Three Southern Beaches: A Summer Beach Read Box Set

by Kathleen Brooks

  “I think homey is the word you’re looking for.” Taylor looked around at the pictures of their friends and the couple over the years. The warm colors and the cozy furniture made the room feel snuggly. Definitely not something you’d imagine after seeing celebrity homes on television.

  The normalcy was broken as the front door flung open. Grant turned and blocked her view, but the fake crying told her instantly who it was.

  “Oh, baby. My baaaaaby! Don’t worry, Mama’s here.”

  The pain Taylor felt in her leg was nothing compared to the anger that managed to push her shaky nerves away. Taylor shot up and wobbled only slightly. Grant steadied her and she advanced on her parents.

  “I told you I never wanted to see you again. I told you were no longer welcome anywhere near me. By what right do you think you can just walk into my house?” she asked in a deadly voice.

  “But, baby, you took our advice. You’re here with Grant instead of Trey. And when we heard that you were hurt on set, we had to see you. We’ve already worked up an angle to spin it in order to get you and Grant tons of press,” her mother said sweetly as if the last ten years just hadn’t happened.

  “As great as that sounds, I’m out. I don’t do parents.” Grant wedged himself out the door and hurried to his car as her father turned to chase after him, trying to pitch them as his managers.

  Taylor limped to the open door as her mother continued talking about press conferences and how they’d handle everything. “Here, just sign this managing contract and we can start right now.”

  “Get out of my house,” Taylor said softly as she hobbled out to the front porch. Neighbors started to file out of their homes as her father’s pitch to Grant rang through the night.

  “And look, you’ll see we already gave you the discounted price of twelve percent,” her mother was saying.

  “Enough!” Taylor screamed at the top of her lungs. Her parents’ eyes went wide in momentary shock. Grant took advantage of the opportunity and leapt into his car. The sound of his tires spinning on the sandy driveway was the only sound beside the ocean waves in the night air.

  “That is no way to speak to your mother, young lady,” her father said in a way that brought to Taylor’s mind a flashback of him pulling off his belt when she was thirteen. But she wasn’t thirteen anymore.

  “You may have brought me into this world, but I stopped having a mother and father a long time ago. I will call the sheriff if you’re not out of here by the time I count to five.” Taylor pulled out her cell phone and pushed 9-1-1 onto the keyboard. “I told you last time, I never want to see you again. Now get the hell off my property!” Taylor yelled, losing all her patience.

  “This isn’t over!” her mother shot back as her father hurried them into the car.

  “Yes, it is. It was over when the judge signed the order all those years ago.” Taylor put her phone away as they drove off into the night. Her nerves were frayed and the sound of clapping only pissed her off more.

  “Did you enjoy the show?” Taylor snipped.

  A sexy woman grinned from where she stood on the beach with a great pair of heels dangling from her fingertips. Her dark brown hair shone in the moonlight and her hazel eyes seemed to sparkle.

  “Sure did. All this time I thought you were some helpless, ditzy blonde. Who knew? But, you go, girl is all I have to say. I might actually go see one of your movies now.” She flashed a smile and Taylor relaxed against her door and returned the smile before the woman sauntered off down the beach. The stranger’s praise boosted her spirits. She was woman and everyone had just heard her roar.

  Taylor limped back inside and changed into her pajamas. She pushed open the window so she could listen to the waves and crawled under the covers. Tomorrow was a new day and she wanted to make the most of it. Her mind was already rearranging the shooting schedule to get them back on track when she drifted off to sleep.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Trey drove past the stadium with purpose. He had a plan for the most romantic proposal. He drove across Captain’s Bridge and stopped at the “Welcome to Hung Island” sign. He pulled out his cell phone and snapped a picture of him next to the sign.

  Can’t wait to be home with you, he texted to Taylor. He hopped back in the car and headed to their favorite restaurant.

  He ordered her favorite meal and snapped a picture of the food when it arrived. Bringing my love her favorite dinner. He hurried to the car and planned out the rest of the pictures. When he was close to home, he stopped and took a picture of himself on the beach. Can’t wait to spend every night with you on our beach. The next picture would be of him in their living room down on one knee. Trey planned on asking Taylor to get the dinners set out while he snapped the picture and sent it to her phone. Taylor would get it while in the kitchen and then come out and see him on one knee.

  As he pulled up, the nervous energy nearly made him crash into the house. “Taylor?” he called out. But there was no answer. He stepped further into the house. “Did you get my pictures?”

  A pillow launched through the door and hit him on the face. “Your pictures? You bet I got your pictures. I can’t escape your damn pictures and here you come acting all innocent,” Taylor cried.

  “I thought you’d like them. I thought they were sweet. I’m sorry they upset you.” Trey’s shoulders slumped. Where did he go wrong?

  “You think pictures of you with your face in some stripper’s tits is sweet?”

  Trey paused in his thinking. “What? Strippers?"

  “You got that innocent act down pat and here I thought I was the actor in the family. So, this is the male bonding you were doing with the guys? Too bad someone decided to take pictures and now they’re all over the internet and entertainment television. Grant’s been shoving them in my face all day. Cyndi Lu’s been telling me to leave your cheating ass. And after last night, it’s just too much for me to handle.”

  Taylor walked over to the table and set her tablet down in front of him. Why was she limping? What was she talking about? Trey looked down at the tablet and cringed. Filling the screen was a photo of his head buried between two very large glittery breasts.

  “This may be a picture of me, but it’s fake. I wasn’t at a strip club. And what happened last night?”

  “There was an accident on set. Some lights fell and I had to jump out of the way. A piece of glass cut me. Don’t worry, while you were bonding, Grant took care of me until my parents showed up again.” Taylor moved her hands to her hips and Trey knew she was getting fired up.

  “Why didn’t you call me? I would have come home,” he said as gently as possible.

  “I don’t think you could have heard me with those earmuffs on.”

  “Really, Taylor? After all this time and all the media attention, you think I would do something like this? Here,” Trey picked up his bag and dumped it on the table. “Not a single speck of glitter to be found. And look, that’s the shirt I ruined when I stained the deck. I threw it out three months ago. The photo is fixed and you should have enough trust in me to know that. I believed you when there were pictures everywhere on the news of Grant slapping your butt, and that actually happened. This didn’t happen.” Now it was Trey’s time to put his hands on his hips as Taylor’s shoulders sagged before she collapsed onto the couch.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s come over me. Deep down I knew better, but after everything that happened last night and the fact I hardly slept . . . I just overacted. I didn’t even think to look at it beneath the surface.”

  Trey sat down next to her and tucked her against his chest. “It’s okay. We knew the gossips would be coming after us when you stepped back into the limelight. And it’s fine because I know I can trust you. We don’t need to even look at these. We haven’t for years; let’s not start now.”

  “I trust you too. I’m so sorry I just forgot for a moment. You’re the best man I know and you’d never do anything to hurt me like that.”

  Taylor lea
ned forward and kissed him. Her fingers trailed down his chest and her hand spread over his abdomen. In an instant, the kiss went from asking for forgiveness to demanding. Trey didn’t complain at all. He knew the pressures of being in the public life. She got up, peeled off her shirt, and began hooking her finger in a come hither motion. He no longer gave a damn about Grant, her parents, or the gossips. And when her hand appeared from behind the bedroom door and dropped her bra to the floor, he forgot all about everything except Taylor.

  Trey slowly moved Taylor’s arm from his chest. After they made love, she fell asleep in his arms and was now curled around him. It took a long time, but he finally got untangled from her arms and legs. Slowly, he pushed the covers aside and stole out of bed.

  The moon was almost full and the light allowed him to see easily into the living room. He bent down and picked his pants off the floor. Digging into his pocket, he pulled out the jewelry box and sighed. Another perfect proposal down the drain. He opened the box and stared at the moonlight reflecting off the diamond. Frustration welled inside of him. He’d give her the perfect proposal, even if it killed him.

  The motion light flicked on out front and light filled the room. The sound of something hitting the front door had him running down the hall and throwing open the door. A streak of orange pigtails was all he saw of the woman running away. Looking down, he saw the picture of him at the strip club on the stoop. Written in red marker was You don’t deserve her.

  * * *

  Taylor woke up early. Her leg was thrown over Trey’s much thicker one and her head nestled against his chest. She felt fantastic. And she felt horrible. Sleeping through the night made a ton of difference on her outlook, but then she realized how badly she’d treated Trey the night before. He was too good for her. He put up with her accusations and calmly proved them wrong, all the while forgiving her the second she said she was sorry. The result: she felt miserable and had no idea how to make it up to him. Taylor crawled out of bed and slipped into her light blue silk robe before heading for the kitchen. The least she could do was make him breakfast.

  The bacon was cooked and she was just finishing the scrambled eggs when a sleepy Trey made his way into the kitchen. Taylor poured him a cup of coffee and he quickly perked up after a few sips.

  “What is all this?” he asked as he snagged a piece of bacon from the plate.

  “My apology. I’m so embarrassed for the way I acted last night.”

  “There’s nothing to apologize for. We both know living a public life is hard, just like when I have to watch you kiss someone on screen. But I know it’s not real.”

  “I know, and that’s why I’m so sorry. You’ve never made me feel bad about the tabloids. Even last week when they said I was pregnant with Grant’s child because they snapped a picture of me on set with him after I ate a hamburger.” Trey stared her down with a smile playing on his lips. “Okay, and a double scoop hot fudge sundae and a beer or two. It’s Melanie’s fault. Her constant demands have caused me to gain ten pounds.”

  Trey laughed and she felt the embarrassment fade away. He always made her a better person. He’d called her out, but then he’d forgiven her just as fast.

  “Fine, laugh it up. No one is saying you look pregnant.”

  “I’d hope not or we’d have to have a serious discussion.” Trey bent down and kissed her as he sneaked another piece of bacon. “What do you have planned today?”

  “I’m hoping to be on set in an hour. It shouldn’t be a late night, though. I think we’re planning the reshoot for tomorrow night, depending on the weather.”

  “Good. Then I’ll have you for the whole night.”

  Trey finished breakfast while Taylor got ready for work. He picked up the paper and read the story about Taylor’s accident on set and grimaced at the picture of Grant holding her. He hadn’t lied. He did trust her, but that didn’t mean he trusted Grant. He flipped the paper over so he wouldn’t have to see the picture and looked down at an article about a carnival being in town.

  He’d forgotten about that. It was set up near the stadium and he’d seen it driving to practice. That was it! They had that huge Ferris wheel set up overlooking the bay and Hung Island. He could propose there! With renewed enthusiasm, Trey started planning.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “For crying out loud, Melanie,” Jim cursed. “Did you suddenly forget you’re an actress?”

  Melanie stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her fake chest. “I just don’t get the emotion of the script.”

  “The emotion?” Jim yelled. The question hung heavy in the ballroom they had converted to a 1960s diner to cut down on the cost of having to move everything and everyone to yet another location. The exterior shots had been taken last month in Las Vegas.

  “She just met the guy. Why would she care if she never saw him again?” Melanie pouted.

  “The dance we filmed showed the connection blooming. It’s as if it’s right in front of you. You just can’t reach it and that tears at your heart. Just like the fact you’ll never get an Oscar. Let’s do it again!”

  Taylor hid her smile as she watched everyone hurry to their places. Melanie’s face was red with anger. But Jim was right. Melanie was flat and this was a very emotional moment. This was the scene when Darin and Kathy realized their interest in each other but have to leave not knowing if they’ll ever see each other again.

  “CUT!” Taylor grimaced as Jim threw his clipboard across the room. “I can’t take it! Go home. And Melanie, if you can’t give me some semblance of emotion, I will take every pair of shoes you have and set them on fire. Now that ought to get some emotion out of you. And don’t think I won’t do it.”

  “Wow, and I thought Coach was tough.”

  Taylor jumped as she heard Trey’s whispered words. “You scared me to death,” she said as she grew embarrassed that she’d been caught so unaware.

  “I thought we could go out on a date.”

  “Better not let her drink since she’s got my bun in her oven,” Grant swaggered over and grinned as if it were true.

  But Trey just rocked back on his cowboy boots and smiled like a cat that just ate the canary. If women could see Grant and Trey side by side, they would name a new Sexiest Man of the Year. Grant’s tan was courtesy of his make-up artist and his teeth were just a shade from blinding. He was tall but a couple of inches shorter than Trey. He was muscular, but it seemed like an illusion compared to Trey’s build. And Grant was always sure to lose his shirt in a split second. While nice to look at it, it didn’t compare to Trey's look: the understated jeans that hugged all the right places and the t-shirt gently stretched over a broad chest, hanging just slightly loose around Trey’s tapered waist. It all left you wondering what was beneath the clothing. And one couldn’t ignore Grant’s strutting peacock attitude compared to the gentlemanly manners that left a woman feeling respected and out of breath all at once.

  “I wouldn’t worry about anyone believing that. After all, I just saw an article saying you have a secret lover,” Trey continued to grin and Taylor wondered what was up.

  “It’s the price you pay for being so good-looking. I’m everyone’s lover. As long as I leave them satisfied, then I’ve done my job. Right, babe?” Taylor rolled her eyes as Grant preened.

  “Well, he seems like a nice guy. I’m glad you’re happy with him. The picture of you two online is adorable. Well, ready to go, Taylor?” Trey asked as if he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on Grant.

  “Wait, him? What you talking about?” Grant was already pulling out his phone and turning it on. “Holy hell.” Grant was on the phone and yelling at his agent in the blink of an eye.

  Taylor looked at Trey and back to where Grant was running from the set. “I don’t even want to know.”

  “He doesn’t matter to us. I have something great planned for tonight.”

  “Sounds fun. Let me get my stuff out of the trailer and we can head out. What are we doing?”

  “Going to the carniv
al. It has a huge Ferris wheel overlooking the ocean and Hung Island. And I can probably even win you a stuffed animal if you’d like.”

  “A big pink bear?” Taylor teased as they stepped into her trailer.

  “Anything my lady desires. Including funnel cakes, cotton candy, and lemon shake-ups. We’ll do the whole shebang.”

  “Oh my gosh, that sounds so good.” Taylor picked up her purse, “Okay, let’s go! I can’t wait to go on some of the rides.”

  Trey grabbed the door handle of the trailer but nothing happened. He pulled it again, but the door only rattled. “Is there a trick to opening the door?”

  “No. It’s just a door handle.” Taylor paused and then took a sniff of the air. “Do you smell smoke?”

  Trey breathed in. “Yes, and lots of it.” He tried the door with urgency, but it wouldn’t budge.

  Taylor turned to the back of the trailer and gasped. Through the window she saw flames. “Trey!”

  Trey grabbed the handle again but pulled back quickly. “Damn, it’s hot.” He rushed to the front of the trailer and looked out the window. “There’s fire all around us.”

  Taylor leapt onto the kitchen table and threw open the blinds. “No fire here, but the window only vents. It doesn’t open. We can’t get out.”

  Trey reached up and pulled her off the table as if he was moving a book. He flung open the overhead cabinets and ripped off the blinds. Grabbing hold of the bottom of the cabinet, he pulled back his legs and swung forward. The glass shattered on the impact and smoke rushed inside the trailer as the fire spread around them. A few more kicks and the window was mostly gone.

  “The fire’s spreading. Grab the doormat,” Trey ordered as he used his boot to knock some hanging pieces of glass down.

  Taylor rushed to grab the mat and threw it to him. Trey laid it over the broken glass and reached his hand out to help her step onto the table. “I’ll go out first and drop down. I want you to carefully come out feet first and just drop. I’ll catch you.”