Page 20 of The Lighthouse on Plum Island
“It wasn’t either of our finest moments.” Brad sighed. “I know better than to go a few rounds with duking Dawn.”
“How come the press called you blindsided Brad, and I was called ducking Dawn?” Dawn shook her head.
“Because you did blindside me,” Brad reminded her. “With a right hook to my nose.”
“I warned you to let go of me,” Dawn defended her actions.
“You were about to rush off in a fury, and we both know that you tend to rush off blindly when you’rethatangry,” Brad told her. “I was just trying to calm you down and put you in a cab.”
“Here’s a tip for you for the future.” Dawn’s eyebrows rose. “Trying to show off how much stronger you are than an angry woman by restraining her when she’s told you to let go of her isnotthe way to calm her down.”
“Yes, I learned that the hard way.” Brad gave his nose a wiggle.
“The plastic surgeon did a great job on your nose, by the way.” Dawn grinned. “For the record, I wasn’t aiming for your nose or even your face. You ducked your head as I swung.”
“I’ve still got the picture of you punching me in the nose,” Brad told her. “Connor wanted to frame it. He didn’t speak to me for weeks after we broke up.”
“Connor told me he wasn’t speaking to you.” Dawn’s words didn’t shock him.
Brad knew how close she and Connor were even before they started dating. His friends had also helped him raise Connor.
“Then you know he took abreakfrom me and went to live with my parents.” Brad shook his head, remembering the trouble his and Dawn’s public break-up at her book launch had caused.
“Yes.” Dawn nodded. “I told him not to. I’m sorry about that.”
“Connor loves you,” Brad told her. “To be honest, I was so proud of how he defended your honor and stood up for what he thought was right.”
“He stuck up for you too, you know.” Dawn smiled at his surprised look. “He said that his father wasn’t usually such a jerk. Connor said that you were usually a man of honor. Still, you were just a man caught in the gravitational pull of a cunning woman.”
“He said that?” Brad looked at her in surprise.
“He did.” Dawn sipped her drink. “Although I can’t lie and say that I didn’t feel a little smug when I saw Daphne had moved onto the arm of Alex and then her new co-star, Davin Giles.”
“I promise you, there was nothing between Daphne and I.” Brad stopped. He closed his eyes and shook his head beforelooking at her. “Sorry, that was a lie. We had a few dates, but onlyafteryou and I broke up.”
“And Daphne got exactly what she wanted.” Dawn did a mock toast. “Publicity.”
“And what she deserved after the trouble she caused,” Brad reminded Dawn. “She may have managed to trap the dashing Davin into marriage, but now they’re both struggling to get roles.”
“The industry we work in is a fickle one.” Dawn sighed. “That’s why I’m so glad I’m not directly in the limelight.”
“Unfortunately, we were born into the limelight.” Brad ran his hand through his hair. “Your parents are two of the most famous people in our industry. You are like the entertainment industry royalty.”
“And you’re not!” Dawn raised her eyebrows and glanced around the yacht. “One of the reasons I took the script writing job for Cobble Cove Mysteries is the location.” Her eyes darkened. “I hate being unable to do anything without my every move being documented by some reporter or person with a mobile phone. I might get a moment of freedom on Plum Island.”
Brad pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw Caroline still hadn’t answered his message.
“Yes, phone cameras make it difficult for well-known faces to hide in plain sight these days.” Brad put his phone away, his heart feeling heavy.
“Not even a call?” Dawn’s voice was soft.
“Sorry?” Brad’s head shot up, and he looked at her questioningly.
“Your date.” Dawn pointed to where he’d pocketed his phone. “She hasn’t called?”
“No!” Brad sighed, deciding to be honest no matter how disappointed he felt.
“I’m sorry,” Dawn said, and he could see she meant it. “As one of your oldest friends, I’ll say whoever the woman was, it’s her loss.”
