Brenda. You’d have to pull some nights and weekends, depending upon what I have going on.”
“What does it pay?”
“What do make now?”
She told him.
“California’s pretty expensive. I could double that.”
An ear piercing squeal sounded. Then professional Brenda said, “I will consider your job offer but I need to talk to Sydney. Not on speaker.”
Sydney punched a button and held the phone up to her ear. “What do you need to say to me that Dash couldn’t hear?”
“It would be a dream for me to move to California and do something incredibly fun and interesting like work for Dash DeLauria but, Sydney, the man is a flirt of the first degree. Are you seeing him? Do you know his reputation? I’m not sure this is a good move on your part.”
Dash grinned. Brenda was loud enough that he’d heard every word. He liked that she was looking out for Sydney.
“What you read in the tabloids and what’s true in real life are two very different things, Brenda. I grew up in Hollywood. I know what I’m talking about. Dash is a good guy. He’s good for me and he’d make a good boss for you.”
“Put me back on speaker then,” Brenda ordered.
“You’re on,” Sydney told her.
“Dash, I will accept your generous job offer. Not only because I’m ready to do something totally different with my life but because I need to see with my own eyes that you’re treating Sydney right. If you hurt her? That’s like hurting me. And then I would have to hurt you. I guarantee—that would not be pretty.”
“I love that Sydney has such a loyal friend, Brenda. I’m happy you’ll be working for me.”
“I’ll turn in my notice now so HR will see it first thing in the morning. I can be there in a week. Wherever there is.”
“Brenda,” Sydney said, “I can arrange to find you an apartment if you trust my judgment.”
“I’d trust you with my life, Sydney. You know that.”
“Same here.”
Dash felt Sydney tense against him. He wondered what was up since the conversation had gone so well with her former assistant.
“Bren, do me a favor. Don’t tell anyone at work that you’re coming to California. Or that you’re going to work for a friend of mine. Don’t even mention that we’ve talked, okay?”
“Got it.”
“I’ll call you later so we can catch up. I’ll give you more details then.”
“Thanks, Sydney. I mean it. Really. Thank you. You’ve saved my life. And my sanity.”
“Talk to you tomorrow. Bye.” Sydney hung up and beamed at him. “You’ve got yourself an A+ assistant. I might have to steal her away if I get busy myself.”
Dash pushed her to the mattress and began kissing his way down her body. As he did so, he wondered why Sydney wanted everything kept on the down low. He’d trust that she’d tell him.
When she was ready.
CHAPTER 14
Dash wanted to walk the beach. Sydney pointed him in the direction of the leftovers, a bin where people had left everything from flip flops to T-shirts to sunglasses. She changed into shorts and a tank top. By the time she found Dash, he had on board shorts and a T-shirt that was way too small for him. He shook his head and barely got it off.
“Going shirtless for the walk. Nothing in there fit me,” he said.
She ran a hand along his bicep. “Your guns are too big and your chest is too broad.” Her hand glided along the smooth skin and smiled. “Shirtless is a great look for you.”
“Topless would be a nice look for you,” he said hopefully.
“Maybe later,” she teased.
Sydney couldn’t believe how easy conversation was with Dash. She felt like a new person—or maybe he’d dug deeply and reached the person she was all along. The one who’d vanished years ago and hadn’t been out to play. Until now.
Dash slipped an arm around her waist and she did the same to him. They strolled along the edge of the sand, where the water would come up and lap their ankles as each wave rolled in.
“You’ve surprised me,” she told him. “When you said celebrate, I didn’t quite have this in mind.”
He tugged her closer. “Did you think I meant slugging down margaritas and dancing on tabletops?”
“Maybe.” She thought about his reputation. The pictures she’d seen on the internet. Then she thought of what she’d told Brenda. Sydney knew Hollywood reputations weren’t always a true picture of a person. She was a poster child example of that logic.
“I’m really not