Page 65 of Shine For Me

I shake my head as I climb out of the car, the scent of salt water hitting me the second my feet touch the pavement. We’re close enough to the ocean to hear the crash of waves.

“It’s a duplex,” June explains as the driver starts to unload our things. “Technically, you’re renting the other side. But I thought we both could stay here? If you wanted.”

“I definitely want.”

“It’s not the biggest place,” she continues. “Honestly, the house in town is probably a lot nicer. But since we won’t have much chance to actually enjoy the beach I thought it would be nice to spend as much time by the water as possible.” She looks up at me, expression nervous. “Of course, if you’d rather stick to the original plan—”

I silence her with a kiss. “Are you kidding me? You think I would pick a house in town—by myself—over staying here, on the water, with you?”

June was right about the place being on the small size—there are only two bedrooms and the decor is pretty dated. But I don’t give a shit. I’m going to wake up every morning to the crashing of waves and June in my bed. Even if we’ll be spending fourteen-hour days filming, knowing that I’ll get to come back to this every night is pretty unreal.

I’m supposed to be really strict with my diet for the next two weeks, since the beach is where most of my shirtless scenes will be filmed. But June arranged to have the fridge filled with my nutritionist-approved menu items, so we grill salmon and veggies and eat dinner out on the deck, and it’s really hard to feel sad about missing Tennessee when I’m watching the waves crash with June.

* * *

It’ssix days before either of us have any time off. But even on our busiest days, we start each morning with coffee on the deck. One day our call is so early we’re up to watch the sunrise with our morning caffeine. On the days we get off before dark, we take walks on the beach or sit out in the sand, June reading one of her paperbacks while I split my attention between watching the waves and watching her.

But we haven’t actually gotten into the ocean yet. We just haven’t had enough time during the hours the sun is out.

Tonight, I’m determined to change that.

“Night swimming is fun,” I tell June over dinner. “I promise.”

She looks at me like I’m crazy. “You think I’m getting in the ocean when it’s dark?”

“We won’t go very deep. Besides, the ocean here is way warmer than it is at home.”

“And I bet there are plenty of sharks and jellyfish out there enjoying that warm water,” she shoots back.

“You think I won’t protect you from sharks and jellyfish?”

She opens her mouth, no doubt to argue some more, but her phone rings. One look at the screen has her face falling.

“Jimmy?” I ask, and she nods.

“I should probably answer it,” she says. “I have no desire to ruin our night off, but I know I need to talk to him.”

“You don’t need to talk to him tonight.”

“But how am I going to convince him to release the statement if we don’t talk?”

I hate how nervous she looks right now. She’d been so happy just a minute ago and now her shoulders have gone tense and rounded, like she’s folding in on herself. It’s a protective posture, and the fact that she feels the need to protect herself from her own grandfather pisses me off.

The day after breaking the news to Adam about the end of their fake relationship, June called Jimmy. She didn’t let me sit with her while she did it, which bothered me. When she came to my room after the phone call, she looked a lot like she does right now—drawn and nervous.

“I did it,” she said shakily. “He wasn’t happy. He kept telling me to think it over, to not screw things up, but I stood my ground.”

I’d taken her to bed to prove how proud I was, but it did nothing to keep that sad, scared look off her face every time Jimmy’s name has come up since then. She’s been trying to convince him to release a statement about the breakup, but he keeps putting her off.

“You know what I think?” I ask, reaching across the weather-beaten teak table to take her hand. “I think it’s time for more bravery practice.”

She makes a face. “Because I did so awesome the last time?”

“There may have been some room for improvement, but I wouldn’t say you did terribly…” She just gives me ayeah rightlook.

On our last night in Wilmington, we went out to dinner and the perfect opportunity for June to practice her bravery came up. She ordered scallops for her entree and ended up with shrimp. When I raised a hand to call the waiter back over, she pulled my arm back down, telling me she would just eat the shrimp.

It turns out, June never sends food back. Even when her order is completely wrong. “I don’t want them thinking I’m a spoiled celebrity,” she explained.