by Holly Jaymes
“Allie is married to Josh Dalton,” Mary said from behind me. “A wonderful man.”
I smiled, even though inside, I wondered how I was going to live as a neighbor of a woman who clearly thought I was a Jezebel.
The sound of boots on the steps echoed, and another knock came on the door. Mary opened it.
“There’s my knight in shining armor,” Mrs. Minor said with a grin.
The man stepped in the little living room. The space was already crowded, but when he came in, the room shrank to minuscule. He was tall and broad and blond with crystal blue eyes that made me think of the mountain lake.
“Are you ready to run off with me?” he asked the elderly woman.
“Hands off my woman, Dalton,” Harry said with humor as Mary giggled. It was sort of sweet to see a woman of her age blushing as her husband and this hunk of a man pretended to fight over her.
“Oh, hey, Allie,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulder and giving her a kiss on the cheek. Was this Josh?
“Wyatt, you made it,” my father said.
“Yes, sir.”
Why was Wyatt kissing Allie in a familiar way if she was married to someone else?
“Hi Emma, Willa,” he said and then turned his attention to my father and me.
“Lily, this is Deputy Dalton. He’s assigned to look out for you.”
My father’s words had me dragging my attention away from the man. “Look after me? I’m not eight anymore, dad.” As good looking as this man was, I didn’t need or want a babysitter.
“Now, don’t be like that, Lil. You said it yourself, some of the paparazzi are determined. It’s his job to make sure they don’t get near you.”
I looked at the man. He wasn’t dressed like a deputy. He wore jeans and a flannel shirt under a warm looking coat. His face was impassive, and yet I got the sense that he wasn’t thrilled about the assignment.
“Wyatt, this is my daughter, Lily.”
He extended his hand. It was large and warm despite having just been outside. “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Eden Lake.”
I smiled. “Thank you.” Then I turned to my father. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“You can talk until you’re blue in the face. Wyatt is sticking with you for as long as you’re here.”
I may not have been raised by my father, but I’d been around him enough to know that when he made a decision, it stuck.
“He won’t be in your way. Your job is to figure out your next step in peace. His will be to make sure you can do that. The cabin is plenty big for the two of you—”
I looked at him in shock. “We’re staying together?”
My dad’s eyes narrowed. “He’s there to protect you, Lily. I trust him.”
I looked over at the Deputy. My experience with most men was that they felt entitled to hit on any woman they were attracted to. As a model, I had my fair share of men in various situations who would hit on me. But the Deputy’s expression wasn’t giving a vibe that he wanted to do more than protect me. I supposed that was good, although he didn’t seem happy to be my babysitter either.
“He’ll be in the same lodgings?” I asked.
“It’s cold out, Lil. He can’t stay on the porch.” My father narrowed his eyes in that way that told me he was disappointed. I felt guilty. He’d gone out of his way to find me a place and a bodyguard, and I wasn’t very appreciative.
“Yes, of course. Thank you, dad. Thank you, Deputy Dalton.”
“Good. Now, you follow me to the cabin. Deputy, you can follow us as well.” My father made his way to the door.
“Yes sir.” Deputy Dalton gave me space so I could follow my father out.
“Hey Lily, we’ll be over at the studio again tomorrow, around nine, if you wanted to come by for a yoga class,” Emma said.
“You can come too, Wyatt,” Allie said.
Wyatt did yoga?
“I ah…can I decide tomorrow? I’m a little tired and need to get settled,” I said, not feeling like I was in the mood for yoga but not wanting to burn bridges to the few people being kind to me.
“Yes, of course. While you’re here if you get bored and want some company, come by my place. Wyatt, you can tell her where it is,” Emma said.
He nodded.
“Thank you. That’s very kind.” I was glad to have a welcome from someone.
“You’ll want to call first once Tucker is back from his game in Minnesota,” Willa said with a mischievous grin. “They like to make up for lost time.”
Emma blushed. “Yeah, well …you’d do the same if Mason traveled a lot.”
Willa wiggled her brows. “He doesn’t have to travel for that to happen.”
“Are they talking about sex, Mary?” Harry said.
“Yes, honey.”
My father shook his head. “Time to go, Lil.”
In the exchange, Wyatt had kept his expression serious. Was he a serious man, or was it his on-duty face? Or maybe he was trying to mask his lack of enthusiasm at babysitting me.
There was nothing I could do but make the best of it. I followed my father out of the cabin and got into my car. I followed him along the dirt road. It was pitch black out. The only light came from our headlights and the moon above. It might have been pretty, but I was too agitated and uptight to appreciate it.
We finally came to a large cabin sitting hidden in trees with a view of the lake. I exited my car, and my father greeted me.
“This is your home away from home. Let’s get your bags inside and get you settled.”
Wyatt pulled up and parked an S.U.V. beside my car.
“Deputy, can you help us with Lily’s bags?”
“Yes, sir.”
I wondered if he spoke more than those two words.
“I don’t have much,” I said, opening the truck. I’d only packed up the essentials, clothes, grooming items, and my sketching kit.
My father led the way into the cabin. “You should be comfortable. This place has been completely remodeled.”
I entered the large open room. There was a stone fireplace straddled by windows. I wondered if the paparazzi would be able to get a shot through one of those windows.
“There are two rooms up here, and a few more downstairs,” my father said. “I figured you could take the master, and Deputy Dalton—”
“Under the circumstances, just call me Wyatt.”
I jumped a little at the deep voice behind me.
“Yes, of course. Wyatt, you can take the guest room. You can all stay on this level. There is a room downstairs, Lil, if you need an office or something. There’s wood on the deck if you want a fire. The fridge is stocked. I believe Mrs. Minor put a lasagna or something in the fridge for tonight.”
“You’ve thought of everything. Thank you, dad.”
He gave me his fatherly smile. “Everything will be alright. You’ll see.”
I had to take his word for it.
“You can go for walks or, like Emma said, spend time with her. It’s best if you don’t go to town or if you do, bring Wyatt and try to hide your features.”
There was a small laugh from Wyatt.
My father looked at him, concerned.
“I’m sorry, sir.”
“You have a problem?” My father asked Wyatt.
“No, sir. I just…I think it will be hard to hide your daughter’s features enough that people won’t know her.”
“Why?” I asked, feeling surly.
Wyatt’s jaw tensed. “You’re very...distinct.” It sounded like he was carefully choosing his words.
“Well, stay in or around here as much as possible,” my father said.
I tore my glare away from Wyatt. “I’m probably going to need a few days of just sleeping anyway. I’m exhausted.”
My father gave my shoulder a squeeze. “That’s why you’re here. Get settled. I’m going to chat with Wyatt for a minute and then head out.”
My father and Wyatt put my bags in the master room and then hea
ded out while I took in the room. I sank onto the edge of the large bed and worked to settle my nerves. It was scary going into the unknown. But my father had done all he could to provide me with a space to find my new path.
“Are you hungry?”
Wyatt’s deep voice startled me again. He was leaning against the door frame, and I had a feeling that he’d been studying me for a moment before he spoke.
“You didn’t want this job, did you?”
He shrugged. “Serve and protect. I can put that lasagna in. Mrs. Minor makes the best.”
I nodded. Then I smiled as a happy feeling I hadn’t had in over two days filled me. “I’m going to eat lasagna.”
He smiled, looking deeply at me with his dimples showing. “Yep.”
“I love lasagna. I can’t remember the last time I ate it.” It occurred to me that I could eat any and all the foods I’d given up when I became a model. Pasta. Waffles. Donuts. Ice cream. I was going to eat it all. I just had to make sure I could work out too. I wondered if there were hiking trails around here.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Carbs, fat... I’m going to eat it until I get sick,” I said, standing up.
His lips twitched upward. “Can I have a piece?”
“Yes, but get it fast, because, after that, I’m gorging. Ice cream. I’m going to want ice cream too.”
“I’ll see what I can manage.” He stepped back to let me pass and then followed me up the hall to the kitchen area open in the large living room. My dad was right, the whole thing had recently been redone as the kitchen had granite counters and stainless steel appliances.
“This is very nice,” I said as I took it in.
He went to the fridge and pulled out the pan, turning on the oven and putting the meal into it to cook. “The whole place was recently updated. The McLeans invested in it to help the Minors. Emma and Allie sometimes run retreats out here.”
“It’s a lovely spot. I’ve never been here before.”
He leaned against the counter and studied me. I tried not to squirm under the intensity of his eyes. “It’s only a couple of hours from L.A., and your dad lives here, but you’ve never been to Eden Lake?”
There was judgment in his voice. I couldn’t deny it even though I hated that he thought I was lacking as a daughter for never visiting my dad.
“Do you see your parents a lot?” I sat on one of the stools at the island. Most people I knew hardly called their parents much less visited them.
“Couple of times a week. Josh and Allie and I have dinner with them once a week. Family is important.”
“Yes. I’m realizing that more than ever.” But getting my dander up, I said, “But I don’t appreciate you judging me and my life. You don’t know me. You don’t know my family situation.”
He shrugged. “I know you’re in trouble, and your father is risking his job to help you, but since he’s been here in Eden Lake, you’ve never come to visit.”
“Risk his job?”
Wyatt went to the cupboard and got two glasses. He filled them with water from the dispenser in the fridge. “He’s using his position to protect you. Taxpayer money is paying me to babysit you.”
I stiffened, hating the idea that he was babysitting. “I didn’t ask you—”
“No. Your dad did. And I’ll do my job. I’ll keep the photographers away.”
“But you won’t like it.”
“You don’t like it either,” he said, handing me a glass of water.
“No, I don’t.”
“Perhaps next time you’ll not take up with a married man.”
Everything inside me went cold and then blasted hot. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
There was that damned indifferent shrug again. “I know you’re here because you got caught with a married movie star.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“A picture is worth a thousand words.”
I jumped down from the stool, knocking it over. “Too bad, everyone has the wrong thousand words.” I stormed back to the master bedroom, slamming the door.
Chapter 4: The Babysitting Job
Wyatt
I wondered how long it would take for her to call her father and for him to head back and fire me. Not just from this babysitting job but also, from the Sheriff’s department. No, he wouldn’t fire me from my job. He’d be risking his re-election and possibly some sort of ethics investigation. But he could make my life miserable. Fuck. I shouldn’t have been such an asshole.
Instead of apologizing, I let her be. She looked a bit shell-shocked, which made my nasty remark all the worse. Then again, it was her own fault for getting caught with a married man. Not that I could blame him. Yes, Trask Holloway’s wife, Aria, was beautiful, but Lily was a stunner. She was more beautiful in real life than in the pictures I looked up on the internet. I wondered why they loaded her up on all the face goop when she was naturally beautiful. Her ebony hair looked even darker against her snow-white skin. And her eyes…what the hell color was that. Purple? Was that a real eye color, or did she wear contacts? She had full pink lips, and I’d be a liar if I didn’t have a moment of wondering what they’d tasted like. Not that I’d ever find out. It was okay to look and imagine, as long as I didn’t touch. I shouldn’t poke at her either.
I picked up and returned the turned over stool, and then found vegetables in the fridge to whip up a salad. Since Mrs. Minor had precooked the lasagna, all I had to do was heat it up. When it was done, I pulled it out, set the table, and put the food on. As I served the lasagna, I remembered her remark about gorging on it. I guessed it was true that models had to starve themselves thin. I never understood that. If the fashion magazines had done any market research, they’d know men liked curves. God had hard-wired us with the instant attraction to wide hips and luscious breasts. At least he had with me. As far as I was concerned, she could stand to gain a few extra pounds. Then again, why create more temptation for myself?
I served myself a piece of lasagna and then set the rest of the pan at her place setting. She’d either find it humorous or be offended. I guess I’d find out.
I walked up the hall to the master bedroom, trying not to think of her on the large bed.
I gave a short rap on the door. “Lily? Dinner is ready.”
“I’m not hungry.”
I pursed my lips. “Don’t be like that.”
The door whipped open. “Like what?”
“Pissy. Of course, you’re hungry. Don’t deny yourself simply because I’m an asshole. That’s stupid.”
Her eyes widened. “So now I’m stupid?”
I huffed out a breath. In some ways, it was a relief that she was like this. If she was more agreeable, the temptation to want her would be higher. “I didn’t say you were stupid. I said, denying your belly food because you’re mad at me is stupid.” I shook my head. “Eat or don’t. It doesn’t make any difference to me.”
I turned and headed back up to the open living room and sat at the dining room table. I wasn’t kidding that Mrs. Minor made the best lasagna. If she wasn’t going to eat it, I would.
A few minutes later, she appeared, her gaze eying me suspiciously.
“I left you the most. Eat up.” I nodded to her place setting.
She looked at where I’d put the pan. Her lips twitched up slightly, and my gut clenched. Jesus, if she gave me a full smile, I might become a drooling mess. Her pictures didn’t do her justice.
She sat down and put her napkin on her lap. Then she took her fork and dug into the lasagna.
I raised a brow that she didn’t serve herself a piece.
“You thought I was kidding,” she said.
“I don’t know you well enough to know, but most women I’ve met tend to go light on the carbs.”
“I’m not most women. Not anymore.”
She said it like she wanted to sound fierce and powerful. Still, underneath, there was a vulnerability that tugged at my protective instinct.
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“There’s ice cream. I checked,” I said.
She closed her eyes and smiled like she was in heaven, and holy fuck, she was lovely.
“Was taking pictures worth denying yourself the pleasure of pasta and ice cream?” I asked.
She opened her eyes and studied me like she was trying to decide if I was poking at her again or serious. I was serious. You’d have to love something a lot to give up lasagna.
“No.”
I waited for her to elaborate. When she didn’t, I asked, “So why do it?”
She shrugged. “I never thought about it much. My mother was a model. She got me started, and so I was a model.”
“But you didn’t like it?”
“It was fun at first, but after a while, it was tedious. I couldn’t eat lasagna. I was always too fat—”
“What?”
“It’s true the camera adds weight. I could work out, but I had to make sure I didn’t bulk up too much, and as it turns out, I have a fairly athletic body.”
My instinct was to check her body out, but since I didn’t want to have Sheriff Maddox shoot my balls off, I looked down. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“Now, I can eat and be active, and no one can tell me no.”
“If you didn’t like it, why didn’t you quit sooner?” It seemed like a waste of time to continue a career that didn’t fulfill you.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t sure what to do, I guess.” She sipped from the water I’d set at her place. I noted that she had taken a few bites, but still wasn’t eating like an average person. She practically had a minute between each bite. Was that some sort of gimmick to help her eat less?
“So, what are you going to do now?” I assumed that since she was going to eat and exercise, that meant she was quitting modeling.
“I don’t know. That’s what I’m here to figure out.”
“What do you like to do?”
She looked up from her lasagna. “What do you mean?”
“Hobbies? Interests? When you’re not showing off clothes, what do you do?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t have …didn’t have much time for anything else. I like to workout. I used to like to read. I sketch designs I wish existed.”
