Finding Serenity (Serenity Beach) (3 page)

“He probably assumed you knew! I’m pretty sure you are the only 21-year-old female on the continent that doesn’t know Nolan Meyers when he’s right in front of your face. He stars in all of those commercials. He was Kiki’s date for the Grammys.”

Then I remembered the strange look he had given me when I asked about his shoulder injury. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized I didn’t know who he really was. That explained why he had almost seemed relieved after that. He didn’t have to explain himself around me because I didn’t know anything about his past. That was something I could understand.

“So what’s he like? Tell me more about him.” Kennedy was literally on the edge of her seat.

“He’s fine.” For some reason, I didn’t feel like sharing details about Nolan with Kennedy. It felt like a violation of his privacy. “He’s a nice guy.”

“A nice guy? Fine? I’m going to need more details than that.” Kennedy lowered her shades and peered at me over the top of them.

Our lounge chairs were just outside of the Seabag so Danny barely had to raise his voice when he called my last name, “Lewis! There’s someone here to see you.”

Kennedy was already sitting up straight and her jaw dropped open when she turned toward the restaurant. “Holy hotness.”

I sat up and turned, not sure what to expect. Even after I saw him, I was still in disbelief that Nolan was standing less than ten feet away. “Interesting,” I muttered.

He waved shyly when he saw me and made his way over. Kennedy was practically hyperventilating. “This is so not real.”

“Hey,” I said, my lame attempt at a greeting.

“Lewis?” he asked with a question in his voice.

“My last name,” I explained. “Jordyn Lewis.”

He nodded. “Nice name.”

I saw his eyes dart down to the sand where his face stared back at us from the magazine. “I just learned your full name as well, Nolan Meyers.”

“Yeah…” He didn’t seem very happy about my discovery. “I guess you were bound to figure it out sooner or later.”

Kennedy was swooning. “Why don’t you sit down, Nolan? We’d love to have you join us, wouldn’t we, Jordyn?”

“Sure.” I pulled in my legs, making room for him on the lounger.

“What brings you by the Seabag?” Kennedy asked as he took a seat.

It was hard to say for certain with the sun shining so brightly, but it looked like he was blushing when he said, “I came to see Jordyn, actually.”

“That’s so adorable.” Kennedy was grinning from ear to ear. “Jordyn was just talking about you.”

I shot her a look of detest and reminded myself to pay her back later. “Kennedy’s a big fan,” I explained.

“And you’re not?” Nolan pretended to be offended.

“Honestly, I don’t watch a lot of baseball.” I added, “But I’m sure you’re quite talented.”

“I do have a lot of talents.” Nolan grinned at me and I thought Kennedy might faint on the spot.

“So why did you come all the way down to the beach to see our little Jordyn?” Kennedy wasn’t even trying to hide her giddiness.

“Well, I’m glad you asked.” He turned away from me and focused on Kennedy. “I’d like to take your friend on a date this evening, if you think she would be interested.”

My heart thudded.

Kennedy pretended to think it over. “That sounds like something she would enjoy. What were you planning to do on this date?”

“I don’t know much about this town. Perhaps dinner and a movie? I hear that’s something kids like to do these days.” Nolan was enjoying their game.

“Jordyn does like to eat. A lot. Too much sometimes.”

“Hi. Sitting right here.” I waved a hand. “And I’m sorry to disappoint you both, but I already have plans tonight.”

“Plans!” Kennedy glared at me. “Sitting on your couch watching television does not count as plans.”

I returned her glare. “Tonight is the town carnival. We promised Brian we would go with him, remember?”

“Oh, right. Brian.” Kennedy pouted. “He probably wouldn’t care if you canceled.”

“I’m not going to cancel on him.”

“I’m feeling left out. Who’s Brian? Another male suitor?” Nolan looked back and forth between us.

“Brian is the guy that picked us up at the party last night. He’s a friend.”

“He’s a total nerd,” Kennedy explained. “He gets really into these weird town events. Parades, farmers’ markets, the carnival- if it’s cheesy and wholesome, he’s there.”

“Well, you can’t cancel on a friend,” Nolan agreed. “Perhaps we could all go together?”

Kennedy clapped her hands. “What a great idea!”

“Does that work for you?” he asked, finally acknowledging me.

I pretended to give it serious thought. “I suppose that would work.”

“You know,” Kennedy began, her grin mischievous, “Brian and I live close so we’ll probably ride together. Maybe you could pick Jordyn up and meet us there?”

“I think I could do that,” Nolan said. “I’ll need her address though. And it would probably be a good idea to get her number so I can let her know when I’m on my way.”

“That’s an excellent plan, Nolan Meyers.” Kennedy held out her hand. “Give me your phone and I’ll put in her number.”

Nolan looked to me for approval and I threw up my hands. “Fine. You two plan this date. Just let me know when I need to be ready.”

“Will do.” Kennedy finished entering my number and handed it back to Nolan. “I’m also picking out your outfit.”

“Swell.”

She said to Nolan, “The carnival starts just before dark. We should plan to meet up around eight.”

“Sounds good.” Nolan stood up. “I need to run, but I’ll be by to pick you up at 7:45.”

“Wonderful,” I said sarcastically, but I smiled so he would know I wasn’t actually annoyed.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Kennedy.”

“The pleasure was definitely all mine.” Kennedy winked at me. “Jordyn was pleased to see you again, too.”

“That’s good to know.” Nolan smiled at me. “I look forward to our date. See you tonight.”

“Tonight.”

I don’t think I took a single breath while he was sitting with us. As he walked away, I sucked in several deep breaths.

“He’s wonderful,” Kennedy gasped. “If you don’t want him, I’ll gladly take him.”

“Don’t be so dramatic.” The more time I spent around Nolan, the more I saw his appeal. He was more than just a little charming. “So what am I wearing tonight?”

“Oh!” Kennedy bounced in her chair. “I’m thinking miniskirt. No, leather!”

“You’re the worst friend ever.”

Kennedy smirked. “You know you love me. How do you feel about fishnets?”

It turned out that Kennedy wasn’t completely serious about her outfit choice for me. She pushed hard for a miniskirt, but we reached an agreement by settling on a short, white sundress from her closet.

“He’s already seen me on multiple occasions,” I’d reminded her as she fussed about my hair. “He knows I’m not a supermodel like you and Kiki.”

“Please. I haven’t reached supermodel status yet,” she had joked. “Besides, Kiki is a singer, not a model.”

So at seven o’clock, I scrubbed myself clean in the shower and then contemplated my reflection in the mirror. Should I listen to Kennedy and spend an hour putting on make-up and fixing my hair? Nolan had seen me today looking like a mess and that hadn’t scared him away. I settled for blow-drying my hair straight and putting on a light coat of mascara. The result would not impress Kennedy, but I was satisfied.

The dress was shorter than I remembered, and I almost changed at the last minute, but I knew Kennedy would flip if I showed up in anything from my own closet. When Nolan knocked on the door at exactly 7:45, I was wearing the dress and a forced smile.

“You look great,” he said, his eyes lingering on my legs, which looked long and tan against the short, ivory fabric. “Kennedy knows fashion.”

“No, Kennedy knows men,” I corrected. “No hat tonight?”

He ran a self-conscious hand through his hair. “I know when to clean up.”

“You clean up good,” I assured him. He was freshly shaven, too, and had dressed in a pair of jeans and a baby blue t-shirt. I couldn’t deny it- he looked damn good. “Shall we?”

Nolan stepped aside and gestured for me to lead the way. His hand grazed the small of my back and a shiver went up my spine. “Nice car,” I said, hoping my voice didn’t betray me.

“It’s a rental.” Nolan sounded sheepish. I got the feeling he was embarrassed by the absurd wealth resulting from his baseball career.

“Nothing wrong with a pretty convertible,” I said, hoping to make him feel more comfortable.

He held the door open for me, passing the first test of the night. I wasn’t old fashioned when it came to dating, but it was always nice to have someone treat you well. He turned on the engine and looked at me with his hand on the radio controls.

“Do you have any requests?”

“I trust your taste.”

“That’s your first mistake of the night.” His grin made my heart jump in my chest.

After finding a decent station, he pulled the car onto the road. My house was on Ocean Drive, aptly named since it wrapped all the way around Serenity along the ocean.

“It really is beautiful here,” Nolan said, somewhat wistfully. “I could see why people choose to live here.”

“It’s a little less exciting than Hollywood though,” I said.

“Hollywood is fake. There’s no real beauty there.” Nolan accelerated and the breeze whipped through my hair. “How did you end up here?”

“We already covered this ground at the coffee shop,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, but you never answered the question.”

“We both kept secrets from each other.” I didn’t plan to answer his question now, either, but then more words fell out of mouth. “I needed to get away, be some place that allowed me to breathe.”

Nolan said, “I can understand that.”

“You need to turn left up ahead,” I said.

The carnival was downtown, and it looked like everyone in town was putting in an appearance. We had a hard time finding parking but the convertible was little and we found a spot to squeeze into.

“What should I expect at this carnival?” Nolan asked as he opened the door for me.

“Fun,” I quipped.

He offered me his hand and I took it without thinking. I could feel callouses on his fingers as he threaded them between mine, probably formed over years of fingering baseball seams. “Will there be rides?”

“I have no idea.” Serenity wasn’t particularly large, so it would be surprising if the carnival was anything more than a ring toss game and a hot dog stand. “If there’s a Ferris wheel, you’re buying us tickets.”

“Deal.”

Kennedy had made me promise to track her down upon arrival, so I sent her a text and then we headed for the beer tent where she was waiting with Brian. They saw us before we saw them and Brian swooped in, lifting me in a fierce hug.

“No need to break my ribs,” I gasped. “Seriously. I need oxygen.”

He set me on my feet and said, “You know you missed me.”

“I saw you last night,” I reminded him.

“For like a minute. I was gone for an entire week before that!” He groaned dramatically. “Don’t tell me you didn’t think about me constantly while I was gone.”

“I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep all week.” I assured him. “Welcome back. How’s Grandma Sanders?”

“Stubborn as ever,” he shook his head. “She’s refusing to die.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

“Not to me. But her children are really looking forward to their inheritance.” Brian suddenly noticed that I hadn’t arrived alone. “Jordyn, when did you make friends with Nolan Meyers?”

“Oh, yeah.” I made room for Nolan to join our conversation. “Nolan, this is my friend, Brian. Brian, this is Nolan.”

“What is the greatest pitcher in baseball doing in Serenity?” Brian looked uncertain as he shook Nolan’s hand. He looked at me and added, “And what is he doing with you?”

Kennedy had been holding back so far, but she couldn’t remain patient forever. “You look very nice tonight, Nolan.”

“Thanks.” This time, there was no doubt that Nolan was blushing. Adorable. “You look lovely as always, Kennedy.”

She fanned her face with her hand. “Marry him, Jordyn. I mean it.”

“We can’t get married. I’m not even pregnant.”

Nolan laughed at the joke and added, “Yet.”

“I think I like this guy,” Brian said. He looked around suspiciously. “Is it just me, or are people looking at us?”

“Not us,” Kennedy said. “They’re looking at Nolan.”

I hadn’t noticed, but a small group had gathered around us. The typical demographic was teenage boys, but a few older fans lingered as well. Nolan avoided looking at any of them.

“It’s better to just ignore them,” he said. “People are just curious.”

“If you ignore them, do they go away?” I couldn’t imagine living life under a microscope all the time.

“Sometimes.” He shrugged. “Other times they ask for pictures and autographs. That part is a little flattering. On rare occasions, it can turn into a bit of a mob. That part is a little less fun.”

“That doesn’t sound very fun at all.” I looked to make sure no one had mob-intentions in the works.

“Maybe I should’ve worn the hat,” Nolan joked.

“Nah. I like preppy Nolan.” I reached out and tousled his hair, a bold move for me by all accounts. When he stared at me in surprise, I worried that I had gone too far.

“That’s going to end up on the internet,” he said with a smile.

I checked the crowd again and nearly everyone had their phones out, snapping pictures of Nolan, and now me. “Is that a bad thing?”

“I’m okay with it.” He held out his hand. “Should we walk around?”

“Definitely.”

Some members of our audience followed us around the carnival, snapping pictures whenever Nolan smiled, or laughed, or breathed. He seemed oblivious, but I was incredibly self-conscious of every move we made. I tried not to stand too close to Nolan, tried not to look at him too much. Both of those things were nearly impossible as I found myself more and more drawn to him as the night progressed.

We made it to the other side of the carnival, which was only a block or so away. The whole thing was just as lame as I had feared. “Should we play a game or something?” I suggested.

“I believe it’s pretty much required that I win you some sort of prize. Perhaps a giant stuffed animal?”

“Ah, yes. And you should win it by demonstrating your masculine strength.” I pointed to a nearby booth. “Hitting that punching bag as hard as possible?”

Nolan held out his hand. “I can’t damage these babies. They’re my livelihood.”

I nodded slowly. “Wait. I’ve got it.”

I hurried him over to the booth that was perfect for him. “Show me your stuff.”

“Really?” He gave the pyramid of milk bottles a hesitant look. “I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“Oh come on! I really want a prize.” I bat my eyes flirtatiously. “Please?”

He groaned. “It’s not really fair. I’m a professional thrower of baseballs.”

“Then it should be easy for you,” I said with a playful smile.

“My shoulder is still healing.” He rolled it slowly. “I may not be back at the top of my game.”

“If you really think you can’t do it…” I pretended to be disappointed. “We can always find a different game. Maybe that one where you squirt water guns? The six-year-olds seem to love that one.”

Nolan threw up his hands. “Fine. I’ll knock down those bottles for you.”

The young teen manning the booth looked at Nolan in surprise as he slapped down a twenty. “Aren’t you Nolan Meyers?” he asked.

“That’s what they tell me,” he replied, twirling one of the baseballs in his hand. His face was hard with concentration.

“Aren’t you still recovering?” The young man looked overly concerned. “I thought you were playing in the minors until everything is back to normal.”

“This is pretty minor, isn’t it?” Nolan avoided looking at me as he quickly wound up and threw a fastball into the heart of the bottle pyramid. They flew apart in a loud crash.

“Whoa,” I muttered lowly. He had the best arm I had ever seen. “I’m impressed.”

Nolan finally turned to me. “Pick your prize, my lady.”

“Hm.” I studied the various prizes carefully. “I’ll take the baseball.”

The kid gave me a startled look. “The baseballs are part of the game, not prizes.”

“This man just dropped twenty bucks on one throw and you won’t let me have a baseball?” I asked indignantly.

He stuttered over his words before finally saying. “Okay. Which one?”

“That one.” I pointed to the one on the ground, the one that Nolan had just thrown.

Nolan waited until it was in my hand before he asked, “Why in the world do you want that ball?”

“Can I borrow that pen?” I asked the kid, pointing to a ballpoint pen he had been using for his inventory check.

When he handed it to me, I turned to Nolan. “I’m going to need your autograph. You’ve just thrown the most important pitch of your life, and this ball is going to be worth something someday.”

Nolan stared at me for a long time before taking the pen. He penned his signature in one fluid swipe, clearly something he had done hundreds of times. “Just don’t sell that on EBay,” he said as he handed it to me.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I took the ball carefully. “Thank you.”

“Can we move on now?” he asked hopefully.

I nodded. “Sure. You lead the way.”

Nolan led us past the rest of the games, toward the center of the carnival. He strolled slowly and seemed perfectly content.

“Let me know if you get bored,” I said. “We don’t have to stay.”

“Bored?” The surprised look on his face said it hadn’t even occurred to him that hanging out at the town carnival might not be the ultimate adventure. “I’m from small-town Nebraska.”

“Right.” I couldn’t actually picture Nolan on a farm in Nebraska. “Then I guess I’ll let you know if
I
get bored.”

“You aren’t, are you? Bored?” he asked, taking us toward the far end of the festival. “Is this a successful date so far?”

“Well, let’s see. You offered to pick me up. You opened the car door.” I ticked off the items on my fingers. “You were nice to my friends. You won me a prize. The only thing missing is the amazing first date sex.”

“Well, it’s still early.” He looked at me oddly. “I enjoy your sense of humor, Jordyn Lewis.”

“I’m enjoying this date.” I checked see if any of Nolan’s curious fans were still following us. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

“You sound surprised by that.”

I said, “Don’t be offended. It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with me being averse to fun.”

“So does that mean if I asked you out again, you’d say yes?”

“The odds would be in your favor.”

It was one of those moments, like a scene in a movie where you know the characters are going to kiss. Nolan’s face was just a few inches away, his perfect lips curled into an expectant smile. I could feel my body being drawn toward him. It was all too perfect- the cutesy banter, the swoony guy and girl, and the unrealistic, adorable town setting. It was perfect, and it scared the crap out of me.

“We should probably try to find Kennedy and Brian,” I said, effectively killing any romantic notions that had been circulating in our brains. “I’m betting they are still over by the beer tent.”

“Yeah, we can try to track them down.” Nolan tucked his hands into his pockets. “They’ve been shirking their chaperone responsibilities.”