Chapter Twenty-One
CECE
CeCe savored the last spoonful of her lemon bar ice cream, relishing the tart citrus burst blended with a sweet and buttery cookie crumble.
The sun sank low in the sky, casting pinks and gold across the bay.
A mirthful, raucous crowd mingled on Blessings Beach, dancing barefoot on the sand and broiling freshly caught fish in wire baskets over crackling bonfires.
She didn’t usually enjoy such large gatherings, but tonight, with Jayce by her side, she’d never felt more at ease.
They’d danced to classic cover songs by the local band, Blessings Beats, ate their fill of delicious food, and had even participated in the sandcastle competition.
Sure, their attempt at re-creating the Starship Enterprise more closely resembled a pancake flanked by two deformed sausages, but they’d had fun.
Too much fun. In fact, for the first time since Jayce left home, she’d wondered if he’d made the right decision. At least, the safer decision.
With half a state between them, she could more easily guard her heart. But being this close, spending so much time together, she found herself falling even deeper in love, despite her best intentions to keep an emotional distance.
Thank goodness for the paparazzi. Their presence—the flash of bulbs and shouts to “hold hands” or “stand closer”—kept her grounded, reminding her that whatever currents of electricity she felt between them weren’t real.
The spine-tingling glances, the sultry smiles, even the intimate touches along her arm or gentle sweeping of hair away from her face, they were all part of the game. A game he played a little too well.
“Sorry about this,” Jayce whispered, leaning in so close, she felt his warm breath graze the tip of her ear, making her shiver. “I promised them three hours of following us around, then they agreed to leave us alone for a while.”
“It’s okay.” As they strolled the shoreline, watching the frothy tide tickle the sand, she tried not to focus on his heady scent—rich and musky with hints of sun and sea spray.
“I’m actually amazed by the rapport you have with them.
I’ve always viewed paparazzi as some feral species with no boundaries or common decency. ”
He laughed in his easy, infectious way. “We’ve come to an understanding over the years. They give me space and a little respect, and I make sure they get the photos they want. Occasionally, they’ll go rogue, but I can usually rein them back in with a friendly conversation and a photo opp.”
“Is there anyone you can’t woo with your charm?” she teased.
“Just you.” He cast her a sideways glance, but she couldn’t read his expression. Was his tone purely playful? Or did she detect a hint of something more?
Best not to board that train of thought. “That’s because I’ve seen you drink your weight in soda and burp the alphabet.”
“Hey! I was fourteen. Give me a little credit. I’m a classy guy now.”
She snorted in amusement, and they strolled a few more feet in companionable silence, enjoying the rumble of ocean waves as the celebratory cacophony dimmed in the distance.
“Look!” Jayce stopped abruptly and grabbed her hand, tugging her to stand beside him. Pointing toward the horizon line, he drew her attention to playful sea lions, ducking and diving in the water, silhouetted by the setting sun.
“Wow,” she breathed. “They’re beautiful.” Her heart pounded in her chest. Jayce still hadn’t let go of her hand.
“I had a good time tonight,” he said softly, his tone low and rough.
“Me, too.” Why did her throat feel so dry?
“Toto…” He turned toward her, meeting her gaze. Were his eyes always this blue? “There’s something I need to ask you.”
“You mean, besides if I’ll marry you?” Ugh . Why did she have to joke at a time like this? He looked so sincere, so serious. And her heart couldn’t handle it.
“Yeah, besides that.” His lips scrunched to the side in a boyish smile. “It’s another favor. The one I mentioned a while ago, when I called from Paris. You probably don’t remember.”
She did, although she’d pushed it from her thoughts.
At the time, he’d made it sound like a big deal, claiming he’d be home in a few weeks to tell her about it.
Then his filming schedule changed, and she hadn’t heard from him again.
She’d tried not to draw a parallel between Jayce and her father, despite the unsettling similarity, and had opted to give him the benefit of the doubt, deciding he’d simply changed his mind and no longer needed the favor.
He shifted his feet in the sand. Was he nervous? “There’s this award ceremony at the end of the week, honoring achievements in the romantic comedy genre. I’ve been nominated in a couple of categories and—”
“Congrats, Jayce! That’s amazing,” she interrupted, unable to suppress her happiness and pride. Despite her own secret longing for an alternate reality where they could be together, she wanted nothing but the best for him. “Not that I’m surprised.”
“Thanks. It’s not a big deal, except that I have to attend or endure Gretchen’s wrath. And she’s unpleasant enough when she’s in a good mood. I know you’re not really into the showy Hollywood scene, but I was kinda hoping you’d go with me. As my date.”
He held her gaze, his eyes soft and searching.
The confident, cavalier, doors-always-open-for-me A-list celebrity wasn’t standing before her.
Just Jayce. The boy who’d climbed through her bedroom window the night his parents announced their divorce and slept on the floor by her bedside because he didn’t want to go home.
The boy who wasn’t afraid to be vulnerable, to admit he needed someone.
He wanted her to attend the award ceremony. As his date . For moral support? Or something more?
“Toto?” He said her nickname again, as if she might have missed his question.
She briefly glanced away, collecting her thoughts, calming her racing pulse. She’d been down this road before, willing to bare her heart to him. And he’d made his feelings clear, with a single text, no less. But what if…? She looked into his eyes again. What if things had changed between them?
“Will you come with me?” he repeated.
“What kind of fiancée would I be if I didn’t?” As soon as the teasing retort left her lips, she cringed inside. Once again, she’d used humor to hide the emotions simmering beneath the surface. Was it wisdom or weakness?
“I knew I proposed to the right woman.” He grinned, matching her playful tone. But as quickly as the lighthearted sparkle in his eyes flickered to life, it dimmed. He turned solemn again. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
He took a step toward her until they stood so close, she could trace the faint outline of stubble along his jaw.
She instinctively wet her lips. Concentrate, CeCe.
“What is it?” Her own voice sounded foreign and far away, almost breathy, as if the ever- changing vibe between them—the emotional guessing game—had left her winded.
He raked his fingers through his hair. “I—”
“Kiss!” The shout preceded a flash of light.
CeCe jumped, her heart slamming into her chest.
“Kiss!” Another intrusive holler made the same demand.
CeCe flushed and stumbled a step backward.
Paparazzi clustered on the beach, cameras poised to capture their private moment.
Jayce waved them away, but they continued to chant in unison. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
“Come on, lovebirds. Give us a sunset smooch for the front page!” A man with a camera bag slung over one arm knelt in the sand, fixing them with his fancy lens.
Lovebirds… Is that what they resembled? That was the goal, wasn’t it? The whole point of their ruse. Only, why, mere moments ago, had it suddenly felt real?
CeCe’s cheeks burned hotter as the chant resumed. Conflicting emotions churned in her stomach, swelling and swirling with nowhere to go. Confused, flustered, and feeling exposed, she hissed, “It’s fine. Let’s just do it so they’ll leave us alone.”
Jayce tried to search her gaze, but she looked away. What if he could see the desire in her eyes? What if he could tell that, not so deep down, she actually wanted him to kiss her?
He took a step closer.
Her heart stopped beating.
The paparazzi cheered, expecting a show.
Cupping her chin gently with his fingertips, Jayce bent his head, his lips mere inches from hers.
Fire spread through her body, igniting every nerve ending like a torch touching a trail of kerosene.
This was it. He was actually going to kiss her.
Her eyelids fluttered, softly closing, then half opened, as if her brain couldn’t discern between awake and dreaming.
“I can’t,” Jayce breathed, each syllable thick and labored. “Not like this.”
Angling his face to hide their lips from view, he hovered his mouth over hers, lingering so close, she could almost taste him.
Her heart stung with the sharp prick of rejection, but a whisper of hope simmered beneath the surface.
Not like this…
Did a scenario exist where he would kiss her?
And if he did, what, if anything, would it mean?