Sweet Surrender

by Jill Sanders

  “He spat and cursed at me the entire time I booked him,” Eric said with a chuckle.

  “Well, it looks like the guy bailed.” Brock stepped out of the room. Calvin spotted Sandra at the end of the hall and informed her she could clean that room next.

  “Not checking out of a hotel isn’t as bad as bailing on a rental car company after destroying their property.” Brock sighed. “Consider yourself lucky he didn’t trash the room too.”

  “Yeah,” Calvin said following them down the stairs.

  He watched as they headed out the front doors.

  “Calvin?” Heather fell in step with him. “What’s up?” She pointed towards the front door.

  He stopped and looked at Heather. The woman had worked as the resort’s event coordinator longer than he’d been there. He knew that at one point she’d worked the front desk and still occasionally filled in when Stacey or Gavin was busy or needed a break. He liked Heather. She’d been one of the first friends he’d made when he had started working there.

  “Looks like the groom slipped out sometime last night.” He shrugged. “Put an extra charge on his card for not checking out properly then make sure the room is cleaned.”

  As he headed back up to his office, he thought of the sock to the jaw Ben had given him when he’d thought he was taking advantage of his little sister and wondered what kind of beating he’d take when he told him he was planning on getting his sister to move in with him. Shit.

  The place was going to feel empty for a few days. The wedding party had pretty much rented out the entire resort, which meant every room was now sitting empty until Sunday.

  Walking into his office, he pulled out his phone and shot Ben a quick message.

  “Groom skipped out sometime last night.”

  Ben responded almost instantly. “Yeah? Good riddance from what Bella told me.”

  Calvin chuckled. “How’s your sister?”

  He had to wait for this response and was just about to set his phone down when it rang.

  “That was too big of a response to type out,” Ben said when Calvin answered the call.

  “Okay,” he waited.

  “She’s good. She and Sarah are out shopping.”

  “Again? She dragged me all over town yesterday,” he joked.

  “Food shopping. They’re planning a dinner tonight. Which you are required to attend,” Ben said.

  “I’ll be there. Your place?” he asked.

  “You know it. JT and family are coming as well. My sister wanted to see the twins.”

  “Sounds good.” He waited for a moment then changed the subject. “Did she show you the messages?”

  The phone went quiet for a moment. “Yeah. I called the cops in charge in LA.”

  “And?” he asked. He’d thought of doing that himself but figured Ben would get to the bottom of it before he had a chance to.

  “They seem competent. They don’t think it’s someone in LA. Which was a surprise to me.”

  “Why don’t they?” He frowned.

  “Well, a few reasons. The burner SIM cards the messages came from were sold in a store in Colorado.”

  “So, they have the guy’s information then?”

  “No, they were cash sales.” Ben sighed. “But they believe he traveled to LA to break into her apartment.”

  “Wait.” Calvin stood up. “Her place has been broken into before?” He felt his temper grow.

  “I know what you’re thinking, but she wasn’t there and that time nothing was disturbed. He left a threatening message, which is when the police got involved.” Calvin took a couple of deep breaths as he sat down again. “It was the week before she came out here. She followed the police’s advice and came out here. They’ve had a look-alike staying at her place. Well, they did, until the break-in yesterday.”

  “They were trying to catch the guy that way?”

  “Yeah. They think the picture of you and Bella on the sailboat here blew that plan out of the water.” Ben took a deep breath. “We still don’t know how they found out she was here in town and not LA.”

  “I asked all the staff. Everyone claims they didn’t spill. Because of our clients, when we hire them, they sign an NDA.”

  “That never stopped someone who wants a little extra cash. I talked Brock into having a chat with the reporters he chased out of town,” Ben said.

  “Are we sure they’re gone?” he asked, thinking about the stolen items and the ladder. Could it have been one of the paparazzi trying to use it to get a picture of Bella? Then why use the shears to cut up her things? That screamed it was personal not professional.

  He thought of where he’d found the ladder and if they could have had a view into her rooms from there. He didn’t think so, but as soon as he could, he was going to walk out there and make sure.

  “According to Brock, he warned the bunch of them that if they were spotted in Silver Cove again, they’d be arrested. Then he warned the vendor who rented them the boats. When the guy heard that the group had harassed Bella, he’d been pissed and swore he’d watch out for them.”

  “Good.” Calvin relaxed slightly. He knew that everyone in Silver Cove looked out for their own and since Bella had come to town when she was younger, she’d been one of their own.

  It had taken a little over a year for Calvin to be accepted into the fold. The moment he’d purchased his sailboat, the Dame, he was officially deemed a local.

  “I’ll keep you posted. They’re looking into what Brock sent them on the break-in there. How’s the room?”

  Ben had a list of items that needed to be replaced in the suite. “About three thousand dollars’ worth of damage,” he calculated. “It could have been worse. The jilted groom could have destroyed his room too.”

  “That’s what insurance is for.” Ben sighed. “It’s Bella I’m more worried about. She’s jumping at shadows.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed, remembering last night’s conversation with her. “Keep me in the loop, will you?”

  Ben chuckled. “I may not have liked it at first, but you are family now.” He sighed. “Sorry about the loose jaw.”

  Calvin smiled. “It’s not loose. Remember? You punch like a—” Ben hung up the phone, causing Calvin to laugh.

  Chapter Nineteen

  It was nice, sitting around a large table with people you loved. The room was filled with laughter and the chatter of kids.

  Her nieces had glued themselves to Calvin the moment he’d walked in her brother’s front door. That was until Sarah grabbed them up and placed them both in their highchairs to eat.

  She’d enjoyed cooking the salmon dinner with Sarah. It reminded her of all the times she’d cooked with Sarah when she’d lived there.

  Emma was nothing like she’d imagined she would be. She’d met plenty of actresses in Hollywood while she’d been out there. Even though Emma was an up-and-coming name and face on the screen, she fit in Silver Cove easily. She was more down to earth than any other actress Bella had met.

  JT and Emma were perfect new parents to the little boy and girl. It was so funny how after an hour with them, she couldn’t imagine them not having the kids or being together.

  After dinner, they all moved into the living room where the kids played as the adults sat around and talked.

  She knew she needed to tell her brother that she was planning on moving back to Silver Cove. She hadn’t even talked to her agent yet to see when in her schedule she had time to move.

  Not that she had to ask permission to move, but Maggie did fill her schedule.

  One thing was clear to her—she felt safer surrounded by family and friends, even though she was pretty sure Michael had sent some goons out here to intimidate her.

  Maggie had assured her that since she’d been in Maine, Michael hadn’t left California once.

  It would have been a lot easier if Michael had come himself. Then they could have pinned the break-in on him and officially charged him. After all, Michael was even more famous than
she was. The few times she’d been with him, he hadn’t even been able to walk in a door without someone calling out his name or asking for a signature.

  “You’re quiet.” Ben broke into her thoughts.

  She glanced around and realized that Sarah and Lilly had disappeared with the kids.

  “Sorry.” She shook her head. “Deep in thought.” She shrugged.

  “About the break-in?” her brother asked.

  She sighed and glanced at Calvin, who nodded his encouragement to her.

  “Yes,” she started as Calvin took her hand in his. Somehow the light contact gave her more strength and courage to tell her brother her plans. But before she could open her mouth to speak again, Ben jumped in.

  “We think you should move back home,” her brother said.

  She swallowed before talking. “I was planning on it.”

  “I don’t care what… wait…” Her brother’s eyebrows drew up. “You were?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “I’d talked it over with Calvin and…”

  “She’s going to be moving in with me,” Calvin said, his eyes searching hers as if waiting for her to deny it. Instead, she nodded.

  Ben chuckled. “You don’t know what you’re in for there.” Ben reached over and slapped Calvin on the shoulder. “She never does dishes.”

  Bella opened her mouth to argue but then laughed. “It’s true.” She shrugged.

  Calvin squeezed her hand. “It won’t be a requirement.”

  “Then it’s settled.” Ben clapped his hands and leaned back. “When do we go get your stuff?”

  A few hours later, she was lying in Calvin’s arms in his bed as he stroked a hand down her bare back.

  “Somehow I didn’t think that telling my brother would be that easy.” She felt her entire body relax.

  She felt Calvin’s chest rumble with his laughter. “Why not?”

  She shrugged, but since she was half-asleep, she barely moved. “I suppose I thought that he’d think I was giving up on my career.”

  He stilled and then glanced down at her. “Do you think you’re giving up?”

  She thought about it for a moment before answering. “No matter what, I am not going to let Michael ruin my singing career. I can live anywhere and record. I don’t have to be in LA.”

  He relaxed and she heard him sigh. “He won’t ruin you,” he said softly. “You’re too strong to let anyone take you down like that.”

  “But?” She leaned up and looked down at him when she heard the reservation in his tone.

  He reached up and brushed a strand of her hair away from her face.

  “It doesn’t mean that I don’t worry about you. If you had been staying in your rooms that night…”

  She closed her eyes at the dark thoughts she’d had about what could have happened if she hadn’t been staying with Calvin that night.

  “I know.” She shivered and his hands tightened around her. “But I can’t keep living in fear.” She raised her chin slightly. “I’ve got a few commitments for my album release next week. Maggie has scheduled an interview in two days at the resort.”

  “Yeah, I saw it on the schedule today.” He shifted, bringing her back down to his chest. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  “Will you be there?” she asked, closing her eyes.

  “Yes,” he responded quickly.

  “Then, I’m ready.” She yawned and snuggled further into his chest.

  Shortly before Calvin left for work the following day, Sarah and the girls showed up with more baked goods.

  “If this keeps up, I’ll have to roll back into LA,” she joked as she held Luna in her lap. The girls had warmed up to her after last night. Seeing her with Calvin had solidified to them that she was okay to be with.

  That and she’d helped cart them around the stores while Sarah had done the shopping.

  “What’s all this?” Calvin said as he came over to her and kissed the top of Luna’s head and then repeated the motion with her head.

  “Breakfasss.” Aurora giggled as he reached over and tickled her and then gave her sloppy kisses. “Cal, spin?” Aurora reached for him with fingers covered in frosting.

  “No,” Sarah jumped in. “Calvin is all dressed up and ready for work.” She quickly wiped her daughter’s fingers before she could damage anything else within a five-foot radius.

  “Sorry, bug, how about later?” Calvin frowned down at Aurora.

  The little girl frowned but then was easily distracted when Sarah handed her a cup of milk.

  “Here.” Sarah shifted a box of donuts towards Calvin. “Have some.”

  He chuckled and patted his stomach. “I think I’ll pass. If I keep eating sweets, I’ll have to hit the gym every night this week. I’ll grab something at work.” He leaned in and kissed her. “Have a good day,” he told her. “I’ll see you for dinner.”

  “Which will be at Lilly and Adam’s place,” Sarah piped in. “I’ll be dropping Bella off there just before you get off work. We’ve got reading at the library tonight.” She sighed. “It’s the one night I can sit back and not worry about the girls breaking anything.”

  He chuckled and then leaned in and kissed Sarah on the cheek. “You’re a wonderful mother.”

  Sarah brightened. “I know.” She laughed and pushed him towards the door. “Go. You don’t want to be late. Your boss will…” Calvin’s eyebrows shot up and Sarah laughed. “He’ll probably not do anything, but you don’t want to miss the ferry.”

  “True.” He laughed as he left.

  “So.” Sarah turned back to her. “Are you going to tell me everything?” Her sister-in-law leaned on the counter as she handed Luna her sippy cup of milk and took away the new donut the girl had wiggled out of the box.

  Bella chuckled. “Prying ears…” She nodded to the girls.

  “They don’t know what the heck we’re talking about most of the time. At least not yet. Except when we happen to use choice words.” She frowned. “Those, they repeat at the worst times.” She held in a chuckle and rolled her eyes. “Luna said…”—she glanced over at her youngest and whispered— “the S word last week at a playdate.”

  Bella laughed. “Is that why you were mad at Ben when I arrived?”

  “No.” Sarah sighed. “That one she heard from me.”

  Bella laughed harder.

  After cleaning up the breakfast mess, Bella headed upstairs to shower and change for the day. When she came back down, the girls were asleep in front of the television, which had cartoons playing and the volume low. Even Sarah’s eyes were closed as she held Luna against her chest.

  Not wanting to disturb them, she sat down and pulled out her phone to type a message to Maggie. She must have retyped the message more than a dozen times before hitting send.

  Thankfully, she’d muted her phone because a few moments later, it rang.

  Stepping out on the back deck, she answered the call.

  “What do you mean you’re moving back to Maine?” Maggie’s voice was raised slightly as if she was breathless.

  “Just what I said. I’ll be moving back home. I can still fulfill my commitment for the second album and fly out for all the promotional—”

  “Is this because of Michael?” Maggie broke in and asked.

  “No,” she answered, knowing it was the truth. Maybe part of the reason for the move was, but her main reason was Calvin.

  She leaned against the deck and looked out over the water as she talked on the phone. The view was amazing here. If she leaned over a little, she could probably see the resort.

  “You’re not listening to me.” Maggie’s tone snapped her back.

  “Sorry.” She sighed. “Mags, I’ve met the man of my dreams.” She smiled. “I’m moving in with him. Here.”

  Maggie was quiet. “That’s all so… sudden. What do you know about this man?”

  Bella laughed. “I’ve known him most of my life.” She shifted the phone to her other ear. “He’s my brother Ben’s best friend
.”

  “The hunk in the boat?” Maggie asked, her tone turning softer.

  “Yes.” She smiled. “Calvin Winters. He runs my brother and sister-in-law’s resort up here.”

  “East Haven? Where they’re doing your interview tomorrow?” Maggie asked, her tone turning a little worried.

  “Yes,” she answered with a frown. “Why?”

  “It’s… nothing,” Maggie finished.

  “What?” Bella straightened.

  “It’s just… after that picture of the two of you went crazy, I did a little research into your man… You know, just in case he had something dark in his past that the press could use against you…”

  “And?” Bella frowned. She’d known Calvin for so long, she doubted there was anything in his past that she or Ben didn’t know about. If Calvin had done anything bad, her brother wouldn’t have remained best friends with him.

  “Well, it’s just…”

  “Spit it out,” she said, frowning.

  “It seems that he killed his younger sister,” Maggie said hesitantly.

  “What?” Bella almost screamed it as she shook her head. “No.” She laughed, feeling relieved. “You’ve obviously got the wrong—”

  “Calvin Winters, parents are…” Bella heard Maggie shifting some papers around. “Tammy and Adam Winters. He has a younger brother named James. He attended Le Rosey Private Boarding School in Switzerland with your brother Ben. The report from back then says that he was a few weeks shy of his thirteenth birthday and his sister was five years old at the time. Her name was Kelly Winters…”

  Bella’s vision grayed as a loud buzzing filled her ears. She moved over to sit down on a chair before she passed out or fell over the edge of the deck.

  “Bella?” Maggie’s voice finally broke through.

  “I…I’ll call you back later.” She hung up and sat there staring into space until Sarah stepped out with a crying Luna on her hip. “Sorry, we must have checked out.” She giggled but stopped when she noticed Bella’s look. “Is everything okay?” Sarah glanced around as if looking for whatever had caused Bella to be upset.