All Stars Fall (Seaside Pictures #3.5)(3)

“You’d think that we were the new ‘it’ spot with all the Hollywood sightings, but it’s normal to us now, you know? Rock stars, actors, whatever, as long as they’re a paying customer, I don’t care.” She scrunched up her nose.

Wait, what were we talking about?

I was clearly exhausted. “Hey, as long as they love coffee.” That sounded normal, right? Not desperate?

She beamed at me, all white teeth and red lipstick. “I knew you would be a great fit.” She peered around my body. “Stella, you can go now. Thanks for watching the shop.”

Stella hopped off her stool, gave us a finger wave, and walked right out the front door.

“Is she—”

“Oh no, no, God, no.” Jennifer laughed. “I have two boys. She’s friends with Mark, the younger one, though she’s even younger than him. I pay her exactly ten dollars to watch the store when I have to run errands and promise her peeks of his six pack.”

I burst out laughing. “I’m sure it works every time.”

“She asked to pay me once.” Jennifer giggled. “Anyways, thanks again for all of this. I actually leave tomorrow, so let’s go over everything and then I’ll leave you alone to unpack.”

“Great!” Was it though? Why did it feel like I was trading my old life for a new one that I couldn’t even define? I’d had friends, a steady teaching job that was comfortable but other than that, I couldn’t see anything happening anymore. It was like each day kept repeating itself. I’d loved Cunningham Falls and now I was wondering what the heck I’d been thinking when I left it for Seaside. I frowned and then tried my best to conjure up a bright smile. “Let’s get started!”

I was in it now.

Whether I liked it or not.

And part of me, when that sick part thought of the hot guy who’d just stopped by needing help with gum in what I was assuming was his child’s hair, was excited.

If they had men like that here.

What could possibly go wrong?





Chapter Two



Trevor




“DAAADDY!” I winced as Bella held up her arms. She was almost four and had enough bubblegum in her hair to make it look blue instead of blonde. I bit back a curse and held her close in an attempt not to get it caught in my longer hair or, God forbid, an eyelash. “I need you, where you go?”

I was about to answer when Eric laughed. “Gum makes your hair fall out!”

“Daddy!” Bella’s eyes filled with unshed tears.

Damnit!

“Eric.” I gritted my teeth. “You know that’s not true, apologize to your little sister.”

He gave her a sloppy grin. “Sorry your hair’s going to fall out.”

Son of a bitch.

“Eric!” Still holding Bella, I stood, almost knocking over the hot chocolate I’d brought them and the babysitter, who seemed to be more interested in her phone than anything going on in our lavish beach house. “If you can’t be nice, I’m going to ground you.”

He made a face. “Mom never grounded me.”

He was six and a pain in my ass.

“Eric…” I prayed for patience. Hell, I hadn’t had patience since my ex-wife decided to run away with a Brazilian boy band member meant for stardom. It had been a year. A year of absolute hell, and now I was one month away from gaining full custody of three kids who looked at me like I was eighty years old and needed help with downloading apps on my cell phone.

How had it come to this?

I winced. I really shouldn’t dwell on the how.

She was a beautiful supermodel who wanted “the life.”

I gave it to her.

We had kids.

She got bored.

End of story.

Bitch.

I rubbed my chest with my hand. Bella grabbed my fingertips and brought them to her cheek. “You have big hands.”

I let out a rough exhale. “Because I’m meant to carry you…all of you, that’s what family does.”

Eric snorted just as his twin brother made his way down the stairs complaining about his iPad breaking…again.

“Malcom, I’ll get to it in a few, all right? I need to talk to your nanny first.”

“We don’t need a nanny,” Malcom said in an authoritative voice.

“Why don’t you guys go pick out a movie while we talk?”

Eric grumbled something about being too old for hot chocolate even though he took it and started chugging as he walked up the stairs and Bella followed with her bouncy now short and gum inflicted blonde hair and chipper demeanor.

Which left me.

And Adriana.

“So…” I sat down across from her, folding my hands in front of me, feeling completely out of my element. I was a fucking music producer. I had gold records lining the walls of my house—LA house to be exact, but still. And I’d successfully sold out the last reunion tour with my guys.

And yet there I was.

Stuck.

In Seaside.

Staring at a babysitter who was more interested in her Instagram than letting me know if my kids finished their chores.

“How did they do today?” I leaned back in my chair, going for the casual.

She started typing on her phone like her fingers were on fire.