Page 74 of The Beachside Rental

“Trouble in paradise?”Myra leaned back against the arm of the old couch.

“We’re neighbors.Nothing more.”She wasn’t about to go into the details.Although, knowing the gossips in Bluestar, probably everyone knew about that kiss.

“All the more reason to go with us.”Myra walked over to her.She linked her arm with Jenna’s.“Let’s go.”

Jenna didn’t want to throw darts, but she also wasn’t anxious to go home.The last thing she wanted to do was run into Simon.That would come soon enough.She didn’t want to rush it.

“Okay,” Jenna said.“But I can’t stay long.”

Not even two hours later...

and she was headed home.

Jenna was utterly and completely distracted.Her game had been totally off.The darts she threw missed the board more than they hit it.One dart was so far off course it almost hit the board next to theirs.Oops!

As she drove home, clouds gathered overhead.It looked like they were in for more rain that evening.Hopefully, it wouldn’t be accompanied by another storm.

When she pulled up to the duplex, she was happy to find a spot right in front of the house.Of course, she ended up parking right behind Simon.

She wondered how he was doing—from a purely medical standpoint.She hoped he was taking care of himself.But none of that was her problem now.The blonde could worry over him—or not—either way he wasn’t her problem.

She made her way up the walk.It was surprisingly dark out for six o’clock on a summer evening.Fast-moving clouds gathered overhead.She refused to look in the direction of Simon’s place.He was no longer a part of her life.

At the top of the steps, Gus rushed over to greet her.She hadn’t even known that he was on the porch.She had missed him.

She bent over and petted him.“Who’s a good boy?”Gus lifted his head and licked her cheek.“That’s right.Gus is a good boy.I’ve missed you.”

“He’s missed you too.”Simon’s voice gave her a start.

She glanced to the side.She had to squint to see into the shadows to see Simon sitting there with his laptop.

She immediately straightened.“I should be going.”

“Jenna, wait.”She could hear him getting to his feet.

She moved to her door and slipped the key into the lock.In the background, she could hear Simon’s footsteps as he approached her.

“Please hear me out.”The pleading tone in his voice dug at her heart.

Her mind said to go inside and close the door.There was nothing he could say to fix the situation.It was all said and done.

But her heart pleaded with her to give him a chance—to hear him out.She wanted nothing more than to be wrong about him.But how could he explain away what she’d seen with her own eyes?

She crossed her arms.“Fine.Speak.”

“Jenna, I’m sorry but not for what you think.The woman you saw me with was my agent.I had no idea she was coming to the island.She just showed up.”

“And she fell into your arms?”

“No.She came because someone told the tabloids that I was here on Bluestar Island.She knew how much the sensationalized headlines had messed up my life in the past.She wanted to be here for me.At least that’s what she said.”

“So, you weren’t secretly pining for her or something?”Her gaze searched his, hoping to get at the truth.

He shook his head.“It was nothing like that.I never saw her as anything but my agent.But then she started saying all of these things about the timing being off for us and that this was our chance.And the kiss—well, I didn’t see it coming.Please believe me.”

Her heart leapt with joy, but her mind said not to rush into anything just yet.“So, how did you leave it?”

“I drove her back to the ferry.I told her that we wouldn’t be able to work together any longer.”