I spent the next hour washing my hair and getting ready to go out. Jake was already on his way to New Orleans, but he had left several outfits in my closet, all of which were appropriate for a day at the beach. I had to smile when I saw a note on one of the swimsuits that said, "Please wear this one." He and Nina were on the road with the rest of the crew, but my bus wasn't scheduled to leave until that evening after dinner.
I put on the swimsuit Jake had recommended, and over it, I wore a long, flowy dress. I added a hat and oversized sunglasses, not only because they helped me escape photographers, but also because I liked how they looked with the dress.
I had been to Miami several times before, and I always went to the same stretch of beach. There was good shopping and restaurants nearby, and I never got hassled. Denise and Vick would both be riding on the bus with me to New Orleans, and they were excited to enjoy a day off as well.
The two of them, along with Eric, were waiting in the living room for me when I finished getting dressed, and we got on the road right away. Denise wanted to do some shopping, so Vick went with her while Eric and I went to the beach. I attracted a couple of photographers, but it was an upscale section of the city, and for the most part, they kept their distance and remained respectful. I came really close to taking off my dress since I had Jake's recommended swimsuit underneath, but I considered what Daniel said about my gold stage outfit, and I opted to leave it on.
Eric and I stayed at the beach for about an hour. We did some people watching and soaking in the sun before the other two came back and asked us if we wanted to grab some lunch.
Eric was everything Daniel promised he would be. He was smart, funny, considerate, and extremely easy to get along with. He was such a gentleman—the perfect bodyguard and companion—the perfect replacement for Trevor. But never once during my time with Eric did I regret asking Daniel to come back. In fact, I couldn't wait for him to return.
After lunch, we went back to the hotel. My suite came with access to a rooftop pool, and since I hadn't used it at all during my stay, I decided to go out there. Eric came with me, but Vick and Denise both decided to lay low in their respective rooms. We were all accustomed to giving each other space. It was something you got good at when you spent so much time on the road together.
Eric and I had only been poolside for a little while when he got a text from Daniel saying that he had been delayed by stopping at the store to pick up some clothes and supplies for the trip, but that he was on his way.
I got nervous at the thought of Daniel showing up while we were at the pool, and I actually wondered what I could be doing when he arrived that would get his attention. Should I be swimming in the pool, or would he like it better if I was stretched out in a lounge chair, reading a book? I had to laugh at myself for thinking such absurd thoughts. I had never in my life wanted so badly to impress a man.
Eric and I had been in and out of the pool, but we were both standing in the shallow end with our backs against the wall when Daniel arrived. I watched him as he stepped outside taking in his surroundings.
He had changed clothes since the last time I saw him. He had on khaki slacks and a light colored, short-sleeve shirt. His skin was tanned, his haircut was sharp, and he had on stylish sunglasses. He looked like Miami's most eligible bachelor. I was trying my best to contain a huge grin at the sight of him when I noticed his serious expression.
Eric hopped out of the pool without using the stairs. His sudden movement made a splash that caused me to shift to the side and stare up at him. Water ran off of his perfect male body, and I realized I didn't even care. He was extremely attractive, and yet he might as well if been my brother with how indifferent I felt toward him.
"Hey boss," Eric said.
"Hey," Daniel returned, looking at him and then at me. "Where's Vick?" Daniel asked. "Is it just you two up here?"
"Yep," Eric said, grabbing a towel and beginning to dry off. "We went to the beach earlier, but Court didn't get to swim, so she wanted to come up here."
Daniel looked at me. He was standing up, and I was way down in the pool, so I had to really tilt my head to see him. It was bright, and I squinted into the sun. Daniel's expression remained serious, and my heart sped up as I wondered what he was thinking. I so badly wanted him to like me that his stoicism caused a yearning sensation in my chest.
"We ate the best fish tacos I've ever had," Eric said, trying to make pleasant conversation about our day. "I might have to fly back to Miami just to eat them again."
Daniel didn’t comment on the tacos. He came to stand a little closer to me, still looking like he was accessing the situation. I couldn't stand it any longer; I had to try to get his attention. I swam to the steps and slowly got out of the pool, doing my best to walk gracefully like a model without looking like I was trying too hard. Jake really knew what he was doing as a stylist, and I wanted so badly for Daniel to take a second to look at my swimsuit, but he barely glanced at me. I hardly had the chance to get my feet onto dry land when he picked up a towel and wrapped it around me.
"No thanks," I said, feeling stubborn and handing the towel back to him. "I wanted to get a little sun while we're out here. I didn't get to lay out at the beach."
Daniel's expression remained serious. "If you don't mind, Ms. Cole, Eric and I will talk for a few minutes so he can be on his way."
"Not at all," I said. I reached out to give Eric a sideways hug. "Thank you," I said. "I had fun today."
"Me too," he said sweetly. "And next time, I'm not taking it easy on you." (He was talking about the swimming race we had down and back the length of the pool. I was a good swimmer, but I knew he had let me win.)
I smiled and stuck my tongue out at him.
"Okay, so, we're gonna sit right over here and finish up," Daniel said, pointing to the nearby table as if he wanted Eric to take a seat in one of the chairs.
"That's fine," I said casually. "I'm just going to read."
My hat and sunglasses were sitting on a table, and I put them both on before stretching out on a lounge chair. I had already applied SPF 50 sunblock, so I was relatively sure I wasn't getting a tan, but it felt good to stretch out and relax next to the pool nonetheless. I had a few books downloaded onto my phone, and I scrolled to the one I had been meaning to start reading.
Daniel and Eric talked for the next fifteen minutes while I read the first chapter of the book. I was a little bit preoccupied with thoughts of Daniel, but the book was enjoyable, which thankfully helped me ignore him while they had their conversation.
"Bye Court," Eric said once they had finished. "It was great meeting you."
"You too!" I said, waving at him.
I watched as he walked through the door, disappearing behind the mirrored glass. I glanced at Daniel who was now standing a few feet away, looking down at me.
"I like your sunglasses," I said.
"Thanks."
"Did you get Ivy off to Memphis?"
He nodded and glanced at this watch. "She should actually be home soon. It's only like a two-and-a-half hour flight."
"Thank you for staying," I said.
"Seems like you were getting along just fine with Eric."
Daniel was a true professional, but he was slightly annoyed, which delighted me way more than it should have.
"We got along great," I said, pushing his buttons. "We had a really fun day."
"Are you trying to tell me you wish he was staying?"
"No."
"Because I can make that happen if that's what you want."
"I just said I didn't."
"Then stop telling me how much fun you two had. I already had to hear enough of that from Eric just now. He didn't even want to go back to his other job."
I smirked at him for making such a statement, but I was secretly elated.
"Is this what you wore to the beach?" he asked gesturing at me.
My heart was beating a thousand miles an hour as he looked me over.
"Yes, but I had a dress over it."
"Good."
"Why? Don't you like it? I thought it was really Miami-ish. Jake specifically told me to wear this one."
"Why would you want a man picking out your clothes? He's just going to give you stuff like this that barely covers anything."
"I think it covers plenty," I said glancing down at myself. "You should've seen some of those girls at the beach today. I felt like a nun leaving my dress on."
"Great," he said seriously. "You should always feel like a nun. Nuns are the best. You should think of becoming a nun."
I wanted so badly to get a rise out of him that my chest began buzzing at the thought that this conversation was causing his temper to flare. I reached out and took hold the lounge chair that was next to me, pulling it closer and patting it as if indicating he should sit down.
"Tell me something," I said, stashing my phone next to me on the table.
"Like what?"
"Talk to me about your family. You said you have other siblings besides Ivy. Tell me about them. Tell me about your parents. Tell me what you like to eat for a midnight snack."
"I don't eat midnight snacks," he said as he sat down.
"Then tell me about your family."
"I'm the oldest," he said.
"I've got two younger brothers—Owen and Wesley—we call him Wes. Ivy's the youngest."
"Is everyone in Memphis?"
"All but Wes. He's in college in London."
"England?"
He nodded. "He's always wanted to go over there ever since we were kids. He likes the accent."
"What about your parents?"
"My mom and dad both work for the family business. My mom's name is Rose. She does advertising and accounting and stuff, and my dad, Jesse, runs the whole operation with my grandpa. They're not just behind a desk, though. They both still build bikes. I don't think they'll ever get out of the garage, no matter how big the business gets."
"That's cool," I said. "I've always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle."
"Yeah, they're fun," he said. "What about your family? You said you're an only child."
"Yep, it's just me. I started singing when I was really young. My mom moved us to California when I was eight so that I could audition for stuff. I did a few commercials and some work as an extra on Nickelodeon and Disney before I got a record deal. Mom traveled around with me for a while when I first started touring, but she's happier staying home with my stepdad. It's better for both of us. We get along, but we don't talk everyday or anything. She's kind of a hippie-artist type—lost in her own head."
"Does she still live in California?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Is that where you're gonna settle eventually?"
"I guess. I have a house there and friends. That's where I stay when I'm not touring. It's the only real home I know."
I wanted him to take the hint and invite me to Memphis, but he just smiled at me thoughtfully.
"How's your stomach?" he asked.
"Better. I wasn't quite up for the fish tacos, but I did get down a few bites. They were pretty good."
"A few bites doesn't sound like enough," he said.
"Believe me, I'm used to it," I said, patting my midsection.
"I bought you some peppermint oil while I was out," he said. "You can't ingest just any of them, but while I was out, I tracked down a place that had a good brand, and got a bottle of it for you. Denise has it in your room. You just put a drop of it in your bottled water."
He was sitting on the edge of the lounge chair with his hands on his knees, and I reached out and put my hand on his. "Thank you so much," I said. "That was really thoughtful."
I felt him finch, and I thought he might take his hand out from under mine, but he left it there. "You're welcome," he said. "I hope it helps."