Page 59 of Moonlit Hideaway
“I can’t believe she did this.” Hank’s head felt like it was exploding. “This is us. On the sound. Island life. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out where we are.”
“Except, it’s our silhouettes.” Sierra was quick to make excuses for her. “She doesn’t mention our names other than Jane.”
“Jane is your alias.” Hank handed the phone back to Sierra. “Doesn’t she understand how dangerous this is?”
“She’s sixteen, and she’s kept this secret that must be burning inside her to get out,” Sierra said. “Can you imagine what it’s like for her? She’s a teen, and she has me, Sierra Rayne, as her guitar teacher, and she’s keeping all of this bottled in.”
“No excuses.” He picked up his phone to call her, but Sierra put her hand over his.
“Please, it’ll just make things worse. She’s hidden the details. Me and you, we know she’s EmmaOliver, but look how many other comments I get. No one else is going to pay attention. Everyone who goes on social media looks at their own stuff. They want to see how many emojis they get.”
Hank stopped, dragging a breath, striving for calm. “I’m so sorry. I should’ve monitored her online activity more closely.”
Sierra rose to slip her arms around his waist. “We’ll deal with it together. The important thing now is getting somewhere secure.”
“True. With Agent Patterson prancing around here, this place will be flooded with media.”
“Let’s go home.” She put a calming hand over his.
“You sure that’s what you want to do?” He didn’t want to take the wind out of her sails, but at the same time, her words meant more to him than he could say. She considered Hattokwa her home.
“Yes, we can always come back later.” She tipped on her toes and kissed his chin. “I know you want to get back to your mom and daughter. We had a fun adventure. Call it a honeyday plus a raincheck, but I want to go back to Hattokwa with you.”
Sierra was surprised at how she thought of Hattokwa Island as home. She’d left behind a penthouse apartment in Philadelphia and a list of celebrities she called friends. She was a regular on the party circuit and dated all the most desirable men, or at least those deemed attractive by her fans. Rappers, athletes, and actors. But stardom could be tiresome despite the perks.
Everything was played out on social media, from going on the first date to the breakup. People aired their laundry for entertainment’s sake, and the thought of young girls like Emma following her social media was now mortifying, especially after seeing everything from her father’s point of view.
“Guess I’d better get into disguise,” she said as she packed her glittery clothes on the bottom of her suitcase. Unzipping thecarry-on she borrowed from his mom, she took out a pair of Mom jeans and a chambray shirt that had belonged to Chloe. “Does it bother you that I bought some of her clothes?”
Hank looked up from his duffle bag. He wiped his hand through his thick hair and shook his head. “It did at first, but I should have expected to see women around town wearing her clothes since I consigned them. It must have been a sign that I should move on. But the water damage meant I had to clean out her closets, and… well…”
She closed the distance and leaned up against him. “You don’t have to explain. I’m not the jealous type.”
“That’s because you have nothing to worry about. I’ll always love Chloe, but she’s gone, and it’s time.”
“It’s bittersweet. I write songs about love and losing someone, but I don’t have the experience. I’m sorry.” She stared into those serious gray eyes of his, sensing the weight of his responsibilities in his conflicted look. “Did you enjoy our honey day trip?”
A grin eased onto his face. “Yes, it’s been kind of a crazy trip. I’m glad we did it because I feel closer to you. I understand you better, and I can see how perfect you are in your world.”
“I feel the same way. Getting to share my love for music with you meant a lot. Once I return to touring, I hope you’ll understand that I’ll have to be away.”
He nodded, and she could tell from the stiff grimace of his mouth that it bothered him. It was going to be a hard needle to thread. She loved the man from the small island precisely because he wasn’t the self-centered prima donna type with the enormous egos she usually dated. Yet, she couldn’t see herself staying on those few square miles, going around in circles from the inn to the grocery store to the town hall and then to the library, or involving herself in the various small-town events like the festivals or parades.
“If I’m honest, I’d want you all the time,” he said. “But I can’t take you away from your adoring fans. You’re something special, and I can see how you bring happiness and joy to many people.”
“If Agent Patterson doesn’t ruin it by saying something inappropriate.” She tucked her phone into her purse. “It’s so easy to get canceled these days; it’s not funny. It happens so fast you don’t know what hit you. One day, you’re on the top of your game, and then, boom, you’re shut out and ghosted.”
“I’m sure she can’t screw it up for you. Almost ready?” He zipped up his duffle bag.
“Sure. I might learn to love the quiet life someday,” she said softly, offering him a hopeful smile. “Although I bet you’d want to get out more.”
“You bet,” he said, although she didn’t sense much conviction as she went into the bathroom to change.
Secure in her dowdy disguise, Sierra pulled a baseball cap low over her eyes and put on a pair of fake glasses Agent Patterson had given her. She let her dyed brown hair hang over her face and walked with a slouch as she trudged behind Hank through the hotel lobby.
Out of nowhere, a young woman wearing a Neon Heartbeat t-shirt ran up to her and squealed. “Oh my gosh, are you Sierra Rayne?”
“Who?” Sierra asked, whipping her head around to look over her shoulder. As luck would have it, Agent Patterson had just arrived at the hotel with Agent Reed. The female agent was wearing Sierra’s designer jeans and all her bling.
