After lunch Dustin and I spend some time lounging in the cabana. I pull out my paints. Squint curls up on Dustin’s lap. It’s adorable to see him with my dog. He pets Squint while I paint.
I sketch the fish we saw as we were snorkeling. It’s really fun to paint the bright colors of the sea creatures and how the water changes the light. I get so absorbed in what I’m doing I don’t realize how much time has passed until I look at my watch.
“What time are we heading back again?”
Dustin lifts his head. He looks like he fell asleep. “I booked the return flight for four o’clock.”
“Okay. It’s almost four. We’d better start packing.”
We gather our things. Squint follows us as we make our way out of the resort and to the car Dustin has waiting for us. I scoop Squint up into his carrier and we climb into the car.
Dustin entwines his fingers through mine. “Are you upset? Did I mess things up between us?”
My heart melts. “No,” I say softly. “You didn’t.”
“I’m sorry I pushed. You said you needed time, and I’m not giving you any. I really am sorry.”
I stare out the window as the car drives down the street. “It’s okay. You’re not being unreasonable.” I’m the one being unreasonable, but I can’t explain to him why. I can’t have a relationship with him because I’m only pretending to be Jera. I only have a couple of days left. My heart grows heavy.
A part of me hopes he really is playing me to get the lawsuit dropped. It would make ending things between us a whole lot easier. Yet, the pain that would cause me might not be worth it.
We climb back into the helicopter and after the twenty-minute ride, we’re back at Dustin’s car. As we drive to Jera’s house, I notice how much Dustin is smiling, like he’s got a secret. I remember what he said about a gift and I nudge him. “Are you going to give me my present now?”
“In a minute.”
“Is it in the glove box?” I reach over and open the compartment, but there’s only a manual and a pair of sunglasses in it.
Dustin chuckles. “Hang on. I’ll give it to you when we get to my house.”
My stomach rumbles, and Dustin shoots me a look. “Hungry?”
I laugh. “I guess so.”
“Me, too. What are you hungry for?”
“I’m fine with anything.”
“I’ve been craving a burger all day. Should we be spontaneous?”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but the devilish look on his face makes me want to know. “Sure.”
He pulls into the drive-through of an In-N-Out Burger. I look around to try to figure out what he’s doing that is out of the norm. When I realize he isn’t doing anything else, I make a face. “The drive-through is spontaneous?”
“You don’t think so?”
I scoff. “Nope.”
“You do this all the time?” He raises his eyebrows.
“Sure.” Then I realize he’s talking to Jera, famous movie star. Jera probably doesn’t go through the drive-through. I can’t take it back now, though, so I pretend. I flip my hair. “It gives people something to talk about.”
He laughs. “You’re so funny.”
We order at the menu. As we wait in line to get to the window he turns to me. “This will be my last splurge. I’ll have to get in shape for Hit the Beach.”
“Then you should have ordered extra fries.”
“You’re such an enabler.”
I nod. “Yes. I am.”
We pull up to the window and the girl leans out. “That will be ten seventy-five.” She gapes at us. “Holy cow, you’re Dustin Sawyer! And you’re Jera Davenport!”
Dustin smiles at her and hands her his credit card. “Yes, we are.”
The girl fans her face. “Ohmygosh, you guys are like my favorite actors. I can’t believe you’re here.”
Another girl joins her at the window. “Did you say Dustin Sawyer?” When she looks at us, she screams. “I can’t believe it!”
Suddenly there are ten In-N-Out employees smashed to the window, gawking and taking pictures of us. The girl who took Dustin’s credit card pushes her way through the crowd to the window. “Here you go,” she says, handing him back his card.
“Thanks,” Dustin says.
The girl clasps her hands together. “Will you guys sign a napkin for me?”
“Sure,” he says.
She pushes past her co-workers to grab a napkin with a pen. She hands them to Dustin.
I watch him sign his name on the napkin using the center console. It doesn’t occur to me to freak out until he hands it to me and everyone stares at me, waiting for me to sign Jera’s name.
My blood freezes. I don’t know how to sign her name. I’ve never studied Jera’s signature. I’m so dead.
Everyone watches me as I fiddle with the napkin, trying to get it just right on the console. My mouth goes dry as I wrack my brain. If I can remember what her signature kind of looks like, I can maybe get close. But I don’t remember anything. My mind is blank.
Sweat breaks out on my forehead. I know I have to do something. I take the pen and scribble a large J and then a squiggle that doesn’t really resemble Jera’s name, but I guess I can blame it on the napkin if people ask why it doesn’t look normal. “Here,” I say, handing it back to Dustin.
“Thank you so much,” the girl says, grinning at us. Luckily she doesn’t look too closely at it. “Your dog is adorable,” she says to me.
“Thank you.” As if on queue, Squint barks.
People take our pictures as we wait for our food to come out. It’s awkward, and I don’t know what to do with my hands. I pet Squint and wait for the awkwardness to end. The girl finally hands us a paper bag with our meal in it.
“Have a great night! Thank you for the autographs!”
I give her a wave as Dustin pulls out into traffic. The smell from the burgers makes me salivate. Luckily it doesn’t take too long to get to Dustin’s house. We take the food inside and sit down at his table to eat.
Squint runs to the corner of the kitchen where an automatic doggie water dish now sits. I smile at Dustin. “Is that my present?”
“No,” he says as he takes out our food. “I’ll give you your gift after we eat.”
“You just want to torture me some more.”
A glint enters his eye. “Maybe.”
I pop a french fry in my mouth. “Mmm, this is good.”
“For fast food burgers, you can’t beat In-N-Out.” He takes a bite of his burger.
“I guess after this it’s just kale and legumes, huh?”
“Yeah. I have to get in shape. This show is set on the beach.”
The image of Dustin in the water, his chest muscles glistening, pops into my head. “I think you’re already in shape,” I say under my breath.
Dustin chuckles. “Glad you think so.”
After we eat, Dustin comes up behind me and puts his arms around me. “Are you ready for your gift?”
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