Sunrise: Movie Star, Fake Relationship Romance (Chasing The Sun Duet Book 1)

by Kaci Rose

  "None that I've met. I think my mom looked into it and only found one other person a few decades ago that it happened too." He admits.

  "You've done well for yourself. I've looked at your career a bit since you've been here, and you are really good."

  That first night after he checked in, I searched him online and couldn't pull myself away from the photos. Lots of awards, red carpet events, movies, and of course, many women.

  He laughs. "Thanks, I guess. I could give you the spiel of how lucky I am and how thankful I am. And I am, but I'm just at a fork in the road and trying to figure it out."

  I open my mouth to ask what fork he's talking about when a voice from the past calls my name.

  "Lin?" the guy asks as he walks toward us.

  My entire body goes still. What the hell is he doing here?

  "Everything okay?" Kade whispers next to my ear as I watch my ex jog toward us.

  Kade is wearing a hat and sunglasses, but Travis will recognize him. He's a huge fan of Kade's movies. This couldn't get any worse.

  "Travis, what are you doing here?" I ask when he makes his way over to us.

  He left for Wilmington per the plan Brynn and I had and never looked back. Far as I know, he hasn't been back in town until now.

  Kade wraps his arm around my waist. I can't see his eyes through the sunglasses, but I can feel them on me. With his arm around me, I feel safe and relax just a bit into his side. The move doesn't go unnoticed by Travis either.

  "I was in town visiting my folks when the bridge got washed out, so now, I'm stuck here," he says.

  I nod and turn to leave.

  "Wait. Lin, can we talk?" he asks.

  Kade squeezes my hip, and I lose all train of thought. Both men are staring at me when I realize I need to answer.

  "No, Travis, and I'd appreciate you staying off my beach," I say.

  "Come on, I was just going for a walk," he says.

  "On private property. You know as well as the everyday tourist that this is private property. This section of the beach is owned by the Sunrise and Sunset. Stay off it," I grit out.

  "Don't be like that. Plenty of locals are on the beach. Hell, even Josh is." He points in Josh's direction.

  "Josh is actually helping Brynn with a project. The ones here are people we like and who have helped us since our parents died. Not ones who tuck their tail and run like a coward," I say. Grabbing Kade's hand, I turn and walk away, pulling him behind me.

  We walk for a bit in silence before Kade asks, "Who was that?"

  "My ex. We dated in high school, and he was a part of our plan to go to Wilmington. When my parents died and I took over the inn, he dumped me at their funeral nonetheless and went to Wilmington the next day. First time I've seen him since."

  Kade hasn't let go of my hand and squeezes it now in reassurance.

  "Just sucks my parents died thinking I was going to marry him. We had our whole lives planned together and they liked him. Travis just couldn't handle the plan being disrupted." I don't know why I'm telling him this, but maybe I just need to get it out. "He is a huge fan of your movies, so it's a good thing you didn't talk. He'd have put it together even with the hat and sunglasses."

  "It would have been worth blowing my cover to see his face when he thought we were dating. I would have done it in a heartbeat." Kade chuckles.

  I can't help but laugh at the thought of Travis's face.

  I glance up and see Brynn standing on the Sunset's back porch with her hands out to her sides, mouthing, “What?" I shrug my shoulders and drop his hand.

  "I'm going to go warn Brynn he's in town. Maybe she will throw a pineapple at his face for me." I smile.

  "Please make sure I'm there to witness that!" He laughs.

  "I'm already feeling better, and I think it's all because I didn't have to face him alone. So, thank you," I say as I turn to him.

  Again, I can't see his eyes, but I feel them on me. Neither of us moves until he smiles.

  "See you at dinner, Goldie," he says before turning back toward the Sunrise. I watch him go and scan to make sure Travis isn't on the beach still before turning and heading up the porch to Brynn.

  "Is it too early for a mimosa? Or an Irish coffee?" I ask as I collapse onto the porch swing.

  "Sadly, yes." Brynn curls up next to me on the swing, facing me with one arm resting on the back of the swing holding her head up. "Now, were you really holding hands with Kade?" She giggles.

  "Yes, but only because we ran into Travis," I tell her.

  "What! That bastard is here? Was he on our beach? Let me at him!" She starts to stand, but I put my hand on her arm.

  "Kade was there. Thankfully, Travis didn't recognize him, but Kade put his arm around my waist, and the look on Travis's face was worth it." I fill her in on his comment about the locals on the beach and what I said.

  "I'm glad you got to finally go off on him. He deserves so much more," Brynn says.

  "Oh, Kade asked to make sure he was there if you decide to throw a pineapple at Travis's face." I giggle.

  She shoots me a side-eye. "One fruit, and I will never live it down. But for you, I'd throw a pineapple at his face for sure." She nods. We both know she won't, but her saying she would be enough for me.

  We sit on the swing a bit longer and just talk about plans with the bridge down. She has already called the few check-ins we have and let them know and issued refunds.

  "I have to get ready to go into town, but I'll see you at dinner tonight, okay?" she says as she finally stands.

  I stay and enjoy the sea breeze a bit more and try not to remember how safe I felt at Kade's side.

  Chapter 10

  Kade

  I'm getting ready for dinner, and I can still feel Lin's hand in mine from this morning. I can still feel her body pressed to my side and my arm around her waist.

  I wanted to punch that Travis character in the face, but it would defeat the whole reason for being here. But for Lin, I know I'd do it if needed. She is sweet and genuinely nice, and for an asshole to treat her like he did, well, it would be worth the negative press.

  I head down to the lobby and find Lin at the desk on the computer. She doesn't look up as I make my way over.

  "Everything okay?" I ask.

  "Yeah, people have heard of the bridge and want to know if they will be able to keep reservations. These people must think we are some back road people. I just got an email from a couple who have reservations six months from now, wanting to know if the bridge will be fixed by then." She just shakes her head.

  "Come on, you need to eat. The email will still be there later."

  She nods. "You're right. Let's go."

  As we walk side by side toward Sunset, my hand itches to reach out and take her hand again. I don't want to think about her leaving me and going to eat with Brynn tonight, so I know I have to suck it up.

  "Have dinner with me. I will tell you why I'm here," I offer her.

  She looks over at me and studies me for a minute.

  "Sure. Let me tell Brynn, and I'll be right over," she says once we are in the door.

  I go to my private table and sit down, suddenly nervous. This isn't a date, but it feels like one.

  When she rounds the corner with a wide smile on her face, my nerves calm as I stand to pull her chair out for her. She looks at me with a bit of confusion, almost like she didn't expect me to be polite.

  The server comes over, and Lin smiles up at him.

  "Hey, Ken, please save us a piece of Martha's peach pie. Brynn told me she brought some in today," she says.

  "Oh, she sure did, and it's been going fast, but Brynn already demanded a slice be put away for each of you and one for Mr. Blue." Ken winks at her with a smile and takes our drink orders.

  "Who is Mr. Blue?" I ask.

  "You." She laughs.

  "Me? How did you get Blue from me?" I ask.

  "The color of your car. It's too fancy for this area and stands out like a sore thumb." She lau
ghs.

  I shake my head. After we place our food order, she finally looks at me.

  "I think it's time you hold up your end of the story, Mr. Blue." She smiles.

  "If you were looking me up online, I'm sure you saw the recent photographs with Cassie and me," I say.

  She nods. "Yeah, your last conquest. Wasn't she married?" she asks.

  "She is married, but I didn't sleep with her. She is my costar's wife. He left her at the club, and she got so drunk a guy was taking advantage of her right out in the open. So, I took her home, laid her on the couch, fully dressed, shoes still on, and left. I didn't touch her, but of course, the media doesn't care. Her husband admitted to Wren he knows we didn't sleep together but says the damage is done. The studio doesn't want to work with me anymore. So Wren suggested I come here and stay out of the media while he tries to talk to the studio."

  "Why don't they just release a statement that nothing happened and thank you for saving her?" she asks.

  "Wren thinks they are going to use this as the catalyst for the divorce. He pays her off to make it look like she cheated, and they have a reason to split quietly." I shake my head.

  "And you get screwed in the meantime?" she asks.

  "Yeah, the worst part is the studio said they want me to clean up my act and appeal more to families. I've been trying for over a year to drop the playboy title, but the press finds ways to keep playing it up. I haven't dated or even slept with anyone in over a year. I rarely go to clubs anymore. I was only at this one to celebrate the release because the studio demanded we make an appearance."

  Lin looks up as our food is delivered, then looks back at me.

  "You know you could try dating a girl for a month or so. Make your dates public and have her break up with you, break your heart," she says.

  I laugh. I can't help it. "My mom said something along those same lines. The problem is, all the girls I've tried to date use me. Mostly for their fifteen minutes of fame and some to launch their careers by dating and screwing me over. Others want me to spend money on them. I'm not one to flash my money around. I don't have a mansion, and I don't have expensive parties every weekend. I guess I just don't know who to trust anymore. It's very exhausting when you don't have a safe space." I cringe. I don't know why I admitted that to her.

  "Well, on the flip side, you are rich enough you can have a trophy wife. Marry someone who knows the score, gets a monthly allowance, smiles, and sings your praises in public. She knows the score, and you both play your parts."

  I shake my head. "I may be a fool, but if I marry, it will be for the kind of love my parents have. I haven't gone so Hollywood that I'd marry just to further my career," I tell her.

  I pause and look at her. "You'd be perfect, though." I smile.

  She laughs. Full throws her head back and laughs. "I'm not marrying you." She shakes her head.

  "Not to marry, to date. It could fix my reputation and boost sales here for both inns," I say, planting the seed.

  She pushes her food around on her plate, lost in thought before she looks back up at me.

  "I'm not like those Hollywood girls," she says.

  "Exactly. You aren't trying to better your career, and I'm telling you right off the bat, I'd help promote the inns. We both go into it knowing the score, and the media will eat it up because you're not a Hollywood girl. I'm stuck here for another week or more, so it's perfect."

  "How is it perfect?" she asks, scrunching her eyebrows together, and it's so damn cute.

  I can't admit that it's perfect because it gives me a reason to put my arms around her and maybe even steal a few kisses. No, that will send her running. I can feel it.

  "It's perfect because the press can't get here to hound you, and by the time the bridge is fixed, we will break up. I will pay for security here afterward if any press tries to take it too far. I won't have to hide inside. We can go out in town and let people see us. They will post pictures, and it will be perfect. I can post about the inn on social media. You get to go out be a tourist in your own town, and we can relax a bit. No more worrying if it gets out that I'm here. We can toss the NDAs out the window and take all the pressure off," I try to reason with her.

  "It sounds great in theory, but I'm sure it will all blow up in our faces," she says.

  "Not if we don't let it. We are two adults. We know our boundaries. Plus, think of Travis's face when he realizes you are dating me. Tell me you don't want to rub that in his face." I smile at just the thought because I sure as hell want to rub it in

  She relaxes and smiles. "That would be great." She chuckles and shakes her head. "Better than anything Brynn could do."

  Then her face goes serious. "I'm not sleeping with you." She levels me with the “I'm not kidding around" glare my mom used to give me.

  "No sex. Just some hugs, hand holding, and a few well-staged kisses," I tell her as her cheeks develop a light pink on them. My cock hardens at the thought of sex with her, and the pink on her cheeks makes me think about her lying on my bed flush from an orgasm that I just gave her.

  I shift and try to adjust myself and get back on track.

  "Then I get to break up with you. For whatever reason I want?" she asks.

  "Well, within reason. Personally, I think saying I picked my career over you would work for us both. I left to go back to Hollywood. You had to stay here with the inn. It just didn't work out," I say and study her face.

  She taps her fork on her plate and bites the inside of her cheek, lost in thought.

  "I don't know. That makes me sound weak and heartbroken. I don't want people walking in here, your fans in particular, saying how I wasn't good enough for you anyway. You know they will," she says.

  I know she's right. I've seen how hard they are on the girls I've dated in the past.

  "Well, what reason would you give to us breaking up? It can't be cheating because I want to get away from that label."

  She bites her bottom lip and studies my face. I know when an idea hits her because she sits up straight and smiles.

  "How about you got too serious, and I wanted to keep it casual? Maybe that I was just using you to get back at Travis." She smiles.

  That is actually a really good idea. "Mm, my fans might still not like that one."

  "We can say it started today on the beach. You agreed to help me get him back but fell for me instead, and I wanted no part of the Hollywood playboy, and you can spin some sob story about how you have been trying to turn your life around, and it cost you love and blah, blah, blah."

  "I'd need to talk to Wren, but that might work," I say, thinking it over.

  "Well, I need to talk to Brynn before I agree to anything anyway because this will affect her," she says.

  "I agree. She will also need to be the one to collaborate our story."

  She nods. "I agree."

  Then Ken brings us each out a slice of peach pie warmed with some vanilla ice cream, and she just watches me take my first bite. The warm peach pie mixed with the cold ice cream is a perfect mix.