Thanks For Coming To The Beach Party

This is the final excerpt from the beach party. Thanks for coming. I hope you've enjoyed all the excerpts. I'll post the winners of the prizes on Sunday evening. If you like Return Engagement you can buy it at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com

If you want to read the excerpts in order, go back to the first beach party post and work your way back here. Be sure to leave your email address if you make a comment so I can notify you if you win.

This excerpt picks up where the last one left off. Once again, thanks for coming.

She turned around and heard the rapid fire click of cameras. She smiled as she stepped back from Richard. “You’re going to make the tabloids again. For a minute I forgot about those paparazzi snakes. No matter where I go they follow me. They’ve even snapped pictures of the back of my head as I drove down the road, but I don’t see why any gossip magazines would want those. I make it a point never to give them anything except a big, sunny smile. Those guys are looking for dirt or to see me make a fool of myself. I won’t cooperate if I can help it.”

Richard shot the photographers such a black glare that it startled Elizabeth. “I don’t care,” he said. “I never did. You were the one who worried about it.”

Elizabeth still cared, but for a different reason. Alex didn’t make a habit of reading sleazy tabloids, but someone who knew her past history with Richard might call the pictures to his attention. After all, ten years ago her relationship with Richard had been major news. “You’ll have to work with me to get away from them. If not, we might as well invite them to sit with us.”

“How do you plan to get rid of them?” he asked.

“The same way I usually do.” She smiled at him. “A lot of the pictures you see aren’t really me at all.”

“You’re kidding,” Richard exclaimed. “Who is it? She looks a lot like you.”

“Of course she does,” Elizabeth smugly replied. “I hired a double to stand in for me when necessary. She’ll put on one of my outfits and some big sunglasses. Then she’ll drive my car home. After fifteen minutes or so, I’ll come out with no make up and sometimes a wig. I get into a six-year-old Honda and drive away.”

Richard laughed. “Very clever. Where do you want me to wait on you?”

Elizabeth looked around. “How about that little cafe just down the boardwalk? The one with a pelican standing out front.”

Richard nodded. “I know where it is.”

“See you in a minute.”

Things worked just as Elizabeth said they would. A woman who looked very much like Elizabeth came out of Elizabeth’s trailer wearing an expensive looking dress that showed off her legs and breasts. She wore huge sunglasses which covered a large part of her face.

When the photographers saw the woman they rushed her, snapping pictures the entire time. He heard one of them yell,” Who’s the guy you were talking to, Elizabeth? Does Alex know he has a rival?”

The false Elizabeth didn’t answer. She smiled and waved in the man’s direction and got into a gold Lexus and drove away. To Richard’s surprise, several cars followed her. He frowned. He couldn’t stop them from taking pictures, but he’d bet anything he could keep them at bay with a good security team. They’d come a little too close for his peace of mind. Why didn’t she hire a big bodyguard or two?

Twenty minutes later Elizabeth joined him at the cafe. His heart picked up a little speed. She wore shorts and a tee shirt with her hair hanging loose, but nothing disguised her beauty. He’d seen stars who didn’t look too great without their makeup, but Elizabeth looked wonderful.

“I’m ready,” she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “What would you like to eat?”

“Hot dogs. Let’s walk down the beach and see what we can find. I don’t like the look of this place.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Okay, let’s see what we can find.”