“Thanks for bringing me here. It’s beautiful. And I finally get to tick an item off my bucket list.”
Grayson looked surprised at my words. “What item is that?”
“I’ve never seen the ocean before. Well, I have on TV and in photos. I have to say the reality is so much better.”
His brows went up, and he turned all his attention my way. “But you’ve been in LA for a while already. How have you not been to the beach yet?”
I tamped down the full-body shiver that wanted to escape at his attention and raspy voice. “Ha, that’s funny. When would I have done that? If I’m not smiling for the camera, I’m baking. And as soon as I get out of the studio, I’m sleeping. Sometimes getting a drink at the hotel bar.” I waved him off, turning my eyes back to the ocean. The view was much safer that way. “Besides, the ocean is no fun in the dark if you’ve never seen it before. And that’s the only time I could have made it out here. Today is the first time they finished filming while it’s still light out.”
I hadn’t had a day off since we started filming. Other than meeting Charlie, Philipa, and Mae for drinks at the hotel bar, I hadn’t done anything. It hadn’t bothered me until now, since being busy kept my mind from drifting to thoughts of Grayson.
“Good. Then we’ll do a trip somewhere different every week. Even if it’s only for a few hours.”
I guess friends spent time with each other. And I should make the most of the weeks we had left. No matter the outcome of the show, I was leaving LA once I finished filming.
“You don’t have to.” I tried giving him an out, not wanting him to feel obligated to do this because of our shared history. “Besides, wasn’t it you who pointed out the no relationships rule?”
“I don’t care.” His voice was firm, and it was one that didn’t invite any arguments. I was fine with that, since I would love to explore the city a little more. Who knew if I would ever have the chance to come back here? “We’re not doing anything wrong. Just two friends catching up. And since I put the contracts together, I should know.”
“Okay, then you have a willing tourist to show around your home.”
The waitress took our orders, and we spent the short time until the food arrived talking about the show and Grayson’s involvement.
“I traveled through California after finishing my degree,” he explained when I asked why he wasn’t in New York where he grew up and his family still lived. “Pascal is a family friend, and he got me a job as a lawyer on one of his other shows. I was good at it, so I stuck with it.”
I took a bite of my burger and had to admit it was almost as good as one of Bo’s. After chewing, I asked, “But do you enjoy it?”
“Most days. It’s hard work, and it can be difficult working with talent. But it’s okay.”
It surprised me to hear him talk like that. He’d always been focused. But his usual passion was lacking, and I wondered what had made him accept a job he wasn’t interested in.
“You don’t want to be a criminal lawyer anymore?”
When I last saw him, he only had about a year left of his degree. And he was good at it. His grades were amazing, and he excelled in his internships. He’d loved it. We’d spent many nights imagining what his law practice would look like one day.
“I finished my degree but wasn’t sure if it was really what I wanted to do anymore. I was drifting for a few months after passing the bar. And when the job offer came up, I took it.”
He’d loved studying criminal law. And Grayson drifting wasn’t something I thought he’d ever do. “I don’t believe that for a second. You were meant to be a lawyer.”
“That’s something I’ve come to realize while living out here. What took you a few seconds to figure out took me four years. Entertainment law pays incredibly well, but it’s definitely not what I see myself doing forever.”
I took another bite of my burger instead of answering. We finished our food in silence, each lost in our thoughts. Grayson paid for our food despite my protests—it wasn’t a date, so I insisted on paying for my portion of the meal, but he won in the end.
Instead of leaving the same way we came in, he steered me in the direction of the beach.
I looked back at him, a smile playing on my lips. “What are you doing?”
“Take your shoes off,” he instructed when we reached the bottom of the steps that led from the balcony we’d been sitting on.
Excited at the prospect of finally feeling the sand on my toes, I pulled off my sneakers. Grayson took off his shoes as well and rolled up his pants legs.
He held out his hand, a boyish smile on his face. “Ready?”
For once not overthinking everything, I held his hand while taking my first step on the beach. The sand was still warm, the sunset spectacular. The purple, orange, and pink sky looked like it was on fire. I took a few photos and sent them to Willa.
Grayson stole my phone and pulled me in to his side. “Smile.”
He took a few selfies with me, holding me in a comfortable hug. He was closer than he’d been in five years, and my palms became damp as my body went into overdrive.
