Determined Kisses (Love in Sandy Beach Book 4) (12 page)

Ethan picked Hazel up at the gate to Inez’ villa like he always did and immediately sensed something had changed. She was different. Lighter and happier.

“What happened in there tonight?”

Hazel smiled at him and hugged him. “I think I had a breakthrough tonight.”

“A breakthrough?”

She nodded. “Inez and I were watching the movie that won her her first Oscar and I commented how much my mother liked that movie. She offered an autograph and I declined because my mother is dead.”

Ethan pressed her against him. “Everything will be alright.”

“I know. I guess I realized that Inez allowed the circumstances of her life to dictate how she was going to handle the future. I’ve been doing the same thing, but this will change from now on.”

Ethan smiled at her. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks. I also came to another decision. Wanna hear it?” She escaped his embrace and put some distance between them.

Ethan tried not to let his smile falter, but his heart missed a beat in fear that she’d break up with him. Trying to steady his voice he answered, “Sure.”

“I decided I want to meet your family on Saturday.”

“That’s great!” Ethan’s mind was spinning but he wasn’t going to question this change. No, he was going to embrace it with both arms.

***

On Saturday, they paid a visit to his parents’ house. Allison and Russell were there with their son Jackson, and Hazel could only grin when she recognized the woman from the beach.

Allison hugged her and said enthusiastically, “I’m so glad, you decided to give my brother a chance. You two look so good together.” Then she grabbed her hand and drew her through the house and onto the back porch, introducing her to everyone.

“This is Reese, the one who lives in Ashton. She works as a professional organizer and sometimes sends clients my way for interior design. Her fiancé Nik is the heir to the Petridis shipping company, but he’s currently travelling and couldn’t make it.

“Just like Chase, my second oldest brother, who’s a professional kitesurfer and his girlfriend Pearl, who’s a high diver. They are both currently in different countries, competing in their respective sports and trying to win some world cup or title.” Allison laughed and dragged Hazel along.

“What about your parents?” Hazel asked, not having met them yet.

“Well, Dad is back there in the yard, and Mom is probably in the kitchen. Come on and I’ll introduce you.”

They headed back inside the house and Allison found her mother, Bridget, in the kitchen.

“Hazel, it’s so good to meet you,” she told her, coming forth and enveloping her in a warm hug. “Thank you so much for taking care of Ethan.”

Hazel blushed under the praise and protested, “Ethan is actually taking care of me, not the other way around.”

Bridget gave her a knowing look and said, “That is what he wants you to believe, but honey, the truth is that my Ethan has needed a woman like you for a long time. I can see by the look in his eyes how much he loves you.”

Allison and Hazel helped Bridget to bring out the plates into the yard, chatting along about this and that. Out by the grill she met Ethan’s father Mitch discussing the latest in barbecue techniques with his sons Ethan and Terrence.

He gave her the same warm welcome as Bridget had done, and Hazel already felt like she was part of this close-knit family.  She took Ethan’s hand and when he looked at her she saw so much love in his eyes, her heart was about to burst.

Reese strolled over and latched onto Terrence’s arm. “Hazel, this is my wonderful twin brother Ter. He’s the lead singer of Electric Flow and on his way to fame and fortune.”

Ter puffed out his chest with pride and started to talk his upcoming album and tour.

“How are the preparations going?” Ethan asked him.

“Awesome. We are so excited. In a month from now we’ll all relocate to New York and start recording the album. Can you believe it? But first, we have to finalize the contract with the record label.”

“I thought you’d already signed the contract?” Reese asked him.

He gave her a scowl., “Don’t get me started! This busybody of an intellectual rights lawyer is a pain in the ass.  Can you believe this presumptuous woman has summoned me to meet her in New York?”

“It’s probably a good idea to talk in person with her,” Ethan chimed in.

“No. It isn’t. I don’t need a lawyer. And not her. She’s probably sixty years old and I bet she’s never listened to rock music, not even once in their life. She probably thinks music is still sold on vinyl. Gosh, I sure don’t need some intellectual rights lawyer messing with our music.”

Ter was about an inch taller than Ethan, with the same broad shoulders and dark hair. But opposed to Ethan’s chocolate-brown eyes, Ter had the same green eyes as his twin Reese. Green eyes that were now sparkling with anger.

Reese patted his shoulder. “Ter, maybe she’s not as bad as you paint her.”

His green eyes shot daggers. “I bet she’s even worse. The record label is just panicking. They don’t want to see that the music scene has changed in the last decade. With platforms like YouTube and iTunes, it’s much easier to get your music out there. The days of the old-fashioned record are gone.”

“So what do you think this lawyer is going to tell you?” Hazel asked him, trying to follow the conversation.

“I have an idea she probably wants me to remove our music from YouTube to protect record sales.”

“And you don’t want to do that?” Ethan asked.

“No! I mean, I want to sell records and become rich and famous. But I owe so much to my fans and don’t want to disappoint them. Before I had a record deal or a concert tour, my YouTube followers were there for me.”

Hazel listened for a few more minutes and then she spied another strikingly gorgeous woman across the yard. Ethan followed her gaze and said, “This is Samantha Armstrong, fiancé of my brother Grant. She’s a top model in New York and Grant moved there with her a while ago. He’s a demolition expert – you know, those people who blow up entire buildings. Let’s introduce you to them.”

Hazel followed him, feeling slightly self-conscious in the presence of the woman who frequently made the covers of the fashion magazines. But Sam and Grant were as friendly and welcoming as everyone else, and both gave her a warm hug.

Sam apparently was used to people being self-conscious around her and she broke the ice. “My God, Hazel, your hair is amazing.” Sam walked around her and smiled. “You don’t have the height to be a model, but have you ever considered becoming a hair model?”

“A hair model? What’s that?” Hazel asked, intrigued and embarrassed to be scrutinized so closely by the beautiful woman.

“Have you ever seen those shampoo ads? Where you can only see the hair? That’s a hair model. My agent would lick her fingers to get you onto her client list.”

Ethan put an arm around her shoulder, and she loved how possessive he was with her. “I’m the only one who licks his fingers where Hazel is concerned.”

Grant pushed him at the shoulder. “Never figured you for the jealous type, bro.”

“Never figured myself, either. But with Hazel everything is different.” He reinforced his words by pressing his lips onto hers, and Hazel’s stomach fluttered. 

She was completely overwhelmed by how lovable everyone in Ethan’s family was and said, “Your family is so nice.”

Ethan chuckled. “Yeah. It’s sickening, isn’t it?”

She shook her head at him. “Yes. You are so lucky.” Ethan must have heard the nostalgia in her voice, because he hugged her close and whispered into her ear, “They’ll become your family, if you’re willing to let it happen, darling.”

Unfortunately, their time at the barbecue was cut short because she had an appointment at Inez’s house.

“How are you getting along with Inez Barclay?” Allison asked. She of course had heard all of the horror stories from the previous girls who’d been hired to do the woman’s hair.

“I actually like her.” When everyone gave her an incredulous look, Hazel rushed to defend the actress, “She’s suffered a lot of heartaches and it’s made her bitter in so many ways. But once you break through that tough exterior, she’s a really sweet person.”

Everyone started talking at once and Reese spoke up, “Your girlfriend must be an angel, Ethan. I’ve worked with many eccentric persons, but this lady is a category of her own. Everyone in Ashton despises her.”

Hazel could see how proud Ethan was of her, and she leaned against his shoulder. With a man like him by her side, how could she not be happy and grounded?

She tried to talk him into letting her drive herself, so he could stay and spend more time with his family, but he wouldn’t hear any of that. Instead, he kissed her and whispered in her ear, “You are now the most important person in my life, and you’d better get used to that.”

His mother overheard the whispered exchange and as she hugged Hazel goodbye, she whispered in her ear, “Take good care of Ethan.”

When they drove up to Inez’s villa, the gates stood open and an ambulance was parked in front of the steps to the front door.

“Oh no!” Hazel cried, hurrying from the car and taking the steps two at a time. She reached the front door, but was stopped from entering by Lizzie.  “What’s happened?”

Ethan joined her seconds later and Lizzie suggested they go into the foyer and talk. Hazel had a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Inez passed away in her sleep this afternoon,” Lizzie offered.

“No!” Hazel cried, burying her face in Ethan’s shoulder.

Lizzie raised one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows and said, “I thought you’d be secretly happy. If you worry about the money…” Hazel continued sobbing and somehow it dawned on Lizzie – “Wait. Don’t tell me you actually liked her?”

Hazel nodded and wiped her eyes. “We had a tough start, but then we kind of respected each other.”

Lizzie looked at her and then paused. “Wait for a moment.” She disappeared into Inez’ office and returned a moment later with a small wrapped parcel in her hands. “She wanted you to have this.”

Hazel accepted the parcel and asked, “Me?”

The other woman nodded. “Open it.”

Hazel carefully unwrapped the parcel, tears still spilling over in her sadness. Against all odds, the eccentric actress had grown close to her heart. Inside the package was a pair of huge earrings with diamonds and a small golden bracelet. She looked at the earrings and then gasped, “These are the same earrings she wore in the movie that won her the first Oscar. The one my mother loved so much.”

She recalled the last time she and Inez had watched the film together. Hazel had told her about the many nights and days when she and her mother had watched it together. It had become her movie of choice as her time drew near, and Hazel hadn’t minded watching it over and over because it made her mother happy.

Hazel looked at the earrings again and the impact of the nice gesture tugged at her heart. Sobbing even louder, she turned into Ethan’s arms, shaking so much he had to steady her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Lizzie whispered loudly.

“She’s just sad. Hazel, are you okay, darling?” Ethan hugged her close and rubbed her back soothingly.

She nodded and looked at Lizzie. “I can’t take this.”

“No, she wanted you to have it. I think she knew this was coming. She wrapped it up and put your name on it days ago. I thought she was just being difficult like always. Take it. Everything else goes to charity.” Lizzie coughed out a smile, “You were probably her only friend.”

Hazel looked at the small golden bracelet and murmured, “Inez bought this with her very first salary paycheck, when she was still an underpaid, unknown actress.”

Ethan took the bracelet from her fingers and slipped it over her wrist. “She’d want you to have it.”

Lizzie nodded. “She’d want you to have the earrings as well.”

Hazel thought about it for a minute and then nodded. “Thank you.” She carefully tucked the earrings back into the parcel and gave Ethan and Lizzie a smile.

Ethan held her hand all the way back to Sandy Beach. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“I can’t believe she’s gone. You know, I hated her so much the first time I met her. Inez frightened me to death, but she also taught me by example that you cannot let misfortunes ruin the rest of your life. And because of her, I gave us a chance. She’ll always have a place in my heart.”

He squeezed her hand. “I love you, Hazel, and I’m so glad you gave us a chance. I promise to never disappoint you.”

“Stop the car,” she said. “Please, now.” When he’d parked on the side of the road, she launched herself into his arms and kissed him until her head whirled. “I love you, Ethan, I love you so much.”

His eyes lit up with his grin as he answered, “I understand – this couldn’t wait.” He started the engine again and after a few more minutes, Hazel lifted up her wrist, admiring the golden bracelet. “I’m going to keep this.”

“What are you going to do with the earrings?”

“I think I’ll sell them. They might have been Inez’s way of helping me get rid of my mother’s debt.”

Ethan nodded. “I could give Kendra Armstrong a call. She’s married to one of Sam’s brothers and she’s an auction specialist in Chicago. That would be the best way to sell the earrings for a fair price.”

“Fine. Call Kendra.”