by Kaci Rose
We are both breathing hard, but neither of us moves, just enjoying the moment.
As soon as we catch our breaths, we repeat the moment, this time on the couch.
Chapter 29
Linly
After a night of hot sex to help take Kade's mind off what was going on with his so-called best friend, the last thing I wanted was to be woken up by my phone, which won't leave me alone. I need to remember to start turning it on silent, but I'm always worried someone will need me for the inn. I turn over to see if it has woken Kade up, but he's not here.
This is normal. He's become an early riser since coming here. He likes to watch the sunrise and take in the quiet, still mornings. Those are his words. After what he told me last night, I think it's more about slowing down.
I couldn't imagine living in a city where the noise is constant, and it's never quiet. I know I couldn't handle it, and in a way, I'm glad my plan to go to Wilmington fell through, even it is too big of a city for me.
I don't want to answer the text messages right now, I think as I stretch and soak up the delicious soreness between my legs and in my thighs and arms. That has to be from me riding Kade hard last night which brings a smile to my face, and turns me on all over again until another text message comes in.
I really did make him forget about everything going on, and like every time we have sex, we were in our own little bubble. Nothing outside this room mattered. It was just us, and my heart aches for that to be true—for him to want to stay and this to continue—but my brain is constantly reminding me that's not part of the plan. The plan has always been for him to go home at some point.
Going down this rabbit hole is never good. I guess I better check and make sure the reason my phone is blowing up is not inn-related. When I open my phone and see what all the fuss is about, I sit up straight.
Oh, shit.
I get dressed as quickly as possible and pull my hair up. I make sure I'm presentable before I head down to the lobby to start my hunt for Kade. Has he seen this? If he had, he surely would have woken me up. Maybe he's in my office doing damage control. My guess is if I've seen this and the town has seen it, then so has Wren. So that is where I'm on my way to, when Brynn's laughter comes from the dining room.
Her laughter is followed by Kade's laughter, and it stops me dead in my tracks. What the heck is going on? I turn toward the dining room and find Brynn and Kade at the dining room table, talking and laughing over coffee and muffins.
"Are you laughing at the news?" I ask, a bit confused as I head straight to the coffee.
"What news? I was telling Kade about the time that little brat Jeffery set your Barbie dolls on fire, and you put itching powder in his clothes, and his parents refused to come back to the inn because they thought it was something in the laundry soap. Did your parents ever find out?" Brynn laughs.
"I eventually told them. They tried not to laugh but said he was a little pain in the ass and deserved it," I admit.
"I was also showing her how to use this app to edit your photos on your phone. There are all sorts of presets and filters. She turned me into a mermaid. I swear it will be my luck that will be the photo that gets leaked." Kade shakes his head, but there is still a huge smile on his face.
"Speaking of things being leaked. Have either of you seen the news?"
Kade's eyes cloud over. "He sold the story, didn't he?"
I wish it wasn't right, and that we were both wrong about him. I wish that Kade had one person in that town he could trust. It would make sending him back a little easier, but knowing he will be alone in a sea of people around him breaks my heart and makes me want to enact Brynn's handcuff idea.
"Well, if you told him you were thinking of asking me to marry you, then oh yeah, and I'm sure he made a pretty penny off it. Over fifty thousand if the rumors are true," I tell him, and his eyes drop to his lap.
I walk over and place my hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Kade."
"It's fine. My gut said he'd do this, but I was just hoping I was wrong. It would have been nice to be wrong for a change." He sighs, then looks back up at me.
"I know. I'm sorry." I cup his cheek, and he puts his hand over mine, and his eyes lock on me.
"I think I have somewhere else to be," Brynn says as she gets up and leaves the room, but still, our eyes never leave each other.
Then his other hand comes to my waist, and he pulls me onto his lap, tilts my head back, and kisses me. It's a slow, almost lazy kiss. It's not rushed as we connect on a very basic level. Just showing him he's not alone and that I'm here for him. It's like we have all the time in the world, which is proven a lie when Kade's phone rings.
He pulls back, resting his forehead on mine. "It's Wren. He and my parents are the only ones who get through when it's on do not disturb," he tells me.
"Okay, I'll let you take that, and I'm going to go answer emails," I tell him and head toward my office as he answers the phone. I want to stay and be there for him, but I know whatever this call is about, he needs to handle it on his own. We don't need to intertwine our lives any more than they already are.
Once at my desk, I intend to check my email, but I end up pulling the articles up once more. A lot of it is a recap of the two other interviews we did and photos from Kade's social media. The only new info is the text Kade sent last night and some quotes from the weasel who Kade called a friend. Things like how happy he is for him, but how unexpected it is, and he never saw it coming.
I look at the texts coming in, and I swear almost everyone in town has messaged me asking if I saw the article, if Kade has proposed yet, and then asking to see the ring. Some are mad they read about it instead of hearing it from me. It would take hours to reply to everyone.
Leaning back in my chair, I rub my temples as a headache is already starting to form. This is great. Kade couldn't pick something that didn't involve me? Like maybe he got a part in the new Avengers movie, or he's the new James Bond. But this? This is going to be a shit show to clean up.
I decide to use the gossip tree to my advantage and text the town gossips, Dorothy, Ginger, Holly, and Becca. I tell them it's not true, that his best friend sold a story for money, and ask them to spread the news with a promise to keep them updated.
They text back almost immediately that they are on it and for me not to worry. I wish it was that easy not to worry. Kade just lost his best friend if he ever had him to begin with. Wren, I'm sure, isn't too happy with the news. If he comes out and denies it, will it hurt his chance with the studio that wants him to be more family friendly?
There is no way I'd agree to a fake engagement for the sake of his career. I hope that option isn't even on the table. Being in a fake relationship with the guy feels too real and already has me on edge, so I couldn't do more. Besides, when I get engaged and married, I plan to only do it once and to my forever guy.
I finally get my email open and answer some inquiries about group rates. I go through the interview requests. I've been getting at least five of them a day. I sort out the junk and reply to some emails from a travel agency. My phone starts going off again.
More texts come in, and this time, they aren't about the article, but it's about the bridge. It's reopening sometime today. That news seems to drown out everything else with the locals. Everyone in our social media group is talking about how they have island fever and need to step foot on the mainland or need to go shopping to visit friends.
I should be happy. This means we can get guests again and it means Brynn's new sales system can be installed. But it also means Kade can leave. Will he leave right away, or will he stay until he gets his next role? Everyone seems to want off the island for the day, so I'm willing to bet Kade will too. This also means there will be a flood of people onto the island.
Will the inn be flooded with reporters and fans? After today's news, my guess on that one is yes, it will be. I sigh, making the calls to bring in some extra security. Kade might decide to leave, but it's still my job to keep him
safe until then. When I text Brynn, she suggests locking the doors, and she will send over a few of her security guys too.
I get with Dale and go over the plan, and we lock the doors and put up the sign directing people to the Sunset Inn to check in. Kade is nowhere to be found, and I think he's gone up to his room until I see him on the phone pacing on the beach.
He looks so handsome in the afternoon light in his shorts and a T-shirt. He's barefoot and watching the waves crash over his feet. His hair is blowing in the breeze, and I stop and just watch him for a minute before I remember why I came out here.
I head out and can't make out what is being said but decide to interrupt. It's better for him to get inside now. Who knows when the bridge will open again? It could be open now.
"Kade!" I call out, and his eyes shoot to mine.
"You need to come inside. The bridge opened. I'm willing to bet the place will be swamped with fans and reporters soon. We're locking up," I tell him.
He nods and follows me inside as he wraps up his phone call. His face is serious with a little anger.
"Hey, I need to make a few more calls, then I will meet you in your office?" he says, his tone flat and giving nothing away.
"Yep, I'll be there."
I can't get a read on him, so I head to my office and try to go through the rest of the emails. But I keep bouncing back to the tab with the article in it, not sure what this talk will bring.
Chapter 30
Kade
When Wren calls, I decide to step outside. I can only imagine what he has to say, and as much as I want Lin near, I don't want her to worry about it either.
"What the actual hell? You are going to marry this girl?!" Wren yells into the phone so loud I have to pull it away from my ear.
"Thank you for even asking if it was true. Just because the source knows me doesn't make it true. I was testing him, and obviously, he failed. No, I don't plan on asking her to marry me."
Even though that is exactly what I want. I have no idea how we will make it work after I told her how horrible LA was. Why would she even consider moving out there? Plus, I doubt there is even a chance in hell that she'd walk away from the inn.
"Christ. So, we need damage control because the studio saw this and called to offer you a role bigger than anything you have had before."
He goes on to tell me about the role, the pay, and the contract. It's a dream role, one I hoped for when I went to California but never thought I'd actually get. The thing is, I got it because they think I'm about to be engaged.
"Hey, we can work with this. Tell them you asked, but she said no because she can't leave the inn and wants nothing to do with Hollywood life. It's not a complete lie," Wren says, not needing an answer from me as he works this out in his head.
"Still a lie," I chime in.
"But one we can work with. It's also the perfect way to stage your breakup. We run with this, and it will make you both look good because you just can't find a way to make your lives work. Could say when this leaked, you two talked so you don't even have to go with the lie of your proposing. Yes, that's what we will do."
I head outside as he continues to talk about me like I'm not even there. I stick my feet in the ocean and think about how much I'm going to miss this. I can't remember the last time I've been so calm and relaxed.
"Do I even need to be here for this conversation?" I ask as I start pacing along the shoreline.
"Come on, man! This is perfect. Sucks you lost a friend like this, but it's actually perfect."
"With friends like that, who needs enemies," I mumble.
"Kade!" Lin's voice calls out.
"That Lin?" Wren asks.
I don't get to answer him before Lin continues.
"You need to come inside. The bridge opened, so I'm willing to bet the place will be swamped with fans and reporters soon. We're locking up," she says.
I nod and turn to head in.
"This is perfect! The bridge is open, so you can come home! I'll send a private jet out for you to be at the airport tomorrow morning. I'll text you the details."
I keep a straight face because I'm not ready to tell Lin what is going on, and I still need to call my parents. I'm sure they will have seen this already or will soon.
"Hey, I need to make a few more calls, then I will meet you in your office?" I say, trying to keep my voice even.
"Yep, I'll be there," she says with a forced smile.
I nod and turn and head up to my room. Once inside, I lean on the door and close my eyes. Last night was amazing, and today is a shit show. I barely get my thoughts together when my phone rings. It's my mom. Seems the news reached her before I could.
"Mom," I answer, waiting for her to go off with whatever she heard.
"Is it true? Your daddy is here too," she says.
"I said it, but it's not true," I tell them.
"You best get to explaining, son," my dad says.
I tell them about my conversation with Lin last night and her idea about the test and that yes, I said that to him, but I had no intention of asking her to marry me. I go on to tell them about my conversation with Wren, the bridge opening, the new role, and my mixed feelings. I lay it all out there to the only two people in the world I know are on my side and will give me the best advice.
When I'm done, they’re both silent, and I'm pretty sure they are staring at each other.
"Sounds like a real pickle," my dad says.
"Yeah, tell me about it," I mutter.
"So, you need to start by figuring out your feelings for this girl. If they don't go beyond being friends, I doubt you'd be this confused. Is she your forever girl? If she is, you know what that inn means to her, and you have to be the one who makes a change to make it work. You’re happy there; she is happy there."
"But my job is in Hollywood. This role is everything I've been working toward, and the whole reason we did this fake relationship to begin with."
“Plans change. Jimmy down the road has always been into horses and horse training. He had this plan to breed racehorses, which takes a lot of work and time, but then he met Jenny, and that girl is everything to him. They wanted a family, so he switched to cattle on his land. It takes less time, so he has more time with his family, and I've never seen him happier. Plans change, my boy, and what you wanted last week, month, year doesn't have to be what you want today," Dad says.
"Too many people are counting on me for this role. It's not just me. It's Wren, too. He and my personal assistant both make a name for themselves if this goes well. I have staff who depend on me making money for a paycheck." I think of my housekeeper and chef back in Hollywood.
"All of whom could get another job tomorrow with you on their resume. Hell, some might even get a pay raise at a new job because they have been loyal to you all these years. You can find them another job, and you know it," Mom says.
She doesn't get it. Hollywood is a different beast.
"I fly out tomorrow to meet with the studio. We will be filming on location, so once I know more, I'll call you," I tell them, my decision made.
"Well, I have to say I'm disappointed in you, son. But you let us know about this movie, and we will plan a weekend to come see you on the set," my dad says.
They have always spent a weekend with me on set when I film on location. They may not like Hollywood, but when I film elsewhere, they are always right there. Hell, most movies now are filmed at least partly on location.
"I love you, son. Use the time on the plane to think," Mom says as we hang up.
