Page 19 of A Deception of Massive Proportion

Shadow turned to the server. “Looks like we’re ready to go.”

Riley pushed her glasses up her nose and grabbed her phone. “So, what does tomorrow hold? Do you need me for any shows or excursions?”

Even through his mask she could see the look that let her know he knew exactly what she was doing. “Tomorrow night is the first concert on the beach. I’ll definitely need you there for that.”

“Perfect. What time?”

“It starts at seven, and then there’s an after-party mix and mingle.”

Sounded like fun. It would be interesting to watch him interact with his fans. The server came back a second later with the check, and Shadow took care of it. He stood and held out his hand to her. “Do you want to take a walk along the beach?”

Her heart picked up speed. Did he realize how that sounded? Either she was totally misunderstanding, or Shadow Walker was interested in her. Romantically. She wanted to celebrate because of what that meant for her job, but a part of her couldn’t because the guilt from her deception wormed its way into her chest.

She didn’t have time to feel guilty. Her father’s health depended on her not letting anything get in the way of finding out Shadow Walker’s true identity. Shoving away all thoughts of guilt, she nodded. “I’d love to.”

They left the restaurant, and moments later they were on the boardwalk. A group of children played in the water as a dog barked and ran along the sand. The sun had gone down, but twilight still gave the sky an orange glow. A slight breeze blew the smell of the ocean toward them.

Riley had spent practically all day with Shadow, but was still no closer to finding out who he was, so she stared out at the water and tried to think of a question to ask that didn’t seem too out of the ordinary. “So, where do you call home when you’re not on the road?”

“Los Angeles.”

Darn. A lot of actors lived there. That probably wouldn’t narrow it down any. “What do you like to do when you’re not all dressed up like a ninja?” She flashed him a cheesy grin.

“Non-Shadow related things?”

“Right. Do you have other interests besides music?”

He contemplated that for a moment. “I enjoy going to the movies.”

The movies? Maybe she was right. Maybe he was an actor in the past and wanted to switch careers. She grew excited. “Ah, a movie buff. What kind of movies do you like?”

“All kinds, but my favorites are the smart ones.”

Riley looked at him, confused. “Like, cerebral?”

His smile sent a zing of attraction through her. She could imagine him being a handsome man without the mask. “Not necessarily. I like movies that are well written, with snappy dialogue and a plot that comes together nicely. The kind that make you almost gasp at the end, like, how did they think of that? Or the kind that bring you to tears because of the beauty and simplicity of them.”

Riley nodded, the sound of laughter from the children drawing her attention. “I agree. Those kinds of movies are wonderful. Do you rent a lot of movies, then?”

“It might sound funny, but I much prefer going to the theater. There’s something about sitting in a dark room, completely alone, and experiencing the same thing as a hundred other people that makes it more satisfying to me.”

Wait, did he say he goes alone? Why? He’s Shadow Walker. It didn’t make sense that he would not have women clinging to him. “You don’t go with anyone?”

He paused for a second before speaking. “I don’t live a very social life.”

The way he said it filled her with sadness. He was one of the most popular singers, yet he was alone. Why did that bother her so much? Maybe because that changed her view of him. She’d assumed he was a movie star, or someone well known, and that’s why he wore a mask. But what if it wasn’t that at all?

What if Shadow wasn’t famous? What if he seemed familiar to her simply because she’d watched some interviews and had gotten to know some of his mannerisms? If he wasn’t famous outside of his singing, she had no idea how she would find out his true identity. There might not be a way, short of him taking off his mask in front of her, something that he wasn’t about to do.

“I’m surprised to hear that,” she finally said.

Someone called the children from the beach, and they raced across the sand, their dog jumping and barking. Riley watched them as they disappeared into one of the villas hiding in the trees.

“Pop stars can be lonely too.”

A lump rose up in Riley’s throat and she stopped. Shadow turned to her, a heaviness settling over them. She looked up at him, his eyes barely visible beyond the shadow that his mask created, the moonlight getting swallowed up in the darkness of his costume.

She didn’t know who Shadow was, but a wave of empathy surged in her chest. She understood being lonely. Yes, she had her father, but there were times when she yearned for someone she could talk to. Someone who understood what she was going through. She had friends, but they were surface friends. She didn’t have anyone who truly understood her.

---