Sweet Starlight

by Kay Correll

  “I saw your photo in the paper. So, you and Rick Nichols. Who would ever guess he’d want to go out with you?”

  She wanted to give Vicki the benefit of the doubt, that she didn’t know how mean-girl she sounded, but knowing her, she meant it just the way it came out. “Did you need something, Vicki?”

  “Victoria. Really, you’d think after all this time, you’d remember a simple thing like calling me Victoria. I gave up the name Vicki years ago. It’s just such a… plain name. Doesn’t suit me at all.” Victoria swept her hair away from her face.

  “Did you want to purchase a gift?” She made sure she had on her best may-I-help-you face.

  “What? No, of course not.” The woman’s face held an incredulous expression. “I don’t shop here. I just wondered… if you and Rick would like to come to dinner one night this week.”

  She sank onto the chair in disbelief. Vicki rarely spoke to her, much less invited her to her home. “I… I’m not sure what his schedule is. And I’m not really seeing him.”

  “He kissed you. I’d say that was seeing him.”

  “Well, I’m sure he’s busy this week with the party for his grandmother coming up. I’m not sure when or if I’ll see him again.” It hurt her just to say the words because she didn’t know when or if she’d see him again.

  “Well… that’s… disappointing.” Vicki frowned. “If you do see him, you’ll be sure to extend my invitation and call me if he says yes.”

  “Sure thing.” Not a chance.

  “Well, I better run.” Vicki twirled around to leave. “Oh, and I can’t believe you, of all people, have a security person.” She left with a rustle of skirt and a slamming of the door behind her.

  She rolled her eyes. What a charming person Miss Vicki-Victoria was. She doubted if Vicki would ever invite her to anything again, not that it was a great loss.

  She went back to work on setting up a new display. She took out a necklace and bracelet she’d made a few weeks ago and settled it into the front of the display. She grabbed a cloth and wiped some fingerprints off the glass with more vigor than needed.

  The stress and pent-up frustration from the last few days made her want to go racing to the beach, plunge straight into the surf, and swim until she could no longer move her arms.

  Maybe then she’d find some peace. Maybe then she’d be too tired to think about Rick every single waking moment.

  Chapter 14

  “Grandmere.” Rick walked over and kissed his grandmother on the cheek. “You made it.”

  “Of course I made it, Richard.” She looked around The Pink Lady and smiled. “It still looks the same. I do adore coming here. So much sunlight.” She swept across the floor and stood in front of the bank of windows. “I’ll never tire of this view.”

  “The sunsets on the bay are pretty spectacular.” He walked over to stand beside her. “Did you have a good trip?”

  “I did.” She turned to look at him. “Everything going okay here?”

  “You mean about the party?”

  “I was actually asking about you and Christina. You two getting along?”

  “Of course.” He wasn’t about to tell her about the fight he’d had with his sister last night after returning to The Pink Ladies with his ice cream-covered nieces.

  “Somehow I doubt the two of you have been in the same town for twenty-four hours without a row or two.”

  She knew him too well. “No, everything is fine.” A little white lie wouldn’t hurt anything. It was Grandmere’s week, and he was determined that everything was going to go smoothly.

  “Now, I see there are more photos in the press of you with this Whitney we talked about. Did you invite her over for drinks like I asked? I was actually thinking maybe she’d like to come to dinner.”

  “Um, not yet.”

  “Well, I expect you to. I want to meet her. How about tomorrow night? I’ll have my cook make up something for all of us. She brought an assistant with her.”

  Just then the twins burst through the door, letting him avoid answering his grandmother.

  “Grandmere!” The twins rushed over to hug their great-grandmother.

  “Well, look at you two. I swear you’ve grown a foot since I saw you at Christmas.”

  “That’s ‘cause we’re getting older,” Taylor said gravely.

  Rick marveled at the differences between the girls. Taylor so serious and Allison always acting like she didn’t have a care in the world. Allison drove Christina nuts, he could tell. His sister much preferred the ever-serious, ever-learning, always trying to do her absolute best so her mother would notice her, Taylor. A carbon copy of his sister like she’d been as a young girl, trying for their own mother’s attention. Only, so far, Taylor was a nicer human being than his sister.

  Oops, that wasn’t a very charitable thought.

  Allison drew herself up to her full height. “But I’m older than Taylor.”

  “You are, my dear. You’ll always be twelve minutes older than Taylor.”

  Taylor scowled. “Yeah, I don’t like that.”

  Rick laughed. “I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do to fix that, kiddo.”

  She let out a sigh that was way too big for her small frame. “I guess not.”

  Christina followed her daughters inside, crossed over, and kissed Grandmere’s cheek. “Was the trip as torturous for you as it was for me? I don’t know why Rick insisted the party be here.”

  “Because I love it here?” Grandmere gently corrected his sister.

  He smothered a grin. Grandmere didn’t let Christina get away with much of her the-northeast-is-the-only-real-world nonsense. Not to mention her tendency to be a… well, a snob. Grandmere was ridiculously famous, used to fine things, and always had cooks and assistants, but she was the kindest, most down-to-earth person he’d ever met. Her employees were more friends to her than helpers. She’d never been the diva movie star.

  He took a good look at her. She did look a bit tired around the eyes. The wrinkles on her face showed a long life lived well. She’d scoffed at anyone who’d suggested plastic surgery. Though he admitted, and not just because she was his grandmother, the woman was gorgeous, even at eighty… or however old she actually was.

  “How about I take you two to town and we’ll let Grandmere unpack and your mom can have a nice break to herself.”

  “No more ice cream right before dinner.”

  Allison scowled. “Just one scoop?”

  “They’ll eat their vegetables, they promise.” He winked at the girls.

  “Really, Rick. You’re just spoiling them.”

  “It’s what favorite uncles do.”

  Grandmere opened her purse. “Here, girls, here’s some money for your ice cream.”

  Just like that, the ice cream argument was settled.

  “Don’t forget to invite Whitney to dinner like I asked. I’d love to meet her.”

  “You want him to invite that local girl over?” Christina rolled her eyes. “Whatever for? He’s going to mess things up with Shawna Jacobson if he keeps getting his photo taken kissing other women.”

  “It wasn’t women, it was one woman. And there’s nothing between Shawna and me.”

  “Well, there should be. She’s a good match for you. Directors love it if the press runs with stories of the hot new couple in their movie.”

  “Well, that’s too bad. Because we are not a couple.” As if his sister was ever going to think he was going to be good enough at acting, or famous enough.

  “You should be. Why you’d go out with this local woman instead of Shawna is beyond me. Shawna is beautiful. Plus, dating her is good for your career.”

  “Such a good reason to date a woman.” He wasn’t sure if his sister caught his sarcasm since she was really just listening to herself, not to him.

  “If you’re going to have a fling, you should at least do it in private.”

  “Whitney is not a fling.”

  “What’s a fling, Uncle Rick?” Al
lison asked.

  “Your mother will explain that.” He cocked his head and looked at his sister.

  “Never mind, Allison.” Christina turned away from her daughter.

  Grandmere interrupted their ever-present disagreement. “If Richard likes this girl, that’s good enough for me. I’d like to meet her while I’m here.” She turned to him. “So you’ll ask her to come?

  “I’ll try. I’ll see if she’s free.” He turned to the twins.

  “Come on girls. Let’s go.” The twins grabbed his hands, and they hurried out of the Pink Lady and into the welcoming sunshine.

  “Are we going to get some ice cream even though Mom doesn’t want us to?”

  “You bet. Grandmere said yes. She wins.”

  Whitney hadn’t seen Rick in two days now—except for the brief glance through the window. He’d called her last night, though. They’d talked for a long time, into the wee hours of the morning. She’d paid the price all day and bolstered herself with coffee throughout the afternoon.

  Tonight, she’d put some peanut butter on crackers and sliced an apple for dinner. She really needed to go to the market, but that involved Mitch following her around the store, and she couldn’t picture herself doing that. But she’d have to do it soon, or go out to eat… which brought with it another set of problems.

  She sank onto a chair at the table and looked at her rather pathetic meal. Her phone rang, and she snatched it up, ready for the interruption.

  “Hey.” Rick’s low, sexy voice made her smile.

  “Hey, yourself.” She pushed away her plate and leaned back in her chair, stretching out her legs, hoping for another long conversation.

  “Did you have a good day?”

  “I was kind of tired.”

  He laughed. “Yep, me too. It was a late night.”

  “It was.” Though, she’d do it again tonight if he wanted. But what she really wanted was to see him.

  “So… if I wait until after dark, how about I sneak over to your house? I’ll come in the beach way.”

  “That would be great.” Either he was reading her thoughts, or they were just in sync with each other. “I’ll unlock the slider door for you.”

  “After we have supper here tonight, I’ll escape and come over. I could use the break from… well, I’d like to spend time with you.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “I’ll let Mitch know so he can keep a watch. See you soon.” Rick hung up.

  She got up from the table and brought the plate of food, uneaten, over to the counter. She’d go change clothes so she didn’t look like such a rumpled mess from the day. She slipped on khaki shorts and a fresh shirt and padded back out to the main room. She’d sit on the couch for a few minutes to rest, then maybe, just maybe, she’d have enough energy to go back in the kitchen and finish her so-called dinner.

  Rick slipped in the sliding door from the deck. He’d made sure no one was following him and knew that Whitney would have all her blinds closed, keeping out any onlookers. He slid the door closed behind him and saw Whitney sound asleep on the couch.

  He quietly walked over and stood gazing down at her. A peaceful look covered her face, and her long, tanned legs stretched out on the couch. It was the most relaxed he’d seen her since this whole media mess had started. He took a step back and knocked into the coffee table. Her eyes flew open wide, and she sprang upright.

  “Oh, it’s you.”

  “It is me.” He sat beside her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

  “I guess I fell asleep.” She adjusted her top and smoothed out her shorts. She quickly ran her fingers through her short hair, rumpling it into place, if that made any sense. But to him that seemed exactly like what she did.

  She rubbed her hands over her face. “I must look a mess.”

  “You look adorable.” He leaned over and kissed her.

  She made a purring noise deep in the back of her throat that almost drove him insane. He deepened the kiss, and she wrapped an arm around his neck. “I’ve been wanting to do that for two days. Whose idea was it to stay away from you for so long?”

  “Wasn’t mine.” She leaned against him and pulled him into another kiss.

  He finally pulled back and looked at her, sitting beside him, her cheeks flushed. “I know we just met a little over a week ago, but… well, I like you. I have a great time with you. I feel like you spend time with me, just because I’m me. Not because of my being an actor.”

  “You’d be easier to be with if you weren’t an actor.” She sent him a wry smile.

  “I’m sorry this has upended your life so much, but I’m not sorry I met you, that I got to know you.”

  “I’m not sorry for that part, either.”

  He held both her small hands in his, staring down at them and her delicate wrists. Everything about this woman delighted him.

  And that scared him.

  A lot.

  Whitney stared down at her hands, resting in Rick’s. His hands were firm and muscular, strong and lean. They were perfect.

  As was his smile.

  And his eyes.

  And just about everything about him.

  Except for that whole actor gig thing he had going on.

  She looked up into those blue eyes that changed from sky blue to stormy blue depending on his emotions. For a moment she forgot what she was going to say. “I… oh, yes. Can I get you a drink? I have a few beers or a half bottle of red wine.”

  “A beer sounds good.”

  She got up and went into the kitchen to grab two bottles of beer. She wished they could go outside and sit on the deck. It was beautiful weather tonight, but she didn’t want to chance another photo of them going viral.

  Especially one with him kissing her.

  And she wanted him to kiss her again.

  She walked over and handed him a bottle. She sat beside him on the sofa, and he draped an arm around her shoulder. So casual, so usual, and yet so foreign. Being with him was a mix of of-course-this-is-right and what-the-heck-am-I-doing.

  “So, my sister is in town. And my grandmother.”

  “I saw you in town with the twins yesterday.”

  “You did?”

  “I didn’t think it would be a very smart idea to come out and talk to you.”

  “Yeah, probably not.” He scowled. “It’s complicated, isn’t it?”

  “It is.”

  “Anyway, Grandmere wanted me to ask you over for dinner tomorrow night. I understand if you’re busy or if you don’t want to be seen with me.” He took a sip of his beer. “But we might be able to figure out some way for you come over, but not be seen.”

  “And how would that happen?”

  “So you’ll come if I figure something out?” His eyes turned a cobalt shade of blue. “Grandmere wants to meet you, and I like to do what makes her happy.”

  “I’d like to come if we can figure it out without it being another media event.”

  “I’ll figure something out. I promise.”

  And she believed him. He would figure out a way to make it happen.

  Chapter 15

  Late the next afternoon, Whitney glanced at the text message on her phone.

  It’s all set. See you at six.

  Well, that was cryptic. Was she just supposed to walk over to The Pink Ladies? She’d noticed a photographer still lounged under a live oak tree across the street from her house. Somehow she didn’t think he’d let her walk out of her house and not try to follow her.

  The doorbell rang, and she went to answer the door, knowing that Mitch would have screened any visitors.

  “Mere, hi.”

  “Hey, yourself.” Merry slipped into the house wearing a large sun hat covering her hair—which was strange enough—but also a bright red wrap around her shoulders.

  “I didn’t know you were coming. I’m going out tonight. I’m supposed to go to Rick’s.” She closed the door behind Merry.

  “I know, I’m part of t
he plan.”

  “What plan?”

  “The plan where I leave the house and the photographer ignores me… only it’s really going to be you.”

  “Huh?”

  “Follow along,” Merry commanded. “Go put on that navy sundress you have. See, it looks a lot like this one, doesn’t it?” Merry dropped her wrap and spun around. “So, you put that on, and you wear this wrap and this hat. Then you’re going to sail out of the house and those silly reporters will think it’s me leaving.”

  Whitney clapped her hands. “That’s a brilliant idea.”

  “Don’t look at me. It was Rick’s. He called and asked if I’d help him set it up.” Merry gave her a gentle shove. “Go get dressed. Austin will be by here about six to pick you up and take you over to The Pink Ladies.”

  Whitney broke into a grin. “I think this might work.”

  “Of course it will. Have I ever let you down?”

  An hour later, after changing into her navy dress, much makeup advice from Merry, and draping the bright red wrap around her shoulders, she was ready to go.

  Merry handed her the sunhat, and she settled it on her head. With a flourish, Merry handed over a large pair of sunglasses. “No one will know it’s you and not me.”

  Whitney hugged her friend. “You’re the best.”

  “Make sure you tell Austin that.”

  They walked to the door and Merry stood to the side and called out loudly, “Bye, Merry.”

  Whitney grinned as she walked out the door. She got to the door of Austin’s car and turned back toward the cottage. “Bye, Whitney. See you soon.”

  Whitney heard Austin chuckle as she slid into his car. “You and Merry make a pretty good conspiracy team.”

  “Thanks, Austin.” Whitney opened the door of the car after they pulled up to The Pink Ladies.

  “No problem. You guys have quite the subterfuge going on. Hope it works.”

  She swung her legs out of the car and sat, staring up at The Pink Lady. She should really get out of the car and go in…