“Hey, I’m not in the mood. These people are ridiculous. You need to get back here. They are pretty much everywhere, asking questions and trying to figure out where you are.”
An hour ago, the news would have upset her. Now, she looked over at BJ and at the moment, it didn’t seem as big a deal any longer.
“Olivia, are you still there?”
“Yes, sorry, Levi. What were you saying?”
“That these people piling up like flies outside the resort are causing all kinds of uproar. I do not get it.”
Olivia chuckled. “Levi, a photo is worth a lot of money to them. It’s their job. Brad is hot news right now with his new movie being the top release. A photo could mean five figures or higher to them.”
“You’re telling me that somebody would pay ten thousand or so for photos of you?”
“Well, wow, Levi. You don’t think a picture of me is worth that much?” She couldn’t help teasing him.
“I don’t think anybody’s photo is worth ten thousand. But I think you’re worth more than money could buy.”
“Good answer,” she said, touched.
“The only answer as far as I’m concerned, sis. Now could you get back here so we can figure out what our next move is going to be? I want to make sure you’re safe from these jerks. Cali said some of them are being really rude and obnoxious and they’re tromping through Jillian’s flowers like they’re weeds. I don’t trust them. Me, Jake, and Trent are waiting at Shar’s place for you. Max would be here but he got called away on a mission last night.”
She cringed. Max loved his special ops career in the military but it always worried her.
“You’re at Shar’s?” she asked, pushing worry for Max to the prayer room of her heart.
“Yes. Is that a problem? So you’re with BJ?”
She hated that she’d just added this big mess to his already tough job as police chief.
“Yes, I’m with BJ. I’ll have him bring me back.”
“Why am I not surprised you’re with him?”
“Um, I’m not sure, but is that a problem?” she asked, copying his words from moments before.
“No, not at all.”
“Good. We’ll be there shortly.” She hung up.
BJ had already reeled in the lines and stored the poles while Olivia was talking. Now he moved to the steering wheel and waited for her to take her seat.
“I guess you figured out that I’ve been summoned back ashore.”
“I kind of got that one figured out. Hang on and fill me in on the rest as we roll.”
“Sure. The reporters are there,” she added.
“And Levi’s worried about you.”
It wasn’t a question, she realized. He was stating a fact, as if he understood.
“Yes. He wants to get us to get our plan of action figured out.”
“Good. Whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
“They’re just reporters. I’ve never been afraid of them, just didn’t want to answer questions.”
“And they’ve come a long way for a story, which tells me, and probably Levi, that they want a story pretty badly. It doesn’t hurt to be cautious and prepared.”
“Then it’s time to head back.” She sank back in the seat, realizing she was more upset that her day with BJ was ending than she was about the fiasco that was brewing back on shore.
The dock was loaded down with Sinclair men when BJ pulled up to it.
Olivia’s dad Sam was there, along with Levi, Jake, and Trent. He wasn’t sure where Max was but BJ knew Cam had headed back to Texas after Gage and Shar’s wedding. He’d only spent a little time with Olivia’s family but it looked as though the family was ready to take on the world for her. BJ liked that and would be joining them. No one was going to hurt or insult Olivia while he was around.
These so-called journalists better tread carefully because they hadn’t done themselves any favors by splashing her name and her good reputation across the front of their trash magazines and then following her across the country to her home turf.
“They don’t look happy,” he said.
Olivia groaned and rubbed her forehead. “No. They look ready to fight. What have I gotten my family into?”
He shot her a frown. “Nothing. It’s not your fault. You didn’t ask Brad to grab you on the street and kiss you for the cameras.” He slowly pulled the boat close to the dock and then went to toss Jake a line. “Thanks, man,” he called.
“Anytime.” Jake caught the line and bent to one knee to tie the boat to the dock. “I’m just glad to know Olivia was with you.”
“Yeah,” Trent called, snagging the back of the boat and taking the rope BJ handed him. “With all the jerks roaming around looking for her, it’s good to know she was with you.”
BJ started to say he was too but Olivia spoke first.
“He took me fishing. I didn’t need to be looked out for.”
“Says you,” Jake shot back.
“We see it different,” Trent added, tersely.
Exasperation lit Olivia’s expression but instead of saying more to her obviously determined brothers, she turned her attention to her dad, who held out his hand to her.
“Dad, you haven’t been worried, have you?” Olivia looked up at her dad and accepted his help from the boat.
“Yes, I have. There are a dozen or more men staked outside the resort looking for you and I don’t know how many more are roaming around in the bushes waiting to jump out and harass you. Not to mention the ones staked out across the road from our house.” He pulled her into his arms. “It’s good to have you home. Even if the circumstances are not to my liking, I’m glad you came home to us.”
She wrapped her arms around his waist and BJ saw the love on her face as she hugged her dad. “I’m sorry to make you worry.”
“Not your fault,” he said—exactly what BJ had told her. “Now let’s see what we can do to fix all this ridiculousness.” His serious gaze met BJ’s over her head. “They don’t know she’s here at Shar’s yet. But I’m glad you were around today in case one of them had shown up.”
“I’m glad I’m around too.”
Olivia turned to her brothers. “Sorry, guys. Thanks to all of you for coming.”
Levi nodded and finally spoke. “You did a good thing choosing to come to Shar’s place because it’s harder to get her address since she’s just housesitting here.”
“It’s a good thing too,” Jake agreed. “They’ve been snooping around my dive shop and Trent’s seen them too.”
“One trailed me when I was heading out of the construction site to check in with my guys this morning,” Trent said. “He didn’t like it when I told him he was trespassing and showed him the exit.” He grinned cockily and BJ had a feeling the photographer didn’t hang around long.
Trent chuckled. “Then another one followed me to the trails and tried to follow me.” He grinned. “I took them on a nice long goose chase.”
Olivia laughed and smiled at BJ. “He’s an ex-Navy SEAL. He can run for days, I think.”
BJ laughed. “Well played, man.”
Trent shrugged. “It was fun anyway.”
The sound of a helicopter had them all turning to stare down the beach.
BJ saw it in the distance flying low along the coastline. “I hope that’s just the Coast Guard doing their job making their daily trips up and down the coast. But just in case, maybe we better get Olivia into the house.”
“He’s right,” Levi agreed. “Everyone start moving just in case that bird isn’t a friend.”
Sam and BJ flanked Olivia as they headed off the dock and across the sand.
“All of you go ahead.” Jake jogged past them and plopped into a beach chair. “I’ll wait on it.” He tugged off his dark-blue tropical shirt, exposing some serious washboard abs to go along with his swim trunks. “I want to see if it’s one of my Coast Guard buddies or one of Olivia’s hounds.”
“When you find out, come up to the house,�
� Levi demanded. “And behave.”
“Hey, I’m just a guy getting a tan. And for my own personal reasons, I’m hoping it’s that new female recruit who got to town last week. Then again, when she gets a load of these abs, she might ditch the chopper in the ocean accidently.”
“I said behave,” Levi growled over his shoulder and Jake just laughed.
“Okay, okay.” Jake chuckled.
Olivia looked at BJ and just shook her head.
“Brothers,” was all she said but her lip twitched upward.
They made it to the bungalow. She stalked up the steps like a woman on a mission and he wondered what was going through her mind.
Chapter Eight
Olivia turned to the men she loved, and BJ, the man she’d begun to care for in the short time they’d known each other.
“Okay, guys,” she said, firmly. “You all have me afraid you’re ready to wage war on the photographers. I’ll handle this. It’s what I do in my day job.”
“Not anymore.” Levi pointed to the kitchen counter, where there was a stack of tabloids spread across the countertop.
Olivia’s heart sank when she caught one of the banners that read “Behind the Scenes of Brad Pearson and Olivia Sinclair’s Love Affair.” Her mouth fell open in dismay at photos of Brad and a woman entering a hotel. The woman’s face couldn’t be seen but she had a similar build to Olivia. “That’s not even me,” she muttered and then snatched up another tabloid with the headline, “Olivia Sinclair Dumped by PR Firm over Affair with Brad Pearson.”
“I don’t know how it’s done in Hollywood but here we take care of our own and we aren’t letting you face that alone.”
“Levi, I get it. I need to make a phone call before you start locking up everyone who carries a camera.”
BJ leaned against the kitchen counter and hadn’t said anything. As she pulled her phone from her pocket and walked past him toward her bedroom, he put a hand on her arm.
“Are you okay?” he asked gently.
She nodded, all too aware of the way his touch made her want to suddenly throw herself into his arms. “I’m fine.” She moved past him and headed toward her room.
“We are just trying to protect you,” Levi called, clearly frustrated.
“I can protect myself,” she snapped, losing patience. She shut her bedroom door and locked it.
Immediately, she dialed her boss, Kate. She should have done it right after the scandal begun. There was a clear-cut policy that getting mixed up with a client was not allowed but Kate knew Olivia wouldn’t step over that line. She knew the accusations were false.
Kate answered after the second ring.
“Kate, have you seen the tabloids?”
“Yes, and unfortunately it’s true. He’s our biggest client and as much as I like you, Olivia, our firm represents him. I can’t lose his account.”
Olivia’s heart sank. She knew what Kate was saying was true and suddenly she didn’t even care. “Right. Of course you can’t.”
“It’s just business, Olivia.”
The urge to say something that she knew she would regret was strong, so she bit her tongue and held back bitter words and simply said, “They’re all lies and you know it.”
Olivia felt the sting of tears but dashed them away with the back of her hand. She understood Kate really had no other choice but it still hurt. She’d done her job well and to have it taken away for something completely out of her control and false did not sit well.
“We both know people, especially celebrities, will sometimes do odd things to get attention.”
“True. Even so, this seems really out of the ballpark for Brad.” She also knew that without him around, she wasn’t much of a news story. “This will go away. I’m too far from Hollywood at the moment and the longer these guys camp out in Windswept Bay, the lower their income gets. They won’t stay long.”
“That’s true. Is that why you went so far away?”
Olivia thought about that for a second. “Part of the reason. But I honestly didn’t think about that until today. Subconsciously I knew being away from the noise would help me. At least that’s what I’m hoping. But part of me was ready to come home. It’s time for me to rethink where my life is going and what I want out of it. So it’s okay, Kate.” She realized suddenly that it was.
“It’s still not making me happy.”
Kate was a shrewd businesswoman and in the end, it came down to the fact that her business was tied to how she and the company performed for their clients. It was a sad truth. If she chose to support Olivia, she would lose the trust of her client roster and her business would go down the tubes like Olivia’s career just had.
“Good luck,” was all Olivia said and ended the call. She stared out the window and saw Jake making his way toward the house.
A knock sounded on her bedroom door. “Olivia,” Levi said. “We really need to talk about this.”
With a sigh, she went to open the door. “Fine. Let’s talk it through.” She walked past him, back into the kitchen and on into the living room.
Jake came in. “It was the Coast Guard. So your secret is still safe. I, on the other hand, just might have a date tonight.”
“You wish,” Trent muttered.
“Cut it out, you two,” Levi snapped. “What’s on your mind, Olivia?”
She scanned the group. “Here it is, guys. I am not much of a story alone. Without Brad beside me, the paparazzi won’t stay here long. They need photos they can sell to get their paychecks. Following around Hollywood celebrities pays better than following around boring real people. So dollars will be the deciding factor here. Therefore, I’ve decided that I will be myself. I’ll be visible by going about my daily routine. They’ll soon get bored and hungry and head back where the money is.”
BJ looked as if he were ready to eat nails. “What if they get rough? You know that’s possible. They might push you or corner you. Or try to provoke you to anger,” he continued. “You’re not going around alone and that’s final.”
BJ’s emphatic, protective statement did not go unnoticed by Olivia—and she was certain all of her brothers or her dad either.
All eyes turned to BJ. His gaze was unwavering as he watched her. The statement had sent a thrill racing through her.
“I refuse to be scared of the paparazzi.” She clung to her independence despite enjoying the knowledge that he wanted to protect her. “I’ve made statements on behalf of clients many times. I’ve used them before when I needed tidbits of information leaked out. They just sometimes tend to get overzealous and it isn’t a good situation. That has not happened with me.”
Every one of the men in her family balked at her statement.
“Not happening,” Levi grunted.
Her dad did not look happy. “There are enough of us that you shouldn’t need to go out alone.”
“But—”
“What if I take you out to dinner?” BJ said. “We’ll let the paparazzi see you and take a few photos of me escorting you around. Might even give them a new story for ole sad Brad.”
Levi slapped him on the shoulder. “Best idea I’ve heard today.”
And so, just like that, it was settled.
BJ picked her up for dinner and they headed toward town. She’d wanted to be mad that she’d been railroaded into this date but she wasn’t. She was looking forward to spending time with BJ and despite the fact that she loved her family, being with BJ, in this situation, had given her a way to keep some control over it. The fact that she wanted to be near him and spend the evening with him was a plus. And the fact that he wanted to be near her set a warm glow inside her.
The first thing she saw as they neared the resort was the cluster of paparazzi on the corner, with their cameras waiting. Her stomach knotted upon seeing them. Why was that? They’d never made her nervous before, but then, the story hadn’t involved her then. Her name had never been the one splashed across the headlines. Her privacy had never been encroached upon before an
d it gave her a new perspective into what her clients had experienced. It was disconcerting and that was undeniable.
“Where would you like to go for dinner?” BJ asked, as if this was a normal evening out.
She laughed at his casual inquiry and it eased some of the tension she was experiencing. “Great question.” He’d stopped at the red light within view of the resort. “We could go to the resort or we could go down the street to Casablanca.”
“But they are waiting for you at the resort and this is about getting you seen, isn’t it?”
Disappointment waved over her at his words. “Yes, you’re right. The resort it is. My sisters will get some publicity out of this at least.”
“I hear there’s some really good restaurants there.”
“Yes, Mom and Dad always made certain the food was excellent and my sisters have continued that practice. Windswept Bay Resort is a destination resort not only for its hospitality but for its cuisine.” It was true. “Maybe the one overlooking the beach would be a good one for us. It’s casual but has great atmosphere and we’d be visible from the beach to our onlookers.”
He smiled. “It sounds perfect. Let’s do this and really give them something to talk about.”
She was startled by his statement. “Okay,” she said, not exactly certain what he had on his mind. The twinkle in his eye as he drove forward when the light turned green made her a bit nervous. “I hope you know they don’t need too much extra to talk about.”
He laughed and turned in to the resort drive. “Are you chickening out?”
“No. I’m just not sure what you’re thinking.”
“That I’m about to take a beautiful woman to dinner on a romantic moonlit evening under the stars.”
“Oh.” His words sent excitement skipping through her.
“And I’ll be cautious, I promise. We will play this by ear.”
He pulled beneath the portico and immediately the Windswept Bay doormen opened their doors and welcomed them to the resort. Before anything else could be said, someone shouted her name and the stampede started as all the cameramen charged through the bushes and flower beds. One even jumped a stack of suitcases, trying to be first to reach her. Immediately, he jammed his camera in her face and started flashing as he shouted questions at her.
Forever and For Always Page 6
