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“Right up to the point where he sold a tell-all exposé about me to a tabloid.”
Sawyer winced. “Asshole.”
“Of epic proportions. He also included a photo that he’d snapped of me, topless, in my own private swimming pool.”
Sawyer’s hand clenched in a fist. “Did you sue his ass?”
“I did. I don’t sue often. It’s just not worth it. If I sued whenever someone spread a lie about me, it would be like playing a whack-a-mole game. But this was personal, and I felt so violated.” She pushed her hair back over her shoulder. “Luckily, I have great breasts, so at least they looked good splashed on the cover of a gazillion magazines.” Her tone was as dry as dust.
He couldn’t help himself. His gaze dropped, noting the cleavage revealed by her red dress. “A silver lining.”
But he guessed that the motherfucker had rattled her trust.
He spotted a couple of Kalani’s young cousins hovering nearby, gazes flitting to Hollis. They cautiously approached, phones in hand.
“No photos,” he warned. “Hollis is on vacation.”
The girls both nodded.
“Sure thing, Sawyer,” the older of the pair said. “Um, Ms. Stanton, I’m such a fan.”
The other girl nodded and swallowed, clearly speechless.
“Can we…get your autograph?” the first girl asked hopefully.
Hollis smiled. “Sure thing. You have a pen.”
The girls pulled out a pen and paper. As she signed, Hollis chatted easily with them, asking them what movies they enjoyed.
“Thank you so much!” Beaming, the girls hurried off.
“Thanks for doing that,” Sawyer said.
She nodded. “I like interacting with fans.”
The music changed to something more upbeat. A few couples started dancing on the sand.
“Come on, you two.” Benny appeared and hauled Hollis to her feet.
Sawyer took her arm and led her toward the dancers. Benny went to claim his wife.
Clearing his throat, Sawyer pulled her closer. “I’m not much of a dancer.”
“Yet you’re doing it.” She leaned into him.
“Any excuse to hold you close.”
She nibbled on her lip, which gave him ideas, and her gaze drifted over his face. Then she rested her cheek against his chest, and they swayed to the music. The moon rose up over the ocean.
“God, it’s gorgeous.” She sighed. “You can’t see the stars in LA, and the moon doesn’t look anything like this. So clear and bright.”
He wanted to hold her closer, but he didn’t. There were dozens of reasons jumbling in his head why he needed to keep some distance from her.
She was an actress, she wasn’t from here, and she was way out of his league. And he had his own suitcase of baggage.
But they kept dancing, swaying to their own song.
People slowly started to leave the party. Parents ushered tired kids off the sand, couples drifted off, arm in arm, and the older family members hugged and kissed.