her hand covering her mouth. Christian was pitching a ball to Jordan. When Jordan saw her, he began jumping up and down. “Look, Mommy, I caught the ball.” He raised it high in the air.
Everly was at a loss for words. She just stood there, her feet rooted to the ground until Florence nudged her. “Go on. Talk to him.”
Christian met her halfway. “Hey,” he said tentatively.
“Hey,” she said quietly as blood pumped furiously through her veins. “You’re here.” She had to speak the words out loud in order to believe it.
A smile stole over his lips. “Yeah, I figured it was time to get off the island and do a little something with my life.”
She matched his smile. “It’s about time.” A bubble of pleasure burst over her as her heart sprouted wings. He’d come for her! That meant more than words could express. “I saw your interview.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She stepped into his personal space and put a hand on his chest. “Yeah.” She pressed her lips together, studying him critically. “You do look a little smaller in person though,” she teased.
His eyes danced. “Is that right.”
Her breath caught when he encircled her waist and pulled her close. He leaned over her, arching her back, an intense look on his beautiful face. “I love you, Everly,” he murmured in her ear.
“I love you too.”
He pulled back, cautious hope in his eyes. “Really?”
“Really,” she said decisively, leaving zero room for doubt.
“That’s wonderful news,” he uttered, passion darkening his eyes as he leaned in. A surge ran through her as his lips touched hers. She slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, wanting as much of him as she could get. Being with him was like breathing the purest oxygen and seeing clearly, whereas before she’d been floundering in stale air, slowly suffocating. He would’ve given her a longer kiss had her mama not awkwardly cleared her throat.
Jordan wrinkled his nose. “Ew … kissing is gross.”
“You won’t feel that way one day,” Everly said.
Christian chuckled. “Amen.”
Jordan skipped over and tugged on Christian’s arm. “Come and pitch to me.”
It warmed Everly’s heart to see Jordan this excited about Christian’s arrival. Both of them, it seemed, needed Christian in their lives.
Christian and Jordan picked up where they’d left off before Everly and Florence came outside.
Everly and her mama sat down at a nearby table. Florence turned to Everly. “It looks like you’ve finally found your match.” She patted Everly’s hand. “I guess the third time really is the charm.”
A few minutes later, Christian approached the table and sat down beside Everly. He pulled his coat tighter around him, shaking off a shiver. “It’s cold.”
Everly looked up at the sky and the clouds rumbling above. Funny. It didn’t seem nearly as ominous and bleak to her now as it had thirty minutes ago. Now that Christian was here, everything was brighter. A sense of renewed energy flowed through her, and she felt like she could sprint a mile. The wind picked up. This time, she shivered. It had been hard for Everly to come back to winter after being in Hawaii. She could imagine how Christian must feel, since his body was acclimated to the heat. “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” she teased.
“Or Hawaii,” Christian added with a laugh.
“We can go inside, if you want,” Everly said.
“I’m alright,” Christian said, adopting a tough-guy tone. “I like turning into an ice cube.”
Everly laughed.
They sat there for a minute, until Everly turned to him. “I still can’t believe you’re here.” Her eyes went soft as she placed a hand over his. “All of those things you said in the interview. Thank you.”
“I only spoke the truth.” He winked. “And you love me anyway. Proof that miracles still happen.”
Florence giggled. “I knew I liked you ... the minute you started quoting my poem on TV.”
Christian gave Florence a grateful smile, revealing his dimple. “You’re the mastermind. Thank you.”
Florence looked surprised and then a hint of adoration touched her features. “You’re welcome.”
Everly smiled inwardly. It had taken less than an hour for Christian to win her mama over. Then again, she couldn’t say much. It’d taken mere days for him to win her heart. Like mama, like daughter.
Silence stretched between them and Florence stood. “I think I’ll get dinner started.”
Everly smiled inwardly as she thought of something her mama often said, A true lady always knows when to leave the conversation.
“Your mom’s great,” Christian said as they watched her go into the house.
“Yes, she is.” Eve
rly shifted, trying to find a way to voice the question that formed in her mind the minute she saw Christian in the backyard with Jordan. “So, where do we go from here?”
Christian looked thoughtful. “Wherever we want.”
“Hmm … I kind of like the idea of running a fitness center in Hawaii.”
“Me too.”
“But what about your movie? Are you really considering it?”
“Yes.” Excitement coated his voice. “How do you feel about spending part of the year in L.A.?”
“As long as we’re together, I’m good with it.” The past week without him had been agonizing. She never wanted to go through that again. She linked her arm through his and snuggled closer, not wanting to let him out of her reach. They watched Jordan play on the swing-set until Christian spoke. “There’s something important I need to tell you.” He looked at her. “It’s about the paparazzi.”
She scowled. “It’s been brutal.”
He nodded. “I know. And I’m truly sorry my career has caused you grief.”
She shrugged. “Every couple has something they have to work through, albeit ours is a little more extreme. But we’ll work our way through it …” she gave him a meaningful look “… together.”
He appraised her. “You’re really something.”
She loved the feeling of belonging that flooded through her when he stroked her hair.
Her intense attraction to him was getting her off track. She went back to something he’d said earlier. “What do you need to talk to me about?”
His eyes grew troubled. “When we were in Hawaii, having issues with Briggs, I hired a Private Investigator to look into Roland.”
Her eyes widened.
“I wanted to see what we were up against.”
She nodded. “I don’t blame you one bit. What did you find out?”
He hesitated.
“Tell me,” she prompted.
“Roland is the one behind the media frenzy.”
She gasped, clutching her throat. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, the P.I. did some digging and discovered that Roland paid Bart, the reporter for Introspective Magazine, to spin a negative slant on the story. Of course, it probably didn’t take much convincing because I brushed Bart off.”
Love on the Rebound (Hawaii Billionaire Romance) Page 14