Resisting Love

Chapter 1-2

Leanne held onto Frederick’s arm as he escorted her up a pathway of stone steps. Eli’s house was big, sure, but not as big as Frederick had made it out to be. Or so she thought, until they came around a bend that delivered them into his backyard. She stopped so fast, Frederick jerked backwards.

“Are you trying to make an entrance?” he muttered, annoyance lacing his words.

A few heads had swiveled in their direction, and Leanne gave them an apologetic smile. “I thought you were kidding,” she said softly, so that only Frederick could hear. “I think his backyard really is as big as Starlight Ridge.”

“And do you notice that no one else is wearing sunflowers?” he asked as they resumed walking.

It was true, but they also weren’t wearing anything near as fancy as the pink dress she had been about to wear. “I like my sunflowers,” she said, feeling defiant. She was tired of always saying yes to Frederick and doing what he asked, when he asked it. LA had become a burden, and at the moment, all she wanted was a paper plate filled with meat and potato salad. Something normal.

“Where’s the grill?” Leanne asked, her gaze scanning the expansive lawn. There was a tennis court in the distance, a swimming pool with an accompanying gazebo, and what looked like a maze created out of tall hedges. But no grill.

Frederick released a sigh that said far more than any words could. She was testing his patience. And had been for a while now, if the increasing frequency of those sighs was any indication. “A backyard barbecue doesn’t mean that Eli Hunt is actually going to be standing out here with a spatula, wearing an apron.”

Leanne followed Frederick toward a small group of people gathered on a massive wraparound porch that was as big as her family’s home. As they grew closer, she saw that Eli stood at the edge of the crowd. And he was standing next to a grill. Holding a spatula. And wearing an apron with a picture of his own face on it.

“Then what is that?” she asked, pointing. She had to keep herself from laughing when Fredrick’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head.

He sniffed, like it didn’t prove anything. “Yes, well, Eli has always had a different way of doing things. Thankfully, his wife usually keeps him in line.”

The actor must have heard his name, because his attention snapped in their direction. A grin spread across his face, and he handed the spatula off to whoever happened to be standing next to him. “Freddy,” he called as he walked toward them. “Thank you for coming.” He eyed Fredrick’s suit. “You’re looking sharp.”

Leanne held in a snicker, seeing that the famous Eli Hunt was currently wearing a tacky Hawaiian shirt and board shorts. But of course, he could make anything look good.

“I appreciate the invitation,” Frederick said, rather stiffly. Leanne was certain that only Eli could have gotten away with calling the screenwriter Freddy. “This is my apprentice, Leanne Warner,” he said, gesturing toward Leanne.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Eli said, turning his attention to Leanne. “You’re very lucky that you get to learn from one of the most creative minds in Hollywood.”

She knew she was, though she had never been able to figure out how the most emotionally moving movies she’d ever seen could have come out of someone so reserved, critical, and…well…boring. She smiled and gave a small nod of appreciation. “I have been very blessed. And thank you for allowing me to tag along. Your home is beautiful.”

Eli laughed. “Not exactly conducive to small get-togethers, but my wife insisted that we shouldn’t settle for anything smaller. I’m pretty sure she has a higher opinion of me than I do.”

Judging by the apron, where Eli’s face was currently smiling at her, Leanne wondered if that was true. After a courtesy laugh, she said, “The only thing you’re missing back here is the ocean.”

That last comment seemed to pique his interest. “A swimming pool, complete with a lazy river, seems like a pretty close second. Besides, we’re close enough that we can visit the ocean whenever we want.”

“Yes, but not close enough to see the colors of the sunset reflected off the water each evening, or to wake up to the salty smell and the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. A lazy river can’t replace any of that.” Leanne saw several people gawking in her direction and realized she’d said too much. But all of the homesickness she’d been feeling lately was crashing down around her, and once she had started reminiscing, she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

But, unlike Frederick, who looked like he wanted to strangle her, Eli didn’t look angry. “You speak from experience.”

She gave a hesitant nod. “I grew up next to the ocean.”

“Small town?”

“When it’s not tourist season, it’s so small, it’s practically invisible.”

Eli gave her an appraising look. “Does this town of yours have a name?”

Leanne didn’t have a chance to respond, because a beautiful woman walked up at that moment and laid a hand on Eli’s shoulder. Her eyes held mistrust. “Honey,” she said, her gaze softening as she turned it on Eli, “you know better than to trust Harris with the steak. He’s so distracted that half of them are burned, and the other half are still raw.”

Eli gave an easy laugh. “I’m sorry, dear. I was distracted myself, and I didn’t pay attention to who I had handed it off to.” He gave his wife a quick kiss on the cheek before giving Frederick and Leanne an apologetic shrug. “Duty calls.” He moved toward the grill, but then paused and glanced back. “Nice dress, by the way. I like the sunflowers.”

As he moved away, Frederick didn’t give Leanne a chance to say I told you so. “That proves nothing. Like I said, Eli Hunt is…different.”

Leanne folded her arms and frowned. “Different isn’t bad in a place like this, Freddy.” Her heart stalled. She couldn’t believe she’d dared use Eli’s nickname. And judging by Frederick’s expression, neither could he. His face darkened and his lips formed a tight line.

“I am Frederick Berkheiser, the most sought-after screenwriter in all of Hollywood,” he managed to spit out, his gaze hard. “Just because I took you in and bestowed all of my knowledge and connections upon you, that does not give you the right to toss all respect to the side. In fact, it gives you less right to do so.”

Leanne shrank back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… That wasn’t my intention.”

“Then what was your intention?” Frederick asked, his presence now seemingly larger than his already tall stature. “Because right now, I’m wondering if I have wasted years of my time, and on what? A little small-town girl who thought she had what it took to play with the big kids.” He growled in frustration and stalked off across the lawn.

Leanne’s stomach rumbled, and she looked longingly toward the table of food that had been set up next to the grill, but she knew that this would be the worst time to bring up her hunger.

She quickened her steps to catch up with Frederick, who was still ranting as if she’d been by his side all along. “All of the scripts coming out of Hollywood nowadays are trash. I thought that if I could find just the right person—just the right talent—that maybe when I’m no longer writing for the big screen, I could feel comfortable that someone was here to take my place. That the art of screenwriting would live on.” He tossed a withering glance in her direction. “I’m starting to think I was wrong. Maybe that’s just what Hollywood does. Produces garbage.”

Leanne stopped, not believing he could mean what he was saying. “I’ve given you everything. I’ve stayed up all night, trying to finish screenplays for you. I’ve bought the dresses and gone to the events. I don’t even recognize myself when I look in the mirror anymore.”

“And yet, it has all gone out the window. One evening, and all of that work now means nothing,” Frederick said, pausing as he turned back to face Leanne. “Rather than compliment our host on his estate, you tell him it’s not good enough because he didn’t manage to include the ocean. And then wearing that ridiculous dress…”

“It’s not ridiculous,” Leanne practically shouted, mostly to keep her tears from spilling over, though it didn’t seem to make a difference as she felt the moisture making trails down her cheeks. “And I wasn’t insulting him. I was just… It’s not home. No matter how beautiful or expensive it is.”

“And so you thought you’d tell Eli Hunt how much better you are than him.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I wasn’t trying to be rude,” Leanne said. “I was just a bit homesick is all.”

Frederick shook his head in disgust. “And that small-town attitude of yours will be your undoing.”

“I guess it already has been.”

He c****d his head to one side. “What do you mean?”

“I’m done here.” Leanne said, glancing away. She needed to break the hold he had on her. “I’m going home.”

“You can’t possibly mean…”

“That I would give up everything that we’ve been working for? Yes. I do.”

Leanne stormed across the grass and past the wraparound porch, not bothering to stop and say goodbye to Eli Hunt. Even the plates filled with burgers and steaks and potato salad weren’t enough to keep her there a minute longer.

Leanne was returning to Starlight Ridge.