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Chapter One
Sophia Scott
Malibu Colony Beach
Malibu, California
I scrolled through my social media as Pongo chased the tide. The Dalmatian loved to pounce on the foamy white water, waiting for anything alive to skitter away. I shuddered, remembering the time he’d caught a tiny crab thing. He’d looked proud, then horrified when it started moving in his mouth. I’d squealed like a little girl, and Pongo had promptly spat it out.
This was the easiest job I’d ever had, but I really didn’t want to deal with wiggly crustaceans.
“Pongo! Come back, boy!” I called as he got a little too far out into the waves.
Pongo bounded back to me, tackling me onto the soft, sandy beach. His tongue bathed my face and neck as his paws smeared muddy sand all over my t-shirt and shorts. I giggled at first then pushed him and stood so I could brush the mud off.
“We’ve gotta teach you some manners, Pongo,” I muttered as I saved my phone from the lapping tide. It was dirty but dry, thank god. No way could I afford to replace it right now. The only thing saving me from moving back home was this job and the crazy low rent my roommate had gotten us since we were subletting from her uncle.
My phone dinged with a news alert.
Breaking news from KALI 14 News
Ariel Knight, wife of actor Kingston Grier, Dies
ActressAriel Knighthas died from her injuries sustained in yesterday’s car accident near Monte-Carlo, Monaco at the age of 32. Knight, famous for portraying Amber Riley in the filmThe Heart of Texas, was more widely known as the wife of actorKingston Grier.
Knight had been hospitalized after her vehicle collided with another car on the Basse Corniche at a high rate of speed and overturned. The unnamed male driver of her vehicle remains hospitalized. Kingston Grier is currently in Los Angeles with their six-month-old daughter.
This is a developing story.
Oh wow. How horrible. That poor little baby, motherless before her first birthday. And poor Kingston.
I’d followed the Grier brothers since they took Hollywood by storm ten years ago—first Kingston, with his comic book hero roles, and then Roman with his equally good looks and roles in romantic comedies. Truth be told, Roman might’ve been the inspiration for a few of my screenplays. Not that I’ve ever sold one. Or landed an agent.
Nope, to my mother’s everlasting shame, I was an unpublished dreamer. A barista who walked dogs to make ends meet when I wasn’t typing away every free moment I had. Thank god for my father. Unlike my mom, he was supportive of my dreams. I swore my mom would only be happy if I was married and popping out kids like my brother Eric and his wife were.
Ha. Joke was on her. I didn’t have time for a man in my life.
“Pongo!” I called to the prancing Dalmatian. “Come on, boy. Time to go home.”
Because I had about forty minutes to get to my other job and traffic was insane this time of day.
I’d taken about five steps with Pongo at my side when he gave a bark and dashed off.
“Pongo!” I yelled, but he didn’t even look over his shoulder at me. He’d always obeyed me before. “Pongo! Come!”
Instead, he crashed into a guy walking toward us. I watched in horror as they both went down in a tangle of flailing legs and fur. But over the sound of the ocean, I heard laughter.
I raced over to them. “I am so, so sorry. This big lug needs to learn some manners. Are you okay?”
The man pushed Pongo away from licking his face, and I gasped.
Roman Grier.
Pongo had tackled Roman Grier, Hollywood’s golden boy and my personal celebrity crush, RomanfreakingGrier.
I felt distinctly light-headed. Taking a few swaying steps toward them, I grabbed Pongo’s collar and hauled him off the movie star. “I am so, so sorry. He usually listens to me. I’ve never had him tackle anyone but me.”
Pongo strained against my hold, whining as he stretched to lick Roman Grier.
