Page 80 of Beach Vibes

Magnolia studied her for a second before smiling. “I’d like that.”

“Good. Me, too. By the way, I brought cake to try to make you like me.”

Magnolia laughed. “Good call.”

16

Dex walked over with a glass of wine. “How you holding up?” he asked as he took the chair next to her.

Beth accepted the wine. So far she’d only carried hers around. She’d wanted a clear head through the dinner. But as they were nearly done with the meal and she would be leaving soon, she figured she would indulge in three sips and call it a night.

“Good,” she said, looking around at the post-dinner crowd. The kids were huddled around their dad, talking and laughing. Linnie was on Rick’s lap, smiling at him. An evening that could have been a disaster had gone surprisingly well. She’d gotten through the meal just fine. She’d talked to each of Teddy’s children and had, she thought, managed to avoid messing up.

“I’m the best friend,” Dex said casually. “So we should probably get to know each other.”

Beth looked at him and grinned. “If you’re the best friend, don’t you already know too much about me?”

He chuckled. “Less than you’d think. Teddy’s still at the stage where he wants to keep you to himself.”

She wasn’t sure how Dex had meant the statement, but to her it was everything she wanted to hear. It made her feel precious and important.

“You didn’t know about his past,” he said.

“The child acting?” She shook her head. “He never said anything. I mean, this is LA, and a lot of people have been a part of the business, but no, I didn’t have a clue. About either of you. I didn’t put the name thing together.” She looked across the table to where Teddy was laughing with his kids. “Now that I know, of course I can see the resemblance, but until I found out, I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“What do you think about the fact that he didn’t stay in acting?”

“I’m not surprised. He loves what he does. His patients are important to him.” Interesting that her brother and the man she was falling for both healed others. In different ways, of course, but the core mission was similar.

“You don’t want to be with someone famous?” he asked, his voice teasing.

“Not really my thing. I’m not a limelight kind of person.” She studied Dex. “You gave it up, though. And not because you had to. You walked away.”

Dex glanced at Teddy. “It’s his fault.”

“How?”

“I was best man at his wedding to Valonia. Watching them, seeing what they had, made me realize I wanted the same for myself. There was no way that was going to happen while I was living in a fishbowl. I had plenty of money, and I’d done what I set out to do, so I walked away.”

“How’s normal life?” she asked, wondering if he ever regrettedhis decision. She didn’t know Dex at all, but if she had to guess, she would say the answer was no.

“It’s good.”

“And Mrs. Right?”

He chuckled. “She’s out there. Of that I am sure.”

“I hope you find her soon.”

“Thanks. Me, too.”

* * *

The evening slowly wound down. Jana had to rescue Rick, who’d gotten roped into pushing both Orchid and Linnie on the swings.

“I’m fine,” he said with a laugh as she told both girls to leave him be. “It’s a good upper-body workout.”

“You have surgery on Monday. You can’t have sore arms because these two wouldn’t take no for an answer.” She looked at the girls. “Did you thank Rick for pushing you?”

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