Page 32 of Blame It on the Bikini
"It was me, but it's been erased." Her aunt shook her head as she stared down at the open locket, at the faded picture. "It makes sense that the image is gone because I haven't been that girl in a long time."
She waited, sensing her aunt wanted to say more.
Finally, she did. "I used to go to that beach often, to that wild, desolate bluff. The waves crashing on the rocks often suited my mood, which was turbulent at times. I had decisions to make, and I wasn't sure which path to take, which choice to make. When the tide was out, I would go into the cave. I liked the darkness, the mystery, the feeling that some things last forever, that they can't be broken by constant waves of pressure and change. It felt like a metaphor for my life."
"Was this when you were deciding whether you wanted to go back to acting?"
"That was one of my decisions, yes, but it was more than that. I didn’t just quit acting because I’d stopped liking it. I was hurt—deeply hurt. I'd been betrayed by people I trusted, people I loved, and they were all wrapped up in the acting world. I had to leave everything behind to find my soul again, and, eventually, I did."
"Did someone give you the locket?"
"Yes." Josie smiled to herself, not looking sad anymore.
"Who was it?"
"It doesn't matter. Do you mind if I keep this?"
"Of course not. It's yours. I'm just glad I found it."
"Me, too. I should let you go."
"Aunt Josie," she said. "I feel like there's more to this story than what you're telling me."
Her aunt simply smiled and said, "I suppose there is, but now isn't the time to tell that story. Maybe one day." She put her hand on Lexie's shoulder. "I'm happy you brought this back to me, but I'm even happier about the photos you took today and the smile I see on your face now. I feel like you're becoming the woman you want to be."
"Perhaps a little too slowly, but this was a good day," she admitted. "I'm going to start making more changes in my life, start going after what I really want." She paused, wanting to make one thing clear. "But that doesn't mean I'm giving up the fight to keep this building. That's still at the top of the list."
"Along with Grayson."
She frowned. "Well, yes, because he's the one on the other side of this fight."
"I don't think that's the only reason he's on your mind," Josie said as she moved to the door.
"It is," she told her, but her aunt just gave her a wave and shut the door behind her. "It is," she repeated, but she wasn't sure she believed that any more than Josie did.
Saturday night, Grayson made the forty-minute drive from Oceanside to San Diego to meet with a real estate developer who might be interested in the Ocean Shores property. As he walked into Pendry's rooftop bar, he felt immediately at home. It was the kind of bar he often frequented—sleek, modern, expensive, and filled with dealmakers.
Jeff Parrish was waiting at a corner table, a man in his early forties with perfectly styled dark hair and the confident smile of someone who'd built a fortune by moving fast and taking big risks. Jeff's company was headquartered in Los Angeles, but he was down in San Diego for a few days and had asked to meet him for a drink to discuss the Ocean Shores property.
"Grayson!" Jeff stood, extending a hand. "I'm glad you could make it."
"I was surprised to hear you were in San Diego."
"Drove down today. Doing a walk-through of one of our properties tomorrow. I thought we could discuss your beachfront building."
"Of course," he said, settling into his chair.
"Let's have a drink before we get into it." Jeff flagged down a waitress, a pretty blonde in her twenties. "Another Scotch for me, and whatever my friend here is drinking."
"I'll have the same," he said, watching Jeff's gaze follow the waitress back to the bar.
"Nice," Jeff said, a gleam in his eyes.
He smiled. Jeff was not only a big-time investor; he was also a big-time player. "Aren't you seeing someone?"
"I'm always seeing someone," Jeff said with a careless laugh. "What about you?"
"Too busy with work."
