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“Thank you.” She entered the building and he closed the door behind her. They stood only a few feet apart, and with each inhaled breath, she took in a bit of his cologne. It smelled expensive, woodsy and masculine.
She looked him over. He towered over her by a good four inches. He had dark hair, trimmed close, and dark brown eyes flecked with gold. A thin, neatly trimmed goatee framed his full lips, and a small diamond stud sparkled in his right earlobe. His body, fit and athletic, made the perfect canvas to display his tailored royal blue suit, crisp white shirt and bright green tie.
She brought her gaze back up to his face, and she recalled seeing him in Della’s the previous day. She could also feel his unveiled scrutiny as he stared at her. Realizing one of them had to speak so they wouldn’t spend the morning staring at each other, she asked, “And you are...”
He seemed to snap out of it; chuckled. “Forgive me. I’m Campbell Monroe.” He extended his hand to shake hers. “I’ll be helping you choose a rental unit.”
She returned his firm handshake. “Great. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Monroe.”
Flashing that gorgeous smile again, he shook his head. “No need to be so formal, Ms. Dandridge. Call me Campbell, or Cam.”
“Okay, Campbell.” She smiled back, careful not to oversell it. Her pulse raced, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Follow me.” He started walking toward a corridor to the right.
She followed him until he led her into his office. He sat behind the large oak desk and gestured for her to sit, as well. Taking the upholstered chair opposite him, she placed her purse on her lap. The space appeared just as masculine as its occupant. The walls, painted a deep shade of burgundy, hosted his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, several sports and movie posters, and a few modern art pieces. The tall shelves lining the walls were filled with various nonfiction titles, and a few trophies and knickknacks. When her eyes swung to the movie poster hanging on the wall directly behind his desk, she couldn’t help smiling.
“So, Ms. Dandridge. We’re excited to have an actress of your caliber staying with us here in Sapphire Shores.”
His voice drew her attention and her gaze back to his handsome face. “Thank you, Campbell, that’s very kind.”
“I mean, Waltz at Midnight is one of my favorite movies of all time, mainly because of your stellar performance.” He gestured to the movie poster behind him. “That’s one of my most treasured possessions.”
“I’m flattered. It was only my third film, but I really did enjoy playing the role.” Her cheeks warmed a bit. She wasn’t an egomaniac, but she’d thought she’d gotten past having a compliment affect her this way. In truth, it had been a minute since she’d been complimented by someone this fine. She sensed that he was very much a fan of her work, but she didn’t want to use the whole appointment on conversation about her past roles.
As if he sensed her thoughts, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out two booklets. “While I’m a big fan of your work, I don’t want to waste your time. So, let’s talk about the kind of rental unit you’d like.”
Grateful for the change of topic, she looked at the two glossy, full-color booklets he slid her way. “The Glenn and Shoreside Manor.”
“Those are our most upscale developments on the island, and also our newest ones. The Glenn opened back in May, and Shoreside Manor in July.” He rested his elbows on the desk and tented his fingers. “So, why don’t you tell me the top three amenities that are most important to you.”
She nodded. “I’d like a good deal of privacy, easy access to a gym or workout room, and security.”
He scratched his chin. “Based on what you’re saying, I’d recommend The Glenn. They’re large luxury condominium units, and there’s a lot less traffic and noise on the inlet side of the island.”
She listened as he described square footage of the units, the laundry valet service and the well-appointed clubhouse, complete with workout room. One thing she’d requested, though, was left out of his description. “Everything you’ve mentioned sounds wonderful, Campbell. But what about the security?”
He snapped his fingers. “Yes, sorry about that. The Glenn is a gated community with twenty-four-hour surveillance, both remotely and through the on-site guard.”
“I’m assuming the guard has a station at the entrance gate?”
“Yes.”
“What about security for the individual units?”
His brow cocked as if the question surprised him, but he slid smoothly into an answer. “Each unit has an electronic security system. Cameras are placed all around the property, and every square inch has coverage.”
She shifted in her seat. “That sounds great. But what if I require something more? Is it possible for me to get a security guard for my unit?”
He frowned a bit. “I’m not sure that would be necessary, Ms. Dandridge. You won’t find a safer place in the country than our little island.”
“That may be so, but this is a unique situation. In my line of work, I’ve seen what people are capable of. I’ve dealt with stalkers and crazed fans in the past, and I’d rather not do it again.” She decided not to tell him about the guy she’d found scaling the fence at her house in Los Angeles, or the one who’d tried spying on her with a drone. At least not now.
Sitting back in his chair, he looked thoughtful for a moment. “I may be able to arrange something for you, but it will take some time. The Glenn isn’t staffed for that sort of thing.”
“I can understand that. I would really like a guard, though, and I’d really appreciate it if you could make that happen.” She returned the booklets to him.
“No problem.” He picked up a pen from a cup on his desk. “Let me show you the video tour of the unit, so you can see how it’s laid out.” He entered some commands onto his computer’s keyboard, then turned the monitor her way.
For the next few minutes, she watched the screen, impressed by the unit’s layout, furnishings and decor. “It’s lovely. It looks like just the sort of place I want. What do I need to do next?”
“We’ll need to do a bit of paperwork, and I’ll collect your deposit and the first month’s rent. Then you’ll leave a list of the groceries you want, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
“How long will it be before I can get into the unit?” She’d long since gotten tired of the chain hotel she was staying in. While the place was serviceable, she thrived on privacy and there was just too much noise and commotion there.
“I can get you in tomorrow, as long as I can get the cleaning crew in there in the next couple of hours.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Then as soon as I leave here, I’ll start packing.”
For the next twenty minutes, he worked with her through the property agreement. After she’d signed her name to the document, and selected her desired groceries from the extensive checklist he gave her, she passed his pen back to him.
She sat by as he made calls to the personal shopper and the cleaning crew. Once he was done, he set his phone aside. “You’re all set, Ms. Dandridge. Your unit should be ready around 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Since you put your mobile number on the form, I’ll text you the address.”
She stood. “Thank you for your help.”
He pushed his chair back and stood, as well. “Thank you for your business.” Another megawatt smile followed his words.
Turning away lest she started staring at him again, she slung her purse strap over her shoulder and exited.
Back in her car, she let herself feel the glow of his fanboy crush on her for a few moments. Then she banished the thoughts from her mind. Crush or not, she didn’t have time for romance right now. The show took up all her free time.
And based on her experiences with men, she wasn’t missing anything.
* * *
As Campbell moved his stool closer to the bar at the Salty Siren, the wooden feet scraped over the concrete floors. Next to him, his old friend and new brother-in-law, Devon Franklin, drank from a mug of root beer, his eyes trained on one of the big screen televisions. The burger and fries he’d ordered for lunch were on the bar in front of him.
“Sorry I’m late. I see you ordered without me.”
Devon shrugged but didn’t look away from the television. “I didn’t have time to wait. I gotta be back at the studio by a quarter after one.”
“What’s got your attention, man?”
Devon sat the mug down. “Haven’t you heard? There’s a pretty big tropical storm out in the Atlantic right now.”
Campbell’s eyes widened. September was the peak hurricane season around these parts, but things had been relatively quiet over the last few years. “Good grief. What’s going on with it?”
“Just watch the news report, man.” Devon kept his gaze on the screen.
Campbell looked, as well, paying close attention to both the on-screen graphics and the words of the local meteorologist.
“Tropical storm Hester is churning in the Atlantic as we speak, folks. She’s an angry one, but due to the cool front approaching from the west, we don’t expect her to be upgraded or to come on shore for the mainland. However, she does pose the threat of heavy rain, strong winds, rough surf and possible flooding to the islands off the coasts of North Carolina and South Carolina. We expect to see the main impact from the storm over the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours.”
Well, shit. Campbell hoped the storm wouldn’t cause too much damage. MHI always kept storm preparedness supplies on hand and crews on call this time of year, but the island was abuzz with the cast and crew of The Shores, as well as all the extra tourists who’d come in with them.
Devon turned his way after the weather report ended. “It’s looking kind of dicey on the weather front. I’d better have the crew film as many scenes as they can this afternoon, in case we have to close down production for a few days.”
Shaking his head, Campbell signaled for Maddie, the waitress. “I hope it won’t be too bad. With all your people here, plus the folks who came onto the island trying to get on camera when y’all are filming, there are a lot of extra people on the island.”
“Yeah. I bet the police and fire people are getting geared up.”
“Probably.” Thinking MHI should brace for any impact the storm might bring, he fired off a quick text to Savion, letting him know to alert the crew that they might be needed over the next week.
Maddie came over then, and Campbell ordered a buffalo chicken salad and bottled water. After she left, he turned to Devon. “So, I had a meeting with your star earlier today, about a rental unit.”
Devon nodded. “So you met with Sierra. She’s something, isn’t she?”
He whistled. “Yes. She’s gorgeous, even more so than she is on-screen.”
Devon swallowed a mouthful of food, eyed him closely. “What are you saying, Cam? You trying to get with her?”
He shook his head. “Nah. I mean, yeah, but not really.” He waved his hand in front of him, dismissing the idea. “I don’t stand a chance with the ‘Ice Queen.’”
With a chuckle, Devon popped a fry into his mouth.
“What does that mean?”
“I’m saying, Cam. Don’t sell yourself short. Plus, Sierra isn’t nearly as cold as people make her out to be.”
“Really?” He folded his arms over his chest. “She seemed all-business this morning.”
“That’s how she is during business meetings, and that’s how she should be. Otherwise no one would take her seriously.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it aside. “But when you talk to Sierra on a friendly basis, you’ll find out she’s really sweet.”
Cam’s thoughts wandered back to the image of her from this morning, which had embedded itself in his mind. She’d been dressed casually, in a pair of skinny jeans, a close-fitting white top and flats. Despite the casual outfit, there was no hiding her curvaceous frame. “I doubt I’ll ever get the chance for all of that with her.”
“You never know.” Devon drained the last of his root beer. “You’ll see her again, right?”
He nodded as Maddie slid his salad and drink in front of him. “Yeah. Tomorrow I’m meeting her at her condo with the keys.”
“See? Talk to her, and you’ll see what I mean.”
Campbell nodded, but he still had his doubts. Parts of him were now even more curious about just who Sierra Dandridge really was. I guess it’s not really fair to make a judgment about her personality, since we just met. Sure, any sighted man could see she was fine. But he really didn’t know anything about her beyond her physical appearance.
He’d make conversation with Sierra and see where it went. After all, as property manager, it was his job to make her feel welcome.
“I can see the gears turning over there,” Devon remarked. “What are you up to?”
Shaking his head, Campbell ignored the question and dug into his salad.
Devon folded his arms, waiting. “Cam?”
Campbell chuckled. “Let’s just say, when I see her tomorrow, I just may shoot my shot.”
Chapter 3
Sierra peered through the rain-slick windshield of her rental car as she drove down the road Wednesday afternoon. The trip from her hotel to the gated community took her halfway across the island, and she was glad the drive was almost over. What had begun as an overcast day with soft, drizzling rain had morphed into a dark, gray-skied downpour. The wipers ran at their fastest speed, giving her enough visibility to operate the car safely. But if the rain increased much more than this, she wouldn’t be driving anywhere else today.
Pulling up to the gate at The Glenn, she rolled her window halfway down and gave her name to the guard. The iron gates soon parted, allowing her entry to the complex. Driving through the area, she could see it looked just as picturesque as the photographs in the booklet. The buildings were built from multicolored bricks and accented with stone, and the grounds were manicured with shrubbery and flowers. The images in the brochure had been taken on a sunny day. Today, the plants looked beaten down by the rain and wind, but at least she knew they would look better once the weather cleared up.
She found her building, and pulled into a parking spot in front of it. A tall figure stood on the landing above her, and after she cut the engine, she took a closer look at his face. Campbell. Good, he’s already here. With her purse on her shoulder, she opened her umbrella and got out of the car. Jogging through the sheets of rain, she climbed the stairs to the second level of the building.
Beneath the canopy of the roof she closed her umbrella, and walked up to the door of unit 202 B, where Campbell stood. Before she could stop herself, she looked him over. He wore a pair of dark slacks and a light blue button-down shirt with the MHI logo on his front pocket. It was a very different look from the suit she’d seen him wearing in the office. Guess these are his casual work clothes. He looked just as good dressed this way as he had before, but she pushed that thought out of her mind, telling herself that what he wore and how he looked weren’t any of her concern.
She looked back to his face to find him smiling at her.
She blinked, tried to match his smile. Had he seen her staring at him?
Finally, he spoke. “Some weather we’re having.”
She nodded, relieved. Either he hadn’t seen her staring, or had decided not to bring it up. “Yeah. The storm must be pretty darn close.”
“Well, let me get you inside before the weather gets worse. The forecast says Hester’s gonna hang around for a while.” He extracted a single, silver key on an MHI key chain from his pocket.
She watched as he put the key in the lock...or attempted to.
His brow furrowed as he tried a second time to put the key into the lock. “What in the world?” After lifting the key chain in front of his face, he flipped it over and looked at it. He frowned, uttering a single word. “Crap.”
Confused, she asked, “What is it?”
“This isn’t the right key.” He slipped it back into his pocket. “The Glenn is laid out with two condos to each floor, an A unit and a B unit. This is the key to 202 A.”
She glanced to the left. “The unit next door? Can’t you just lease me that one, since we’re already here?”
He shook his head. “Sorry. That unit was rented earlier this morning. Aside from that, your unit is already set up with grocery delivery and everything you requested.”
Hopeful, she asked, “You got me a guard?”
He cleared his throat. “Let me revise that. Almost everything you requested is set up in this unit.”
She sighed, turning to face the parking lot. Moments later, the wind changed direction, and a spray of fat raindrops hit her in the face.
Wiping away some of the dampness with her hand, she looked to Campbell. “What do you need to do to get the right key? I’d really like to get out of this weather.”
“I’ll call my intern, Jacob. He rented the other unit, so I’ll see what he can tell me.”
While he talked on his cell phone, she moved away from the railing, resting her back against the wall in hopes of avoiding another involuntary shower. She tried to eavesdrop discreetly, but all she heard were a few of his deep-voiced words, in between the bouts of wind and rain.
When he disconnected the call, he turned her way. “The key is still at the office, but Jacob had put it away with the paperwork for the other unit. Even though it was rented today, they’re not moving in until tomorrow.”
“Is that policy? If so, why didn’t you put my key with my paperwork?”
He looked sheepish. “That was an error on my part. I had another appointment right after you and I didn’t match up your key. Sorry about that.”
She pursed her lips. Fine as he was, he seemed a little forgetful. “So, what happens now?”
“Jacob is going to bring the key here.”
She blinked several times. “So we’re just going to be waiting here, in this weather?”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Dandridge. But it’s either that or go sit in our cars until Jacob gets here.”
She looked out at the sky. It had grown even darker since she’d arrived, not to mention the heavier rain and the insistent winds. She shook her head. “Nah. I’ll wait here. I’m not going back down there.”
“I’d hate for you to have to stand up this whole time.” He moved closer to her.
Her heart rate sped up for a moment before she realized he was walking past her.
“Can I borrow your umbrella?”
She nodded, handing it off to him.
He opened it, then dashed down the stairs and into the driving rain. She watched as he went to his car, took something out of the back seat and locked up. Holding something close to his body, probably to keep it dry, he jogged back across the sidewalk and up the stairs. Once back on the landing, he closed the umbrella and dangled it over the railing, giving it a little shake. Then he handed the umbrella back to her, along with the thing he’d retrieved and had been clutching to his chest.
She took the soft bundle.
“I always keep a blanket in the car for emergencies. Fold it up a few times so you’ll have somewhere to sit.”
She did as he asked, and after she’d folded the thick, plaid blanket into a neat rectangle, she placed it next to the door and took a seat to one side. Looking up at the handsome man towering over her, she thought she’d follow her mother’s sage advice. When life gets salty, make margaritas. Rachel Myers Dandridge was known for her odd little sayings, and that was probably one of Sierra’s favorites. It meant make the best of a less than ideal situation. To that end, she patted the blanket next to her. “You can sit here. There’s plenty of room.”
He seemed surprised. “Really?”
“Sure. No reason for you to stand up the whole time, either.”
“Even though I got you into this mess?” He seemed pretty disappointed with himself.
“Everybody makes mistakes, Campbell. Besides, it’s your blanket.” She patted the spot again. “Join me.” Even as she asked him to sit, she realized how rare it was for her to do something like this. She hadn’t earned her nickname by being cordial to men, especially those that inconvenienced her. But something about Campbell intrigued her. There was something endearing, and, if she were honest, enticing, about him.
Finally, he nodded, and took a seat next to her. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She realized her rectangle wasn’t as long as she’d thought, because now that he’d sat down, his muscular outer thigh pressed against her own. A tingle went through her body, originating from the point of contact and radiating through her every cell.
* * *
Campbell shifted a bit to his left, trying to put a little distance between them out of respect. But there wasn’t much farther he could move without ruining his slacks on the concrete landing, so he stilled. Their thighs were touching, and there was no way she hadn’t noticed. If it bothered her, she didn’t let on.
The swirling wind and rain continued to pound the building, and he grabbed her umbrella and opened it in front of them to protect them from the elements. The lengthening silence between them made him feel nervous, so he spoke. “Tell me a little about yourself.”
She nodded. “Let’s see. I’m an only child, and I’m from Los Angeles. My parents still live there. My father owns a welding business and my mother writes historical novels.” She paused. “What about you?”
He wanted to hear more about her life, but thought it only fair to divulge a little about his own. “I was born and raised on the island. I’m sure you know my younger sister, Hadley. She’s married to Devon. We have an older brother, Savion. MHI is the family business, and we kids took over about six years ago when our parents retired.”
“I see.” She looked straight ahead, as if focused on the falling rain.
He observed her, enjoying her regal beauty in profile. She was dressed just as casually as the previous day, this time in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Her hair was up on top of her head in a messy bun, with a few tendrils hanging around her face. She appeared thoughtful, and he kept quiet to avoid interfering with whatever gears were turning in her mind.
The stormy weather filled the air with the sounds of rain and howling wind, and he kept quiet and listened to the cacophony.
Jacob’s car pulled up then, parking a few spots away from Sierra’s. As Jacob jogged through the rain with the key, Campbell met him halfway up the stairs.
“Thanks!” He switched keys with Jacob, raising his voice to be heard over the wind. “Now try to get home before the storm gets any worse!”
“Yes, sir!” Jacob ran back to his car, and soon pulled off.
His shirt damp with rain, Campbell returned to the door and slipped the key into the lock. Turning it, he swung open the door. “Welcome to your unit, Ms. Dandridge.”
She started to get up, and he offered his hand to assist her. On her feet, she smiled as she passed him, entering the condo.
He gathered the blanket and the umbrella and followed her inside, closing the door. The sound of the rainstorm was now buffered, but he could still hear the rain and wind. “Let me give you a quick tour, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“Okay.” She trailed him around the unit and let him show her all the features and amenities it had.
“You’ve got plenty of space to stretch out here.” He showed her the living room, kitchen/dining combo, the hall bathroom and the guest bedroom. In the master suite, he showed her the king-size bed and the attached bathroom, complete with soaking tub and separate shower. She lay across the bed for a moment, as if to test it, and he turned away to keep his thoughts from going in that direction.
As if sensing his discomfort, she sat up and got on her feet again. “Everything looks wonderful. Anything else you want to show me?”
He gestured for her to follow him back up the narrow hallway. “There’s a terrace off the dining room. You can access it by those glass doors. Nice views of the inlet from out there.” He pointed at them as they returned to the main living area. “But you’ll probably want to wait for better weather to check that out.”