Just then, she spotted a surfer out on the water. It wasn’t the first time she’d seen him. He’d been out there the last few days. Before then, she’d been alone on the beach this time of the morning, except a few tourists who hunted shells before the beach filled up.
With her feet free, she sank her toes in the sand, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of salty air. She loved this place. Mostly because it reminded her of home, another small town but on the West Coast. It was so small that most people didn’t even know it existed. She’d tried living in a big city, hoping to blend in and get lost. Except Abel had found her.
At the time, she’d thought about going to another big city, but the idea of all the hustle and bustle created so much anxiety that she’d scrapped it. She’d been stressing about her next move, packing, and worried about Abel. Coming to Palm Shores had been so serendipitous.
Kennedy had called Mia, on the verge of spilling her guts about her ex-husband, when Mia had mentioned Rescues for Vets was looking for a director. Kennedy had a long resume, but she’d never been the one in charge. Plus, she was willing to accept the tiny salary. Giving up her therapist license and choosing to remain under the radar made things tight financially, but it also gave her the ability to stay anonymous—another way to keep Abel from finding her. She didn’t have to register with the state boards if she was just the director of a rescue center. As long as she could pay her rent and eat, she didn’t care.
Rufus barked, breaking her out of her thoughts. She looked down, and the goofy boy was looking up at her. “You’re ready to go, huh?”
Another bark.
“All right, let’s go.”
For now, she was going to push all her thoughts and problems away. She needed to focus on her job and running Rufus out of energy.
* * *
Grab your copy of The Ranger’s Hope and follow Ryder and Kennedy as they fall in love, along with the help of Rufus, of course.
Sneak Peek! Her Pretend Billionaire Boyfriend Chapter 1
Tristan Stone swiveled his chair away from the boardroom table and looked out over the Seattle skyline. The sun glinted off the windows of the Space Needle while a white-capped Mount Rainier stood in the background. He wished he was there, on the top of the mountain, and not dwelling on the board meeting that had just ended. He didn’t want to think about the dozen or so men and women who’d argued about which direction his grandmother would’ve wanted him to take the cruise line he’d inherited.
He missed her.
Find someone to love, sweetheart. Not all women will want you for your money. His grandmother’s words were like a megaphone in his head. He could still feel the aged hand touching his cheek and see the wrinkled face smiling up at him. Even while she was sick, she’d been thinking of him.
He’d tried to convince her he didn’t feel lonely, but she could always see through him. Three months, and not a day went by that he didn’t miss her laughter and wisdom.
“Tristan!” Grayson Matthews’s voice broke through his thoughts. “Are you listening to me?”
“No,” he said without taking his eyes off the skyline.
“Nice. Real nice.” Grayson huffed, pulling a chair directly in front of him and sitting backward in it.
Tristan leveled his eyes at him. “What?”
“That board meeting was out of control. Why didn’t you do anything?”
Why? Because he didn’t want to do anything. His grandmother wasn’t even cold, and vultures were circling. “My head isn’t here.” He had tasks to finish for his grandma. One of which was taking a cruise on the last cruise ship she’d designed so he could spread her ashes over the ocean.
Grayson’s icy blue eyes softened. “Buddy, I know you miss her, but if you want this company to continue, you’re going to have to bring that alpha dog reputation you’ve created to the table.”
Alpha dog. Tristan snorted. “I know, but this is different. I’m not buying up a company. This was her company. A company…people…I promised to take care of.” He was used to taking over companies, bulldozing over anything that got in the way of making it successful and turning it into a thriving business. This was different. He’d made a solemn vow to take care of her employees, among other things. Things he wasn’t willing to tell his best friend.
“Listen, man, I know you were close to her, but…”
Tristan stood and raked a hand through his dark-brown hair. “I’m not selling this company. I’ll buy out everyone’s shares if I have to. I don’t care if I go bankrupt keeping it.” He closed his eyes. He wasn’t just close to his grandmother. Other than Grayson and his Aunt Felicia, she was the only person he trusted to love him for more than just his money.
The chair squeaked as Grayson stood. “Maybe you should take a vacation. Get out of here, get some fresh air, grieve. Come back when you’re ready to make some hard decisions.”
Grayson continued when he didn’t respond. “Seriously, take one. Two weeks. What can possibly happen in two weeks without you here? It’s been three months, and nothing’s changed yet.” Grayson grasped his shoulder and turned him around. “You took care of her the last eight months of her life. I know it had to be hard on you. Taking a break will help.”
Tristan did like the idea. The stress of taking care of a loved one was worse than he ever imagined. The last month or so, his grandma didn’t even know who he was. She’d look at him with a blank expression most of the time, and when she was even remotely coherent, she’d call him by his father’s name, Thomas.
He had promised his grandma that he’d take a cruise and spread her ashes. May as well get it done. He could check that off the list. “Maybe you’re right.”
Grayson smiled and pulled out his phone. “Ohhh, I’m going to need you to say that again. I want to record it and replay it when you’re being arrogant and egotistical.”
“I’m not arrogant or egotistical. I’m just right all the time.” Tristan chuckled.
His friend’s eyes widened. “Let me take care of it. I’ve got the perfect place in mind. Hot women, warm sand, cool clear water. I can even picture it. The two of us, lounging on some tropical oasis and sipping fruity drinks that come in pineapples.” He pulled up the search engine on his phone. “Cheesy, but tasty.”
Tristan rubbed his knuckles down his jaw. “No, I want to go somewhere no one will recognize me. I want to be left alone.” He wanted to be Tristan. Not Tristan Stone the billionaire. He wanted to feel normal. For once, he wanted to be just one of the guys. An idea began to form.
“You might try Mars, then. You’re a thirty-one-year-old billionaire, and you’re in every socialite paper known to man. And with that baby face of yours? Good luck.” Grayson laughed.
“I could grow a beard.” The words popped out of Tristan’s mouth. What? He hated beards. They were itchy.
Grayson lifted an eyebrow. “You? Dude, you tried that remember? A five o’clock shadow nearly had you in a straightjacket.”
That was true, but if it could give him some anonymity, maybe it was worth it. “I’ll try again.” And if he went undercover on the cruise ship, maybe he could get a better understanding of the company.
“Okay, if you think you can.” Grayson’s lack of confidence didn’t help.
Tristan tugged on his dark-gray suit coat, straightening it. “And I want to go alone. I think I need it.”
His best friend’s face fell. “What? But I’m your wingman, your right-hand dude, your mate, your—”
“I know. Normally, I’d want you to come, but I really think I need some time alone.” Plus, he didn’t want Grayson to know what he was really planning.
Grayson eyed him and then huffed. “Fine, but you owe me a paradise getaway with hot women.”
“Aren’t you dating that model? What’s her name?” Tristan wracked his brain. Grayson had a new girlfriend every five seconds. “Gwen Hanover.”
He shrugged and looked at the floor. “Nah, she was okay, but she had this weird thing where
she smacked her gum.”
“You broke it off because she smacked her gum? I met her twice. Neither time was she chewing gum.” He’d never met a guy so afraid of commitment.
“Yeah.”
Tristan shook his head. “One of these days, you’re going to have to evaluate a woman on more than her quirks. Granted, I didn’t think she was good for you, but she wasn’t horrible either. Not nearly as bad as that Heather woman.”
Grayson grunted and shivered. “At least I date.”
“I date. I date a lot.” Tristan was also lonely. A lot. The women who were attracted to him were typically interested in two things: his money or their fifteen minutes of fame from being associated with him. It happened enough times that he’d stopped asking anyone out.
A thin dark eyebrow went up, and Grayson pierced him with a look.
Tristan shook his head. “Fine, so I don’t. I have to go. I’ve got some plans to make.”
“Okay, but don’t forget, you owe me.” His friend pointed a finger at him.
“Whatever.” Tristan grinned and walked out of the room. He needed a beard, a single room, and passage on a cruise ship.
* * *
Belle Evans’s leg bounced as she waited to board the cruise ship. Never in her wildest dreams would she have ever thought she’d win a cruise and ten grand. All her life, she’d figured those contests were hoaxes. Who sticks their name in a box and actually thinks they’re going to win something? She’d hung up on the radio guy twice before he’d convinced her she’d won.
She wasn’t the only winner, either. At least twenty others had won, or that’s what she was told by the cruise people when she got her tickets. They’d be picking out random paying passengers too. Something about fixing their image and using them as advertisement by getting photos and feedback at the end of the cruise. If it weren’t for the ten grand that came with the trip, she wouldn’t be going. It’d given her the ability to get ahead on her mom’s nursing home payments.
Her phone buzzed, and she checked it. Ugh. Laura, her best friend since high school who was now her ex-best friend had been calling incessantly all morning. How many times was she going to call her? She needed to catch a clue and leave her alone.
Their relationship had always been like that though. Laura would do something to hurt her, and for some reason, Belle would always forgive her. This was different. She’d done something that Belle couldn’t just brush off this time. It was time to stop thinking about Laura and get on with her cruise.
Over the last hour, other passengers had arrived one by one, and now the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen was standing about a foot behind her. His dark wavy hair was neat except for a cute little wild piece curling over his ear. He had dazzling dark-brown eyes. She only knew that because he’d caught her staring earlier. The smile he’d shot her almost made her fall to the floor.
It had reminded her of another smile, and she’d worked to avoid looking in his direction again. She didn’t need any complications, and a man would definitely be a complication.
“Nervous?” he asked.
She startled. “What?”
He pointed to her foot. It was tapping so fast her nickname could have been Thumper.
Her cheeks heated up, and she hooked her foot around her other leg. “No, I’m just fidgety. I’m not used to just standing and waiting.”
His smile was warm. Not flirty, but genuine. “Well, no worries about that. You’re going to be doing a lot of running on the cruise. From what I understand, there’s a lot to do.” He scratched the little more than a five o’clock shadow growing on his jaw.
“I know. Guess it’s not the worst thing in the world to be forced to relax.” She twisted a piece of her strawberry blonde hair around her finger. “Is your beard new?”
He lifted his head, and again his brown eyes found hers. “What?”
She touched her jaw. “Your beard? Is it new? I’m only asking because you keep scratching it.”
The man jerked his hand away from his face. “Oh, yeah, I’m just trying something different. Everyone tells me I have a baby face, and I’m tired of it.”
It did look good on him, but she tried picturing him without it. “I like it. It makes you look distinguished.”
Before he said another word, he quickly closed the gap between them. “I thought distinguished is what young people called old men.”
Oh, good lord, he was a tower of a man. Olive skin, broad shoulders, thickly built, soulful brown eyes, and he smelled like spice. Butterflies met the tingles flooding her body, and they danced the rumba all over her. “Uh, well, it could apply to anyone. I mean, the definition means successful, authoritative, and commanding respect. I don’t think you have to be old to do that.” Did her voice squeak? She cleared her throat, just in case.
“Name’s Tristan. What’s yours?” This time, she noticed his deep baritone voice. It was like rich espresso. The kind that’s smooth and potent.
He stuck a hand out, and as she shook it, she said, “Belle, Belle Evans.” Her mom had loved literature, and she’d given her the same love. Belle just wished her mom could remember it.
His eyebrows shot up. “Like Twilight?”
She rolled her eyes. “No, Belle as in Beauty and the Beast.”
“Oh, right. I tend to get those two mixed up.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. So, did you win too?” Not that she needed to know, she just wanted to keep him talking because she liked the sound of his voice.
Something she couldn’t put a finger on flashed across his features. “No, I bought my ticket. You won?”
“Yeah, I never expected to win. It was a whim. I’d forgotten I even entered. That radio guy sounded frustrated with me, but I did hang up on him twice.” Her phone vibrated, and she looked down at it. Again? With a huff, she pressed the decline-call button.
Tristan smiled at her again. “Problem?”
Belle leaned over to see where she was in line. It was like an airport terminal with a long counter and agents behind computers checking people in. The person in front of her moved ahead, and she stepped forward, pulling her luggage behind her.
She wanted to tell him, “Yep, my best friend stealing my fiancé was a huge problem,” but instead, she pasted on a smile and shook her head. “No. I just want to be able to concentrate on what I’m doing.” At least on the cruise, Belle wouldn’t be dealing with Laura calling her all the time.
“Good idea.” He caught her gaze and held it. “You have really pretty eyes.”
Belle’s fascination with Tristan screeched to a halt. The one thing she didn’t want was a relationship or fling or anything else while she was on a nine-day cruise. And if both of them were going to be on the same ship, they’d definitely have the opportunity to spend time together. “Thanks.” She turned her back on him, unwilling to take the chance of being burnt again.
The line moved again, and Belle got a little closer to the woman in front of her. Hopefully, that’d give Mr. Smooth Voice a hint she wasn’t interested. Her jackhammering heart needed to cut it out. Falling for someone wasn’t on the to-do list. She just needed to get on board and forget her troubles, like Paul getting her fired.
It was stupid. Paul was the one who chased her. Paul was the one who asked her out and then asked her to marry him. It was all Paul Whitlock. The snake. He’d fed her so many lies, and she’d eaten them up like pie at a church picnic. Then he’d sabotaged her marketing campaign, cheated on her with her best friend, and dumped her. A whole year of blood, sweat, and tears to build her fledgling marketing career had gone straight down the drain.
Finally, it was her turn to check in. There were a ton of things she needed to answer, like had she been sick recently, and she had to have her debit card tied to her room card so she could make purchases, which she had no intention of doing.
Once all her paperwork was in order, she got her room card and hurried to the deck of the ship. As she walked away from
the ticket counter, she glanced at Tristan. His dark eyes followed her the entire way, and whatever he was thinking was a mystery. The man could obviously play poker.
A woman in a cruise uniform smiled as Belle stopped at the entrance to the ship. “Hello, welcome aboard. We’ll be leaving port tonight. We hope you’ll have a wonderful time. If there is anything you need, please ask. Crew and staff can be identified with neck lanyards and uniforms.”
“Okay, thank you.” Belle let her gaze sweep across the ship. It was massive and modern. It made the one she’d worked on look small and dated.
“Since you’re a contest winner, we’d like to have you meet in the dining hall as part of the marketing you agreed to when you accepted the ticket. If you have any additional questions, someone will be able to answer them.”
“Oh, okay. Thanks. I’m just excited to get a vacation.” Belle smiled.
The woman smiled wider, if that was possible. “That’s what we like to hear. An excited passenger having a good time.”
Grab your copy of Her Pretend Billionaire Boyfriend and cruise with Tristan and Belle as they fall in love.
Also by Bree Livingston
You can find more books by
Bree Livingston
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About the Author
Bree Livingston lives in the West Texas Panhandle with her husband, children, and cats. She'd have a dog, but they took a vote and the cats won. Not in numbers, but attitude. They wouldn't even debate. They just leveled their little beady eyes at her and that was all it took for her to nix getting a dog. Her hobbies include...nothing because she writes all the time.
She loves carbs, but the love ends there. No, that's not true. The love usually winds up on her hips which is why she loves writing romance. The love in the pages of her books are sweet and clean, and they definitely don't add pounds when you step on the scale. Unless of course, you're actually holding a Kindle while you're weighing. Put the Kindle down and try again. Also, the cookie because that could be the problem too. She knows from experience.
The Ranger's Heart (Army Ranger Romance Book 3) Page 20