Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
The sand squished beneath her feet, giving way and sucking her in, like the mud near the riverbank she had played on as a kid. It was the whitest sand she had ever seen—the only sand she had ever seen in person—and she marveled at the way it stretched from one end of the beach to the other.
The breeze picked up, and she placed one hand on her hat to keep it from blowing away.
The sun was hot on her skin, reminding her that it had been too long since she had taken any time to do something for herself.
With Roman’s rigid security measures, she wasn’t sure how often they would be able to go out, and she was determined to make the most of the moment.
She increased her pace, eager to get down to the ocean.
The sight had literally taken her breath away.
It was so vast, so wide, that it seemed never-ending.
Parts of it were navy, other areas green, and some closest to the shore were aquamarine.
Tiny shells pricked at her feet as she made her way across the sand, but she brushed off the pain and continued, not wanting anything to strip the joy from this moment.
Roman hovered just a few feet away, and she practically ran into the surf. She sucked in a breath as the cool water lapped over her feet and ankles, making her dance backwards out of the way.
“Oh! It’s cooler than I thought it would be.”
Roman gazed out at the ocean. “By the end of summer, it’ll be much warmer.”
She nodded. It was the same as the creek that ran behind the trailer park where she had grown up.
The runoff from the mountains filled the rivers and streams during the spring and early summer, but by the end of the season, it warmed to almost bathwater temperature.
She turned back to him. “Can we walk a little bit?”
Though he didn’t move, she knew he was taking in every single detail of their surroundings. Finally, he gave her a curt nod. “That should be fine.”
They had locked up the house before coming down here, so she knew their things were safe enough inside. Even down here at the beach, only a few dozen people were visible lounging or playing on the bright white sand.
“Which direction?”
He glanced up and down the beach. “Doesn’t matter. The island is only about seven miles long, and we’re just north of the midpoint.”
She pursed her lips and shielded her eyes, glancing in each direction. Finally, she pointed north. “Let’s go this way today. Maybe tomorrow we’ll check out the southern strip.”
Silently, Roman fell into step beside her, and they walked on, lost in thought for several minutes.
A half mile or so up the beach, a cute little bistro sat along the shoreline.
Shell pink with white trim, it had a deck off the back for patrons to view the sunset while they ate.
“There’s food close by if we want to go out. ”
Roman shook his head. “We’re supposed to be lying low.”
She suppressed a huff. She didn’t know why she had hoped things would be different here.
She bit down on her tongue to keep a sharp retort from escaping.
The idea of a fake honeymoon had definitely sounded better in theory because the reality was looking pretty crappy so far.
She drew in a deep breath. Her anger at Roman was misguided.
She knew he was just following orders, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
“So, basically nothing has changed? Different house, same guard, same rules?”
Roman side-eyed her from behind his mirrored sunglasses. “Basically.”
“Awesome. Can’t wait.”
Roman’s lips quirked at her sarcasm. “At least the view is better here.”
“Are you saying my house is crappy?”
Her question seemed to catch him off guard. “No. Just… different.”
“Hmm…” She glanced out at the ocean, watching the birds overhead, but she could feel his gaze on her.
“It does surprise me a little, not gonna lie.”
It was the first thing he had offered voluntarily, and she turned to meet his gaze. “Why’s that?”
“I thought you’d choose something more… extravagant.”
Because he thought she was spoiled and self-centered. She probably should have expected something like that, but his words cut into her heart like a dagger slipping between her ribs.
Her shoulders twitched as she fortified the walls around herself.
“The belief that all singers make a ton of money right off the bat with a record deal is a misconception. I got started as a backup singer to some of the more popular artists. It’s only been about a year and a half since I’ve really ventured out on my own.
There’s a lot of money tied up in recording, and though I tour, only the headliners make a decent profit.
“When I moved to Florida, I wanted to put down some roots, but I didn’t want to buy anything ostentatious. I’d rather save my money now and live modestly than try to keep up with the Joneses and be broke in ten years.”
He was silent for a long moment, then—“Smart.” He tipped his head her way. “Why Florida?”
Her brows drew together. “What do you mean?”
“You came from Nashville, right?” At her nod, he continued. “Why move here if the big country music scene is up north?”
Her expression went completely blank, and she offered a small shrug. “It’s always been a bucket list thing of mine to move somewhere warm.”
He stared at her, as if sensing she wasn’t telling the whole truth. Before he could inquire further, she changed the subject. “I’m getting kind of hungry. What about you?”
“I could eat.”
She rolled her eyes. Such a guy thing to say.
He could always eat. In fact, she was pretty sure Roman would never stop eating given the choice.
She had no idea how he stayed in shape with as much as he consumed over the course of a day.
Though they had avoided each other as much as possible while he had been staying with her, she couldn’t miss the dent he had made in her pantry.
Not that she minded. She was a terrible shopper. She always seemed to go when she was hungry and grabbed all kinds of things that she regretted later. Roman had helped polish off most of her open bags of snacks so they didn’t go to waste.
She slowed to a stop and gestured with her head back toward the house. “Let’s head back and start dinner, then.”
She studied him surreptitiously as they turned around to head home.
Well, their home for the next couple of weeks, anyway.
Temporary house, temporary marriage. She almost laughed out loud, though she was far from feeling the humor of the situation.
Her heart still felt bruised at the way Roman had so easily stereotyped her as a high-maintenance blonde bimbo who was only concerned about appearances.
Would he ever see her for who she really was? She seriously doubted it.
Inwardly, she heaved a sigh. He seemed to be acting stranger than normal, and she hoped that wasn’t a sign of things to come.
She liked knowing exactly where she stood with someone, and now she felt like she was floundering, grasping for purchase.
She knew all of this was a fabrication to keep her safe.
She just couldn’t stop her heart from wishing it could be more.