Jackson moved to her side and reached past her to close the broken door as much as it would go. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a phone number without answering her question. Hello, Id like to report a break-in. He gave her room number and the name of the motel, but he gave the person on the other end of the line his cell phone number.
I understand, Officer. The room is secure, no ones injured and Im taking the owner to a safe location. Ill have her make a list of stolen property, and when youre ready to come by and have a look, call me.
Jackson called the motels manager on his cell since the rotary phone in the room was currently in pieces, none of which were still attached to each other or the wall. He pocketed his phone and then asked her, Did you have anything valuable in the room like jewelry or cash that someone could have taken?
No. Nothing like that.
Can you think of anything someone might toss your place to look for?
No.
You got a torqued-off ex?
No!
How about an ex you didnt know is pissed?
No exes, she admitted reluctantly.
None at all? he blurted, sounding surprised.
Well, wasnt this just too embarrassing for words? I dont date, she mumbled.
Why the hell not?
This from the guy who has no female friends whatsoever? she replied a shade defensively.
The manager showed up, blessedly ending Jacksons uncomfortable line of questioning. The man confirmed that this had been the only room broken into and commenced shooting her suspicious looks as if this was all her fault.
Jackson must have picked up the guys hostility because when she started to ask the manager if he had another room she could move into, Jackson cut her off with Im taking you to my place to stay until we find out who trashed your room.
That wont be necessary she started.
Nonetheless, thats whats going to happen. Do you want to grab your toothbrush and some clothes, assuming they arent destroyed, too?
She headed for the closet and gasped as she peered inside. It was just like the locker at the studio. Every piece of clothing inside was in tatters. Even her shoes heels were broken off. The rage behind the attack stole her breath away. Who would do something like this? she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes and throat.
Screw the toothbrush, Jackson said gruffly. Cmon. Lets get out of here.
A sob rattled up out of her chest and escaped.
With urgency approaching panic, Jackson grabbed her elbow and bodily dragged her out of the motel room. A fog descended over her brain, dulling sound and sensation as he led her back to his Harley and installed her on it. He slid onto the bike in front of her and the engine roared to life.
Theres a hotel at the beach. If you could take me there, Ill grab a room until I head back to Los Angeles, she yelled over the engine.
Negative. Youre coming to my place, he called back.
Im not shacking up with you, Jackson.
I didnt ask for your opinion on the topic. Ive got plenty of room. She started to object, but he interrupted. Someone has to keep an eye on you for a day or two after your concussion.
The doctor at the hospital had given her some sort of industrial-strength painkiller, and shed actually momentarily forgotten her pounding headache from before.
Besides, Jackson continued firmly, Im worried about you. Until we figure out who trashed your place, I want you close by where I can protect you.
She subsided, speechless. Other people didnt protect her, particularly big hunky movie stars whom she had giant crushes on. But she had to admit it felt kind of nice to let somebody else worry about things for once. She was wiped out by todays events. And it wasnt like she could actually afford to pay for a decent hotel room. That was why shed been at the crappy motel outside town in the first place. Still, shed imposed on him too much. If she wasnt mistaken, he had already paid her hospital bill.
His rich, soothing voice echoed inside the helmet. Relax, Ana, and let me do the worrying.
She hadnt slowed down enough to get around to worrying about herself until he mentioned it. Who had attacked her? Did it have to do with the attack at the studio, or was it just a terrible coincidence that she had been attacked twice in the same day? What the heck was wrong with her? Did she have a giant V for victim on her forehead or something? All of a sudden, mountains of worry crowded in on her, crushing her beneath their weight.
She wrapped her arms around Jacksons waist and huddled against his back, letting him be her bulwark against all of it for a few minutes. His muscular contours felt solid, real, safe. For just a minute, she lost herself in him. She let him be the only real thing in her universe, which had otherwise been knocked completely off its axis.
His next words came to her as if spoken across a long distance. Ive got you, Ana. Everythings going to be all right. I promise.
If only.
Chapter 4
Ana tried to relax as Jackson wasted no time whisking her across all six blocks of downtown Serendipity, but she failed. Had her mugger returned to the motel and trashed her room after the fact? Why go to all that trouble and then not take anything? Sure, she didnt have much, but thered still been a television and a few personal items the intruder could have stolen.
Jackson guided the Harley north along the coast for a few gloriously beautiful miles. Even the magnificent view of the ocean under the emerging stars couldnt soothe her jangling nerves. Normally she could sit and stare at the waves for hours on end.
The bike slowed and turned off the Coast Highway into a gated drive. Jackson stopped to punch in a security code on a number pad, and the automatic gate slid back to reveal possibly the most gorgeous house shed ever seen. It was huge and stately. Elegant. Venerable.
Whoa. You live here? she asked over the rumble of his bike rolling up the drive.
Its my grandmothers place. Shes lived here since the seventies. I renovated it for her and built on an addition after my first big movie. She had a health scare last year and I moved back in to look after her. I stay here when Im not on location.
Talk about a sweet crash pad, she muttered.
He grinned over his shoulder at her as he climbed off the bike in the circular drive in front of the stately double doors. First time here, you get the grand entrance.
Please dont fuss over me. It makes me uncomfortable.
The front doors opened and a woman fully as elegant at the house stepped onto the broad porch. Whove we got here, Jackson? She sounded surprised. Did he not bring women here often, then?
Ana was startled when he looped his arm over her shoulder to lead her forward. Ana, this is my grandmother, Minerva Prescott. Gran, this is Ana Izzolo. Shes going to be working on the film with me.
Going to? No maybe or probably? No after we check out her screen test we might make her an offer? No explanation to his grandmother that her room had been vandalized and that was the only reason she was here?
Stunned, she barely heard Jacksons grandmother say, Im so pleased to meet you, dear. The woman held slender hands out and grasped Anas hand warmly. Do come in. It will be lovely to have company. Welcome.
Minerva glanced over at Jackson. Is this the young lady you were so anxious to go have dinner with?
Anxious, huh? Jacksons mouth tightened in visible chagrin, and Anas mouth twitched in answering amusement. Family had a way of stripping your dignity at the most inconvenient moment.
Ana was mugged and her place was broken into before she could meet me at the restaurant. She could use some basic toiletries and maybe some clean clothes until she has a chance to go shopping. Id like her to stay here a few days while we sort out what happened.
His grandmother exclaimed in alarm, Goodness! Of course, well take care of her. Dont you worry about a thing, dear. Her expression lightened and she clapped her hands together. Actually, its perfect! Itll give us a chance to get to know each other.
What a warmhearted woman. Her kindness was really infectious. Perhaps this was where Jackson got some of his famous charm. Minerva never let go of her hand as she drew Ana into a front hallway filled with beautiful woodworkelaborate crown moldings, dark wood door frames, and the stairs Oh, my. The staircases, there were two of them, each had to be twelve feet wide and swept upward in arcs, starting on each side of the foyer, to meet in the middle at the top.
Wow, Ana breathed. Im feeling a little underdressed.
Minerva laughed gaily. Never fear. We dress casually here at the beach. Youre about my size. Im sure we can find something that will fit you.
Except, of course, that Minerva was a foot taller than she was. Well, half a foot. She was five foot two, and Jacksons grandmother looked at least five foot eight.
Minerva continued gaily, I run around in a bathing suit and flip-flops half the time.
She had a hard time envisioning the elegant woman in anything other than a designer dress as tailored and classy as the one she was wearing now.
Jackson, why dont you show Ana around while I speak with Rosie about making you two something to eat. You both must be hungry after such a stressful day. And you never did get your dinner together, did you?
Her solution to every crisis in life is food, Jackson muttered as his grandmother floated gracefully down the central hallway, tsking, to disappear somewhere in the back of the sprawling home.
Is one the up staircase and the other the down staircase? Ana asked under her breath.
Nah. You can go up or down either one. Although, I can say from experience that the left bannister is faster to slide down than the right one.
You slid on the bannisters as a kid?
Still do from time to time. But dont tell Gran. Shed yell at me.
Ana grinned as he led her off the main foyer into a living room with English manorstyle cove ceilings and mahogany wainscoting to die for. This place is stunning, Jackson.
Pain in the butt to keep up, though. I keep asking Gran to let me sell it, but she refuses. Says well have to pry her cold, dead body out of here before shell go.
Im with her. This place is a treasure. Has it been in your family a long time?
He led her back across the foyer to another set of double doors, which opened to reveal a library. She gasped with pleasure since shed always loved books. This room was lined, floor to ceiling, with volumes.
My grandfather was a movie producer. He bought this place for her as a wedding present. It was decrepit, and they restored it to a livable state. It was built in the 1920s by a silent movie star as a getaway back when this stretch of coast was pretty much deserted.
What happened to him? she asked.
He died when my mother was ten. Lung cancer. He was a chain smoker most of his life.
He led her upstairs, and a spacious sitting room stretched toward the back of the house and the ocean beyond. Grans rooms are to the left. Im in the new wing, this way. Lets find you a bedroom.
She could hardly fathom the idea of having to choose between multiple bedrooms. Her upbringing had been modest at best, and rocky during bad times. Rocky also described her parents marriage accurately. She wouldnt go so far as to say shed had a happy upbringing. It wasnt like shed been abused or neglected. But love hadnt been particularly abundant. It had been...safe. Adequate.
Jackson stopped in front of a door and chuckled quietly to himself. In here, he directed her.
The room he led her into was spacious and bright, with huge picture windows looking out over the ocean. The furniture was pickled pine, the fabrics creams and yellows. The view drew her to it and she stared down in awe at the majesty of the ocean and rocky cliffs below. I cant see a single house from here.
Jackson spoke quietly beside her. I own the land all the way to that point on the right. I bought all the neighboring properties as they went up for sale and knocked the houses down. Restored the coastal habitat.
Wow. Such wealth was unimaginable to her. First this palatial layout, and now his own movie production company. She was just hoping to get steady work, enough to pay off her student loans and maybe make a modest living in the industry someday, not end up richer than Croesus.
More intimidated than she cared to admit, she asked him, Is there somewhere I can wash up? And if its not too big an imposition, can I borrow a clean T-shirt or something? This sweaters pretty trashed after I rolled around on the ground in it.
He looked down at her chest and his pupils dilated noticeably. Alarmed, she glanced down. The sweater was more shredded than shed realized and her beige camisole, now gray with dust, peeked through in multiple locations.
Uh, sure. Ill go get some clothes for you. He spun away sharply as if it had just dawned on him he was both staring at and talking to her chest.
Huh. So Jackson had embraced the fact that she was a girl and not just a fight buddy, had he? A foreboding washed through her that his seeing her as a woman would open some doors between them that she didnt know how to handle.
So what if he noticed she was a girl? He was her boss, for crying out loud.
Bathrooms in here. Towels are in that cabinet.
She stepped into a Victorian bathroom and sighed in delight at the gigantic claw-foot tub sitting in front of the window. Surf crashed into the rocks below, the foam white against the blackness of rocks and sea and night.
Its one-way glass so no one can see in here from the veranda, he informed her. If you want to jump in the tub, Ill go get some clean clothes for you.
Deal.
He hesitated in the doorway and she looked up at him questioningly.
He said low, Im glad youre okay, Ana.
Me, too. Thanks for rescuing me.
I didnt
She cut him off. Yes. You did. And we both know it.
His gaze skittered away as if he was embarrassed.
She took pity on him and declared, Scram. I want to go for a swim in that gigantic tub.
Right. He spun away fast, but not so fast that she didnt spot the stain of color on his cheeks. Jackson Prescott was capable of blushing? Would wonders never cease?