Laguna Nights by Kaira Rouda Read Free Book Online Page B

bikini-clad tourist tonight. Madison shook her head and walked toward the resort’s famous restaurant, Mosaic. She stopped to admire the chef’s herb garden – four above ground planters bursting with fresh thyme, mint, parsley, sage and every other mouth-watering, fresh ingredient he could need. She pulled a leaf of Italian parsley and popped it into her mouth, enjoying the spicy and refreshing taste.
    “Hey,” Josh said, appearing in the herb garden. “It’s going to be a great sunset tonight.”
    “Josh, really, go back to your group. You’ve got me as a friend, carry on with your life,” Madison said. She was being as firm as she could, telling him the things she knew she should say, even as her heart was breaking.
    “Thanks. That means a lot, but I don’t know if it will work,” Josh said, leaning against the herb planter, smiling his damn smile. “Roger wants you to test for the show. And that works for me because we’d be together. Perfect.”
    Madison was certain she hadn’t heard him correctly, so she ignored him. “Look I do need to pop in and check on your private room. Do you think there will still be twelve for dinner? There are only five or six folks at the tent. I can check with Mr. Flexible, never mind,” she said and saw Josh looking at her like she was having a stroke.
    “Madison, you are joining us for dinner, so there will be thirteen. Roger insisted. He’s even called the resort president to clear it,” Josh said. He pulled a sprig of rosemary and carried it towards her. “I’ve always loved rosemary. And so do you. I remember that.”
    “I’m not coming to dinner,” Madison said, pushing the rosemary away from her face and putting her hands on her hips.
    “I think you have to,” Josh said, leaning his face close to hers, as Madison imagined another kiss, wanting to feel his lips on hers, his strong arms around her waist. She was dizzy with desire. “I’ll make it fun. Promise,” he said as she swallowed. His hand touched her cheek, and they locked eyes.
    Madison’s radio crackled to life, breaking the trance.
    “You’ll dine with the in-house group.” It was Bob, her boss, his voice booming through the radio. “It’s what they want. You’re a local, they want local color. And hell, it’s a free meal. Enjoy.” He’d ended the transmission without giving her a chance to speak.
    Madison did not like feeling out of control. Her perfectly constructed life in Laguna Beach depended upon few connections aside from her mom, and her best friend, Annie, from high school, and off and on, Dolby. She hadn’t even had a chance to inform Annie of Josh’s return. Everything was getting complicated and it was all Josh’s fault. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and turned away from him, towards the glowing orange sunset.
     

    M adison was upset, he knew it, but he also knew she’d get over it. She always had. Well, not always, but mostly, if he just wrapped his arms around her she would melt. Back then, he’d apologize for whatever he had done – surfing too long, forgetting to call when he said he would, not picking her up from work on time – and she’d be mad, but then it would blow over like the Santa Anna winds. Until that stupid episode had aired, he’d been able to keep them together no matter what.
    Because he loved her, and the truth was, he hadn’t slept with Laura no matter how the show’s producers spun it. They hadn’t even had sex until after high school, when they were both cast in the spinoff show, and that was six months after Madison stopped talking to him. And if she wasn’t talking to him, nothing else had mattered. So he’d focused on Laura, acting like her perfect boyfriend, hitching his star to her reality TV fame train.
    “Hey, babe,” Josh said, watching her shoulders stiffen. Her back was to him, her hair blowing gently in the breeze. She was at once immovable and irresistible. But he shouldn’t have used that word. “Babe” was