The Rule Breaker (Hideaway Bay #3)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

H arper stood in the driveway, watching Jackson Marsh head for the guest house, his duffel bag on one shoulder, a rolling bag behind him. The Uber he’d taken here turned around and drove out of the driveway, the lights momentarily blinding her as they flashed across her face.

She had no idea what troubles had sent him running to Hideaway Bay, but she would find out.

Right now, however, she needed to tell her sister and her niece that they had an unexpected visitor. A very famous unexpected visitor.

This was weird.

She watched him for a few more seconds, his form silhouetted by the landscape lighting, then she turned and went inside. Archie, her apricot labradoodle, waited for her at the top of the steps. The television was on but the sound was down low and Willa, who’d been watching it with Harper, was no longer sitting on the couch.

Harper’s phone was still there. She picked it up, the screen coming to life as her fingers brushed it. She had a text from Willa.

Figured it was Mitch. Went to bed. See you for breakfast...

Harper turned the screen off. “So much for that,” she said to Archie. “I guess I’ll tell them about Jack in the morning.”

He just looked at her, probably wondering how soon they’d be going out for a last pee.

“Okay, I get it. You want to go out.”

He wagged his tail.

She nodded. “Come on, baby dog.” She got his leash, took him downstairs, and through the rec room to the backyard.

She couldn’t help but glance over at the guest house while Archie sniffed around. The living room lights were on but they went dark as she watched.

What could be going on with Jack? What had sent him all the way here, besides the fact that he still thought of this as a safe place? The reason couldn’t be good.

She thought about calling Teddy, Jack’s older brother, but that felt like intruding on Jack’s privacy. Calling Teddy would be a last resort. She shifted her gaze to Mitch’s house. No lights on there, either.

Archie did what he needed to do, then came back to sit by her feet.

She ruffled the fur on his head. “Ready to go in?”

He got up and walked with her back to the house. She wiped his feet off, then they went upstairs. She turned everything off before going into her bedroom.

Archie went straight to his bed and his stuffed bear, Mr. Brown. He turned three times, then lay down with Mr. Brown under his chin.

“Night, sweet boy.” Harper brushed her teeth and changed into a nightshirt while thinking about Jack, Teddy, and Arlington.

She’d been involved with the Marshes for some time now. She considered them all friends, but she’d only worked for Teddy and Arlington. And, of course, Arlington had left her this incredible house.

She and Jack had always been friendly. They’d seen each other at Marsh family functions that Harper had been invited to. Even run into each other a few times at various celebrity-laden events. Once at a cancer research fundraiser. Another time at a golf tournament benefitting a veterans association.

They’d had some pretty interesting conversations over the years. Jack was very much his own man, and despite his A-Lister status, he was a down-to-earth guy. Maybe sometimes a little too down-to-earth. There was a reason he was known as the rule breaker of the Marsh family, and often called The Rule Breaker by the media.

He didn’t love the limelight. None of the Marshes ever had. It was part of their allure. They were the Hollywood dynasty that eschewed basking in the glow of fame. She’d always admired them for that, and it only seemed to make their stars shine brighter.

Nothing the paparazzi liked more than to photograph those who avoided them like the plague they were.

Whatever was going on with Jack, she was here for him. It would just be easier to help him if she knew what had happened. Lights off, she got into bed and grabbed her tablet, doing a quick search for the name Jackson Marsh.

Nothing came up that explained why he’d be here. She searched Teddy next and found the same thing. Plenty of articles and photographs, but not a hint of current trouble. That was good, but it didn’t answer her questions.

She shook her head and brought up the book she was reading. The Light Within . One of her favorite things that Mitchell Ripley had ever written. It was lyrical and poetic and created these amazing images in her head every time she read it.

It was science fiction, yes, but in a very accessible way. Basically, it was the story of Earth’s first contact with alien lifeforms and how that contact changed not only the world, but the lives of a young couple and their older neighbor.

The story took a hard look at how humans treated each other and anyone they thought was different, but it was also a touching reminder of how good people could be when they put their differences aside.

To think it was going to be made into a movie, and she was going to be a part of that process, was unbelievable.

Even more unbelievable was that she and Mitch were in a relationship. They hadn’t told anyone about it. Mitch had said he was going to talk to his son, Kyle, to see if he was ready for his widowed father to date again.

Thinking about that made her look up from her tablet. Mitch hadn’t texted her to say how the talk had gone. What did that mean? That everything was all right? Or that Kyle wasn’t ready? Or maybe the timing hadn’t been right, and the talk had never happened at all.

She checked her phone again. Nope, no text. And she’d already seen the lights were off at his house. She’d just have to wait until tomorrow to find out. It wasn’t a big deal. She’d see Mitch in the afternoon. They were going to look at some dogs for adoption.

She truly hoped he found a dog that he connected with. She hadn’t said anything to him about it, but having a source of unconditional love, like a dog, could be very healing for a lot of people. And Mitch still had healing to do.

With him on her mind, she went back to the book. It had been some years since she’d last read it, long enough that she’d forgotten many of the wonderful little scenes that took place.

She read until nearly midnight, not feeling bad about staying up late. The book was as good as she remembered, and worth missing sleep for.

Even so, she drifted off as soon as her head hit the pillow.

She awoke to the sound of her name being whisper-yelled through the door. “Harper. Harper .”

“Hmm. Huh? What? I’m up.” She wasn’t really, but she did her best to look that way when Frankie opened the door, scrubbing her hands over her face in an attempt to wake up a little more.

“There’s a naked man swimming laps in our pool.”

Harper blinked, squinting at her sister. Why were mornings so bright? “What did you say?”

Frankie’s volume increased. “There’s a naked man swimming laps in our pool.”

Harper yawned and did a quick mental inventory for the reason why that might be happening. “Oh. That’s Jack. At least I hope it is. I was going to tell you guys last night but you’d already both gone to bed.”

Frankie just stared at her, mouth open.

Harper threw the covers off. “I don’t think I told him I wasn’t the only one in the house.”

Frankie’s eyes widened. “You know the naked man in the pool?”

“Yes. Jack Marsh. Arlington’s son.”

Frankie sucked in air. “ The Jackson Marsh? That’s who’s in our pool? Naked?”

“So you said. Yes, that Jack Marsh.” Harper found her robe and pulled it on, sticking her feet into flipflops. This wasn’t remotely how she’d imagined her day starting, but there wasn’t much she could do about it now. “I’ll go talk to him. Is there coffee?”

“No, not yet, but why—”

“Can you make some? Please?” She knotted the belt. Archie was already at her side, ready to go. “Thanks. I’ll explain everything when I get back.”

Harper went past her sister and down the steps, holding onto the handrail, because she still wasn’t completely awake. Archie dashed ahead of her, making it to the back door of the rec room well before she did. The pool was visible through the wall of glass windows. As was the naked man cutting through the water.

“What are you going to say to him?”

Harper jumped, not realizing Frankie had followed her down. She exhaled. “Are you trying to kill me? I’m barely awake here.”

“Sorry. Just curious.”

Harper opened the door. Archie bolted like a rabbit, probably thinking he was about to go out. “I’m going to explain there are other people here and he needs to stay dressed.”

Frankie made a funny face. “So if it was just you here—”

“Nope. He’d still need clothes on.”

Frankie pursed her lips. “Good to know.”

Harper rolled her eyes. “Glad that meets with your approval.”

“Hey, I’m not the naked one.”

Harper didn’t respond, just walked out to the pool with Frankie trailing her. Jack was swimming away. She waited until he made the turn and was facing her again. She waved to get him to stop. “Jack. Jack !”

He slowed in a whoosh of water, putting his feet down to stand. Thankfully, the water was rippling enough to keep her from seeing through it. “Hey, man. Beautiful day.”

“Yes, it is. Um, as you can see, I have company. My sister, Frankie.” Harper hooked her thumb in Frankie’s direction.

Frankie waved. “Hi.”

Jack gave her a big smile. “The infamous Frankie. I’ve heard a lot about you. Nice to meet you, man.”

“Also,” Harper continued, keeping her gaze lifted. “My niece, Frankie’s daughter, Willa, is here with us. So…” She gestured in his direction. “If you could not be naked, that would be better.”

Jack pushed his wet hair out of his eyes. “Cool, cool. I forgot to bring a suit. But I’ll get one ordered. No worries, man.” He plowed through the water toward them, revealing more and more as the pool became increasingly shallow.

“There might be some swim trunks in the stuff that was left behind. I can look.” Harper raised her gaze higher. This was a lot to deal with before coffee.

“Also cool,” Jack said as he strode toward the steps.

Next to her, Frankie snorted. Harper shot her a look and kept her voice down. “Now you think it’s funny? You were just complaining.”

Frankie grinned, answering in a whisper, “The man is a bonafide sex symbol. Not to mention a Hollywood legend. Excuse me for enjoying the moment.”

“Shouldn’t you be making coffee?”

“I will the second I get into the kitchen.”

Harper sighed and kept her eyes averted, relying on her peripheral vision to maintain tabs on Jack.

He reached the steps and came up onto the pool deck. He went straight to his towel on the nearby lounge chair and wrapped it around his hips. “All safe for women and children.”

Harper looked at him again. “Thanks.”

He nodded, then smiled at her. “Water’s great.”

“I believe you.”

“By the way, if we could keep my sojourn here under the radar, I’d be deeply in your debt.”

The way Harper saw it, he already was in her debt. “No press. We understand. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Cool, cool.” He winked at Frankie, who made a noise somewhere in between amusement and girlish delight. “See you ladies later. Stay frosty, my friends.”

He strode off.

Harper looked at her sister, who was watching Jack leave. “By the way, you can’t move into the guest house just yet.”

“I figured that. It’s okay,” Frankie mumbled, her attention clearly elsewhere.

Harper shook her head and went inside.