Star-Crossed Scandal. Kimberley Troutte

whispered, “Yeah. She met your dad for a late lunch. Weird, huh?”

      Weird didn’t begin to describe it. “Did she throw dishes, wine bottles? Did my dad toss her out?”

      Goodness, if her parents started fighting while Nicolas was here, the deal for the show would be off.

      “Not at all. They talked quietly. Civilly. Then your dad left before she did.”

      In the Harper household, civil parents didn’t make sense. What were they up to? Chloe stopped walking in circles at the counter, where Michele was pounding the dough. “Can I do that?”

      “You want to knead my dough?”

      “Can I beat it a little, too?”

      “Sure.” Michele stepped back. “Wash up and you can knead away. Want to tell me why you want to punch dough?”

      Chloe dried her hands and began kneading. “The guy who inspired me to play the guitar is upstairs. In my house. Nicky M! And holy moly, he looks so good. I can’t even begin to describe how well his butt fills out those slacks. But I’m representing the resort in this deal. I shouldn’t be thinking about his anatomy!”

      “But you are.” Michele smiled wickedly.

      Well, yeah. “You’d think I’d use this opportunity to—I don’t know—ask him how he comes up with his perfect rhythm. Or ask about the inspiration behind his lyrics in ‘Baby, Come After Me.’ I have this amazing chance to learn about lyrics and music from a master. Instead of asking intelligent questions, I could barely put more than two sentences together. What’s the matter with me?

      “You have a right to be flustered. It’s Nicky M.”

      There was that. Her crush aside, he’d been her inspiration for continuing to sing and play the guitar in her off time. Her parents had made it clear that being a singer wasn’t her true calling, but it made her happy. Nicky M had given her that.

      “I don’t get starstruck. I got over that nonsense working at my yoga studio in Hollywood. Directors, big-name stars, models—they’re just people. I dated enough of those guys to know that they’re just looking for happiness and love like the rest of us. And quite a few of them are...” As broken as I am. She kneaded that dough until her hands hurt. “Lost. Hollywood ruins people. Star power doesn’t have any effect on me.”

      “But Mr. Dreamy Eyes does?”

      “Oh, gosh, yes.” Chloe pressed a hand to her heart, leaving a handprint of flour on her blouse. “Maybe his eyes have hypnotized me. Yep. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.”

      Michele handed her a glass of wine, which Chloe waved off. “Wait, no alcohol either? I get giving up meat, but no wine? That’s just...uh-uh. No way.”

      Chloe shrugged. “I’m trying to live better. Clean. Healthy.” Trying to learn to love myself.

      “I totally get it about Nicky M. If Gordon Ramsay came to hang out in my kitchen for a week, I’d probably accidentally cut off my hand or set the place on fire. Nicky M is yummy. Stop beating yourself up. You’ll be fine once you relax.”

      Chloe poured herself a glass of water and took a long sip. “How do I relax? I can barely look at him without losing all rational sense.”

      “Hmm. That’s an interesting dilemma since it’s up to you to get him to sign the contract for filming his show here. I handle the food, and Jeff can only do so much. You have to sell it.”

      “Super. More pressure. You’re not helping, Michele.”

      Michele smiled. “Sorry. Maybe you just need to find a way to work out your nerves. I cook when I’m stressed or, you know, have my way with your brother.”

      Chloe scrunched up her nose at that comment, even though she was thrilled Michele and Jeff were so deeply in love. That’s all she ever wanted for her brothers, their happiness. She was working on her father’s happiness next. RW and Angel were good together, even if Dad hadn’t figured it out yet.

      “Hey, that’s it.” Michele snapped her fingers and a puff of flour rose into the air. “You should kiss Nicky M and get that nervousness out of your system. That’s what I did the first time I cooked for your brother.”

      “Right. Just walk up and kiss a legend.” What if his kisses didn’t compare to her fantasy? Or worse. What if they were better? She’d be ruined for life.

      “I don’t mean assault the guy. Do what feels right for both of you. Jeff said Nicky M seemed to be into you.”

      Chloe’s jaw dropped. “When did he notice that?”

      Michele shrugged. “Men can feel the vibe, too.”

      Chloe shook her head. “Nicolas just got out of that train wreck of a relationship with supermodel Lila what’s-her-name. He’s not ready for anything else. And if I misread the situation...” It would be a disaster. She’d fail at getting the contract, fail at finally doing something right for her family. “Nope, nope, nope. Kissing Nicolas is not a good idea.”

      Michele cocked her head. “Or what if you’re not misreading the situation? What if you’re judging your feelings and his perfectly? It could be a really great thing, Chloe. I’m all for following your dreams. If I hadn’t gone for mine, I wouldn’t be here right now. You don’t always get a second chance to make your dreams come true.”

      “I can’t. I shouldn’t. No, definitely not.” Chloe could hear the disappointment in her own voice.

      She needed to get this deal, for herself and for her family. But more than that, she’d meant it when she’d sworn off men. She’d spent too much time losing herself in men, in dating, in sex. She needed time to find herself, especially now that she was back in Plunder Cove.

      Yet part of her knew that Michele was right. There weren’t always second chances to live in the moment. And a big part of her really, really, wanted to indulge in this moment with Nicolas.

      That flicker of attraction he’d talked about? It was a raging wildfire inside her.

      “And yet you want to,” Michele said, reading what Chloe wasn’t saying.

      “Well, yeah.”

      Michele laughed. “Then if you get the opportunity and he’s into it, go for it. When was the last time you got hot and heavy anyway?”

      “Hot and heavy?”

      “You know. Being with a man you want to shave your legs for.”

      “Let me think...” Chloe squeezed the dough in her fist. Should she tell her sister-in-law why she’d stopped dating? Would Michele understand?

      “If you have to think that hard, it’s been too long,” Michele said with a laugh.

      “I’m not, uh, dating right now. To find spiritual happiness, I need to find myself first. Loving who I am will help me find true love.”

      With her hand on her hip, Michele blew her bangs out of her eyes. “Seriously? No men? At all?”

      “Something has to change,” Chloe said quietly. She’d spent her life wishing someone, anyone, would love her. She’d been kicked out of the mansion when she was fourteen years old. Living with her mother had been difficult, to say the least. She hadn’t heard from her brothers or father until recently, and her heart was still aching with desperation to keep them all close.

      Michele’s face softened. “Your life is changing. You’re here, you’re part of the family. You aren’t alone anymore, Chloe.”

      Chloe’s eyes welled. “I don’t want to lose my family again.”

      “You won’t, hon. I understand trying to better yourself—I do—but you’re going to let your spiritual journey keep you from the man of your dreams? What if