Page 9 of Spotted at Lighthouse Bay (Spotted Cottage #4)

Someone across the street was looking at her. Mia knew that squinting, focused glance. They were early in the process of recognizing her.

Maybe she could prevent it from happening.

Adelaide was still talking to her mom. She mouthed a “Sorry!”

Mia shook her head, smiled, and compressed herself down into the car seat. If only she could slip a little lower…

“Look alive,” Rick said. “We’ve got company.”

Bang, bang, bang .

Mia jumped as the glass of her window shook. How had he gotten here so fast?

She rolled down the window. “Yes?”

“Are you Mia Westwood?”

She nodded. “I am.”

“I can’t believe it! I’m a writer for the Bellingham Star. Movies and entertainment.”

Was it a full moon today? “Oh, hi. Nice to meet you.”

His mouth was frozen in a stiff, toothy grin. “Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?”

Mia looked over her shoulder at Adelaide. She was pulling her phone away from her ear. “Mom, I’ve got to go. We’ll talk later.”

“Um,” Mia turned back to the man at her window. “Sure.”

“Thanks so much. First, what was it like to work in the Apex Universe?”

“It was really great, and I appreciated the opportunity to…be a part of it.” She was terrible at this. What was she even trying to say?

“What do you think about some people saying they wished your character had been killed off sooner?”

She sucked in a breath. His teeth were still in her face, their false friendliness making her brain short circuit.

It was jarring – the mismatch between his smile and the intensity of his eyes.

“Get out of here!” Adelaide said, leaning over the center console. “Don’t you have better things to do?”

“This is my job,” he shot back, leaning into the car.

“Well, you’re bad at it.” Adelaide waved a hand at him. “And you’re getting nowhere in life. Mia, close the window. We’re leaving.”

He slammed his hand down next to her head. Mia jumped.

“I’m not done yet,” he snapped.

Adelaide reached over and plucked his fingers off the car, one by one. “Yes. You. Are!”

He shouted, clutching his hand to his chest. Adelaide hit the button and the window climbed back up, sealing them in from the sounds of the street.

Adelaide let out a huff. “The nerve of these people is unbelievable. Are you okay, Mia?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine.” She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“How about we go somewhere else to regroup?”

Why hadn’t she thought of that? If she sat here any longer, Rick would have to leap out of the back of the car and throw that guy in the air, too. It was mortifying that she couldn’t stand up for herself. She was an embarrassment.

A quiver rose in her throat as she put the car into drive.

“What is with people?” Adelaide said as they pulled away. “They act like they’re entitled to your attention. Why is it always the ones who have never done anything who have opinions about everyone else?”

Mia nodded.

Adelaide went on. “People probably think because your mom and dad are famous actors that they can say anything to you.”

That was exactly what it was. Even before she had been in any movies herself, Mia would get cornered by people who wanted her to know something about her mom and dad – either their opinions on their divorce, or ranting that their movies were bad, or asking to be invited to Thanksgiving.

It was one thing to get accosted by a pair of jerks at the dock.

Now, not even an hour later, someone else?

Was this going to be the rest of her life?

She’d been a fool to think she could pull off being in a superhero movie.

It was totally unbelievable. She was an embarrassment to the entire family.

Inside Mia’s chest, a balloon popped and a sob exploded out of her mouth.

Adelaide put a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s stop. Pull in right here.”

Mia’s vision blurred, shaking with tears. She blinked them away and turned into a parking lot, stopping in the first spot.

“I’m sorry,” Mia said, her voice shaking.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Adelaide said gently. “You’ve had three strangers come after you today.”

“Two physical assaults, one verbal,” Rick noted.

Crying was only more shameful, but the more she tried to stop, the more the tears forced themselves out.

Mia buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Adelaide rubbed her shoulder, her voice soothing and calm, and slipped tissues into her hand.

After four loud nose blows, Mia was able to regain her composure.

“I’m so sorry,” she sniffed. “I’m not normally like this.”

“I’m sure you’re not normally attacked by strangers, either.” Adelaide shook her head. “Is this all about the same movie?”

“A movie I ruined.” Mia shook her head. “They’re right. I was terrible in it. I’m a terrible actress.”

“I’m sure that’s not true.”

She looked up, locking eyes with Adelaide. “It is.”

Rick cleared his throat. “Would anyone like a drink? Looks like they have coffee here. Tea.” He leaned, looking through the windshield. “Baked goods.”

Adelaide handed Mia another tissue. “Yes, that’d be great. Thanks, Rick.”

He snapped his seat belt and popped the door open. “I’ll be here, in sight, so don’t worry.”

Mia looked up. There was a window for people to walk up and order. He wouldn’t be more than ten feet from the car.

“We’ll be fine,” Adelaide said.

He shut the car door and disappeared.

Mia looked down at the pile of tissues in her lap. She was embarrassing all of them. No wonder he’d wanted to get out of there.

“I’ll be honest, Mia. I didn’t see the movie. I’m not into superhero things, but even if you were terrible, it doesn’t give anyone the right to treat you that way.”

“It was so bad. I really did ruin it.”

“Sounds like they killed your character off, though.” Adelaide smiled. “You can’t cause any more damage.”

A laugh sputtered out of her. “That’s true.”

“And who cares? It’s a movie. You’re a person. A real person, not someone to pick up and yell at in public. It’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah.” Mia took a deep breath. It was shaky, but she wasn’t going to burst into tears again. “I’m sorry. I know you’re in a hurry.”

“Don’t worry about that. Whatever trouble my mom’s gotten herself into will still be there tomorrow.”

Mia sat in the quiet for a moment. “You know, it’s not even that people are being nasty about it.”

Adelaide leaned in. “What is it, then?”

“My mom helped me get the job. She thinks I’m talented, that if I don’t do movies, I’m wasting a huge opportunity.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Adelaide asked.

The car door popped open as Rick returned with a drink carrier in his hands. “I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I got a cappuccino, something called an oat milk latte, a strawberry banana smoothie, and an iced tea.”

Mia finally felt composed enough to look at him. She turned around. “That’s an interesting mix.”

Adelaide laughed. “Positively inspired, Rick.”

“Just following orders.” He picked up the pink smoothie. White whipped cream floated on top in a heavenly stack. “I see you eyeing this one.”

Mia’s mouth popped open. Was she that obvious? “I don’t want it if anyone else wants it.”

“No one else wants it,” Adelaide said, putting it into her hand. “Enjoy!”

“Thank you.” She took in a gulp. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and so, so cold. It gave her an instant brain freeze and loosened the knot in her throat.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong,” Adelaide said slowly, “but it sounds to me that having a career in film is what your mom wants for you. What do you want for you?”

Mia pulled on the straw and it honked against the plastic.

Normally that would’ve made her laugh. “I don’t know, but she’s right.

Most women my age would die to get a chance like this.

If I don’t take advantage of it…” Her voice trailed off.

She was just repeating her mom’s talking points, the ones that kept her up at night.

“You don’t have to do any of it, Mia,” Adelaide put a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m sure your mom means well. She wants what’s best for you.

Even still, she may not know what’s best for you, and that is what’s so hard for us moms.” She laughed.

“Trust me. She’s trying, but you have to be the one to decide what you want. ”

Mia nodded. “Yeah.”

“Do you know the poet, Mary Oliver?”

She shook her head.

“She’s quite famous, and she had a beautiful poem about what you do with your one wild and precious life. Check it out later.”

A grin spread across Mia’s face. “Sheila told me you were a professor, but I didn’t expect you to assign me homework.”

Adelaide laughed. “I taught English as a second language. I’m not exactly a scholar.”

“You sound like one to me.”

Adelaide’s phone rang and she answered. “Oh, okay. Thanks, Joey. We’ll head back soon.”

Mia’s heart sank. It was already time to go back.

“I’m so sorry,” Mia said with a groan. “I wasted your time.”

Adelaide tsk ed. “Don’t you dare be sorry. I’m glad we were here. Really glad.”

“Maybe I can help with something else? I could go back to Lawrence’s neighborhood and see if anyone knows the mystery guys who went door-to-door.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Adelaide said.

“Please,” Mia said, dropping her half-empty smoothie into the cup holder. “I need to feel useful, and I could really use a distraction.”

Adelaide stared at her. “Are you sure? Getting involved with one of my mom’s schemes can be…all-encompassing.”

Mia took a deep breath and smiled. “All-encompassing sounds perfect right now.”

“Only if it doesn’t cause trouble for you.”

She popped her sunglasses on and put the car into reverse. “No trouble at all. It’ll be nice to get out of my head.” Mia forced a smile. “Thanks, Adelaide.”