Page 29 of Destined For Forever

Easy is boring.

A little echo of discontent rippled through him, like a pond’s surface disturbed by a skipping stone. Boredom was better than rejection. Or worse, failure.

Lily laughed, and the sound was liquid and magical. Her champagne flute was empty, so she held it up, moving the crystal back and forth before heading out of the room.

Sean followed her. It was almost as if his limbs moved of their own volition, like his body was disconnected from his brain. He should be concerned with what trouble he might stir up by acting a little too well in this charade.

But, in that moment, he wasn’t concerned at all.

10

Lily walked into the inn’s kitchen in search of more champagne. The catering staff had cleaned the area after the rehearsal dinner and had gone home about an hour ago. But since the Aussies were happy to party on, they’d left bottles of wine sitting open on the counter. One large sink was filled with ice to keep the white wine, champagne, and beers cold.

Surprisingly, Lily had a great time. Without the weight and attention of the breakup hanging over her like a gloomy, black cloud, she felt relaxed. Of course, there were questions about her “relationship” with Sean, but people seemed genuinely excited for her.

I miss home.

Hollywood was lonely. And competitive. Part of her hoped that working in a writers’ room for a TV show might give her some camaraderie. But creative work was tough and cutthroat and there was definitely an air of “survival of the fittest” among some of the industry people she’d met.

Not all, for sure. But many.

Lily had been increasingly wondering when LA would feel like home. She missed living in a place that felt comfortable and familiar. She missed being surrounded by people who knew the real her.

Looking out of the window that faced the back of the property, the outlook was so dark that it felt more like staring at a mirror than a window. She caught sight of her face—made up, cheeks flushed from alcohol and laughter, eyes sparkling.

She looked… good. Healthy. Relaxed.

Happy.

Far happier than she’d been in recent weeks, that was for sure. And, if she was truly honest with herself, it had been a long while since she’d even thought about relaxing, let alone actually doing it. But that was the life of a creative—long hours, nose to the grindstone, always chasing the next opportunity.

She could relax when she established herself.

Just as she was about to drag her eyes away from the window, she caught the reflection of a body in the doorway. Sean. A smile curved her lips.

When she turned, he was leaning against the door frame, looking every bit as delectable in reality as he did in her head. Dark jeans enhanced the length of his long, muscular legs and a close-fitting shirt sat open at the collar. The black beads on his wrist poked out from the cuff of the shirtsleeve, reminding her that, even dressed up, he was a surfer guy at heart. His facial hair looked rough-and-tumble sexy, and his pale, icy eyes pinned her from across the room.

“Were you planning to announce yourself, or were you going to keep watching me from a distance?” she teased.

“That dress is made for attention,” he replied.

She waited for a sign he was teasing her back, but with the intensity radiating from him, it was hard not to take the compliment seriously. Perhaps he could hear people outside the kitchen, and he wanted to make sure they sounded like an actual couple.

A faint warmth rose into her cheeks. “You like?”

“Very much.”

He walked over to her. The kitchen felt strangely quiet compared to the chatter and liveliness of the lounge room. The faint pulse of music came through the wall—a smooth jazz that had a faintly festive vibe—and there was a burst of laughter followed by a cheer. It made the kitchen feel even more intimate.

“Not bad for a goody two-shoes, huh?” she said, pouring a little more champagne into her glass and taking a sip.

“Have you kept a running list of all the things I called you over the years?” He leaned back against the counter next to her.

“You weren’t wrong about most of it,” she said with a sigh. “I was a goodie two-shoes.”

“It was nothing but envy. You know that, right?”

“Envy?” she scoffed. “Please.”

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