As with each time she moved around town, she ran into people she knew. This time, it was a couple of school friends that had gone to Brighton.
She tried to discourage them from taking up too much of her time, since she wanted to enjoy a quiet dinner with Calvin, but he’d been pulled in the opposite direction when he ran into a few co-workers. She found herself at the bar talking to Robin and Cindy, two of her closest friends from school, while Calvin stood at the other end of the bar talking to two guys she’d seen at the resort.
Her eyes kept darting up to him, across the bar, and each time their eyes would connect, she’d smile at him. He would give her these sexy looks that had her knees growing weak.
By the time their name was called for a table, he had found his way over to her. She quickly introduced him to her friends before they sat down in a booth near the back wall.
“Is this place always this crazy?” she asked when they were alone.
“No, they have a school reunion this weekend at the high school. I think a lot of these people are in town for that,” Calvin answered.
After ordering a bottle of wine, they ordered dinner and talked about their days in school. Calvin seemed really interested in her time at Brighton. He told her that Ben had enjoyed his two years working there as dean when she’d been attending classes. Bella knew that once they’d had the girls, he had decided he needed more time at home. Besides, running both businesses was plenty enough for them to handle while chasing two little ones.
“So, are you nervous about the interview tomorrow?” he asked shortly after their food was delivered.
She set her fork down and frowned. “I wasn’t until you mentioned it.”
When she noticed the frown spread on his lips, she laughed and picked up her fork again. “Relax.” She chuckled. “I was just joking.” He looked slightly relieved. “Not really. I’ve done enough interviews over the past few years that it’s like flying now. You always have some nerves, but at this point, I can work through them.”
He nodded. “I’ll wager that this interview is a little different than any you’ve done in the past.”
“True.” She glanced around the room as she thought of the possible questions that would be thrown at her. Her eyes fell on a dark-haired man at the end of the bar who was staring at her. She felt a shiver race up her spine as he lifted a beer and saluted her. It wasn’t the move so much, but the look he was giving her that had her turning her back on the man and focusing on Calvin as he talked about all the preparations for the interview.
By the following morning, she felt the butterflies in her stomach as she sat across from a row of cameras. It was easily one of the most nerve-wracking things Bella had ever had to do. She assumed because this mattered more than all the other interviews. She’d taken almost a full hour in makeup and had spent about that same amount of time picking out the right outfit for the interview.
They’d decided to set up the shoot outside on the wide back porch that overlooked the sound and green yard of the resort, and Calvin stood against the railing.
When the cameras started, a few lighthearted questions were tossed at her. Maggie had given her several talking points to discuss, things like her upcoming album and events she would be attending that weekend.
As she talked about these simple things, she relaxed and almost forgot why they were there in the first place. Then the questions started coming at her about Michael Himes. She tried not to show the tension as it crept into her, but when the reporter straight up asked her if she was stalking him, she had to take several breaths before answering.
“My commitments with Mr. Himes were nothing but professional. I agreed to go with him to the opening of Rivers Crossing to promote “Someday Hope,” which had been selected for the soundtrack. I’m very thankful to the director and his team for choosing my number-one hit to represent their movie.” She smiled and tried to represent ease in her demeanor. “However, the facts are, I have never pursued a personal relationship with Mr. Himes and have warded off any advances he has made towards me. Unfortunately, because of some recent… trouble that has befallen me, my agent and the good people at the Silver Cove police force have all agreed that it was best for me to put out a restraining order on Mr. Himes.”
“So, you did put a restraining order on Michael Himes?” the reporter asked.
“Yes.”
“Can you tell us more about what events you’re talking about that led you to such drastic measures?”
“My apartment in LA was broken into, then my rooms here at the resort were destroyed. I’ve even had credible threatening messages left on—”
“By Mr. Himes himself?” the woman broke in and asked, looking a little put back.
“They were sent from a burner phone. The police are looking into—”
“So, you have no proof they were sent by Michael Himes?”
“No,” she answered with a slight smile. “The police seem to think—”
The woman’s eyebrows shot up. “They said the threats and the break-ins were Michael Himes?”
“N-no,” she stuttered as she took a deep breath, trying to calm her heart rate down. “They are still looking into where the threats have come from. My agent believed it was the best course of action after his latest lie-riddled interview.”
The reporter tilted her head slightly as her eyes moved past Bella to land on Calvin. “I see that your mystery man, who we now know is Calvin Winters, is here. Is it true that he works for your brother’s business, East Haven Resorts? The place in which you are staying?”
“Yes.” She smiled over at Calvin; he was frowning at the back of the reporter’s head since she’d turned back towards Bella. “Calvin is an old friend of the family.”
“And you were aware of his dark past?” The woman’s smile turned sinister.
“I am. No child should ever have to lose a family member to a psychopath. The fact that his five-year-old sister was snatched from her own yard while his parents weren’t home is devastating.” She straightened her shoulders. “No child should ever be blamed for matters that were out of their hands.”
“So, you know that at one point, Calvin was dragged down to the police station and questioned as a suspect?”
Bella’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I believe the police were just doing their job and trying to find Kelly Winters. Unfortunately, Calvin was twelve at the time. Even their parents were questioned, and they had been having lunch at their country club when Kelly was snatched. The real killer, Elijah Adams, is spending life behind bars thanks to DNA found at the scene. The man had been hired by Calvin’s parents to paint Kelly’s room. He’d stalked the little girl and chose a time when she was most vulnerable. It’s unfortunate.” Her eyes moved over to Calvin’s. “The man left the family shattered and broken in more ways than one.”
The woman shifted some papers in her hands and cleared her throat, and Bella could tell that she was growing agitated that the line of questioning hadn’t resulted in the drama she’d hoped for.
From there, the questions returned to her music and if she’d be returning to Hollywood.
After the cameras were shut off, the reporter thanked her, and Bella stood back as everything was put away and carted towards the ferry.