Laguna Nights

by Kaira Rouda

  Josh jumped up from the couch, his anger seeping from every pore.

  “Josh, stay calm. It’s not over,” Madison said.

  “I’m going to sue her, I’m going to – fuck,” Josh said, punching his left hand with his fist.

  “Get ahold of yourself, honestly. This isn’t just about you,” Francine said from her chair.

  Josh blinked and let out a huge breath before sitting down next to Madison. She could feel the hot anger pulsing from his body. The show was starting again, Madison realized with dread.

  On the screen, the shot was from a helicopter, swooping over Main Beach and then heading south, zooming in at Fisherman’s Cove. Laura’s voiceover said, “What we’re famous for here, our surfer bodies and our pristine coved beaches, spoiled kids and endless summers. Welcome back to Laguna Beach.”

  On screen, Madison appeared, sitting in a director’s chair, framed by a backdrop of rock. She was holding a water bottle, drinking deeply.

  Oh my god, Madison realized suddenly. She knew she had been filmed by hidden cameras when she agreed to talk with Tom in the cave. “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to Josh. “I don’t even remember what I said. I had just finished filming. God.”

  “It’s alright,” Josh said, his voice tight and low, his hands clasped in front of him.

  On screen a male voice said, “So how did it feel, being back on camera after all these years? Your reality show was one of the first. People wonder how it affected your life then, what’s it like now.”

  Madison took a big drink of water on screen and said, “You know what’s strange, Tom? I never imagined I’d be back in front of the camera again. But when that red light goes on, it’s a thrill unlike anything else,” Madison said, shaking her head, her blonde hair cascading around her face. “My mom told me I was foolish not to take this chance. She said I was a natural. I really do love it. And then when my boss forced me to do the segment about the resort, well, it made me fall in love again.”

  “With Josh?” Tom said from off camera.

  “What? No, with this, with television, with acting,” Madison said.

  “Not even a little bit of this was because Josh was, as you said on the Laguna Nights show, the love of your life,” Tom said. “You guys really seemed to have an instant attraction. Pretty hot.”

  Madison smiled. “I suppose he does have something to do with it,” she said. “But this is his travel show. Not mine. I’m just helping him out. He’ll take off again, and I’ll go back to my regular life, already in progress.”

  On screen, the camera shot pulled in tight on her face as she said, “It was amazing doing it again.”

  It was Madison’s turn to stand up. “That was all Tom. He edited that together. It made it seem like we had slept together.”

  “Well you did at some point,” Francine said, pointing at her burgeoning belly.

  On screen, the camera showed Josh walking quickly across the beach, up the stairs and disappearing into the crowd. Laura’s voiceover said, “While Holly’s having fun, Josh is more of a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. I should know. We’ll be right back.”

  Madison walked to the kitchen and filled a glass with tap water. She couldn’t figure out what Laura was up to. She wanted to portray Madison as willing to do whatever she could to win Josh over, including sleep with him on the beach in broad daylight. Meanwhile, Josh was still the bad guy. But to what end?

  “Come back over here, it’s almost over,” Josh said from the couch. “We’ve got this.”

  Madison sat down and onscreen the shot was a close up of a bird-of-paradise, the orange beaked flower blowing in the gentle ocean breeze. The shot pulled back and was an overhead shot of two men eating outside. Josh and Marty, at the table with the hidden camera.

  Laura’s voiceover said, “Things aren’t always as they appear, are they? Maybe the guy you think is the worst guy on television really isn’t. Sometimes, reality TV cast members aren’t at all what they appear to be. Other times, they are who they are. Can you guess what Josh is?”

  On screen, the camera is a tight shot of Josh and Marty. Marty says, “Well, what about Holly? You two together, now that would be some good TV.”

  Josh is chewing his food with a smile on his face. The bad boy smile, Madison noticed, and as she watched she hoped he didn’t make her regret letting him move in, having his child.

  “She is really special to me. I can’t believe how I treated her on camera back on Laguna Nights. I mean, Laura is hot and all, but Holly, she is my first love,” Josh said, pushing his sunglasses up on his head. Madison noticed he touched the side of his glasses with his crossed fingers, holding them there for all to see.

  Tears leapt into Madison’s eyes. “Oh my gosh, you told them? You told the world?”

  “What, I’m sorry,” Josh said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

  “That’s the most romantic thing ever,” Madison said, snuggling in close as on screen, Josh was describing their high school getaway and the meaning of the fingers-crossed gesture.

  “At this hotel in Mexico the staff used a gesture as a form of welcome. They covered their heart with their fists. It comes from a small Mexican Indian tribe the concierge told us. After a couple of days, we decided to make our own gesture, a way of staying real no matter the craziness of the TV show. So we crossed our fingers. It didn’t work, though, not in the long run,” Josh said, looking out into the ocean, directly into the hidden camera, his eyes misty.

  On screen the shot cuts to a camera mounted on a car driving through the streets of Laguna Beach. In the voiceover Laura said, “Maybe your little gesture between the two of you did mean something in the long run, Josh. Because what was great about bringing these cast members back together again . . .”

  On screen the shot is of the three of them – Madison, Josh and Laura -- at their awkward lunch in town as Laura’s voiceover continued: “Is that while it may not be easy for Holly to overcome what she thought she knew about Josh and who he was in the past, it’s very rewarding once you do. You see, what I’ve discovered was that even when Josh was pretending to love me, he was pining away for Holly.”

  On the screen, a still shot from Laguna Nights, season two, episode four. It was the still frame of a young Josh, his fingers crossed behind his back as a sign to Holly before he entered the hot tub behind Laura.

  Laura’s voiceover said, “I didn’t see it back then, did you? We’ll be right back for the final reality check.”

  Madison leaned over and kissed Josh on the cheek and then they held each other’s gaze. She was so happy she’d trusted Josh enough to let him show her that scene before Laura revealed it to the world. That had been a moment meant for her eyes, a gesture she’d missed. But now, he was beside her again.

  “You two were meant to be, all along,” Francine said breaking the spell.

  “We have one more segment to get through,” Josh said standing up and stretching, still tense Madison noted. But the torture was almost over.

  On the screen was a wide shot of the sun setting, the view was from up on the hillside, a view from Laura’s parents’ home. The camera zoomed to a lit up, bubbling hot tub and Laura sitting in it alone, staring off away from the camera.

  Laura’s voiceover said, “I didn’t see them do this when they got into the hot tub with me the final night of taping, but the camera did. It catches everything.”

  On screen, there was a shot of Josh and Madison, sitting side by side in Laura’s hot tub, each holding a hand above the water, fingers crossed. They were smiling at each other.

  Laura’s voiceover said, “But it doesn’t matter. I like happy endings.”

  On screen, Scott walked down the steps and splashed Laura, sitting down next to her on the hot tub seat as she delivered her closing lines.

  And then the screen faded to black.

  Dear Readers!

  Thank you for reading Laguna Nights! I hope you enjoyed Madison and Josh’s story! And if you did
, please recommend it to your friends and please review it! The next book in the Laguna Beach Series is Laguna Heights, featuring Madison’s best friend Annie. Annie’s perfect Laguna Beach life suddenly is turned upside down when a man from her past appears. I know you’ll enjoy Annie’s story! I’ve included a brief excerpt here, just to tempt you!

  My other contemporary romance series is the Indigo Island Series featuring the wealthy Putnam family. I’ve included an excerpt from book one, Weekend with the Tycoon. I hope you enjoy it!

  Thank you so much for reading Laguna Nights. And please remember, if you liked it, a review really helps other people find it, and means a lot to me, too. I read every one of them! I’d love to stay in touch! Join my newsletter list for fun extras and notices of new releases. I’m active on Facebook and Twitter, too! Keep in touch!

  Xo

  Kaira

  Coming August 2015 . . .

  Laguna Beach Book 2

  Annie Watson has a secret, and she’s kept it for almost ten years. Married and living the life of her dreams in Laguna Beach with her husband Hank, and two kids, Annie still has fans approach her from her stint on the reality TV show, Laguna Nights. One fan, in particular, has appeared in town. Chris Johnson is the last person she expected to run into, and the one person she always hoped would never discover the truth.

  RALPH’S GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT

  Laguna Beach

  Why wouldn’t Madison pick up the phone, Annie wondered, her hand shaking as she held her phone. She was hiding in the front seat of her car, ducked below the steering wheel, hoping Chris didn’t follow her out to the Ralph’s grocery store parking lot.

  Knowing him, as she had, he would.

  “Madison, it’s Annie. I need to talk to you. Please, call me,” she said before hanging up. Breathe in, breathe out, she reminded herself, techniques the counselor at college had taught her to deal with this situation her senior year in college. She had been free from Chris for more than a decade.

  What was he doing in Laguna Beach? Had he come here to find her or was it just a coincidence?

  A fist pounded on the driver’s side window. “Hey Annie,” Chris yelled through the glass as Annie screamed.

  Ten Years Earlier . . .

  University of California, Irvine, campus

  Annie sat at her favorite table at an outdoor café at the university center. She had loved college, every minute of it, and especially enjoyed sitting here at the café and people watching. She’d spent the summer waiting tables at an outdoor restaurant in her hometown of Laguna Beach, just down Coast Highway from the campus. Her face was dotted with freckles to prove it, her typically dark brunette hair streaked with some auburn highlights. She’d been jogging, too, and her newly toned body was something she was proud of, and she’d worn shorts and a tight-fitting T-shirt to show it off. Even her arms were tanned and toned, she knew.

  She took a sip of her coffee, a bittersweet thought crossing her mind. She couldn’t believe she was already a senior, with only one more year of soaking up all she could about art history in her classes, and of course, partying. As the newly elected president of her sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, she had a lot to do this semester for rush, and she was waiting for her vice president, and roommate Susan, to show up so they could get started.

  “Hey, aren’t you Annie from Laguna Nights?” asked a young woman who approached Annie’s table with a big grin. Annie was accustomed to the question, of course, having spent two seasons, her junior and senior year of high school, as a cast member on the hit reality TV show. The show continued still, with a new group of kids from her high school, and the fan base kept growing exponentially.

  At UCI, this year’s freshman class would be filled with a new crop of fans, Annie knew. Unlike some of her former cast mates, she liked the attention, liked her portrayal on the show and was thrilled she was able to pay for college with what she’d earned from the show. And, her past celebrity status was good for sorority recruitment, too.

  Annie pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and smiled. “I am indeed.”

  “I love that show. You were like the perfect friend on that show. Everybody liked you. Girls. Guys. Well, except Josh.”

  Annie shared a laugh with her. She was right, Josh was the bad boy on their reality TV show and he’d hurt Annie’s best friend Madison, so Annie had treated him in the manner he’d deserved. “I was Annie from Laguna Nights. Now I’m just Annie at UCI,” Annie said, smiling warmly at the gorgeous blonde standing in front of her. “Are you a freshman?”

  “I am. My name’s Sophie and I’m from Indiana. Everything is so different here,” she said, holding her arms out to encompass everything around her, and probably the whole Golden State. “I mean, we don’t have celebrities there.”

  Annie had to be careful about rush rules, but she could ask one question. “Are you going to join a sorority?”

  “Oh yes,” Sophie said. “I hope to be a Theta just like you.”

  Good. “Well ok, I’ll see you around, you know we can’t talk about sorority stuff, rush rules,” Annie said with a wink.

  “Yes, thanks, see you around,” Sophie said walking away as Annie’s friend Robin approached the table. Annie was so glad to see her, but Robin’s face was locked in a frown.

  “What’s wrong?” Annie asked, standing to hug her tall friend. Robin was a beach volleyball player, a natural at the sport where her six-foot height was a bonus.

  “I didn’t get all of my classes scheduled. I’ve got to go meet with my adviser, I’m sorry,” Robin said. “Can we meet later?”

  “Sure, no problem,” Annie said. “I’ll just sit here and review the freshman class as they walk past me. I met a good rushee already!”

  “No dirty rush,” Robin said, waving a long finger in Annie’s face. “Be good!”

  Annie dropped back into her seat, contemplating another cup of coffee when a guy approached her table. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. He was cute, with shaggy brown hair and, Annie noticed, sleepy bright blue eyes. He smiled, revealing a dimple. “Hey, are you Annie? From that TV show?”

  Weekend with the Tycoon, Indigo Island Book 1

  Wealthy business tycoon Blake Putnam isn’t looking for love, he just needs a date for a family wedding he’s dreading. Alpha male to the core, Blake’s idea of being a man leaves little room for emotional connection. He comes up with the perfect solution to the dreaded wedding: he’ll find a controllable date. He has everything planned to perfection.

  Samantha Jones agrees to spend the weekend with the hot boss. She’s attracted to him, but she’s sworn off men after her embarrassing recent break up. She’s determined to ignore the attraction and focus on business when he hands her an opportunity to be part of the biggest business pitch in Blake Genetics’ history. It could change everything. She’s not looking for love, she won’t jump off that cliff again. But she will take the chance to further her career.

  What neither of them expected was the weekend to take flight. Is this a risk they’re willing to see through to the end?

  Samantha punched the elevator button for the top floor. She’d never been to Mr. Putnam’s office but of course, she’d heard rumors about it, the starkness, the vast size. To be summoned for a meeting first thing Thursday morning made her heart race. After all, he was the boss, CEO of Blake Genetics, a genetics testing firm he’d founded after his college graduation that had become, in just 10 years, a dominant player worldwide. Blake Putnam was the man. Tall, built like Tom Brady with an athletic body that still looked good in the European suits he wore to the office every day. He was sexy, assertive, rich and very, very distant.

  By contrast, Samantha felt plain, boring and unaccomplished. She’d just graduated college a year and a half before, and had worked for Blake Genetics since then. She examined her anxious expression in the reflection of the elevator walls and adjusted her simple black shift dress. Then she checked her long blonde hair anchored in a loose knot behind her back.
Even though the offices were overly cool, she was perspiring and fanned herself with the white notepad in her hand as the elevator shot up to the top floor. The doors parted revealing an expansive white marble floor, with an impressively large white desk placed in the exact middle of the space. A severe, elegantly coiffed woman sat behind the desk and seemed to float in the room of white. Samantha shivered as sweat trickled down her back. She stepped off the elevator, which closed soundlessly behind her. The woman never looked up.

  This was the infamous Marlene, Mr. Putnam’s personal assistant, who had summoned her. Samantha waited to be acknowledged. Rumors about Marlene’s power were whispered throughout the building. Samantha felt another spurt of panic shoot down her spine. Am I being fired? She stared at Marlene mutely. She couldn’t think of anything she’d done to warrant being fired, and she was almost certain they wouldn’t handle such things on the executive floor. Would they? Samantha tried to distract herself by noticing details— Marlene’s timeless face without a single wrinkle, her short, dark, edgy bob, her elegant, black pantsuit and tall stiletto heels that Samantha could barely look at without wincing. No way would she ever be able to walk in those. They looked more like weapons than shoes.

  “Have a seat, Ms. Jones,” Marlene said without looking up. Samantha chose one of two white leather chairs with cold metal arms. She shivered, her bare arms exposed. Her feet began to feel numb inside her sensible black pumps. She wished they’d just fire her. The waiting was more torture than she’d imagined. Breathe, she told herself, and started doodling a daisy on her notepad. I’m drowning in a sea of quiet white, Samantha thought. No art. No plants. No sound. No smell. Nothing. After a ten-minute wait, spent staring at the wall in front of her while Marlene worked intently at her massive desk, Samantha was about to ask why she was here when Marlene finally spoke.