Page 16 of Dream (Fighting Fate)

She shook her head and laughed. “I’m not special, Josh. I’m just an ordinary nineteen-year-old girl. That’s it.”

I inhaled deeply. Fuck. She had no idea. And that threw my emotions completely off kilter. And as for being ordinary . . . she was no more ordinary than I was, but her uniqueness was much more remarkable than mine. Much more.

Without any words between us, we both turned and started the slow walk back again. “So, what brings you back?” I asked.

She groaned a little. “My parents decided it was time I carved my own path in life. To be honest, I think they’ve just had enough and wanted to come help with things in their own backyard, so to speak.” She inhaled deeply. “So, after the summer, I’m off to my first paid job.” She threw me a withering look, then laughed. “Wish me luck.”

I laughed at her carefree view of the situation. God, she was so easy to talk to. “Where are you going to be working?”

Her eyes sparkled. “Dad got me a job at a magazine called World Aid Matters. It’s a humanitarian magazine that mostly focuses on the work U-WAG does.”

I frowned. “U-WAG?”

“Oh, sorry,” she said, laughing. “United World Aid Group. I’ve always just called it U-WAG for short.”

“Ah, I see. So is this something you’re interested in, then? Journalism?” I asked.

She wobbled her head side to side. “Not really. I love writing, but I’m a daydreamer. I love fiction. This is just a job until I can get a full-time writing gig.”

Her smile was contagious. I could instantly tell that writing was her passion. “That’s great. Have you written anything yet?”

“Heaps. I write all the time. I’ve had a few short stories published in a couple of magazines, so that was a big thing for me. What about you? Do you live here, or are you just vacationing?” she asked.

Her expression was so blasé. She had no idea how complicated her question was for me. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I really didn’t want her to know who I was, either. For the first time in I couldn’t remember how long, I was just a guy. Having a normal conversation. With a girl who looked at me with just kindness and curiosity. “I’m just on vacation for a little while before I have to go back to work.”

She nodded. “What do you do?”

I inhaled a deep breath. “I’m actually an actor.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Really? I hear that’s a hard industry to crack. Do you get much work?”

I tried to keep my expression neutral. “

It’s regular enough, I guess.”

She laughed then. “I’d ask if you’re in anything I’ve seen, but I haven’t seen anything new in six years.”

I laughed, a little relieved she wasn’t pushing the issue.

“Who’s your idol? Who do you aspire to be like?” she asked, her head cocking to the side as she looked at me.

That was an easy question. “Tom Hanks or Robert De Niro.”

She nodded, her face thoughtful. “Yeah, I can see that. I think it’s great that you’re doing what you love. My parents have always told me to do what I enjoy—that it doesn’t matter about the money, because what’s the point in having a lot of money if you’re not happy, right? I think that’s a pretty good motto.”

I pursed my lips, trying and failing to hide a smile. “It is.” And I was. I loved what I did. The whole lack of privacy thing was a definite downside, but I didn’t think it overshadowed my love of acting. As we climbed over the rocks and back onto our beach, I smiled. When did it become our beach?

When we reached the stretch of beach that fronted my house, she slowed, but I wasn’t ready to let her go yet, so I kept walking with her.

“I met Daniel and Amy yesterday,” she said, looking up to the house, where all the guys now stood, pretending not to be watching my every move. “They seem really nice. Are they friends or family?”

“Friends,” I said, purposely keeping my gaze away from them. “I went to school with Amy and Ryan, Daniel’s brother.”

“Their baby is adorable. She’s so tiny.”

“Yeah, Mae’s precious. She was a preemie. She’s lucky to be here. Of course, she gets spoiled ridiculously.” I laughed at how true that was.

“That must’ve been hard for them,” she said, concern darkening her eyes. “She’s a lucky little girl in more ways than one, though. Seems like she’s got a very loving extended family.”

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