Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 420(@200wpm)___ 336(@250wpm)___ 280(@300wpm)
We had a great view of the valley from where we were, but the cottage looked like a dream.
“We’ll take the cottage,” Ash and I said at the same time.
Locryn chuckled and then gestured to his right where, under a pergola covered in wisteria, Nick Madison had just started strumming his guitar.
“Is he trying to look like he’s in a movie?”
“Nope,” Loc assured me. “He’s just naturally beautiful.”
When he saw us, his hand rose in greeting, and then, carrying the guitar, he crossed the grass. He didn’t immediately greet us, though. Instead, he walked over to Locryn, slid a hand around his waist, and leaned in and kissed him. It was quick, but he didn’t move away, instead he remained close, whispering something that made Locryn tip his head back and forth like maybe, and only then did he turn to us.
It was always to be remembered that Nick Madison was a superstar. Even in sneakers, jeans, a T-shirt, and what I suspected was one of Locryn’s hoodies, with his messy brown mop of hair, big brown eyes, and brilliant smile, he was stunning. And what I admired most was that I’d seen him before my friend and after, and clearly, Locryn’s love looked good on him.
“I’ve seen all your movies,” he gushed to Ash, holding out his hand. “Such a thrill to have you in my home.”
“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine, believe me,” Ash replied, clearly in awe of the musician standing in front of him.
“Well, we’re both so happy to have you here,” Nick said before turning to me, opening his arms.
Quickly, I stepped in and was wrapped up tight. I hugged him back and when I leaned out, found him grinning at me. “Oh God, what?”
“Just so you know, I backed up your story to the charming Levi Klein when I spoke to him on the phone yesterday.”
“That was fast,” Ash said, shaking his head.
“I told him the next time I was in LA, we would have lunch.”
“That was very nice of you.” Ash sighed. “I had no idea he could track down your number so quickly.”
“He called my manager, said he wanted to talk to me about a song for your new movie, Emerald Dreams.”
Ash looked stunned. “You’re writing a song for my movie?”
Nick smiled. “I figured for an Ashford Lennox movie, I had to say yes. Plus, I love the Jim Morrison quote, so I’m basing it off that.”
Ash could only nod.
“I’ll play what I have for you later, but right now, I’m starving. How ’bout you guys?”
“Yes,” was all Ash could get out.
Nick gave him a gentle pat on his arm to get him moving back to the house. “I know you both just came from Maine, and it’s much colder there, but it’s brisk out here this morning.”
Ash did a slow pan to me, and I rolled my eyes.
“You will pass out from the cold in Chicago,” Locryn told both California boys.
“He always says that,” Nick told Ash, “but I don’t believe it. Not that I’ve been, but I was in Reykjavík for a concert. It gets cold there too.”
Locryn was shaking his head as we went inside.
Nick explained that from where they were in Santa Barbara, it would be a very short ride to Montecito for Kit Riggs’s funeral the following day.
“Thank you, that’s so thoughtful.”
“Cliff Connelly, another of my bodyguards, is on duty tomorrow, so he’ll drive you and keep you safe while you’re there. Locryn was going to do that, but I forbid him to be in bodyguard mode anymore, and more importantly, he’s working.”
Ash said again how much he appreciated everything and then excused himself to call Danika Howard, who had left her number with Owen, who had in turn given it to Locryn.
I went for a walk around the property just to move around, and after a bit, Ash joined me.
“I had no idea the funeral would be tomorrow,” he said, taking hold of my hand. “I wanted this time just for us, and now my house is destroyed, and—”
“It’s not destroyed, just slightly banged up. And your new assistant, Danika—tell me you hired her.”
“Of course I hired her and thanked her for everything. She’ll be joining me in Turks and Caicos because I want her to confer with my new bodyguard, whom I’ll be meeting as well.”
“Two powerful women in your life. You’re very lucky.”
“I know,” he agreed, stepping in front of me, putting his hands on my hips, looking into my eyes. “Listen, I—”
“Wait, what I was going to say was that this is life. You wanted to spend time just the two of us, but things are never going to go exactly as we want. We both have demands on us and priorities, but as long as we’re together, and committed, we’ll carve out the time we need.”