After Hank closed the front door, Bree looked at me. “Where is he staying?”
“There’s a guesthouse right next door.”
“Do you bring him everywhere you go?”
I nodded. “Mostly, but not always.”
Bree turned back to the windows and let out a contented sigh. “This place is going to be healing for my soul, I can feel it.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed the top of her head and gazed out over the deep blue waters. “I think you’re right, love.”
For the next few days, we explored the little private island we were on. There were two other houses on the island, but both appeared to be vacant, so it felt like we were completely and utterly alone. It was so nice to walk along the beach and talk to Bree without worrying if anyone had a telescopic lens and was taking our pictures. I had booked a flight to Belize and mentioned to a reporter that I’d be staying there over the holidays. No one in their right mind would think I was in Maine.
When Bree wanted to go to Harpswell, we spent the entire day exploring the area. She had a thing for lighthouses, so we visited Halfway Rock Lighthouse. We spent a lot of time hiking and enjoying the beautiful nature that surrounded us. We even headed into the next town over and shopped along the historic downtown area, where Bree bought a few things for her friends and family.
I loved how genuine her heart was and how easy it was for her to talk to people. And her sense of humor never ceased to amaze me. She was quick-witted and kept me on my toes.
It wasn’t hard to see why I was quickly falling for her. I wouldn’t put the word love with it quite yet. But I could see myself loving her. Being with her…having a family with her.
What I couldn’t see, though, was her thriving in my world. It would slowly pull the light from those beautiful brown eyes of hers. We didn’t talk at all about my career, and for that I was thankful. I had managed to bring us to a place where we could get to know each other without the outside world sticking their noses in.
I was stopped once by a younger couple who asked me to take a photo with them. Bree offered to take the picture and didn’t seem the least bit put off by it. That was also refreshing. For the most part, though, no one knew who I was, and being able to walk openly without worrying about anyone following us was freeing.
I loved my fans, don’t get me wrong. People asking me for a photo never bothered me. It was the media who went to extra lengths to snap pictures of me, especially if I was on a date, that I hated. It was why I never truly got serious with anyone. Well, one of the reasons. I honestly couldn’t see myself settling down with an actress, especially when I wasn’t even sure I wanted to keep acting. I had loved it the first few years. Now it felt more like a job. Like a job I no longer had as much passion for.
I sighed and glanced at Bree as we strolled down the empty beach. The press would eventually get wind of us. I just hoped they wouldn’t be able to find out who she was. I needed to keep my guard up, especially in Boston, when I was around her. She’d be easier to track if they knew she lived there. But in somewhere like Harpswell, Maine, they’d probably assume she was from here or from LA, as well, and we were visiting. We’d been lucky so far though. At least, I hoped we had been.
“Penny for your thoughts,” Bree said as she bumped my shoulder with hers.
“Just thinking about how nice the last few days have been with you.”
A brightness filled her eyes. “It’s been amazing. I don’t think I’ve felt this relaxed in a very long time. Thank you for that.”
I pulled her to me and kissed her forehead. I hated that our jackets kept me from feeling her body. “Thank you for coming with me.”
She ran her fingers through my hair before she rubbed her cold nose against mine. “I’m freezing and hungry. Should we head back to the island?”
I waggled my brows. “I know a way to warm you up.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Where do you get so much stamina?”
Draping my arm around her shoulders, I pulled her closer. “I work out a lot, sweetheart.”
Bree laughed, and it made my chest feel warm and tight. Yes, I could see myself falling for her. And falling hard.
Four months later – April
“The plane is ready and waiting, Luke,” Hank said as he stepped up next to me.