Just a Little Camera Shy: A Scripted for Love Novel

by MK Meredith

  Addi rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, the two of you together should come with a warning.”

  “Exactly what I’ve been saying.” Sam walked up.

  “Sam, save me.”

  Sam looked from one woman to the next. “Hell, no. Better you than me, sister.”

  Dee wrinkled her nose at her two daughters. “Manners.”

  Addi laughed and Sam joined in, wrapping her arm around Addi’s waist. It felt good, being with family. She was so lucky to have all of them, to be part of this family. A warmth spread through her heart.

  “Can I get in on this?” Gage asked, stepping up to wrap his beefy arms around the two women. “I think I’ve dreamed of something like this.”

  Sam elbowed him in the gut.

  “Oomph. I deserved that. But still.” He flashed them all a devilish grin.

  Addi laughed as Sam warned, “You better quit while you’re ahead, buddy.”

  Gage released Addi and put both arms around Sam. He stole a kiss, then settled her tight against his side.

  Addi loved watching them. Their love and closeness showed her everything she was missing. Everything she could have had with Roque if she hadn’t messed it all up.

  As if conjured from her mind, Roque walked up and winked at Gage. “I’m jealous. Sisters.”

  Sam laughed, and it was Addi’s turn to shake her head. “Men—you’re all alike.”

  Roque’s grin spread wide across his face. He stuck out his hand to shake hers. “I’m Roque.”

  She raised a brow and shook his hand. “Addi?”

  “So, you know your name or are you asking?”

  She laughed. “I’m wondering what you’re doing.”

  He watched Raquel and Dee melt into the background and Sam and Gage stroll off hand in hand, then looked back at her. “I’ve heard all about the infamous Dekker sibling.”

  She shook her head with a grin. Where was he going with this silliness? He’d said the same thing when they first met at Sam’s wedding. Ohhhhhh. “And?”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. He knew she knew. “And, I was wondering if you’d like to go out with me this weekend.”

  She stepped back and looked him up and down. “Not no, but hell no.” She loved the expression of shock that crossed his face before he could hide it behind his veneer of control.

  Without warning, he shot out his hand and grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. He’d surprised her enough that she fell forward with a step right into his arms. Exactly where she preferred to be. “I’m sorry for canceling our plans and being such a shit.”

  “You say shit a lot.”

  “Only when you’re around.”

  She pressed her lips to his, and he immediately tightened his grip, pulling her closer into him, moving his lips against hers.

  She broke the kiss with smaller ones placed at the corners of his mouth, his brow, and the end of his nose. The warmth from all the love she felt mixed with the anxiety of having to be honest with him. But he deserved it.

  He smirked. “What was that?”

  “Thank you,” she whispered. Tears filled her eyes. She tried to blink them away but only produced more. She pulled in a breath. “Thank you for this lovely party, for bringing all my family together.” She glanced around.

  Everyone was there. His dad, and aunt and uncle, of course. Gage, Bel, and their dad, D.C. Her mom, dad, brother, and sister. Chase and a bunch of the crew working on the film. What a thoughtful, wonderful thing to do, especially when the film was only a couple of weeks from wrapping up, a particularly busy time.

  With his hands resting on her lower back, he looked down at her with heat and something stronger in his eyes. “It’s my pleasure.” He released her. “I have something for you.”

  Before she could protest, he stepped away and walked over to the table holding the éclairs. He reached beneath the table skirt and then came out with a package in his hand.

  “Roque, please, no more gifts. You’ve given me too much already.”

  “You were meant to have this. I knew it the moment I saw it.”

  Addi hesitated and then took the package. Wrapped in silver paper with a fountain of ice-blue ribbon cascading off the top, the package looked more like a cake than her birthday éclair tower.

  He smiled as she looked from him to the package. “I know you need to make your way, and I have to make mine. Our work is challenging, and it will be difficult. There will be times I have to cancel plans or miss out on events, but I will still always be there. I’ll be present. I won’t hold you back or hold you down. You don’t have to be scared of what might happen. We won’t be perfect 100 percent of the time, but I will be by your side. Every day. I want to see where we can take this, Addi.”

  She opened the package with trembling fingers, his words burning through her heart. She slipped off the ribbon first, then peeled back the tape one piece at a time to reveal a black velvet case about the size of her hand with her fingers splayed out.

  She looked up to find Roque watching her with an intensity so strong she could feel it.

  “You’re making me nervous.”

  He only gave one nod of his head in response. “Open it.”

  Lifting the lid, she breathed in, then forgot how to breathe out. Silence followed. She didn’t know what to say, what to do. She could never accept a gift so generous.

  She shot her gaze to his, both shock and awe in her voice as she said, “The black abalone necklace from Raquel’s party.”

  His smile said it all. How much he loved her, how much he wanted her to have the gift, but she couldn’t. There was no way.

  She shook her head. “Roque, I can’t take this. It’s too much.”

  Stepping up to her, he slipped the fan of abalone from the box and stepped behind her. He leaned close and lowered the necklace over her head, attaching the clever clasp in the shape of a shell at the base of her neck.

  Her fingers fluttered against the gift that lay cool against her skin. “Really, I can’t—”

  “Shhhhh…stop. This is my gift to you. I saw it in your eyes the night of the gala. Raquel was right. It was made for you.” He stepped around to face her. “You’re stunning.”

  The shells lay cool against her skin, but his eyes branded her with such heat she needed a fan even with the comfortable December breeze. “Roque.”

  “Thank you.”

  Her brows pulled together in confusion. “What?”

  “You’re supposed to say ‘thank you’.”

  She stared into his eyes. Every time she wore the piece she’d think of him, the intense blue of his gaze mirrored in the rainbow of abalone, the cool catch of his certainty in the feel of the shell against her skin, and his steadfast nature in the security of the clasp embracing her neck.

  She ran her fingers over the smooth shell just above her breasts and whispered, “Thank you.”

  He tilted his head. “You’re welcome.” Then he leaned in to kiss her, tilting her world.

  Floating in the feel of his lips against hers, his taste melding with her taste, she wondered how she’d ever be able to let him go.

  You have no choice.

  Roque rounded on Addi, pushing her back against the wall beside the fountain. He overwhelmed her with his presence, his strength, his integrity, his passion for everything he did.

  She stared up into his warm gaze. Everything he had done for her poured into her heart in a great crescendo: the opportunity to save her home, his respect for her writing, sharing his mother’s favorite song, and her party. She’d explode if she didn’t tell him.

  “Roque.”

  He smoothed an errant hair from her face. “Addi.” He smiled down at her and pressed a smooth kiss to her mouth.

  She licked her lips to savor his taste. Her heart broke in half, two sides falling away from each other, no way in sight to ever mend. “I love you.” Her whisper trembled from her lips.

  He stilled but for a rhythmic flexing in his jaw, and the focus in his eyes
intensified. Warm fingers cupped her chin, and he lowered his mouth to hers once more.

  The warm glide of his tongue teased of éclairs and champagne.

  Pulling back, he looked into her eyes. “You have no idea how much your words mean to me. I never thought I’d trust anyone enough to love them or let them love me, but you, I trust you, Addi. I love you, too.”

  Panic crawled up the back of her throat. “I need to explain something to you. It isn’t easy.”

  Every thread of the life she hoped to weave into a future was right here, but reality yanked at the tapestry, unraveling it before her eyes.

  Raising a finger, he said, “One second.” He turned slightly to pull his aunt into his embrace as she walked up. “Thank you for helping me pull this off.”

  His aunt glowed under his praise. “Why, of course.”

  Martin cleared his throat and slapped a hand to Roque’s back. “If I can tear you away my boy, I need to discuss something with you. It won’t take long.”

  Roque’s hand fell from Addi’s waist. “Of course.”

  She grabbed his hand. “But I need to talk to you.”

  His smile promised much more than talking. “And we will. I’ll find you in a bit. Enjoy your friends.”

  Addi watched him walk off with Martin as she felt the weight of the check she’d written in her clutch, dread pooling in her heart.

  “What’s going on, darling? And don’t insult me by saying ‘nothing’.”

  Addi’s shoulders fell. “I’ve screwed everything up, Raquel.”

  Raquel studied her and then took her hand and pulled her to a corner table. “Sit, tell me. I can help.”

  Sorrow grabbed Addi with a solid grip, and she had to fight back tears.

  “Come now. No tears at your birthday party.”

  “I’ve kept something from Roque.”

  Raquel smiled. “Is that all?”

  “It isn’t a little something.”

  With a wave of her hand, Raquel leaned back into her seat. “I never condone keeping secrets.” She smiled and leaned in. “Unless they’re mine, of course. But in relationships, it’s bound to happen once or twice; the goal is to live so you never have to.”

  Addi shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

  “It’s called perspective, and you need a little. When Martin and I started out, he took our whole savings and put it in a project that failed. He lied to me, and I was horribly angry at first. But what followed put it all into perspective. Lying can be overcome; just try not to do it again.”

  A faraway look entered Raquel’s eyes, sadness pulling the corners of her painted lips down. Addi remembered hearing stories about how Martin had attempted suicide so long ago. She couldn’t imagine.

  Placing her hand on Raquel’s, she squeezed. “You’re right. It’ll be fine. Perspective. That’s what I need.” She wasn’t so sure, but she sure as hell didn’t want to see that look come over her friend’s face again.

  Addi glanced at the crowd. So many people who loved her. Love. Roque loved her. Love could move mountains, or so she wrote in her stories.

  Strength and awareness raced through her. He loved her. He threw this party for her. He wouldn’t walk away for one mistake.

  She sat straighter in her chair and smiled at Raquel. “You’re right. Everything will be okay.”

  “You love him, don’t you?”

  Addi’s insides liquefied, warmth surging into her chest. “I really do.”

  “I knew you would.”

  Addi raised a brow.

  Raquel shrugged. “Well, who wouldn’t? Just one look at the two of you tells the whole story. A very romantic story at that. You should write a book.”

  Addi laughed. “Yes, I should. And sell it, too.”

  “I’ve never seen him so happy. It’s been so long since he’s laughed or lived like this. The pain of losing his mother the way he did was just too much.”

  “He’s told me a bit about her. She seemed like an amazing woman.”

  Her friend’s eyes flashed. “We were sisters and best friends. I miss her every day.”

  Addi reached across the table and laid her hand on top of Raquel’s.

  Roque joined them. “Care to dance?”

  It was now or never, and she couldn’t move forward until everything was on the table. She slid her hand into his. “I’d love to.”

  They moved onto the dance floor, swaying to the sultry beat. “I really need to tell you something, and I don’t want you to interrupt.”

  “Sounds serious.”

  A nervous giggle escaped her lips. “I’m hoping you’ll see how funny it all really is. But I need to be completely honest with you.”

  He slowed a bit and pulled back to look into her eyes. She immediately longed to hide her face in his neck while she confessed, but that wouldn’t be the mature thing to do. Of course. All of a sudden, she longed for the days of being a child when people expected mistakes because of your age.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “You know how the bungalow was in foreclosure, and I had to save extra for next year’s taxes and—”

  “Addi.” His muscles under her hands tightened to granite.

  She quit moving with him to the music and opened her clutch. Pulling out the check, she handed it over to him. It was only a few thousand dollars. A drop in the bucket really, but it meant something to her to pay it back. “I owe you this.”

  He glanced at the check with eyes clouded by confusion. His mouth pulled up at the corner. “What’s going on?”

  With her heart slamming in her chest, she put her hand out to him, and he took it. “When I signed on to work for you, I pretended to stay at the Huntington but instead slept up in the attic and banked the hotel money to make sure I could pay my taxes next year.”

  He dropped her hand, a small laugh escaping his lips. “What? That was close to twenty grand.”

  “I know it was wrong. I—”

  “You stole from me?” He stepped back.

  “It’s not like that. Really, I…” Her words trailed off as she watched him close down and pull away. All the happiness she’d felt, all the love and the visions she’d had of tomorrow washed away.

  She’d been honest, and she’d given him the money she owed.

  And now it was time to pay.

  Chapter 22

  The music kept playing, but family and friends one by one noticed the change in the atmosphere.

  The conversations around them stopped. He would not make a scene.

  He shook his head. Nothing changed the facts. Stepping backward, he turned to the house. He had to get out of there. Talk about being a failure in relationships. His own girlfriend had been stealing from him. That was how worthless he was.

  She followed behind him. “Wait, Roque. Please. Gallagher Studios stole from me. I was just trying to get back what was mine.”

  Her fingers wrapped around his upper arm, and he pulled from her grasp as he stepped inside. “Don’t. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I’ve never stolen anything.”

  She stopped just inside the door and closed it. “I’ve been trying to—”

  “You’ve been trying to what?” He tried to temper his voice, but the pain in his chest shook any control from his grasp. “Trying? You should have told me. No exception.”

  “Okay, you’re right.” She reached out to him, her lips trembling. He wanted to pull her to him to ease both their pain and push her away all at the same time.

  She tried again. “Please let me explain.” Pulling in a breath, she wrung her hands in front of her waist, the abalone necklace reflecting the light, mocking him with its place over her heart. She paced and then stopped a few feet from him but not touching. Smart girl.

  “I should have told you no matter what. I kept trying to, but we kept getting interrupted.”

  God dammit, he didn’t have the time or the energy for this conversation. “I can’t do this right now.” He shook his head.
“You were stealing from me.”

  “Yes…no.” She shot her hand out, but he yanked away from her. “Roque, I wrote Heart Break. The rent and per diem were a way to earn back a small portion of what your company took! I didn’t know it was yours. I’d never—”

  Wrote Heart Break? What the fuck was she talking about?

  His past suddenly collided with his future, and all the emotions he’d shoved down, controlled, for so long ripped loose. “You stole from me,” he shouted, shoving a finger into his chest. “From me, Addi. My money, my savings and dreams and…” He swung around, unable to process the words coming out of her mouth. “Son of a bitch.” The woman he cared about, could see himself staying with, had lied to him, not just once, but day after day. “You did this even knowing about the connection with my mother.”

  He was numb. Raquel closed the French doors and then ushered the guests away from watching his humiliation. Honestly, he didn’t give a fuck. He didn’t give a fuck about anything anymore.

  Addi’s sobs fell on deaf ears—he didn’t care, couldn’t feel. He’d been better off in his shell, closed off from emotion. He wished he’d never met her.

  Her horrified expression was well played. Like she didn’t know. How could she not have known? How many times had they talked about their projects, sharing everything?

  She reached out to him again, a look of shock on her face. “I had no idea. I would never—”

  His brows shot high. “Never? You’d never what? Steal? Lie? Use me for your own gain?” The echo of his harsh laugh bounced around the room. “Apparently, you’d do just about anything to get what you want, Addi. This is beyond irresponsible—it’s childish. Mature adults work for a living, and they earn their paycheck. They don’t hide in attics and pocket other people’s cash.”

  The whole evening had gone from horrible to unbearable. Tears stung his lids, but he refused to cry for this woman. She didn’t deserve it. He was losing nothing.

  Then why did this feel like a death?

  He turned toward the door.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  He ignored her words and stepped outside. “Maybe one of these days you should try working for your dream a little. Then if something goes horribly wrong, you might understand how I feel.”