Chapter Twenty
Though disappointed, Aubree couldn’t blame him. He hardly knew her. Why would he want to risk his own safety for her? He was a software developer, not a bodyguard, though he seemed completely capable of taking care of any kind of problem. Even so, she’d been so certain he would agree that she wasn’t prepared for the tears that sprang into her eyes at his refusal.
Embarrassed by her display of emotion, she stood and turned toward the door that led into the house, her back to Cameron. “I understand.” Her voice came out barely above a whisper. “And I don’t blame you.”
She reached for the door knob, but when Cameron said, “Hold on. I think you’re misunderstanding me,” she stopped.
“Aubree. Please. Sit down.”
She took a moment to gather herself, wiping away a stray tear, and then she sat. Afraid of the tears starting again, she kept her lips clamped shut.
“I can’t believe you thought I wouldn’t help you.”
What was he saying? Was he willing to help her? Willing to put himself at risk? Afraid to believe it, she kept silent.
He grinned. “I have a better idea is all.”
A better idea? What did that mean? What possible suggestion did he have? She frowned. “The police are already aware of my stalker.”
His smile grew wider. “No. That’s not what I was going to suggest.”
“Okay. What’s this idea you have?” She was open to anything at this point.
“What if your stalker believed you were already married? To me?”
Open to anything but that. “You’re joking, right?”
He shook his head, his smile as bright as ever. Maybe he was just as crazy as Tyler.
“No,” he said. “I’m not joking. Think about it. If you’re already married, this guy won’t have any reason to believe he’s marrying you.” Cameron paused like he was considering his next words. “Besides, I have…resources. I can provide security for you.”
Did Cameron even know what he was offering? He had no idea she was an actress. Someone whose job meant being in the public eye. Maybe it was time to tell him that little tidbit.
“It’s sweet of you to offer, Cameron. It really is. But I don’t think that will work.”
It was a nutty idea. He’d known it the moment it had popped into his head. But it could work. And he definitely could provide security for her. Top notch security. “Think it over before you turn it down flat.”
She shook her head, a lopsided smile on her face. “It’s not that simple.”
Clearly, she didn’t want to go the fake marriage route. Okay. He could understand that. “At least let me provide security.”
“I’m an actress, Cameron. My job is to be in front of the camera. The kind of security I would need would be really expensive. I couldn’t ask that of you.”
An actress? Why was he not surprised? Her smile was dazzling—he’d noticed that the first time she’d graced him with those pearly whites. He hadn’t seen her act, of course, but he believed her when she said that was her job. And now it made sense why she didn’t want to tell the world she was married to him. That would probably ruin her image.
Then he focused on her last statement. That providing security would be too expensive. “The cost of security isn’t an issue, Aubree.” He wouldn’t let her put herself in danger over something he could easily afford.
Before he’d finished his sentence, she was shaking her head. “No. I won’t let you do that. You hardly know me, Cameron.”
What did that matter? From the moment he’d met her there had been something about her that had drawn him in. He wasn’t about to let her be in any kind of danger from a deranged stalker. Not when he could do something about it. Even so, he could see it would take some convincing. “I have money, Aubree. Lots of money. Please, let me do this for you.” He could help her. Why wouldn’t she let him?
Incredulity bracketed her eyes, then she shook her head.
As much as she appreciated his offer, in reality there was no way she could accept it. She could potentially need security for months. That would cost tens of thousands of dollars. She didn’t care how much money he had, there was no way she would let him—a man she hardly knew—spend that kind of money on her. No way.
It had been a mistake to tell him her problems. Just like she’d known it would be. Now he wanted to be her knight in shining armor, but there was no such thing. And asking her to pretend they were married? That was just insane.
“Would you just think about it?” he asked as if he’d read her mind. “Before you reject it outright.”
She’d already thought about it, but he’d been nothing but kind to her, so with reluctance, she agreed.
He smiled as if relieved. “Okay. That’s all I ask.”
It was time to go, time to be by herself, time to lose herself in her painting.
She stood. “Thank you, Cameron. I appreciate the offer, I really do.”
“Call me if you need me, okay?”
Knowing he was there for her was a huge comfort. “I will.”
He walked her and Maya out to her car, and as Aubree drove away, she looked in her rearview mirror. Cameron was standing in the road watching her leave.
Why couldn’t she have met him before all of this? He was such a great guy. It was too bad romance was the last thing on her mind.
Chapter Twenty-One
Just as she’d hoped, she was able to lose herself in the swoops of color as shapes formed under her paint brush. With occasional glances at Maya who was napping in a patch of sunshine nearby, Aubree let serenity settle over her. And as a group of colorful wildflowers began to appear on her canvas, she let her thoughts drift—to Cameron and his outlandish suggestion to pretend they were married, to her visit to Los Angeles and how much she missed it there, and to the audition and how much she wanted it.
She had yet to hear from her agent about the audition, but it had only been a day. She didn’t expect to hear back yet. Even so, she couldn’t help thinking how much more complicated her life would become if she got the part. As much as she wanted it, maybe this wasn’t the best time for her to take a role that would put her squarely in the spotlight.
But the spotlight! Acting in a role that would be seen by—dare she think it? Millions. She’d loved the script. It was a romantic comedy that would be a real jumping off point for her career. She imagined the acting offers that would come her way if she got this role—parts she could pick from, parts that would showcase her acting skills, parts that would firmly place her in the public’s eye.
Then an image of Tyler—showing up at her premiere, showing up at her house, showing up in her life—shoved aside all the good that would come from the part. Could she handle the pressure? The potential danger? Would the police arrest him and take him out of her life? But what about when he finished serving his sentence? Would he still be under the delusion that she loved him? That she wanted to marry him?
This was all too complicated. And anyway, what were the odds she’d actually get the part? Low, that’s what. She had to prepare herself to be disappointed.
Lost in thought, when her phone rang on the small table beside her, she jumped. With a glance, she saw her agent’s name on the screen. Heart pounding with anticipation, she scooped her phone up and swiped to answer.
“Hello?”
“You got it, Aubree.”
Stunned, she felt her heart skip a beat. “What?”
“They loved you and they said you were just what they were looking for.”
Speechless, Aubree gazed at the forest in front of her. This was a dream come true. Amazed, Aubree couldn’t stop the smile from blooming on her mouth.
“Congratulations,” her agent said. “You’ve worked hard for this.”
“Thank you so much!”
He went on to tell her the details, reminding her that she was replacing an actress that had dropped out at the last minute and that filming was about to begin. “So, you’ll need to
come back to LA soon. Filming starts a week from Monday.”
So soon? The thought of being among the hustle and bustle excited her while at the same time scared her half to death. Tyler would easily be able to stalk her and not be seen. Or worse, would he approach her and do something crazy?
After promising that she’d make it work, she said her good-byes to her agent, then fell into deep thought.
How could she protect herself in LA? Cameron’s offer to provide security came to mind, but she wasn’t comfortable with having him spend so much money on her. Then she considered asking the movie studio to provide security, but after the debacle at Love & Lies she didn’t want to become a problem before she’d had a chance to prove herself, so she quickly dismissed that idea.
Nervous now about the whole thing, for half a second she considered turning down the role. But there was no way she would do that.
She had a week to figure it out. One week to have it all come together. She’d make it work. She had to.
Cameron shook his head. He couldn’t believe he’d made such a dumb suggestion to Aubree. Pretend they were married? Yeah, right. He’d be lucky if he ever saw her again. She probably thought he was just as bad as the stalker she was hiding from.
Maybe he could make it up to her, make her believe he wasn’t a wacko. Maybe he could even convince her to let him provide security so she could get her life back. He didn’t care what it would cost. He had more money than he could ever spend. Not that he needed to go into that much detail with her, but what good were all his riches if he couldn’t help someone who was in need? Someone who he found himself becoming more attracted to each time he saw her.
Now he just needed to think of a way to convince her without scaring her off.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Come on, Maya,” Aubree said as they walked through the woods near Janie’s house. It had been three days since her agent had told her she’d gotten the part. Three days since Cameron had made his wild suggestion. And three days without any idea how she was going to keep herself safe while filming in LA.
A short time later they reached their house, and after filling Maya’s water bowl, Aubree sat on a cushioned chair on the porch while Maya stretched out on the wood planks beside her.
Aubree picked the script up from a nearby table and studied her lines, but after an hour, she found her thoughts going to Tyler. She hadn’t heard from him since his email several days earlier. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Was he looking for her? Could he have possibly given up? That was wishful thinking, but the unknown was what scared her the most. Then the words in his email rang in her head. I really don’t want to hurt you. Please don’t make me hurt you.
Would he really hurt her? What would he do? Was he actively looking for her? Could he find her? Probably not at Janie’s cabin. But once she was back in Los Angeles…
She didn’t really want to think about that.
The sound of a car approaching made her heart pound, but when she saw Cameron’s black Jeep come into view, relief, sweet and pure, poured over her.
He pulled to a stop and climbed out. Aubree admired his powerful build and handsome face, then thought of how sweet he was, how thoughtful and kind.
And then she thought about his insane suggestion. To pretend they were married. Not that she was actually entertaining the idea. Although she was an actress. She was good at pretending.
Would it even work though? If Tyler believed she was married to someone else would he give up? Move on? Could she actually be free of him? That thought made the offer very tempting. Especially now that she had plans to resume her career and return to LA.
Maya raced to Cameron’s side and he scratched her head. “Good morning,” Cameron said as he straightened and continued walking toward her with Maya at his heels.
She glanced at her phone, then stood as she laughed. “Technically it’s afternoon now.”
He smiled. “By about three minutes.”
“Yep.”
He held a large basket in his hands. “Then this is perfect timing.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Perfect timing for what?”
He held the basket up. “For a picnic lunch, of course.”
Delighted by the idea, but wanting to tease him a bit, Aubree said, “What if I already ate lunch?”
Mock sadness descended on his face as he lowered his hand. “That would be a shame because I make a delicious turkey sandwich.”
Stomach rumbling in anticipation, Aubree smiled. “Good thing I haven’t eaten then.”
He laughed. “Yes.” Then his eyebrows rose. “Are you hungry?”
“Yes, I am.”
“There you go. Perfect timing.”
Aubree couldn’t hold back a laugh, and she realized that every time she was with Cameron, he brightened her mood.
What would it be like to pretend to be married to him? To be with him all the time? Or at least when she wasn’t working? But she needed to go back to LA. And he lived in the mountains. How would that work? Because for their charade to convince Tyler, they would need to live in the same place. This was getting too complicated.
“What’s wrong?” Cameron asked. “You look worried.” His eyebrows tugged together. “Has anything happened with…well, with your stalker?”
She shook her head. “His name’s Tyler. And no. Nothing’s happened.” Although not hearing from him after that last message worried her more than if he was constantly trying to contact her. At least then she would have an idea of his mood.
Cameron nodded. “Good.” His head tilted. “So, what’s wrong?”
She wasn’t ready to admit that she was actually considering his offer. Instead, she would see how this picnic went. Keep the idea in the back of her mind as they spent time together. “I’ll tell you later,” she said.
“Hmm. Okay.” He glanced around the open space that surrounded the front of the house. “Where should we set up?”
Aubree waved her hand toward the backyard. “There’s a nice shady area out back that will work.”
A few minutes later they had a blanket spread out under a large tree and Cameron laid out the meal he’d brought—turkey, bacon, and avocado on sourdough bread, fresh fruit, potato salad, and ice-cold lemonade.
“Wow,” Aubree said, truly impressed. “This looks delicious.” She almost added, Would you prepare meals like this every night if we were pretend-married? Her face reddened at the near mistake.
“Glad you approve.”
As they ate, they chatted about their lives and their jobs.
“Do you miss working?” Cameron asked.
Aubree nodded. “Yes. But…” A smile curved her lips.
Cameron’s eyebrows rose. “But what?”
“I’m going to be working again soon. That trip to LA last week? It was for an audition. And I got it.”
“That’s great! Congratulations.” He took a bite of potato salad. “Tell me about the part.”
“You know who Jason Evanson is, right?”
He laughed. “Uh, yeah. I’m not a complete recluse.” Then his eyes widened. “Are you going to be in a move with Jason Evanson?”
Proud of her accomplishment, Aubree grinned as she nodded. “Yep. I’ll have a major role in the film.”
Cameron was beyond impressed. He’d been a fan of Jason Evanson’s for years. And to think Aubree would be working right alongside him. How cool was that?
“That’s awesome.” He could tell she was thrilled with this opportunity. Then a sobering thought occurred to him. “That means you’ll be leaving our peaceful little forest.”
The happiness in her eyes dimmed. “Yeah.”
“When and where?”
“Los Angeles. Filming starts on Monday.”
His eyebrows shot up. “So soon?”
She nodded. “Filming was all set and the other actress had to drop out. I’m replacing her.”
“Are you nervous about going back to LA?”
Her l
ips pursed and she nodded again. “I’m excited too, don’t get me wrong. But it will just make me more…exposed, I guess.”
He thought about his crazy pretend marriage idea but didn’t want to bring it up again for fear of her thinking he was nuts. “The offer of security is still on the table.”
She stared at her plate and picked at her sandwich. Then she lifted her gaze to his. “I actually had a different request.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Did she really want to suggest this? Circumstances had changed since she’d turned him down flat. Now his offer didn’t seem so crazy. And it might even work. Aubree looked at Cameron’s open, sweet, and handsome face. Was the offer even still on the table?
“What’s your request?” he asked, his head tilted to the side.
Now that she was about to say it out loud—to make the request official—her heart pounded with fear. What if he laughed at her? Told her he’d been joking, that the idea was ludicrous. She’d be mortified. For all she knew, he’d been blowing smoke about having the resources to keep her safe. Besides, he lived in the mountains. How would that help her when she was in LA?
She shook her head. “You know what? Forget it. It’s…it won’t work.”
His eyebrows tugged together. “Tell me, Aubree. Maybe we can make it work.”
He seemed so sincere. And she was desperate. What did she have to lose besides her pride? She reached out and touched Maya, who was resting on the grass beside her. Maya lifted her head and looked at her and Aubree softly sighed before turning back to Cameron.
“Okay. So. I was thinking about your offer.”
Cameron’s eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”
Oh boy. He thought she was the crazy one now. “I know. The idea is ridiculous, right? Never mind.”
“No no no. It’s not ridiculous. And if you’re going back to LA, then you need my help more than ever.”
The Protective Billionaire Page 9
