Romancing Rachel (River's End Ranch Book 51)

by Pamela M. Kelley

  Rachel noticed a curious energy in the air when she walked on the set the next day. She was still half-asleep and walked into the kitchen area to make herself a coffee. Adiel was there and smiled when he saw her.

  “Have you been online yet?” he asked.

  “No. I fell into bed last night and was rushing around this morning to get here on time.”

  “You might want to check out the news. Google the name of our show.” He grinned and walked off. Rachel stuck a k-cup into the Keurig machine and while her coffee was brewing, she pulled her cellphone out of her purse and went online. She did as Adiel suggested and googled the shows name. And then she almost dropped her phone.

  Page after page of news articles and posts declared that their show was going to be the season’s biggest hit and that she, an “unknown Idaho local” was poised to be the next breakout star. It was too surreal.

  Adiel popped back into the kitchen. “Did you look?”

  “Yes. It’s great news about the show. It’s too weird about me. It must just be a slow news week.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “Get ready Rachel. Things are never going to be the same again for you.”

  “I think you’re exaggerating. I’m just me, Rachel.”

  He laughed. “You’ll see.”

  Rachel put their conversation out of her mind and it was business as usual for the next few days. But things took a very strange turn on Thursday.

  When she and Adiel walked over to the restaurant to meet everyone for trivia, she noticed a camera crew outside the front door and several vans in the parking lot.

  “What’s going on?” she asked Adiel.

  “The beginning of the crazy. Looks like they’re here to see you and any other cast members that are around.”

  “Me? But why?”

  Adiel grinned. “Because you’re a star now and your public wants more of you. They’re here to give it to them.” He took her arm gently and led her slowly over to where the camera people were waiting.

  “The easiest way to deal with it is to give them what they want. Within reason and on your terms. Always be friendly and try to accommodate. If they like you, they’ll want to build you up. But one slip, one time you’re short with them and they might not be so nice the next time. Not trying to scare you, just sharing what I’ve seen over the years.”

  “That sounds kind of scary.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. They’re just doing their jobs too. The easier you make it for them, the sooner they leave.”

  “Rachel, do you have a minute?” one of the reporters called to her.

  “Sure.”

  “Adiel, could we have a word?” Another asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Rachel, how does it feel to be on the season’s hottest show? And to have people saying you’re the next big thing?”

  Rachel laughed nervously. “Like they’re talking about someone else! It doesn’t feel real. I’m very lucky and so grateful for the opportunity.”

  “Adiel, congratulations on another hit show. What do you think of your new star?” Another reporter asked.

  Adiel smiled. “I feel very blessed, and I think Rachel has many exciting things ahead of her.”

  “Is there a romance going on here? Are the two of you a couple?” the first reporter asked. Rachel’s jaw dropped. She wasn’t sure which one of them they were asking, but Adiel stepped forward and spoke. “Rachel and I are dear friends and colleagues.”

  “Thank you, both!” The reporter said.

  “Good night everyone,” Adiel said as he opened the door to the restaurant and Rachel quickly stepped inside and away from the cameras. She felt rattled and hoped she’d done okay. She was grateful that Adiel had smoothly handled the awkward and rather rude question of whether they were a couple.

  “You okay?” Adiel asked protectively as they walked toward the table where Simon and Jaclyn were waving at them.

  “I’m fine. That was a little unsettling though, especially when they asked if we were a couple. It’s none of their business for one thing.”

  “I know. But they want to know everything. You’ll notice a salary increase in your next check. We reached a milestone now that the show appears to be a hit and if you haven’t already, you may want to give up your Saturdays at the cafe. You’re too well known now. That may be too much of a distraction for you.”

  “I agree. I actually already told Kelsi that last Saturday would be my final shift. It’s too much and since we were green-lighted I know it will be steady enough income for a while.”

  “Rachel, it may be hard to wrap your mind around this, but I don’t think you’re ever going to have to worry about money again.”

  Rachel laughed. “Yep, I can’t fathom that. I hope you’re right.”

  They joined Simon and Jaclyn at the table and Rachel asked if Betty and Carl were coming.

  “Not tonight. They’re off on a romantic date. It’s her birthday and Carl wanted to take her somewhere really special. They’re quite the item now.” Rachel knew that Jaclyn was proud of her matchmaking efforts and could see why.

  The rest of the group arrived soon after, including Wade, Vivian and a very pregnant Maddie, whose stomach was sticking out like a perfect beach ball.

  “How are you feeling?” Rachel asked her as she slid the pitcher of root beer her way.

  “Like a beached whale. This baby can’t come out soon enough. But other than that, I’m good! And how are you? Riston’s rising star.” Maddie grinned and Rachel smiled but felt a little embarrassed. It seemed like everywhere she went lately, people were making such a fuss. She wasn’t used to it and didn’t feel like she deserved it, really. She was just doing her job after all.

  She felt even stranger a little while later, after they’d eaten their pizza and all their plates were cleared away, when two older women approached the table and came over to Rachel holding a pen and paper.

  “Are you Rachel McIntyre? We’re big fans of your show. Would you mind autographing this for us?”

  Adiel reached over and gently squeezed her arm and whispered in her ear. “Your first autograph! Say yes and take the pen.” His words shook her out of her shock and she smiled and said of course. She took the pen they offered and signed her name for both of them. They wandered off grinning happily as Rachel turned to Adiel.

  “What just happened? They really wanted my autograph? Me!”

  He laughed. “This is just the beginning, Rachel. Try to enjoy it.”

  “Oh, I will. It just took me by surprise. It’s weird. That’s all.”

  She put it out of her mind and enjoyed the rest of the night. They did great and came in first place, making up for their third place showing the week before.

  Adiel walked her back to her car and as she was about to get in and drive off, he asked what she was doing on Saturday.

  “Are you free in the afternoon? Now that you’re done waitressing? I could use your help.”

  “I’m free. What do you need help with?”

  “I’m going to meet with Bryan Baker to look at a few of his homes by the lake. He has two that are available as rentals, both with the option to buy which could be intriguing if we end up sticking around for another season or two. Which is looking more and more likely.”

  “Sure, I’d love to look at houses with you. I’ve been curious what those look like inside. They’re gorgeous from the outside with those wrap around porches and docks on the lake.”

  “Okay, plan on around three then. I’ll swing by to pick you up.”

  Chapter 12

  Rachel was ready when Adiel came by for her Saturday afternoon. She noticed that he looked relaxed and even more handsome than ever. He was wearing a hunter green button-down shirt and faded jeans and his dark wavy hair against the rich green of his shirt took her breath away for a moment. When he saw her he smiled and she felt goosebumps on her arms. What was wrong with her? It was just Adiel and it was the middle of the day. It had been a strange week tho
ugh, to put it mildly.

  “Did you do anything fun last night?” he asked as they drove toward the lake.

  “I went out with Cameron and her friend Ashley. We made the rounds along Main Street and ended up at Figs. It was a fun night, but a little weird too. People came up to me everywhere we went to tell me how much they love the show.”

  “Did you get any more requests for autographs?” He sounded amused.

  “Yes! Five different people and one of them was one of my former customers from the cafe. How weird is that?”

  Adiel laughed. “I’m not surprised.”

  “I know. You did tell me it would happen. What about you, did you do anything fun?”

  “I went over to Ben’s for game night. He had a bunch of guys over to play poker.”

  “That sounds like fun. How did you do?”

  “I’m not very good at poker. Which is probably why they always invite me. It’s always a good time though.”

  Adiel pulled up next to Bryan’s truck and they walked over to his office. Bryan came out to greet them and led them to the two homes along the water that were available for rent.

  “These are brand new, and available immediately. The market has been a little soft for the higher end homes, so I’m open to renting short-term or even with an option to buy. I’ll unlock both of them and leave you to wander around. I’ll be right outside if you have any questions.”

  He unlocked the first house and they went in.

  “It smells new,” Rachel said as she walked toward the white kitchen with it’s gleaming subway tile backsplash, marble counter tops and stainless steel appliances. There was an L-shaped center island that faced the lake. A six burner gas stove sat in the middle of the island, so you could cook and watch the water ripple on the lake at the same time.

  “I love this,” Rachel said as she ran her hand over the cool, smooth marble of the island.

  “It’s pretty slick,” Adiel agreed. He walked on into the living room/family room which was just through the kitchen and also faced the lake. It was a large, roomy space, but still had a cozy feel to it. There were three big bedrooms upstairs and a loft area that could be used for an office. There was also a full walkout basement with a patio. It was a great house with lots of usable space but not too big. Although it did seem big for one person, Rachel supposed.

  They went to look at the second house and it was just as nice and a little bigger, with four bedrooms. The layout downstairs was almost identical and the basement was finished.

  “I could fit a pool table down here or even put a big screen TV on that wall.”

  “You could have a man cave. Though your whole house could be a man cave.”

  Adiel laughed. “That’s true.”

  When they finished touring the house, they went outside and found Bryan sitting on the dock, staring out at the water. He turned when he heard their footsteps and stood up.

  “What did you think?”

  “They’re both amazing. I definitely want one of them, I’m just not sure which one.”

  “Fantastic. Why don’t you give me a call early next week and we can go from there?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Are you in a hurry to get home?” Adiel asked as they drove away from the lake.

  “No, what did you have in mind?”

  “Well, you might laugh at this. But I went fishing this morning and caught a big striped bass. It’s all cleaned and ready to cook but it’s a lot of fish for one person. Want to join me for dinner? I’ve got a good indie film lined up to watch. We can discuss it after and see if we agree.”

  It sounded like the perfect night to Rachel. “I’d love that. Do you need help cooking the fish?”

  “Do you know how to cook fish?”

  “No, not really. Ok, I’ve actually never cooked it. But it can’t be that hard right?”

  “I was just going to keep it simple and throw it on the grill. How about you mix the salad? I’ve got one of those bags of lettuce, and you can just toss it in a bowl.”

  “I think I can handle that.”

  It was still early when they got to the Copper Cottage, so they decided to watch the movie first, then worry about dinner. Rachel settled comfortably in one corner of the comfy leather sofa and Adiel sat on the opposite side. He turned the movie on and they spent the next hour and a half caught up in an interesting and somewhat controversial drama with a twist at the end that neither one of them saw coming. So they had a lot to talk about as they cooked dinner.

  Once everything was ready, they took their plates outside to the porch and ate on the two rockers. The fish was cooked perfectly and was flaky and light. Adiel had a bottle of white wine that he opened and they both had a glass while they enjoyed sitting outside and watching people go by and leaves rustling in the breeze.

  “I still can’t get over how peaceful it is here. Night and day difference from L.A.”

  “You’re still not homesick?” she teased him.

  “Not even a little bit. Honestly, I don’t miss anything about L. A. I’d be fine if this show goes for ten years or more. It almost feels like home here.”

  He sounded surprised to say it, but Rachel understood. Riston often had that effect on people. It was a beautiful place to live. Idyllic in many ways with the cute small town environment where it often seemed like everyone really did know just about everyone in town. Rachel knew if she ever had to move to L. A., that she would miss Riston terribly.

  “You look miles away. What are you thinking about?” Adiel asked.

  “Kind of the same thing. Just how much I love it here. I’m feeling very lucky that I get to do this here.”

  “Me too. Are you all set with your plate? Do you want any more?”

  “No, I’m stuffed. It was so good though.” Adiel took their plates inside and Rachel helped him to clean up and put the leftovers away.

  “It’s still early. Are you up for one more movie? And a little more wine?’

  Rachel held out her glass. “Why not? It’s Saturday night. We can sleep in tomorrow, right?”

  Adiel added a little more wine to both of their glasses and they went back into the living room. This time Rachel plopped in the middle of the sofa and stretched her feet out onto the ottoman. Adiel did the same and set his wine on the table next to them.

  “So, what are we watching?” Rachel asked.

  “It’s a director’s cut of a new film that won’t be out until the Christmas season.”

  “Really? That sounds exciting? Is a friend involved with the film?”

  “Yes. One of my film school buddies is the director and supposedly there’s already some Oscar buzz.”

  “Wow.”

  Adiel dimmed the lights and popped the CD in the DVD player. The movie was excellent but very suspenseful and Rachel was on the edge of her seat almost the entire time. She was a jumpy movie watcher and more than once she grabbed Adiel’s arm or leg when she was startled. Each time he laughed and then finally put his arm around her and pulled her close to him. That startled her too at first but then she relaxed and leaned into him several times instead of jumping after that.

  Toward the end of the movie as the credits rolled Rachel felt goosebumps again as Adiel lightly ran his thumb down her arm, tracing small circles. It was almost as if he was doing it without realizing it and when the movie stopped, his thumb did too and Rachel missed his touch. She leaned into him a bit more and turned her face toward his and looked him in the eyes and what she saw there made her shiver. He was looking back at her in the same way. Wordlessly he leaned toward her and touched his lips against hers. His kiss was tentative at first but when she kissed him back, he pulled her closer and kissed her throughly, long and slow and when he finally pulled back, they were both breathless.

  “Well, that was…um, that was pretty amazing,” he said.

  Rachel smiled and pulled him closer. “It was. Let’s do it again.” And this time she kissed him first. They kissed for a long while until they
both realized that they needed to stop and call it a night. Adiel held her hand as they walked outside. When they reached her house, he walked her to her door and kissed her again.

  “Spend the day with me tomorrow?” he asked.

  She nodded and felt like she was walking on air as she stepped inside and fell into bed. Kissing Adiel was every bit as good as she’d dreamed it would be and she couldn’t wait to do it again.

  Chapter 13

  Adiel had never truly been in love before. He thought that he had, but he knew that he hadn’t because nothing compared to the happiness that he felt when he was with Rachel. They spent all day Sunday together and went hiking again and to the Italian restaurant that they both loved so much.

  Tony the bartender scolded him at first for not coming in as often, but forgave him when Rachel joined him. They ate dinner at the bar and chatted with Tony, and Carlos the cook popped his head out of the kitchen to say hello. They went back to Adiel’s cottage after that and watched another movie and cuddled and kissed for hours.

  Monday morning, Adiel called Bryan and told him that he wanted to take the bigger house with the finished basement. It was more house than he needed but it felt like the right place for him and he knew Rachel really liked it too. They spent almost every night together after that. Either going out to eat somewhere or sharing takeout at his place. And of course trivia on Thursday. Neither one of them was thinking about what they were doing or where it was going, they were just enjoying every moment together.

  The cast and crew quickly realized what was going on, but they gave them their privacy and seemed to approve. Adiel was so caught up in Rachel and his infatuation with her that when an invitation to his college roommate Blair’s surprise thirty-fifth birthday party came, he thought it might be a fun weekend trip for Rachel. A chance to show her what his world in L.A. Was like. Blair Sprinkle was one of Hollywood’s hottest directors and Adiel knew his party was likely to be a Hollywood ‘who’s who’ list.