“She’s determined to do it on her own,” Brenda laughed. “You sure did bring her out of her shell last year, Miss Pike,” she added with a conspiratorial wink.
“Heather was a delight to teach. She really blossomed, but I don’t think I can take all the credit for that.”
“Sure you can. Heather had some anxiety issues when she entered second grade,” Brenda began to explain to Spence. As soon as she turned to him and registered who he was, she stopped. Her mouth stayed open, but no more words came out.
“Brenda, this is Spence,” Tasha introduced him, a shade of tension in her voice. “And this is Brenda and Tom. And, of course, Heather.” Her smile returned.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Spence shook Tom and Brenda’s hands. He could see the writing on the wall. Stunned silence and wide eyes. It was the last thing he wanted when Tasha was looking so comfortable and in charge. He squatted to Heather’s level. “Can I help you try to get your kite to work?”
Heather tilted her head and narrowed her eyes with a scrutiny that only a child could manage. “I’m not supposed to talk to strangers.”
Her comment sent warmth down to his toes. For so many reasons. She’d clearly been raised well, and to her he was just a stranger.
“It’s okay, honey,” Brenda answered, a little breathlessly.
Heather glanced to her mom, then back at Spence. She burst into a smile that revealed a missing tooth. “Okay.”
“Thanks.” He rose, offering her his hand.
She took it without a second thought, leading him away from the other grownups and across the sand to where the princess kite lay abandoned and fluttering.
“You hold it and throw it in the air and I’ll hold the string,” Heather directed him.
“Yes ma’am,” he replied, all smiles.
He could get used to this kind of activity, to innocence and purity. In fact, as he lifted the kite, shook off the sand, and launched it into the air once Heather had a firm hold on the roll of string, he had the deep-seated feeling that this sort of thing, children, family, summer vacations and kites, was exactly what was missing from his life.
“Where on earth did you meet Spencer Ellis?” Brenda asked, inching closer to Tasha and keeping her voice to an awed whisper.
Tasha wanted to cringe at the intrusive remark, but the sight of Spence and Heather smiling and laughing as they successfully launched the kite was just too wonderful.
“There was a mix-up with the beach house,” she explained. “His agent double-booked him in there with me. I guess the Cavanaros were bowled over by her stubbornness.” The idea hadn’t occurred to her until then, but now that it had, Tasha was angry all over that Yvonne could steamroll a nice, older couple like that. Or at least their real estate broker.
Brenda blinked at her. “You’re in Sand Dollar Point?”
Tasha nodded. “Yep. Fulfilling a childhood dream.”
“To date a movie star?” Tom added with a chuckle.
“Seriously, Tom?” Brenda scolded him.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, as apologetic as Tom would get. Tasha had endured his off-key jokes through more than a few parent-teacher conferences in the last year.
“He’s really nice,” she assured Brenda. “Not at all like a big-headed celebrity.” Not like she’d assumed he would be during their first meeting.
In fact, Spence had surprised her overall. He’d been warm and affectionate as things had heated up. He’d been far more open with her than Brad had ever been. He’d defended her and done his best to be considerate in all things. Not more than two minutes ago, she’d been texting Jenny, arguing whether the relationship was possible or if it defied some law of physics. There was no way someone like her should be dating a movie star. But as she looked down the beach, watched the kite soar and heard both Spence and Heather laughing, she didn’t feel like Spence was some high-ranked movie star at all. He was just the nice guy she’d met by chance at the beach.
She might just be able to do this after all.
“So what’s he like?” Brenda asked, reflecting her thoughts.
Tasha nodded to him. “That’s what he’s like. Pretty normal, actually.”
“He’s too hot to be normal,” Brenda said in a voice that was more than appreciative.
“Hey, I’m right here,” Tom complained. “I’m hot too.” He held his arms to the side as if displaying his hotness. Tom wasn’t unattractive, but clearly enjoyed his food and didn’t have an L.A. sense of grooming.
Brenda chuckled and moved to his side, hugging him and resting her head on his shoulder. “Aw, honey, you’re my movie star.”
The two of them grinned at each other, sharing a kiss. Something coiled and tightened in Tasha’s chest. That was what she’d always wanted, the kind of love that didn’t care what someone looked like or what they did for a living. She thought she’d had that with Brad, but she’d been wrong.
Tasha peeked down the beach at Spence again. He stood by Heather’s side now, one hand hovering protectively behind her back as she glanced up and up at the kite, now far overhead. They had it almost at the end of the small roll of string. Spence looked so natural beside the young girl, like he was her father. A powerful punch of maternal instinct pulsed through her. Did Spence ever want to have kids? Her ovaries practically squealed at the idea.
“How long are you down here for?” she asked Brenda and Tom to stop her thoughts from wandering off in directions that would, like as not, crush her mood.
“Just a week,” Brenda said. “We came for the Fourth, and we head back on Sunday.”
“I’ve got a big new project starting at work on Monday,” Tom added. She could see the pride in his face. Pride for a job in an office that the likes of Yvonne would probably turn her nose up at. Well, it would be Yvonne’s loss.
“Are you up here longer than that?” Brenda asked.
“Mmm hmm.” Tasha nodded. “For the whole summer.”
“And Spencer Ellis?” Brenda’s eyes took on a shine that they would have had if she’d mentioned staying with any man for a length of time.
Tasha couldn’t help but smile. “He’s there for the whole summer too.”
“Wow. And,” Brenda hesitated, “is anything going on?”
Tasha didn’t answer. She just grinned.
“Wow,” Brenda repeated. “I bet your ‘What I Did Last Summer’ essay is going to be interesting.”
“You mean ‘Who I Did Last Summer,’” Tom added.
“Tom,” Brenda scolded and jabbed an elbow in his gut.
“Sorry,” Tom apologized once again.
Rude as he was, Tasha found herself laughing. Maybe all she needed was a hint of her normal life—a hint that did not involve Brad or his asshole brother—to remind her of where she was in the world.
Unfortunately, a reminder of where Spence was in the world came strolling up the beach. Or at least it could be. A man with a camera approached their spot on the sand from the jetty at the far end. In a flash, Tasha was on edge.
“Uh oh.” She did her best to pretend her skin wasn’t crawling and sent an apologetic smile to Brenda and Tom. “I’d better warn Spence there’s a camera close by.”
“Ooh.” Brenda cringed. “Occupational hazard, huh?”
“Yep.” Tasha was willing to bet Brenda wouldn’t be asking the question if she’d ever had a random guy sidle up to her and start prying for information and waving money around.
They all started up the beach toward where Spence and Heather had backpedaled while flying the kite, Brenda calling, “Honey, it’s time to let Mr. Ellis finish his walk.”
The man with the camera didn’t seem to take much notice of Spence, but Tasha wasn’t willing to take any chances. When Spence sent her a questioning look, she pointed to the man with the camera. Spence nodded in understanding.
“Come on, Princess Heather. I think it’s time to put the kite to bed for the day,” he said.
“Aaw,” Heather moaned.
She let Spence help her reel the kite in anyhow, all the while looking up at him in adoration. It was a whole different kind of adoration from that of, say, Monica the superfan. Everything about Heather was genuine. She made Tasha smile and remember the good things in life.
“I’m going to miss having her in my class next year,” she told Spence as they walked briskly back toward the house. The wind was picking up and the clouds above threatened rain.
“She’s sweet,” Spence said. “I could have stayed out there with her and that kite all day.”
Something about the dreamy quality of Spence’s voice sent tendrils of lust through her as potent as if he’d kissed her.
“You like kids?” she asked, letting that lust settle around her heart and transform to something far more tender.
Spence only added to the pulsing in her chest when he sent her a sheepish, sideways smile. “Does it make me a wuss if I say I love them?”
“God no,” she told him. “It makes you sexy as hell.”
He laughed outright. “I don’t hear that much. Hollywood is not very kid friendly.”
“I imagine not.” She’d heard plenty of stories of celebrity kids and the way their lives had been turned upside down by the business. Far more than she’d heard positive stories of child actors.
“Heather certainly seems to love you,” he said. “She kept telling me how you were her favorite teacher ever.”
Tasha sent him a dubious grin. “She’s only in second grade. There haven’t been that many teachers.”
“You sell yourself short far too much, you know that?”
His words sent prickles down her back. Did she? Of course she did. But damn him for noticing.
She feigned a casual shrug. “Heather had a lot of issues with shyness when she started the year. We worked with her to overcome that,” she explained as though it was nothing.
“You can’t hide the truth from me,” he said as though he’d caught her lying. “You’re a good teacher. That’s all there is to it.”
“Thanks,” she said.
But good teacher or not, that didn’t make her an expert in the man department. When Spence took her hand as they neared the end of the beach and the stairs up to Sand Dollar Point, she felt like a total imposter. It was all she could do not to pull away. The fact that she didn’t would make Jenny proud. Jenny, who had texted her, bursting with pride at her ability to catch a star and put him in her pocket. Jenny, who had offered her more than a few creative suggestions about what to do with him—suggestions she was in no way flexible enough to carry out.
“What do you say to a nice dinner in tonight? Maybe a cuddle after?” Spence winked at her.
“Nothing sounds better,” Tasha replied with a wary smile as they mounted the stairs leading to the house. “But what about—”
“Ah! There you are.”
Yvonne met them at the top of the stairs. She’d changed since they’d started out on their walk. Instead of wearing a crisp linen suit, she was dressed for business in lightweight, grey wool and snakeskin pumps.
“You look awfully dressed up for the beach,” Spence said, smiling at her as if nothing could dent his mood.
Yvonne huffed out a breath and rolled her eyes. “I’ve got to get back to New York pronto. Simon is intent on destroying his image. Someone has to take that boy in hand.”
Tasha’s eyebrows and her hopes rose. If she had known it would be that easy to get rid of Yvonne, she would have started a riot in New York herself.
“Are you leaving right now?” Spence asked as the three of them climbed the stairs to the porch. He was a saint to sound so genuinely concerned.
“A car is on the way as we speak,” Yvonne said, “and a jet is warming up at the airport. I’m afraid if I don’t get there before the sun goes down tonight, we’ll all hear about it on the evening news.”
“That bad, eh?” Spence frowned in concern.
Yvonne’s only answer was to arch a wary eyebrow. “Compared to Simon, you’re a choir boy. You take care of yourself while I’m gone, and read that pilot script! I need your answer about Second Chances yesterday.”
“All right.” Spence nodded.
Tasha was all set to let out a breath of relief and wave goodbye and good riddance to Yvonne when the woman turned and stared her right in the eyes.
“Come with me,” she said. “You and I need to have a quick talk before I go.”
Chapter Eleven
Dread filled Tasha’s stomach like an overdose of ice cream as she followed Yvonne around the edge of the porch to the front of the house. She shot Spence a desperate look as they turned the corner, but all Spence could do was shrug. Tasha had to scurry to keep up with Yvonne as she clicked and clacked her way across the porch to the pile of her luggage by the front door.
“All right, sweetie, let’s get real,” Yvonne said, spinning to face her.
“Excuse me?” Tasha flashed to the defensive.
Yvonne’s face softened into a smile that was way too condescending for Tasha’s tastes. “I like you, Tasha. You’re wholesome and you’ve got spunk.”
“Thank you?” Tasha crossed her arms, bracing herself.
Yvonne let out a breath and shifted her weight. “Spence is a treasure,” she began again, glancing up to the porch roof as if gathering her thoughts. “He’s one of those rare finds who has both talent and personality. He’s grounded and intelligent. He’s not like Simon, whose neck I’m going to wring as soon as I get down to New York.”
There was enough genuine concern in the woman’s sharp eyes that it put Tasha off balance. Yvonne wasn’t nasty, but she wasn’t kind either. She focused on Tasha again, grabbing her with a frank stare.
“Spence is going places. He doesn’t see it right now. He thinks he’s stuck, but he’s wrong. Half of L.A. is slobbering all over themselves to get him involved in their projects. The producers of this TV show are willing to sell their mothers to have him on board. He has the world ahead of him.”
“Good for him,” Tasha said. She winced at the uncertainty in her voice.
Yvonne must have heard it. She leaned closer. “You don’t understand what this means, sweetie,” she said. “This business isn’t like it used to be. These days, even the big names are lucky if they get more than their fifteen minutes of fame. The crowd is fickle. They want new or they want sensational. Why do you think so many young starlets self-immolate just to stay in the headlines? Why do you think Simon is on the verge of causing a major scandal? Because of you people.” She pointed square at Tasha’s chest. “Because the audience wants novelty.”
“That has nothing to do with me,” Tasha argued, unfolding her arms and planting her hands on her hips. “None of this has anything to do with me.”
“Honey, it has everything to do with you.”
Again, Yvonne threw her for a loop by sighing and sagging. For a moment, she looked more like a weary mother, like some of the principals Tasha had seen near the end of their career, than a high-powered Hollywood agent. She pressed her fingertips to her forehead, then met Tasha’s eyes.
“Spence likes you,” she said. “A lot. He’s pushed back every time I’ve tried to suggest he send you packing for the last two weeks. I’ve never seen him act like this.”
A rush of hope swirled through Tasha’s gut, followed quickly by dark suspicion. “I like him too, and as far as I can tell, that’s all that matters.”
Yvonne shook her head. “Spoken like a naïve little girl who doesn’t understand the way the world works.”
Ouch. It took all of Tasha’s will power not to flinch and shrink. She’d tried so hard to hide the fact that she had no idea what she was doing only to have it turn out to be obvious to the world.
“Like I said, I like you,” Yvonne went on, “but you’re not for Spencer. He’s going places, you’re not. It’s as simple as that. You’re cute and normal, and I’m fairly sure that’s why Spence likes you, but where does that leave you at the end of the day? Honey, you belong
in a classroom with all that construction paper and paste and pipe cleaners. He belongs on the red carpet, at press junkets, and filming on location. How do you think you would handle that?”
“Easily, I could….” Nothing followed. Her mind went blank. All she could do was picture herself attempting to stroll the red carpet in a baggy teacher’s sweater covered with applique letters and numbers and a red apple with a smiling green worm poking out of it.
“Exactly,” Yvonne went on. “You have no place in his world.” Her mood shifted again, this time to a soft old friend trying to comfort her after a break-up, even though the break-up hadn’t happened. Yet. “I know it hurts, honey, but we all need to accept our place in the world.”
“I don’t….” She wanted to argue, but words were nowhere to be found.
“Here’s my advice.” Yvonne shifted closer to her, resting a manicured hand on the small of Tasha’s back. “Pack up and go home. Enjoy the rest of your summer pain-free. You’ve got the house for next summer already and I can probably get you a refund on what you’ve paid for this year. Put yourself out of all the misery you’ll end up in if you stay.”
“No,” Tasha said, no energy behind the word.
Yvonne removed her hand and shrugged. “All right, that’s fine. The other thing you could do is stay here and have a wonderful, fun summer fling with Spence. Get your groove on, or however they say it these days. Make some memories. Just remember that it ends at the end of the summer, and everyone goes back to the lives they’re supposed to have.”
The only argument Tasha could make to that was a frown. It grated on her nerves, twisted in her stomach, set her teeth on edge, but it was exactly what she had been thinking in those dark places of her mind she didn’t want to go to.
She was spared the need to come up with a response when Spence stepped out through the front door.
“You’re still here?” he asked Yvonne. He was teasing. Tasha could see it in his eyes. He may have been an award-winning actor, but when he wasn’t on, his feelings were written on his face in bold lettering. Right now they said that Yvonne wasn’t the enemy, she was his ally and friend.
Summer with a Star (Second Chances Book 1) Page 15
