California Dreaming: Four Contemporary Romances

by Casey Dawes

  “I’m fine.” He smiled at her and took her hand. “Thanks for asking.” He rubbed his thumb on her skin. “Look, things are going to be hectic for the next few days, but let’s see if we can grab some time together some evening. Okay?”

  “Yes.” She leaned toward him and kissed him.

  • • •

  By late Sunday evening, Mandy’s feet ached. She and Sally had been going non-stop since the last big shoot had started. Not only were they feeding the crew, but Beth Ann had needed food props for a few of the scenes.

  Mandy slumped on the trailer steps, taking a much-needed break.

  “Move over,” Sally said as she opened the door.

  Once Mandy complied, Sally sat and handed her a cup of coffee.

  “I feel like I’m living on this stuff,” Mandy said.

  “It gets like that sometimes.”

  With no energy for conversation, the two women sat quietly while the sun slipped behind the trees.

  The sounds of nature, even in the middle of a parking lot, seeped into Mandy’s consciousness. With the lodge closed, the enormity of Yosemite’s beauty became more apparent every day. Mandy chuckled as a chipmunk scampered up a nearby rock, gave them a wide-eyed stare, and hustled into nearby brush.

  “I think this is becoming one of my favorite places,” she said to Sally.

  “It does grow on you, especially when it’s quiet. The valley in the summer is too much for me, though. If I want to be shoulder to shoulder with people, I can stay in LA.” Sally did some shoulder rolls. “I have an hour and a half massage scheduled when I get home, and boy am I going to need it.”

  James’s Explorer pulled into the lot. He got out and crossed to the trailer.

  “Anything new?” Sally asked.

  James shook his head. “No new incidents, but no one has figured out who’s been doing it or why.”

  “Too bad,” Sally said. She glanced between the two of them. “I can finish up. Why don’t you run along?”

  “I couldn’t leave you alone,” Mandy protested.

  “Come in a little early tomorrow and have coffee ready when I show up and I’ll call us even.”

  “Deal,” Mandy said.

  After Sally went back inside, James said, “Let’s take a walk.”

  “Now? I’ve been on my feet all day.”

  He reached for her hand. “That’s standing. This is different.”

  “How’s that?” She pushed herself up.

  “You’ll be with me.”

  She gave him a light jab in his arm. “You are too full of yourself.”

  He laughed and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Unmasked! I thought I could keep that a secret forever!”

  They walked down the path, through the parking lot, and onto the shoulder next to the park road. James carried a flashlight, but the moon and stars made it clear enough to see.

  “What are you going to do when you go back?” Mandy asked.

  He laughed. “Go to my parents’ and let them baby me until the holidays are over.”

  A pang zipped through her. Even if she went to New Jersey, she’d be the one babysitting Lola.

  “You should really come down for Thanksgiving. My mother would love you.” He frowned. “Unless you have plans with Lola.”

  She snorted. It was a ladylike snort, but still a snort. “Lola? Hardly. I’ll spend it with Hunter, Sarah, and the rest of her family. They include me—probably feel sorry for me.” She smiled. “And I think there might be a wedding to plan.”

  “Sarah?”

  Mandy shook her head. “Her mother.”

  “Will you be involved?”

  Mandy smiled. “Definitely. I loved helping with Annie’s wedding. When Sarah and Hunter do get married, I hope to be there for theirs.” She stared across the moonlit meadow to the mountains beyond. “Thanks for getting me to come. I like evening walks.”

  “They go along with the white picket fence.”

  Mandy wrinkled her nose. “Are you dissing on my dream?”

  “Not at all. I like walks at night, too.” A low black shape ran across the road in front of them. “Especially when the area is full of critters—as long as they’re the four-legged kind.”

  He was probably right about that. She wasn’t sure if she’d rather encounter a bear or a human on a lonely park road at night.

  The scrunch of their sneakers on the gravel was the only sound for several minutes.

  Mandy spotted a movement several hundred yards down the road. “What’s that?” She pointed at the shadow.

  They watched for a couple of seconds before the moon silhouetted a human figure at the edge of the road. At that moment, the person must have spotted them because he took off into the brush.

  James dropped her hand and ran after the figure.

  Mandy followed.

  The person must have heard their pounding feet, because it disappeared into the dark of the woods.

  When James got to the edge of the road where the movement had been, he plunged into the brush.

  Mandy stayed by the road, unsure of which direction to go.

  Tempted to call for James, she hesitated. Would her voice lead the person back to her? A thrashing in the woods to her left made her take a step back. Was it the person they’d seen? Or a four-legged predator? She stared at the spot, prepared to run if it was anything or anyone other than James.

  Or was running the right thing to do?

  Weren’t you supposed to stand still if a bear came at you? Or roll into a ball? Stand as tall as possible and stretch your arms overhead? Or was that for a mountain lion?

  She could never remember, no matter how many times she went over the literature she’d been handed on her first day in Yosemite.

  James emerged from the dark and spared her the decision.

  “Lost him,” he said. He looked at her and rubbed his hand down her arm. “You okay? You look a little pale.”

  “I was afraid the noise was a bear. Or lion. And I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to do.”

  He chuckled. “No, just me.” He stared into the woods. “Maybe we imagined it.” He cocked his head at her.

  “No. I didn’t imagine it. Do you think it could be the person causing all the trouble?” She shuddered.

  “I don’t know, but it’s not safe for you. Let’s head back. Besides, it’s another long day tomorrow.”

  They were quiet as they walked back to the lodge. He took her hand and led her past the path to their tents.

  “Where are you going?”

  “You don’t think I’m taking you back without a good night kiss,” he said. “And I’m not doing it where anyone else can see us.”

  “Oh.”

  Her insides softened with the idea of his touch.

  He led her down a side path, away from the dining tent. When they were in the shadows of the trees, he stopped and turned her toward him. He let his hand caress her cheek before cupping her chin. “Are you okay with this?”

  “Yes.” She lifted her face, more than ready.

  “So I see.” He chuckled before bending his head and capturing her lips with his.

  The kiss was too tentative. She wanted more. She looped her arms around his neck, arched her back, and moved closer to him, deepening their connection.

  He groaned and pulled her close.

  She responded and relished the taste of him as he swept her mouth with his tongue. Her breasts brushed against the hard planes of his chest causing her nipples to harden. A wave of warmth rushed between her legs. She moved closer, aching to feel more of him.

  Oh, God, she wanted this man.

  He pulled back, and released her mouth. “Slow down, honey. We have time.”

  “But we don’t.” She almost wailed with frustration. “We only have a few more days, and then…”

  “I’m not letting you go, Mandy. We’ll figure out something. Now hush.” He pulled her close and recaptured her mouth.

  • • •

  Af
ter dropping Mandy at her tent, James walked back to his, fighting the desire that still coursed through his body. Was he selfish to encourage her to come to Hollywood? She’d have to deal with the legacy of her parents, as well as Russell’s position in the business. Her father’s approval would open doors, but was Mandy ready to lay that demon to rest?

  He didn’t have any good answers. He pushed his thoughts about Mandy to the background and focused on the figure they’d seen tonight. While he’d only caught a glimpse of the man in the moonlight, the shape was familiar. Had the man been going to the set? Or coming back?

  Too restless to sleep, James went back to the parking lot and got into his car. He drove toward the set, but parked further away than normal. It was a long shot, but maybe James could stop anything bad from happening or at least discover the sabotage before anyone else got hurt.

  He stuck to the main part of the path. The area was rich in pine trees, and needles lined the path. He picked his way carefully, praying he didn’t make a sound. It wasn’t light enough to distinguish between needles and twigs.

  He made it to the site quietly, and stood at the edge of the woods by the set while he looked around. Everything seemed in order. The building George had “set on fire” shadowed part of the set, so James edged around its side.

  That’s when he saw the movement.

  He grasped his flashlight more firmly. If he conked the intruder on the head, it should disable the guy.

  You’re an idiot, Lubbock.

  What did he think he was doing playing cops and robbers? There was no one to help him. No cops. No way to prove anything if he did catch the culprit.

  James didn’t move.

  The man he was watching bent down by an old-style wooden wagon and fiddled with something under the wagon bed. When he was done, he stood and turned toward the building James hid behind, his face fully visible in the moonlight.

  Doug Lambert.

  James yanked his phone from his pants pocket, and snapped a picture.

  The flash must have caught Doug’s eye, because he took a step toward where James stood.

  James thrust the phone in his pants pocket, stepped out from behind the building, and strode into the light.

  Doug saw him and ran.

  “You son of a—” James took after the man.

  Doug was in good shape, but so was James. James caught up to him at the edge of the set. He launched himself into a flying tackle and took his assistant down, pinning him into the ground.

  “Why? You SOB! Why?” James wanted to pound Doug’s face into the dirt.

  “I didn’t do anything wrong. Get off me!” The assistant struggled to get up.

  James straddled the man and grabbed his arms. He’d filled in as an extra in westerns enough to know the procedure. “What did you do to the wagon?”

  “Get off me! You’re hurting me!” Doug’s voice was muffled by the dirt.

  James hoped the traitor was getting a mouthful of the stuff. “I saw you. What did you do?”

  “I told you. Nothing. And if you say I did anything, I’ll deny it. I could even say I saw you do it.”

  James let out a puff of air he didn’t even know he’d been holding. Doug was right. There wasn’t any proof. Park cops had investigated George’s accident, but hadn’t found any evidence. Whoever had tampered with the saddle had worn gloves.

  James looked down at Doug’s hands and smiled.

  No gloves.

  “I don’t think so.” He got off of Doug. “I only want to know why.”

  Doug stood, shook off the dust, and glared at James. “I. Didn’t. Do. Anything.” He shoved James. “Now, get out of my way.”

  He started down the path toward the lodge.

  “You’re fired!” James yelled after him.

  “Whatever. Take it up with my union rep. You won’t have your job for long, either.” He leered a smile. “Or your girl.”

  James clenched his fists to keep from tackling him again. “Did you really think this was going to get me fired? Or that they’d give you the job instead?”

  “Since I didn’t do anything, it doesn’t matter what I think. But it sure would be convenient to have someone here who was ready to take over. Especially, someone who would have been smart enough to hire a security guard. Mandy will need a shoulder to cry on, too.”

  The threat to Mandy propelled him a step closer.

  The smirk left Doug’s face.

  “Get out of here,” James growled.

  Doug turned and sauntered from the set.

  James waited until Doug was out of sight before pulling his phone back out of his pocket. This was one of the few places in this part of the park where he could get a signal. He paged through his contacts and dialed park ranger headquarters.

  That creep wasn’t getting away with anything if he could help it.

  Chapter 19

  James waited in his car for the police to arrive from their headquarters on the valley floor. An hour passed before he saw the headlights of the Jeep. He opened the door and got out, the dome light announcing his presence.

  After the two cops introduced themselves, they followed James to the set.

  Strong flashlights beamed as the one of the cops examined the wagon.

  The other looked at the picture on James’s phone. “Too bad you didn’t have a photo of him in the act,” said the cop whose nametag declared him to be Sargent Riley. “He’s right. There’s no way you can prove anything other than he was out here at this date and time.” Sargent Riley pointed to the notation on James’s phone.

  The cop by the wagon stood, his leather belt and gear creaking as he rose, and walked toward them. “Yep. Somebody tampered with the brake. I can see where the rope is almost cut through. Depending on what was planned for the wagon, it could have been another nasty accident.”

  “Can you lift fingerprints from rope?”

  “Doubtful.” He flashed his beam on James’s shoes. “Got something almost as good, though.” He turned his beam to the ground by the wagon. “Boot print. Let me see the photo.”

  James handed him the phone.

  “Could be. It’s thin, but let’s get his boots when we pick him up for questioning.”

  Sargent Riley nodded. “Anything else you noticed? Do you think this could be the same person behind all the other problems you’ve been having? Any idea why he’d do it?”

  James shook his head.

  “We’ll pick him up first thing in the morning,” Sargent Riley said as they walked back to their cars. “Where’s he staying?”

  “He pulled a trailer up from LA. He’s parked in the campground,” James said. “What if he runs?”

  “Do you think that’s an issue?”

  James thought of the way Doug had left the set. “No,” he said. “He thinks he’s in the clear.”

  The sergeant gestured to the sky. “If we attempt to pick him up and he bolts, it may be difficult to track him. Better to wait ’til daylight.”

  “Okay.”

  James drove back to the parking lot and headed to his tent. As he passed Mandy’s lodging, he paused. Would Doug do anything to hurt her? Or was his plan limited to seducing her in James’s absence?

  James walked up the steps to Mandy’s cabin, pushed aside the flap, and went inside. For a moment he looked at her sleeping form, emotions welling inside him. He’d do anything to keep her safe.

  • • •

  Mandy awoke with a start. There was someone in her tent!

  She grabbed the flashlight she stashed under her pillow every night, pointed it at the intruder, and flicked it on. “Take one more step and I’ll scream!”

  “Turn that off,” James said, just as she recognized her visitor.

  She clicked off the light, leaving shadows visible in the moonlight. “What are you doing here?”

  He sat on the bed her mother had used. “I’m sleeping here tonight.”

  “Oh, no you’re not.” The last thing she needed was more rumors abou
t them.

  He shook his head. “I’m not here to seduce you, much as I would enjoy that.” His eyes swept down her body and he smiled.

  All of a sudden she was aware of the thin nightshirt she wore. Moonlight wasn’t much to see by, but still … She pulled the covers up to her chin.

  He frowned. “There’s been more trouble tonight. Because our—” he gestured between them, “um, people are aware that we’re seeing each other. I’m afraid you may be in danger.” The last words came out in a rush.

  “Why? What happened?” She drew up her knees and crossed her arms around them.

  “I had a hunch and went back to the set. I found Doug sabotaging the wagon.”

  “Doug? Oh, no. He was so sweet to me.”

  James glared at her. “Trust me. He’s not a nice man.” An edge of steel knifed through his words.

  “Did he get away? What happens now?”

  “The cops think they have enough to question him, but they don’t want to do it until the morning. That’s why I’m here. To protect you.” James crossed his arms over his chest.

  She bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Men were cute in a predictable kind of way. After she got herself under control, she pointed to the bed. “Okay. You can sleep there. With your clothes on. And stay on your side of the tent.”

  She slipped back down under the covers. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” The words were throaty with desire.

  Radiance ran from the tips of her toes to her fingers.

  Rustles came from the other side of the cabin as James crawled under the cot’s covers. When the noise stopped, she spoke.

  “James?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Thanks for being here.”

  “No problem.”

  “G’night.” She turned to bury her face into the pillow, restless with unfulfilled desire.

  • • •

  When the first rays of sun streamed into the tent, Mandy woke and looked across the tent.

  James was sitting on his bed, tying his shoes.

  “Morning,” she whispered.

  He looked up and grinned. “Morning.” He stood, and his expression became serious again. “I’m going to go out to the lot. The cops should be here soon.”

  “Let me go with you.”

  He shook his head. “I think the fewer people around, the easier it will go.” He gave her an ironic smile. “You know show business folk. Always ready to do a scene.”