Hurricanes in Paradise by Denise Hildreth (web ebook reader .TXT) 📕

His eyes didn’t hide his disappointment. “I’ll ask again. I got my voice back, remember.”

She chuckled. “Okay. You can ask again.” As she walked away, she hated herself for being such a coward. But she still knew something he didn’t. And something Laine didn’t. And something she wished she weren’t. But something that, no matter how much she wished it away, would always be a part of who she was.

8

Monday morning . . .

Laine rolled over and tumbled to the floor. Her eyelashes were stuck together and she struggled to open her eyes. When she cracked them apart, the side of the sofa was all she could see. She spat an expletive at it, then jerked the blanket down and wrapped it around her. Two days in a row she had awoken with her head pounding. Two days in a row she had slept on the sofa in a suite that cost an exorbitant amount per night. Two days in a row she had wanted to pull the covers over her head and hide.

She reached up, grabbed the side of the sofa, and pulled her body up. She walked into the bathroom and stared at her haggard image in the mirror. She had made a fool of herself last night in front of Riley. Perfect Riley. Miss “I don’t drink. I don’t cuss. I don’t rat my hair. I’m Sandra Dee” Riley. There was something about that woman that she loathed. She didn’t know what it was, but her niceness couldn’t be as real as she tried to make it seem. Southern or not, there was no way she was that “good.” She was as nauseating as that sweet tea Winnie craved. And if Laine weren’t so ridiculously obsessed with not eating alone, she wouldn’t have Riley around at all. She was going to have to find someone else to eat with. Someone who didn’t make her crazy.

She unplugged her iPhone from the charger that sat on the bathroom counter. She checked it again. Nothing. She knew in her gut he wouldn’t call. She longed in her heart that he would. But she knew she would tell him the same thing, so it was ridiculous that she was obsessing over the fact that he hadn’t. But the calls had at least let her know he was there. Without the calls there was nothing. Books—sure. Money—a lot of it. Fans—everywhere. Happiness—gone. Life—meaningless. It vacated right along with Mitchell.

She popped four ibuprofen and headed out to run, hoping one day she could outrun the hatred she had for herself. Then maybe she could find something worth living for.

* * *

Winnie’s gray walking pants with the pink sequined stripe up the leg and her pink shirt with complementing sequins made her as hard to miss as Dolly Parton’s cleavage. Her round behind moved side to side in rhythm as she greeted the new morning with a brisk walk. She had joined a boot camp class in her neighborhood about a year ago, so her heart was in pretty good shape. Granted, she did more “camping” than “booting,” but she enjoyed the music and the company. Plus, she didn’t feel quite as guilty about what she ate anymore.

She looked out over the ocean, the sight breathtaking. Morning had arrived with elegance and grace, and the song of the ocean could have rivaled a Nashville picking fest. Her angst over seeing Albert yesterday was absorbed by the tranquility of this majestic site. This place was big enough that she could avoid him for the next five days. She looked at a young woman who jogged below her on the beach with headphones on, confirming this generation was incapable of appreciating the music that heaven played. She’d confiscated enough iPods in various sizes and colors to open a pawnshop.

She walked down the concrete walkway, admitting she was thoroughly enjoying herself. She hadn’t realized how much her mind and body had needed a getaway. And that Tamyra. That girl had stolen her heart. Her walls were slowly coming down, and Winnie knew she wasn’t far away from getting to the heart of what that young woman was going through. She had talked her into going with her to dinner last night, and Tamyra had shared a little about her pageant experiences and her family. But Winnie knew that something was incredibly broken in the soul of that young girl. She was just trying to be patient to let her reveal it when she was ready. Taking care of the hearts of young people for years had taught her that every soul has its seasons.

The jogger who had passed her a few moments ago headed back in her direction. It was Laine Fulton. The Laine Fulton. Winnie still couldn’t get over the fact that she had met a celebrity. As Laine was about to pass below her, their eyes connected and Winnie gave her a huge smile and wave. Laine stopped and slipped her earphones out of her ears as she walked up from the beach and onto the sidewalk that ran the perimeter of the Atlantis property.

“Good morning, Miss Winnie. How are you today?”

It was useless to hide her excitement. “I’m having the best time and just loving your book. Sugar, you are so talented. Those stories you tell . . . well, they just rip the heart right out of me. Have me crying like a two-year-old. How is your research going?”

Laine fidgeted. “Good. Yeah, good. A lot to discover around here.”

“They haven’t tried to get you swimming with the dolphins yet, have they? Lord, have mercy, they’ve booked me for that thing again. I didn’t show up yesterday. I told them I’m not a fish. Never wanted to be a fish. Don’t plan on acting like a fish.”

Laine laughed. “I’ll probably have to try it out so I can know how to describe it to my readers. I think I’m headed there tomorrow. I have a private