Laguna Nights (19 page)

“I didn’t even know I did that,” Josh said, shaking his head. “It’s an inside joke the two of us shared. We spent a long weekend together, back in high school, the summer between junior and senior year. I surprised her and flew us in a private jet to Cabo, no cameras and no parents, and we stayed at the One and Only Palmilla Resort.”

He remembered the look on Madison’s face when she walked on the lush grounds, mesmerized by the fanciest place she’d ever stayed. He’d been proud to be able to show her a world he had grown up living in because of his father’s business success. “All of the staff used the gesture as a sort of heartfelt welcome. It comes from a small Mexican Indian tribe the concierge told us. They’d touch their heart with their fist and bow slightly. After a couple of days, we decided to make our own gesture, a way of staying real no matter the craziness. It didn’t work, though, not in the long run,” Josh said, flashing back to Laura’s red bikini, following her into the hot tub.

“You almost brought a tear to my eye, kid,” Marty said, flinging his hand in the air with a furious wave no doubt meant for the flirting waitress. “Thanks for sharing. So, I’ve got today’s script.” Marty reached below the table and pulled out a few pages of paper and pushed them across the table. Josh noted right away there was no title on the show, just scene and dialog. Loose dialog. “We’re going with roughly scripted today. We think you two can wing it. Tell us about Laguna Beach. Share memories of the past. Your fans will eat it up.”

“What about the travel angle? Don’t we need to talk about the journey?” Josh said, as the waitress shimmied over.

“It’s all about the journey, kid,” Marty said, signing the bill. “Let’s go before she jumps you.”

As they walked out of the restaurant, past the enticing pool, Josh realized he still hadn’t been for a swim. That had to change, he promised himself. They rounded the corner near the resort’s spa and the smell of lavender, for a moment, over powered even Marty’s cologne. Josh slowed down and inhaled, closing his eyes. When he opened them, Madison was standing on the path, next to Marty.

“Are you alright?” she said by way of greeting. She had that look in her eye again, the look that said she definitely thought there was something very wrong with him. “Anxious again?”

“What? No, just stopping to smell the lavender,” Josh answered, feeling himself flush. He did sound crazy, he supposed.

“Marty, I need to speak with you before we go into town,” she said, turning her attention away from Josh, which made him want to talk to her even more. God she looked gorgeous. Her hair was long and curled. She wore a tight black dress that showed off, well, everything.

“I’m in a bit of a time crunch, honey,” Marty said. “Here’s your script for today, though like your days in
Laguna Nights
we’re considering today lightly scripted. You two will be great.”

“What did you promise my mom, Marty?” Madison asked, her hands were on her hips, jaw set. She hadn’t taken the script from him, Josh noted. She was a much stronger person than he was. He enjoyed watching her take charge. And, well, he enjoyed everything about her.

“I just assured your mom that we would treat you right, that’s all. She is very happy, isn’t she?” Marty asked, his green eyes flashed at Madison, like a lizard Josh realized suddenly.

“She seems to be. But I don’t know what you did, why you talked to her,” Madison said.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. The release was similar to yours. All’s good,” Marty said. “See you two on set at eleven sharp. And Holly, wear that if you’d like. I doubt wardrobe could do any better.”

Madison and Josh stood side by side and watched Marty walk into the resort.

“Josh, what’s really happening?” she said. Her tone had softened but her eyes were flat, wary.

“You know, I’m not sure Holls. I don’t know the name of the show anymore, and I don’t even know if I’m the host,” Josh said. “This so called script is nothing more than a scene setting and a conversation starter. Marty told me we’d know what to say. I thought it was a travel show.”

“It is, right?” Madison said. She had reached for his hand and he felt his heart melt, a warm connection pulsed between them. He squeezed, surprised this simple action had his heart thumping against his chest.

“As far as I know we’re showing viewers Laguna Beach. The first stop on the travel show. I’m thinking a younger, hipper Anthony Bourdain with his gorgeous sidekick,” Josh said.

“But is that what they’re thinking?” she said, her blue eyes looking up at him, searching for the answers he didn’t have.

All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her, pull her tight and kiss her deeply. He didn’t have all the answers, but it didn’t matter as long as they were in this together. He took a deep breath and pulled her hands together, touching his lips to her fingers. “I’m not sure what they’re thinking, not exactly. But I do know if we stick together, they can’t hurt us. Not again,” Josh said.

Madison’s eyes were filling with tears and Josh pulled her in for a hug. “It’s ok, Holls. This is fun. We’re getting paid to show people your,
our
town. It’s already quarter past ten. We need to get to work. Can I take you out tonight? On a real date?” he said.

“Um, we tried that,” Madison said, dabbing her eyes with her finger. But she was smiling at him.

“Let’s try it again. No Sally, no surfer dude. No shadows from the past. Just you and me and the future. Please?” Josh said.

“I don’t know why I’m saying yes, but yes,” she said, a twinkle in her eye.

“Because there is so much more we need to do together, including this show,” Josh said. “Let’s get going before we miss our call time.”

“I’ll drive. Let’s go this way,” she said.

“After you,” he said. As Madison led the way, he imagined what it would feel like to undress her, to touch her all over. He told himself to look out at the ocean and calm down. He hoped he’d be able to make it through today’s segment without drooling. It was going to be a long day with his stupid libido. He tried to remind himself that all she’d agreed to was a date.

She pushed the button to unlock her car, hearing it chirp from her reserved parking space. Josh slid into the passenger seat and said, “Nice ride. So what does your staff think of all of this television stuff?”

“My staff. Well, you scared Chrissy half to death last night,” Madison said, pulling out of the garage and out onto Coast Highway.

“Sorry about that. I was pissed. I need to apologize to her, and to you,” Josh said, regretting his hot temper flare as usual. He’d been certain Madison was angling to take over his job. He’d forgotten she had a successful career, a happy life here. She didn’t need anything. She had everything. He was the one with nothing.

“Maybe you could give her an autograph? She’s a huge fan,” Madison said, turning onto Thalia and then left on Glennerye Street, presumably heading for the public parking garage. Despite himself, Josh enjoyed this mini-tour of his old stomping grounds.

“Last night I was convinced that you were taking over the show,” Josh said. “I know, stupid. It’s just that they kept giving you more lines, and taking mine away.”

“I get it. That was on purpose. They told me,” Madison said. “Although I don’t know why they didn’t at least come clean after.”

“What?”

“They said the only thing that would fix your stage fright was anger. It seemed to work, right?” Madison said as she pulled into the parking garage, finding a spot right away. “I just had a flashback to that scene we shot in my mom’s beat up car. It was in this garage, right?”

“It’s when I surprised you with tickets to Palmilla,” Josh said, smiling at the memory, crossing his fingers and holding his hand up in front of him.

She turned off the car and turned to look at Josh. “That was an amazing trip.” She said, noticing the gesture. She leaned forward and touched his cheek, her gaze pinning him to his seat. When she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips, electricity surged through his body. They’d need to stop or he’d be unable to control his erection.

“You’re amazing, Holls,” he said, breaking the kiss for a moment before cupping her face between his hands, staring into her sparkling eyes. He watched as she licked her lips, and heard himself moan. “Did they tell you to do this, too? Make me hard, unable to walk on set?”

“No, this was my idea,” she said, her lips slick and her pupils dilated.

“Well, it was a very good idea, but a very bad time,” he said, using two fingers to lightly touch her lips and then trailing them gently, slowly down her neck to her chest, brushing over the dress and lingering on her breast.

He heard her moan, her head was pressed back against the car seat, her eyes half closed. It took everything in him to stop, as he looked at the clock and realized his career was starting again in ten minutes. “We have to go Holls,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “But tonight, we’ll have all the time we need.”

Madison opened her eyes and nodded.

S
he didn’t know if she could trust her legs to move from the car. She was warm all over, and she squeezed her thighs together, trying to stop the throbbing desire there. They had a job to do, she told herself, wishing she had brought a bottle of water. More than anything, though, she wished her body didn’t want his as much as it did. There was nothing good that could come of this white-hot attraction to an untrustworthy actor from LA.

But there was nothing she could do to stop it, she realized. It was Josh. Their chemistry had always sizzled, that’s what had made his betrayal even more awful. She’d had to say goodbye to this, before they’d ever culminated it.