Searching for Love: The Complete Story Read online

  Let’s go a little deeper.

  Her confidence growing, she waded closer to the waves, excited and scared when the water slipped past her.

  When a wave comes, I can jump and let it pass right by me. She glanced towards the men farther down. That’s what they do. No reason I can’t do it too.

  Reaching the point where she thought she would be in a good position to withstand the pressure of a wave, she stopped. Then, as a wave approached, she jumped, enjoying the feel of the water lapping around her chest

  It feels so soft and smooth.

  With her feet still touching the ground she felt somewhat in control. Pleased that she had gathered the courage to venture out, she began to relax.

  Several more times she jumped when a wave approached her, and her confidence soared.

  Why didn’t I try this sooner? This is awesome.

  After another wave swept by her, she turned to face the beach, wanting to get her bearings in relation to where she had left her things. At that moment, a huge wave crashed over her, dragging her under the water, wrapping her in its watery embrace, holding her down and denying her the ability to pull oxygen into her starved lungs.

  Panic exploded in her brain.

  I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!

  Tumbling head over heels, water rushing into her nose, knees scraping the sandy floor, arms flailing helplessly, it was as if her body was no longer her own. Instead, it was the ocean’s to do with as it pleased, allowing her to surface or drown without a second thought. The ocean didn’t care—she was just another object that it tossed to and fro, as unimportant as a clump of seaweed.

  When her knees scraped the rough sand, the ground seemed as solid as cement, but when her fingers clutched at the same sand in a frantic attempt to stop her body from being tossed around, the sand disintegrated within her grasp, as elusive as a dream.

  With her lungs screaming for air, commanding her to inhale now, the horror of her situation pounded through her.

  I’m going to die! Now. Today. Before I ever find my happily ever after. Will anyone miss me?

  With a final, desperate try, Reese clawed the sand beneath her. It was then that the ocean began to recede, leaving her on her hands and knees, gasping for breath, coughing up seawater, frantic to get away from the ocean before it dragged her back in.

  Four

  When Brody saw the wave crash over the woman, he expected her to quickly surface. When she didn’t, the instincts he had learned during his summers working as a lifeguard kicked in, and he moved in her direction, ready to assist her if needed.

  Then, when the waves released her and he saw her crawl a few feet before nearly collapsing on the sand, he raced to her side where he found her coughing and shaking.

  “Are you okay?” he asked as he knelt beside her.

  On her hands and knees, and with her head hanging, she shook her head as she continued to cough.

  He placed a hand on her back, wanting to help, but knowing it was best to let her continue coughing to clear her lungs. Instead, he hoped his presence and his touch would calm her.

  After several moments she stopped coughing, then rolled to her back and met his gaze. It was then that he recognized her. She was the woman he had seen walking past his house the day before.

  Close up, and without her sunglasses on, her beauty nearly took his breath away—large brown eyes filled with fear, full lips that begged to be kissed, and a smooth complexion, marred only by tears that streamed down her cheeks.

  “You’re okay now,” he said gently, overwhelmed by a desire to protect and comfort this stranger. “You’re okay.”

  Reese stared at the handsome stranger kneeling beside her, mortified to be seen in such a vulnerable position. His striking blue-green eyes reminded her of the ocean, but when she gazed into them, calmness suffused her.

  A perfect layer of stubble covered his face, and broad shoulders filled out his wetsuit.

  Wetsuit. It’s one of those men who was having so much fun in the ocean.

  Even more embarrassed, she wanted to turn her head and hide her face, but his eyes drew her in and she found she couldn’t look away.

  His deep voice, assuring her she was okay, sunk deep into her soul, and she knew he was right. Dragging her gaze away from his, she pushed herself upright and stared at the waves which continued crashing on the shore, oblivious to the treachery they had shown her.

  “I shouldn’t have gone out there,” she murmured, wanting to explain what had happened.

  “What?”

  Reese turned to the man. “I knew I shouldn’t have gone out there.”

  He sat beside her. “It happens to the best of us. You just can’t turn your back on it.”

  Yes. That’s what happened. I turned my back. It was my own fault.

  Then she asked, “Has that ever happened to you?”

  He laughed—a deep masculine laugh. “Oh yeah. Many times.”

  “Bro,” the other man in a wetsuit called out.

  Reese looked in his direction, then smiled tentatively at the man beside her. “I’ll be okay.” Wanting to get back to her RV to lick her wounds in private, she stood. “Thanks for checking on me.”

  The man stood as well. “No problem.”

  With a small smile, Reese turned in the direction of where she had left her things on the beach.

  “Hey,” the man called.

  She turned to see if he was talking to her.

  “What’s your name?” he asked her.

  “Reese.”

  He nodded. “I’m Brody.”

  She smiled. “Well, thanks for your help, Brody.” Then she walked with as much confidence as she could muster, which was difficult in the deep sand.

  “What was that all about?” Logan asked as Brody stopped beside him.

  Brody stared after the receding figure of the stunning woman—Reese. “She just needed a little help.” A smile turned up one corner of his mouth as he faced his brother. “Didn’t you see that wave take her out?”

  Logan laughed. “No. I was busy trying to catch that same wave.”

  Brody nodded. He had caught the wave before it and had been about to go back into the water when he had seen Reese disappear beneath the water.

  “Always saving the damsel in distress,” Logan said. “Right, bro?”

  Brody laughed, then turned to look in Reese’s direction. But she was gone.

  Reese sank onto the camp chair next to her RV, thrilled to be alive. Though deep down she didn’t believe she would have drowned, at the time she had been too scared to think it through.

  Now, as she sat on the cliff beside her RV and stared at the ocean, her gaze slid in the direction of Brody and his friend. From her vantage point, they were small figures in the distance, but she couldn’t get Brody’s handsome face and gorgeous eyes out of her mind.

  Five

  There she is again.

  Brody stood at his living room window watching Reese walk past his beach house. The image of her choking on seawater the day before filled his mind.

  And you let her just walk away.

  He shook his head and frowned, but his gaze never left the stunning woman as she shrank into the distance.

  I’m not ready to put my heart out there. Not after losing Megan.

  He thought about the love of his life and how devastated he had been when he’d learned she had been killed in a car accident. It had been well over a year, but when he thought about her, pain lanced straight into his heart as if it had happened only the day before.

  Staring at the ocean, Brody thought about how lonely he had been. He missed Megan, but he was only twenty-eight—too young to give up on love.

  Just talk to her. That won’t kill you. A half-smile turned up one side of his mouth. It might even do you some good.

  Waiting and watching, when Brody saw Reese heading back his way, he strode out of his beach house and down to the sand below. Within moments, she was within talking distance.


  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Hello,” Reese said, the unexpected meeting with the man from the day before taking her by surprise.

  Now that she wasn’t in distress, she was able to observe his rugged good looks with equanimity.

  Yes, he really is gorgeous. And those eyes.

  She glanced toward the ocean to see if his eyes actually matched the color of the water, then met his gaze, pleased to see that they did.

  “Are you a photographer?” he asked, gesturing to the camera slung around her neck.

  Thrilled to talk about something she was passionate about, she smiled. “Yes. I’ve loved taking pictures my whole life.”

  “Really?”

  Reese nodded. “It’s true. I even know how to develop my own film, although I’m all digital now.” She didn’t mention that having a darkroom wouldn’t quite work in her old RV.

  He smiled. “So you like technology?”

  “For the most part.”

  He laughed. “Me too.”

  The way he stood there, with the beach house behind him, made Reese wonder if he lived there. “Is this your place?”

  He smiled, obviously proud. “Yes it is. I bought it last year.” His smile grew. “Best purchase I ever made.”

  My best purchase is my home too. But it’s not nearly as grand as his. Intimidated by his obvious wealth, Reese’s smile faltered. “It was nice seeing you . . . Brody, right?”

  “Yes,” he said. “And you’re Reese?”

  She nodded, flattered that he remembered her name.

  “Do you,” he began, then glanced over his shoulder at his beach house. “Do you want to come in for a minute?”

  Her first instinct was to refuse, but then she reconsidered. Why not? Might as well take this one opportunity to see the inside of one of these fabulous beach houses. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

  He smiled, then motioned for her to follow.

  What are you doing, Brody? You were just going to talk to her for a minute. Now you’re inviting her into your home? What’s that all about?

  He quieted his inner voice as he led her up the outer stairs and to the door that led into his sanctuary—his home.

  Something about her tugged at him—he wasn’t sure what it was, but he had a strong desire to get to know her better.

  “Come in,” he said as he held the door open for her.

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  Reese’s gaze swept the room. A wall of windows faced the ocean, delivering a phenomenal view. An adjacent balcony with lounge chairs seemed to call to her to lie in the sun, and a long table surrounded by eight chairs, a gourmet kitchen, and an inviting living room filled the open indoor space.

  I can’t believe I’m inside one of these beach houses.

  Her gaze went to Brody—gorgeous face, perfect body—then to his magnificent home. Panic swelled inside her—not the panic of being drowned in the ocean, but the panic of being out of place—severely out of place.

  I’ve got to get out of here. I don’t belong here. I am way out of my league.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I have to get back.”

  “Back? Back where?” He smiled like he didn’t have a care in the world, and Reese imagined that he didn’t. How could he when he was so obviously rich?

  Not about to admit that she lived in an RV—an extremely old and beat-up one at that—Reese shook her head and turned toward the door that led back down to the beach.

  Brody couldn’t believe it. She was going to leave and he would never see her again. For a moment he thought maybe that was a good thing, but almost instantly he changed his mind. He had to know this woman.

  “Wait,” he said to her retreating back.

  She turned to him, a questioning look on her face.

  “Will you give me your phone number?” he asked.

  She gazed at him a moment, then slowly shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  What? Brody wasn’t used to women telling him no. That kind of thing just didn’t happen to him. Her reluctance—no, outright refusal—made him determined to find out more. What is her story?

  “What if I need a photographer?” He smiled in a way that usually charmed the ladies. “Do you have a card or something?”

  She seemed to waver, but again shook her head. “No, no cards.”

  Frustrated, but undeterred, he decided to make one last try. “I’d like to take you to dinner.”

  Torn by indecision, Reese gazed at Brody. On the one hand, she didn’t want him to know her circumstances—not when she was so poor and pathetic. But on the other hand he was gorgeous and clearly interested in her.

  If I agree and then fall for him, I’ll only end up with a broken heart. How else could it end? The moment he finds out my circumstances, he’ll realize I wouldn’t fit in with his rich friends and then he’ll move on.

  Reese shook her head, disappointed, but also relieved. Her divorce had left her heart bruised, and she wasn’t in a hurry to batter it further.

  She must have a boyfriend. Why else the flat refusal?

  Unaccustomed to being turned down, he pushed a smile onto his mouth and nodded. “All right.” Then with a chuckle, he added, “Be careful in the ocean.”

  Panic filled her eyes. “I’ll never go back into the ocean.” A blush rose on her cheeks. “I mean, not any time soon.”

  Brody loved the ocean—that’s why his home overlooked it. It saddened him to think that Reese so feared it that she would never go into it again. Deciding not to comment on her statement, he nodded.

  Reese smiled, then took a step toward the door. “Thanks for showing me your place.” A sad smile curved her mouth. “It’s lovely.” Then she strode to the door, pulled it open, and with one last smile, began descending the stairs.

  Instinctively, Brody wanted to follow her and try again to get her phone number or a commitment to see him again. But he held back, certain she had no interest in him. Instead, he stood by the window and watched her grow smaller and smaller as she faded into the distance.

  Six

  Reese scrolled through the photos she had taken that day, but after a few moments she realized she wasn’t seeing them at all. Instead she was seeing Brody’s amazing eyes and the sincere interest on his face when he had asked her out.

  Don’t think about it, Reese. It would never work, so don’t even go there.

  With a shake of her head, she forced his face out of her mind and focused on the task at hand—finding pictures that were good enough to sell.

  An hour later, Reese closed her laptop and decided to treat herself to lunch at the Malibu Seafood place that was within walking distance of the RV park. With her only means of transportation her RV, she preferred to drive as little as possible—it was hard enough to back her RV into her space without having to do it more than absolutely necessary.

  She applied a fresh layer of sunscreen, then headed out into the pleasantly warm afternoon. A dirt path just behind the RV park led right to the restaurant, and within minutes Reese stood at the counter ordering her meal. The cashier handed her a pager, which she carried to the lower patio area to wait for her order to be ready.

  Umbrellas shaded the tables, and though the place was fairly busy, she found an empty table where she sat while she waited. When her order was ready, she collected it from the pick-up window, then carried it back to the patio and began eating.

  Halfway through her meal, she heard her name and looked up to see who could possibly be speaking to her.

  It was Brody, alone, a tray in his hands.

  “May I join you?” he asked.

  Surprised to see him, and secretly wondering if he had followed her, she nodded. “Sure.”

  As Brody slid onto the bench across from Reese, he held back a smile. He didn’t know her at all, but he thought he could see the wheels turning behind her brown eyes, wondering if he had somehow tracked her down.

  “How are you?” he asked as he moved his food from the tray
to the table.

  “I’m good.” She glanced around. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  He laughed. “I could say the same.” But I’m glad I ran into you.

  She gazed at him, then broke eye contact as she forked a shrimp in her salad.

  “They have delicious food, don’t you think?” he asked.

  She lifted her gaze. “I guess so. This is my first time here.”

  “Really?”

  Her lips parted in a friendly smile. “Yes, really. Why is that so surprising?”

  He sliced off a bite-sized piece of fish, then smiled at her. “I’m sorry. I guess I assumed that since you live around here you must have eaten here before.”

  Reese blinked, then turned her attention to her salad.

  “Did I say something wrong?” he asked.

  With her lips pressed into a firm line, Reese met his gaze, then slowly shook her head. “No.”

  Why don’t I believe you?

  More curious than ever, Brody wondered how he could learn about the mysterious Reese.

  Why does he have to be so freaking hot?

  Reese tore her gaze away from him again, desperately wishing he hadn’t shown up. When she had refused his invitation to dinner earlier that day, she had thought that would be the end of it—despite the fact that she had had a hard time vanquishing him from her mind.

  But now that he was sitting right in front of her, she found it harder and harder to resist the draw of his magnetism. Something about him pulled her toward him like an invisible rope.

  “Are you new to Malibu?” he asked as he buttered his roll.

  No harm in admitting that. “Yes.” But let’s turn the conversation back on him. “What about you? How long have you lived here?”