Love on the Rebound (Hawaii Billionaire Romance)

by Jennifer Youngblood

  Long after the New Year’s Eve countdown was over, Everly and Christian sat out by the pool, letting the coolness of the evening envelope them. Everly scooted closer to Christian, her head resting in the curve of his shoulder. She looked up at him. “This was the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had.”

  “Me too,” he murmured into her hair.

  She linked her fingers through his, liking how nicely they fit together. “I don’t want this to end.”

  He shifted so that he was looking into her eyes, hope coloring his features. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

  A smile broke over her lips as happiness bubbled over her. “Yes.”

  His eyes lit up as he let out a whoop. He pulled her to her feet and gathered her close. “You have no idea how happy that makes me. Listen, they’re playing our song.”

  “Our song?”

  “What a Wonderful World by IZ.” He grinned. “It’s appropriate, yeah?”

  A smile curved her lips. “Totally,” she said softly. “It is a wonderful world when we’re together.”

  He leaned close, nuzzling her ear with his lips. “I’m crazy about you, Everly.”

  Tingles danced down her spine. “I’m crazy about you too.”

  As they started swaying along to the music, Everly’s mind started clicking through the details. She would have to go back to Charleston and wrap up her business affairs. Maybe rent out her house. Put in her notice at work. Deal with Roland. She stopped. “Are you sure you’re ready for all that this will entail? I have to have a way to make a living for Jordan and me.”

  “Of course,” he said smoothly. “Whatever you need.” He twirled her in a circle and began humming along to the music.

  She planted her feet on the ground. “I’m serious. I have to work. If I can run a fitness center for you, that would be ideal. Are you still okay with that? I have some money saved up that I can invest in it.”

  There was the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes. “That’s not necessary. I have plenty.”

  “I know, but I need to be able to stand on my own,” she countered firmly. “Contribute my fair share.” She’d made the mistake of letting Roland handle everything for her after Mitchell’s disappearance, but she wouldn’t make that same mistake again. She was going to come into this relationship on equal footing or not at all.

  He chuckled. “We can arrange it however you want.”

  “I just want to make sure we have everything ironed out before I go home and put in my notice.”

  His eyes caught hers, and she had the impression she was seeing into her future—a wonderful future that she could grow accustomed to. “I gave you my word, and that’s not something I take lightly.”

  Gratitude welled in her breast, and she had to fight to stay the tears. “That means the world to me,” she said quietly.

  He searched her face. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, this is all just so sudden. I’ll have to break the news to my mama. She won’t be happy about me taking Jordan five thousand miles away from her.”

  He thought for a minute. “She can come here too.”

  “Really?” Was this all just a wonderful dream? It felt that way, especially since she was standing in such a beautiful spot and breathing in perfumed air from the nearby flowers. A salty breeze floated gently in the night air.

  “Of course. Everly, I want you to be happy. We can do this. We’ll take it slowly and work our way through it … one day at a time. If need be, I can even go and spend some time with you in South Carolina.”

  She was surprised. “But that would mean leaving the island.”

  “Really? South Carolina’s not on the other side of the island? I didn’t realize,” he teased.

  She stuck out her tongue. “Smarty pants.”

  A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. “Let’s see … I think this calls for adding a new line to poem … Christian’s scared stiff to step foot off the island, but for Everly, he’ll do it anyway.”

  “You’ll do just fine,” she assured him. Her mind jumped ahead to the next problem as she chewed on her inner jaw. “What about Roland?”

  He stiffened. “What do you mean?”

  “He’s not gonna take it lightly when he realizes I’m leaving Charleston and taking Jordan with me.” A sense of foreboding trickled through her as she shivered.

  His eyes hardened. “Like I said, we’ll take it one step at a time and work through the kinks. You can’t keep letting him rule your life.”

  She straightened her shoulders, remembering the advice Maurie had given her. Life was giving her a nugget of happiness, and she was grabbing hold and never letting go. “You’re right.” She just hoped Christian realized what he was in for, because even though she wasn’t sure what Roland would do when he found out she was moving to Hawaii to be with Christian, she knew things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got better.

  CHAPTER 14

  The last few days of Everly’s vacation were spent planning. She decided to wait until she returned to the fitness center to deliver her notice in person. Matt, the owner, had been so kind and generous to her—offering her every opportunity for advancement—she felt she owed it to him to tell him in person. She and Christian went house hunting. Everly wanted to rent a home, but Christian insisted they would be smarter to buy something. Everly contacted Maurie and told her the plans. Maurie was elated that Everly and Jordan would be returning to the island. A day later, she called and offered to let Everly rent her and Liam’s condo.

  “We’ve been planning on buying a home before the baby comes,” Maurie explained. “We just found the perfect house and were planning on renting out our condo. If you want it, it’s yours.”

  Everly couldn’t believe how smoothly things were working out.

  “It’s because it’s meant to be,” Christian told her.

  They were in Christian’s SUV, headed to the airport, but first they were stopping to eat lunch. The only thing that took the sting out of leaving Christian was the knowledge that she and Jordan would be back in less than a month. Christian wanted to go with her to South Carolina, but Everly insisted it would be better for her to go home alone and sort things out. It would be hard enough for her mama to come to terms with all of the changes. Having Christian present would add extra stress. And aside from that, there was the obvious part about him being a movie star. Everywhere they went, people clamored for his attention. Everly wasn’t sure how she felt about that, but was willing to take things one step at a time.

  They decided to stop at a McDonalds, so they could get to the airport in time. Everly had just lifted Jordan out of the car seat when they were attacked by a pack of reporters. Microphones were thrust in her face as people closed in around them.

  “Everly, tell us how it feels to be the newest woman in Christian Ross’s life.”

  “Mommy,” Jordan cried, burying his head in Everly’s shoulder.

  Everly saw Christian’s furious expression as he rushed around the car and began pushing his way through the reporters to get to her side.

  “How did you feel when you realized your ex-husband, Mitchell Grant, didn’t actually die in a diving accident?”

  Everly felt like she’d been punched in the face.

  “How does your son feel about having his father desert him?” This came from a pretty blonde in her early twenties.

  Anger seared through Everly, and she was about to tell the reporter just what she thought of her nasty comment, but a magazine was thrust in her face. “What do you have to say about this, Ms. Watson?”

  It took a second for Everly to process what she was seeing—pictures of her and Christian, kissing in the hot tub, their bodies intertwined. Horror rushed over her as she read the caption: Christian Ross gets in on the action.

  “Where was your son when you and Christian were in the hot tub? Was someone watching him, or was he in the house alone?”

  A swift panic raced over Everly, and she had the f
eeling the ground was falling out from beneath her.

  “Sources tell us that you and your son have been staying at Christian Ross’s estate. Is this true?”

  Jordan started crying. Christian made it to her side. “Leave her alone,” he ordered. “You’re scaring her son.”

  They turned on Christian.

  “Does your developing relationship with Everly mean that you’ve finally gotten over Heather’s suicide?”

  “Do you still feel responsible for Heather’s state of mind?”

  “Will you be doing another movie in the Jase Scott series?”

  Christian’s jaw went rock hard. “I have no comment. You’re upsetting my friend and her son. I would ask that, in the name of decency, you leave us be.”

  This provoked more questions. It all became a blur to Everly as Christian took Jordan from her arms. He opened the car door, placed him back into the car seat, and helped Everly get in.

  The reporters hovered over the SUV, beating on the windows and firing more questions at them. Everly had the impression they were hungry wolves, fighting for a piece of fresh meat. Christian got into the car and started the engine. It was only when he slammed the SUV in reverse and backed up that the reporters were forced to move away.

  When they got onto the highway, Christian shook his head. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what that was all about.”

  Everly spun around. “How dare you!”

  Christian rocked back, gripping the steering wheel. “What?”

  “Introspective Magazine. That’s the one you did the interview for, right?”

  “Yeah. So?”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. “They have pictures of us … kissing in your hot tub.”

  “What?”

  “And they know about Mitchell.” This was a nightmare.

  He swore under his breath, gripping the steering wheel. “Calm down. I’ll call my agent and find out what happened. It was only supposed to be a lifestyle segment.”

  She belted out a hysterical laugh. “It was a heck of a lot more than that. And no, I won’t calm down. I’ve never been so humiliated in my life.”

  “Welcome to my world,” Christian muttered darkly.

  The tawdry image of Christian and her in the hot tub was seared into her mind. The reporter had asked her where Jordan was when she and Christian were kissing … and if she’d left him alone. She could only imagine the repercussions that would follow when Roland caught wind of this. Her hands started to tremble as she clasped them tightly in her lap.

  Christian blew out a breath. “Hey, I’m sorry.” He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away, then turned and stared unseeingly out the window. “Everly,” he continued, “we need to talk about this.”

  She merely shook her head.

  “Unfortunately, what you experienced today goes with the territory. I don’t like it any more than you do.”

  Fury boiled inside her. “Did you tell that reporter about Mitchell?”

  “Of course not. How can you think I would do that?”

  “And yet they knew,” she spat back.

  “You’re overreacting, Everly.”

  Tears spilled over her cheeks. Maybe she was overreacting, but she couldn’t live like this.

  “We need to discuss this,” Christian said.

  “I’m sorry.” She bit her lower lip. “But I can’t do this.”

  His face fell. “This will blow over.”

  “They took pictures of us … together … insinuated I’m a neglectful mother. What part of that do you not get? Do you know what Roland will do when he hears about this?”

  “Will you stop it, already? This isn’t about Roland! It’s about us.”

  “Don’t you see? There can’t be an us. Not now.” She folded her arms over her chest. “I was foolish to think there could ever be.”

  Shock rendered him speechless for a second. “Everly … don’t do this! That incident with the reporters was nothing … small kine.”

  She shot him a look that could kill. “Well, it was a big deal to me.”

  “So, that’s it? You’re throwing away what we have—what we can build together—over something stupid?”

  Tears blurred her vision. “I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

  “Fine.” Christian’s mouth formed a hard line. “You accused me of running away from my problems, but from where I’m sitting, it looks like you’re the one who’s running away.”

  Her lower lip quivered. “Just take us to the airport … please.”

  “I trusted you, and you hung me out to dry.” Fury brought bitter bile into Christian’s throat, making it difficult to swallow. If Boston were standing in front of him, he would’ve knocked his lights out.

  “Whoa, man. Take it easy,” Boston said.

  “The interview was supposed to be a simple lifestyle segment,” Christian shouted, pacing back and forth in front of the pool.

  “Yes, that’s what we agreed on. I’ve already called Introspective Magazine. The editor apologized profusely and promised to fire the reporter.”

  “That’s not good enough!” Christian wanted to wrap his hands around the reporter’s skinny neck and squeeze until his glasses popped off his face. “I never should’ve trusted you, Boston,” he said hoarsely. “How did the reporter find out about Mitchell Grant? The only people who even knew about him were the detectives. I called Luke, my contact on the police force, he swears they didn’t breathe a word.”

  “I don’t know, man. Looking at all of the pictures of you and Everly, I can tell you that something’s fishy. Some of them were taken inside your home.”

  Christian’s blood ran cold. “What? He’d stopped looking at the magazines and Internet days ago, because it was too painful. The media had taken something beautiful and was turning it into sleaze.

  “You and Everly are in the living room on the couch. Someone was spying on you, watching your every move. And this media frenzy … I’ve been at this game a long time, and I’m telling you, man, this is not normal. Someone has to be fueling this. Think. Who has an axe to grind … against you or her?”

  Christian drew in a ragged breath. It had been right in front of him the whole time, but he’d been too caught up in the turmoil to see it.

  “Talk to me, dude. Do you know who could be doing this?”

  “I’m going to have to let you go.”

  “Wait!”

  Christian ended the call, and then kicked a lounge chair, sending it flying across the concrete.

  Kat, who was sitting in a nearby chair, jumped back, her hands in the air. “Whoa. Easy! Does Boston know who’s doing this?”

  Rage stormed over him. “No, but I have a pretty good idea who it is.”

  Kat stood. “Okay, but you need to calm down. Take a deep breath. Let’s talk this thing through. Figure out what to do.” She cocked her head. “Who’s doing this?”

  “Roland,” he seethed.

  “Who?”

  “Everly’s ex-husband. She tried to warn me about him, but I downplayed it.” A tortured look came into his eyes. “I assumed I could handle anything he could dish out.”

  “Are you positive it’s Roland?”

  “About ninety percent.”

  “Okay.” She put her hands on her hips. “You need to find out for sure. Is there a way to do that?”

  He rubbed a hand across his neck. “Yeah, I hired a P.I. to find out about Roland, but I haven’t followed up with him yet. I’ve been too preoccupied with all this other stuff to even think about it.”

  “All right. Call and find out.” Christian moved to make the call, but she caught his arm. “Hey, I want you to do something for me.” She paused, eyeing him.

  What?”

  “You love Everly, and she loves you. The two of you are good together.”

  He grunted. “Try telling Everly that. I can’t get her to answer my calls or texts. At this rate, I’ll probably never see her again.”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “
Oh, just stop it, already!”

  He rocked back. “Stop what?”

  “Feeling sorry for yourself. You’ve been moping around here since she left.”

  His eyes narrowed. “What else am I supposed to do?”

  She flung her hands in the air. “More than this! You’re Christian Ross, for heaven’s sake.” She tapped her temple. “Think. There’s got to be something you can do. Use your connections to benefit you for once, instead of hiding out and waiting for the reporters to take advantage of you.”

  Christian’s first inclination was to lash out at Kat, tell her she didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. But deep down, he knew she was right. Kat had a knack for making the best out of any situation. She’d pulled herself up by the bootstraps after a painful divorce, which in and of itself was impressive. Then, she went on to build a hotel empire.

  “Go and get your woman,” Kat said, a fierce look in her eyes. “And if this guy, Roland, is the one behind this you need to expose him.”

  Kat made it sound so simple, but it was just the pep-talk he needed to jumpstart him into action. He tried to think—connections? What connections could he use? Then it came to him like a bolt of lightning breaking through leaden clouds. And he knew exactly what he needed to do.

  CHAPTER 15

  Everly walked stiffly past the group of women, keeping her head held high, even though she wanted to wither up and die. They were gossiping about her and Christian. In fact, it had gotten so bad at the fitness center that Matt called her into his office the previous day, expressing concern that it was hurting the image of the center.

  “If you weren’t such a good manager, I would consider letting you go over this scandal,” he said. “We can’t have all these reporters lurking around here, snapping pictures of you. It’s not good for business.”

  Her first impulse was shame. But thankfully, the anger took hold as she told him in no uncertain terms that her only faults were trusting a con artist and falling for a movie star. “I’ve been loyal to you, Matt. And patient. You’ve been promising for years to bring me in as a partner. In fact, most of your clientele was built by me. I work harder than anyone else here, and I ask for very little.” She looked him in the eye. “The least you can do is to stand by me now.”