California Dreaming: Four Contemporary Romances

by Casey Dawes

  She shook her head. “I’m going wait a little bit before I make that decision.”

  He smiled. “Thank you.”

  Her heart opened a little more to him.

  “Shall we grab a table?” he asked.

  She nodded, and he gestured to a table in the corner, overlooking the boulevard. As LA streets went, it was relatively empty. The waitress took their orders.

  “Thanks for meeting me,” Dana said. “I know it’s hard for you. What brings you down here?”

  Nothing like getting right to the important points. Although, the trait was probably what made Dana successful as a producer.

  “I’m considering moving down here.”

  “Oh?”

  Like James, Dana had mastered the art of understatement.

  May as well get it over with. “Sally—I know you know Sally.”

  Her father nodded.

  “Sally’s made me an offer to become a partner in her business. I’m considering it.” She took a deep breath. “And I met someone while I was working on the Davenport set who lives down here.”

  Her father’s arched eyebrow stood in for his reply.

  The waitress plunked hot cups of coffee and two donuts in front of them.

  Mandy broke off a piece of the sweet cake and dunked it in her coffee. She looked up to see her father do the same and chuckled.

  He looked up and shrugged. “Some things New Jersey does right,” he said. “Although all my California friends shudder whenever I do it.”

  “Including Catherine?”

  His smile was cautious. “Especially Catherine.”

  “Do you love her?”

  “With all my heart. She’s been the best partner and friend a man could want.”

  Mandy considered her father. She’d finally accepted Lola hadn’t been the best wife for Dana, or for anyone. Was it wrong for him to seek happiness after the marriage broke up?

  “I’d like you to meet her someday. And your sisters.”

  “Half-sisters.”

  He nodded. “Please don’t be bitter toward them. It’s not their fault I didn’t get to include you in my life.”

  “I still think you could have tried harder.”

  He studied his coffee for a few moments. “Perhaps. But I did the best I could for who I was at the time. It’s in the past and can’t be changed. Can we let it stay there and move on from here?”

  Mandy’s answer would mean the difference between a possible relationship with her father and none at all.

  No one was perfect.

  “I think it’s worth a try.”

  “Good.” He sipped his coffee. “Now what about that young man you’ve found in LA? At least, I assume it’s a young man.” He peered at her. “You’re not gay, are you? I mean, it’s not a problem. I just don’t want to assume anything.”

  She shook her head. “No. Not gay.” She twisted her napkin in her hands. “It’s someone you know.”

  Again the arched eyebrow was the only response.

  “James Lubbock,” she blurted out.

  “Ah.” He dunked another piece of donut. “At least it’s not an actor.” He raised the dripping donut piece in the air, his index finger pointing up. “I mean I have nothing against actors, either. They provide me a great deal of income.” He popped the piece into his mouth. “James is a good guy. I hired him as a location manager for my next film—hear he has ambitions to be a producer someday. We’ll see.” He wiped his hands with his napkin. “There’s one more thing we need to discuss, Mandy.”

  He leaned forward. “Even though your mother wouldn’t let me see you, I paid child support every month.”

  “You did? Lola never told me that.”

  “I’m not surprised. I paid until your mother let it slip you’d moved out and were on your own in California. She wouldn’t tell me where you were, but I started looking and let people, like Sally, know I was doing so. I know you’re aware she’s the one who told me where you were, but don’t be too hard on her. She knew how desperate I was to find you.

  “But that’s beside the point. Once I started making real money as a producer I set up trust funds for all my daughters, including you. Actually, I set up two for you. One you can access when you’re thirty-five, like my other daughters. The other became available when you turned twenty-five. It’s yours now to use how you see fit.” He patted her hand. “It will give you a good start in LA.”

  She sat back, stunned by the news. Money wasn’t everything. It didn’t replace the time she’d lost with her father, but his forethought meant he’d cared the best way he knew how.

  “Thanks.” She paused a second. “Dad.”

  Tears of joy trickled from her eyes.

  • • •

  “Do you mind if we take a brief stop before the airport?” James asked after she’d returned to the car and they were on their way.

  Mandy glanced at her watch. “I think we have plenty of time—but you’re the one who knows LA traffic.”

  “Good.” James made a series of turns off the main boulevard that left Mandy lost.

  “I hope I never have to find this place again,” she said.

  He frowned. “I hope you change your mind.”

  Where was he taking her?

  He slowed down when they reached a block of modest homes painted in the cheerful pastels of Southern California.

  Her bewilderment increased when he stopped in front of a robin’s-egg blue bungalow with—

  “A white picket fence! What is this place?”

  He grinned at her. “It’s a rental my parents own. The tenant just moved out. Want to see it?”

  “I couldn’t afford to rent a whole house.”

  He laughed. “The rent’s less than you think because it’s not close to any of the big malls or business districts. It also needs a little fixing up, but I know you have experience in that department.”

  “What? Oh. Sarah’s Inn.”

  He dangled a key in front of her. “Want to see it?”

  Her eyes widened. “Oh, yes!”

  The space was small, but efficient. In her mind’s eye, Mandy saw how she could, with a little effort and some of her father’s money, make it into a perfect retreat. It would be the first home she didn’t have to share with anyone.

  She glanced at James.

  At least for the near future.

  “I love it,” she said. “It’s perfect.”

  “I thought it might be.” He gathered her in his arms and pulled her close. “I love you, Mandy. I can’t wait until you’re home for good.”

  She looked up at James. “Wherever you are, I’m home.”

  His grin broadened as he leaned in to kiss her.

  Epilogue

  The following April

  Mandy sat in the back row of chairs as she watched her friend Sarah walk down the flower-strewn aisle. Her azure-blue dress was a perfect complement to her dark complexion. Following her was her mother Elizabeth, another dark-haired beauty, tastefully clad in a chic white dress, probably from Italy.

  Marcos beamed as he waited for his bride. His best man, John, stood next to him, looking like he’d rather be on a horse somewhere. Mandy glanced across the aisle at John’s wife, Annie. All of her attention was focused on her husband. Next to her, her son David stared off in the distance.

  In front of them, Mandy noticed Sarah’s half-sister, Alicia, and her baby.

  A string trio played Pachelbel’s “Canon” in a side corner of the inn’s garden.

  “It would make a good scene at the end of a chick flick,” James whispered in her ear.

  “Hush.” She looked around to see if anyone had heard.

  Annie grinned at her.

  Mandy gave James a mock glare.

  He picked up her hand and kissed her fingers, paying special attention to the one ringed with a substantial diamond.

  Mandy’s heart warmed with memories of his proposal their last night in Maui. He’d suggested a walk on a starlit beach a
fter dinner. When they reached a promontory with a view to a shadowy island in the distance, a lone ukulele player began a haunting native melody.

  James had gotten on one knee and proposed.

  Tears in her eyes, and joy in her heart, she’d accepted.

  The man certainly knew how to organize a production. He’d pulled in favors from people he knew in Santa Cruz to help make Elizabeth’s day perfect. From the setup to the string trio, James had worked with Elizabeth to get her what she needed.

  Mandy glanced toward the catering RV parked in the lot and grinned. James had even convinced Sally to cater the affair so Mandy could enjoy herself.

  Sarah read a piece she’d composed about her mother and Marcos, reminding everyone of their meeting in Italy and the world wide courtship that followed, making reference to Elizabeth’s reluctance to get married. As she spoke, Mandy noticed something glint on Sarah’s left hand. When had that happened?

  Marcos and Elizabeth exchanged vows and returned down the petal-strewn aisle as attendees scattered birdseed in their wake.

  When Mandy finally reached Sarah in the receiving line, she said with a grin, “Let me see your left hand, girlfriend.”

  Sarah blushed and held out her hand. A small but elegantly set emerald glistened in the sun. “Hunter gave it to me this morning. He said Elizabeth’s friends should know her daughter is cared for.”

  “Well done,” James said and reached out his hand.

  Hunter balanced baby Hannah in one arm as he shook James’s hand. “Thanks. It’s taken me a while to convince her. She’s like her mother that way.”

  Mandy chuckled. “Marcos’s family didn’t make the trip?”

  Sarah shook her head. “We’re headed there on Wednesday. His family is having a big to-do, getting the local priest to bless the union. They had to jump through all kinds of hoops to make that happen since Marcos is divorced. Then my mom and Marcos are going on their honeymoon.” She looked up at Hunter and smiled. “Hunter and I will explore Italy for a week before we come home.”

  “What about Hannah?”

  “She’ll come with us. Italy is baby-friendly.” Sarah grinned.

  James and Mandy walked over to the tables where Sally had set up hors d’oeuvres. A bartender poured them each a glass of wine.

  “Do you need any help?” Mandy asked her partner.

  Sally shook her head. “This is easy stuff. No actors, no Hollywood divas.” She glanced over at Elizabeth. “No bridezillas either. Your friend is a very nice woman. How was your trip to New Jersey?”

  Mandy wrinkled her nose. “Lola hasn’t changed, but she seems to have found a man to put up with her mood swings. The car dealer came back around and seems to be sticking.” She shrugged. “I seem to be handling her better, too. Like Dr. Graham taught me—my stuff is mine. And Lola Parker’s stuff definitely belongs to her.”

  Sally nodded, then turned to the couple behind them to help them with their food choices.

  Mandy spotted Alicia sitting at a table by herself, holding her baby in her lap. The young woman looked troubled. Mandy handed James her plate and made up a third plate to bring with her. She headed to Alicia’s table, James following behind.

  “Mind if we join you? I brought you something to eat.”

  “Oh, no. Thank you.” Alicia’s beautiful face beamed up at them, a shadow of Sarah echoed in her full lips.

  “James, this is Alicia, Elizabeth’s partner in the Costanoa spa, and Sarah’s half-sister.”

  They sat down.

  “How’s Luis doing?” she asked.

  Alicia gazed at the sleeping boy sprawled on her lap before looking up with watery eyes. “I don’t know. I look at Sarah’s Hannah, and she’s doing more things than Luis is and she’s several months younger than he is. The doctor keeps telling me he’s a late developer, but I don’t know. Something feels wrong to me.”

  “Maybe you should take him somewhere else. To a specialist,” James said.

  Alicia nodded. “I’ve already thought about that. I did some research on doctors at Stanford and found one that specializes in infant development. Now I’m trying to get an appointment and wrangling with the insurance company.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Mandy said. “It has to be hard.”

  Alicia nodded. “But I’m lucky.” She grinned. “Not only do I have one mother, but I have two mothers who are happy to give advice.” She gestured to Elizabeth.

  They laughed. Nothing could perpetually dim Alicia’s spirit.

  As the reception went on, they mingled with other couples, eventually spending time with Elizabeth and Marcos who repeated the plans for Italy, their eyes shining with happiness.

  “How is your father?” Elizabeth asked Mandy.

  “He’s good.” Dana had become bright spot in Mandy’s life. “We had dinner with his family last week. The girls are totally gaga over James.” She laughed. “Of course, rumors of nepotism are already making the Hollywood rounds.”

  “Fortunately, nepotism is widely accepted in the industry. We wouldn’t get anywhere without it,” James said.

  “It sounds like everything in Italy,” Elizabeth said with a grin.

  “True,” Marcos said. “Sad, but true.”

  Within a few hours the party wrapped up, and the family retired to the inn’s kitchen. Mandy and James helped Sally clean up and stow everything in the RV.

  “Are you staying here tonight?” Mandy asked Sally when they were done.

  Sally shook her head. “I have a friend down toward Carmel. I figured I’d stay there tonight. We can catch up, and I’ll be that much closer to LA. I’ll see you Wednesday. We have a few new prospects we need to discuss.”

  Mandy nodded. Partnering with Sally had been a good choice. “See you then.”

  James took her hand as they walked back to the inn, comforting her with his nearness.

  After Elizabeth, Marcos, Annie, and John left an hour later, Sarah said, “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m exhausted. Hannah doesn’t understand weddings yet, so she’ll be up early demanding to be fed.” She stood and put a hand on her lower back as she arched. “Good night. See you in the morning.”

  “We’ll shut everything off,” Mandy said as she looked around what used to be her domain.

  “Do you miss it?” James asked as he stroked her arm.

  “Sometimes. It was definitely a lot less hectic than what I’m doing now.” She glanced around the homey kitchen. No high-end steel and granite here. Simple function led the way. “This was a good stepping stone, but I think I like the intensity of movie catering better.” She grinned at James. “Movie people aren’t all bad, either.”

  He stood and pulled her to her feet. “I know how I can prove you right.”

  “I’m always right.”

  “Uh-huh.” He lowered his lips and kissed her, awakening the passion that had been simmering for most of the day. “Shut off the lights.”

  Once the kitchen was dark, they headed up the stairs to the best room in the inn.

  About the Author

  Casey Dawes writes and quilts on the Clark Fork River in Missoula, Montana, where she spends far too much time watching wildlife from her “woman cave.” She shares her peaceful abode with a husband she adores and two cats who think they own the joint.

  She loves to hear from her readers, so touch base with her on Facebook or Twitter.

  If you would like to be the first to know about new releases, or be entered into exclusive contests, please sign up for her newsletter using the contact form on her website, www.stories-about-love.com.

  As always, reviews on your favorite online store or on Goodreads are appreciated! Thank you, dear reader!

  Crimson Sneak Peek

  Reforming Gabe by Alicia Hunter Pace

  Being past prom age never stopped a Southern woman from putting glitter on her face—“sparkle when you can,” being the predominant philosophy. Generally, Neyland Reese MacKenzie embraced that idea, but lately the only Sparkle on
her mind was her handcrafted jewelry shop—now defunct because she couldn’t pay the rent. Which was why she was working out of her friend Noel’s quilt shop, Piece by Piece.

  “Neyland!” Hannah, one of Noel’s salesgirls, hurried into the workroom. “There’s a guy out front and he wants to buy Annabelle!”

  Neyland’s hands stilled on the silver wire bracelet she was making.

  “Are you sure? He’s not just looking or trying to haggle?” Excitement rippled through Neyland, but she was afraid to hope too much. She hadn’t sold an important piece in almost a year. Inspired by an Edwardian watch fob, Annabelle was a heavy gold link necklace set with lapis lazuli and opals—and the most expensive piece in Neyland’s collection.

  “I’m sure! He has his credit card out and everything!”

  If only this had happened last week, Neyland would’ve been able to pay the rent on Sparkle. But it hadn’t, and she’d had to ask for her old space back in Noel’s shop—and though her friend had welcomed her back, it had been humiliating. Neyland rose, almost dizzy with delight. It had been a long time since she’d been able to afford gold, platinum, semi-precious gems, or any materials except the sterling silver that she used to make the simple pieces that were impulse purchases for the tourists who came through Beauford.

  Beauford, a small artisan boutique town located outside Nashville, boasted some of the finest craftsmen in the country. Despite her lack of financial success, Neyland stubbornly counted herself among them. But this could change things. The other artisans in town insisted that she just needed to sell that one piece that would get her noticed.

  “I’m so excited.” Hannah clapped her hands together. Neyland had to smile. She had promised the high school girls who worked part time for Noel a hundred dollars commission on any important piece they sold, which was less percentage wise than the ten per cent they earned on the little whimsical silver pieces, but, under the circumstances, it was the best Neyland could do. She still had to buy silver and pay the rent on her little apartment above Sparkle. “He wanted to know if we could ship it. I told him we could. Was that okay?”

  “Absolutely. I think we can afford a little shipping for what Annabelle will bring us.” Neyland slipped out of her Yellow Box flip-flops and put on the black Christian Louboutin pumps she never should have bought. She’d gone a little crazy last year after selling Catherine, the bracelet inspired by a diamond wheat tiara that had belonged to the Russian imperial family. She’d thought Catherine was the piece that would bring her success, so after buying precious metals, semiprecious stones, jade, onyx, and amber for new creations, Neyland had celebrated by buying the shoes, a Louis Vuitton bag, and a few really good, classic designer garments. Then she’d moved out of Piece by Piece, opened Sparkle, and worked night and day until she had five new pieces that that she was sure would sell quickly.