I may forget things at times, but there’s one thing I’m fairly certain of… that I asked Kyle Ryders to notify the police if he left the city. 1
He didn’t. Go figure. 2
Not one of his friends thought to inform either Gio or myself that Kyle had taken off for his 'vacation home' straight from the film studio... mere hours after I talked with him regarding his assumed stalker. 3
So, being the idiot I am, I called his agent to find out where he was... and the agent calls my superior...4
And now I’m stuck in some half-baked plan cooked up by his agent … or maybe it was his director’s daughter who thought it up (fits right up her alley)… and stuck in the car on a damn hot day driving just under six hours to Rio del Mar.
At least the drive gives me time to cool down enough that I won’t want to kick his ass the moment I see him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5
The buzzer for the gate sounded four times before Kyle finally stopped pretending to ignore it. Pushing himself up from the couch, he grabbed the remote control off the coffee table, turned the volume down, and tossed the remote somewhere behind him as he walked to the door. 6
Pushing the button for the intercom, he forced himself to be calm at the insistent interruption. “What?” he asked.7
“Mr. Ryders?” an annoyingly familiar voice came back.8
Eyes closing slowly in disbelief, Kyle shook his head. “What are you doing here?”9
“I need to speak with you,” Izzy replied. 10
“I’m not really in the mood to-“11
“I just drove nearly six hours, in the damn California heat, Mr. Ryders,” she interrupted. 12
Sighing in annoyance, he stared at the intercom for a few moments. “Fine.” Pushing the button to release the gate in the property fence, he walked to the kitchen, grabbing a fresh beer, and waited for the woman who had breached his little sanctuary. 13
“All I wanted was a few days alone,” he said to the empty house. The noise of a car pulling up made its way through an open window, followed by the closing of a car door, then footsteps on the cobblestone walkway. Taking a drink from the bottle in his hand as she knocked on the door, he purposely waited a little bit longer before moving. 14
Opening the door, Kyle stared at the visitor. “Detective,” he said in a neutral tone. 15
“Mr. Ryders,” Izzy replied. “May I come in?”16
”Would it matter if I said no?” Kyle asked in a tired voice. 17
“Yes, it would.”18
Staring at her, he contemplated slamming the door in her face and going back to sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing. His place in Rio del Mar was his hide-out, his sanctuary, his ‘alone’ time place where he liked to go when things got a little weird in Hollywood. “Why are you here?”19
“I asked you to inform me if you were leaving the city.” 20
“You going to arrest me for not telling you?”21
“Probably not.”22
Lowering his eyes, he stared at the small suitcase she had by her feet. “Planning on staying?”23
“If you’re not coming back, then yes, I am.”24
“And if I say no?”25
Izzy sighed. “Look, Mr. Ryders. There’s someone stalking you, and until she’s caught, it has been decided that where you go, I go.”26
“Decided by whom?”27
“It seems your agent has some persuasion on certain matters.” She grimaced slightly. “Apparently, I’m to act as your… lady interest.” 28
“Christopher wants you to-“ stopping, he turned, stormed to the phone, quickly dialed a number, and hit the speaker function. 29
“Word Agencies,” a woman’s voice answered.30
“Christopher Word, please,” Kyle said.31
“I’m sorry, but Mr. Word is in a meeting, and-“32
“Tell him it’s Kyle Ryders, and that he best damn take the call.”33
“One moment, please.” The woman’s voice was replaced by dead air, which quickly changed to a man’s deep tones. 34
“Kyle,” he said in a friendly tone, his voice having the far away sound to it.35
“Take me off the speaker phone, Christopher,” Kyle ordered. “Now.”36
A small click, and then the voice was back with a normal tone. “What’s with the anger, Kyle?”37
“I don’t know,” Kyle said sarcastically, looking at Izzy. “Oh, no, wait... I remember. What the hell is your problem?”38
“Ah,” came the understanding reply. “I take it that you have a guest?”39
“Un-fucking-invited, yes.”40
There was a pause, then Christopher’s voice came back in a leery tone. “Are you drunk?”41
“Most likely,” Kyle said, taking a drink from the bottle in his hand. “This is pissing me off, Chris. I don’t mind you whoring me out for movie parts, but I’m offended that you didn’t think enough to talk to me about this first.” 42
“Look, Kyle. It seems that someone is stalking you, and as your agent, and friend, I’m concerned.”43
“Bull fuck,” Kyle said. “The only thing stalking me is your overactive imagination.”44
“Kyle, what’s done is done. Your contract has a specific clause that allows me to usurp you in situations like this. When you’re sober, you’ll realize I’m right. Now man up, shut the fuck up, accept the help and don’t fucking drunk call me again to whine over it.”45
The phone went dead, leaving Kyle staring at Izzy as she stood just outside the doorway. Muttering under his breath about what an asshole Christopher was, Kyle was still hesitant in letting her come in. All he wanted was to get away for a few days, preferably alone, and most preferably drunk. 46
“Don’t I get a say in this?” he asked, walking to her.47
“You get about as much say as I did,” Izzy said. “Which, if were any, I wouldn’t be here.”48
“Do I have to kiss you?”49
“I hope not.”50
“Come on in, then,” Kyle said, moving to the side. 51
Gaping at him, Izzy remained in the doorway for a few moments. From her vantage point, she could see that the house was rather small when compared to his Nichols Canyon address. Tastefully decorated in earthy tones, the large living room divided from the kitchen by a counter. 52
Completely ignoring her, Kyle went to the kitchen, grabbed another beer bottle from the fridge, then went to the living room. Nearly falling on to the couch, he stared at her. “In or out,” he said. “Make up your mind.” 53
Finally entering, Izzy placed her small suitcase on a chair and regarded him. Not even three in the afternoon, and he looked well on his way to being drunk. 54
Looking as a phone rang, Kyle swore as he stood and stalked over to the handset. Expecting it to be his agent, the anger on his face vanished when he saw the call display, and he picked the phone up, walking away. Stopping long enough to grab his beer, he went to the patio doors, and outside, closing the glass behind him.55
Shaking her head lightly, Izzy couldn’t believe that she was with the world’s most eligible bachelor, in his private vacation home, and he seemed to only have eyes for drinking. Not that she actually wanted him to have eyes for her, but it would have been nice if he actually paid her more than two seconds worth of attention. 56
Grabbing her suitcase, she looked around briefly and spotting a hallway, set off for it. Opening one door, she looked in at an unmade bed, and closed the door. Turning, she tried the door across the hall, and then walked in when she realized that it was unoccupied. Placing the suitcase on the bed, she zipped it open, taking out clothing so they wouldn’t be too wrinkled. 57
She had no idea on what to expect when she drove up, and had packed a few different outfits based on what she assumed the place would be like. Rio del Mar wasn’t a huge ‘movie star’ destination, and that was about the only thing that made her agree to this ‘stick to Kyle Ryders’ scheme those higher than her had concocted. 58
A knock on the bedroom door startled her, and she turned as it swung open. Kyle looked at her. “Why would the police be talking to my mother?”59
Izzy shrugged lightly, figuring that was what the phone call had been about. “A lot of times, when someone is being followed or stalked, the person will contact a parent or family member to try to get information.” 60
“I see,” he replied slowly. “And just asking me to call mom to check if anyone flaky asked for personal information was too much trouble?” 61
“It may have upset her to-“62
“And the police asking wouldn’t upset her?” he asked methodically. “News flash here, Isobel. I have hundreds of flaky people asking about me all the time.”63
“It was standard investigative protocol,” she told him, not wanting to sound defensive. “And why do you keep calling me Isobel?”64
“Because it’s your name?”65
“Everyone else calls me Izzy.” 66
“I know.” Turning, he walked out of the room and vanished into the one across the hall from her. 67
Turning back to her suitcase, she wondered what he meant by that. Did he consider himself so special that he had to use her full first name instead of one that everyone else used? 68
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~69
Flinging the phone back to his desk, Christopher Word stared at all present. “Meeting adjourned,” he said in a terse voice, watching as the assorted agency’s staff quickly got up and hurried for the door. 70
“Mari!” he called, turning the same time his secretary poked her head in his office. “Get me Liam Hunter on the phone.”71
“Who?”72
“Kyle Ryders’ security guy,” he clarified. “He’s listed as Kyle’s emergency contact number.”73
“Right away, sir.” Ducking out, it took less than a minute to retrieve the information, then her voice came over his speaker phone. “Mr. Hunter is on line two.”74
Jabbing at the phone, Christopher leaned back in his chair. “Liam,” he said pleasantly. 75
“What do you want, Christopher?” Liam asked, already suspicious why Kyle’s agent was calling him, and not Greg, who usually handled that side of the business. 76
“Any idea where Kyle is?”77
“Of course,” Liam replied. “And I’m sure you know, too.”78
“Rio del Mar, yes.” Leaning forward, Christopher placed his arms on the desk. “Look, I need you to help me convince him of something.”79
“That would depend on what it is,” Liam said diplomatically. 80
“I feel that he’s got himself a stalker, and although it’s good for publicity, it’s not good when a woman is killed because of it.”81
“Jesus, Christopher,” Liam moaned. “Don’t tell me you’re reading trash magazines and buying the shit they print?”82
“Of course…not. Regardless, the police agree with me, and here’s where the problem lies. I’ve worked it out so that a detective will act as his, lady interest, as it were, and bait the stalker.”83
Liam was silent for a few moments. “Interesting,” he said in a speculative tone. “You’ve decided to push a woman onto Kyle, without his consent, and without clearing it with his security, and you wouldn’t be telling me this unless it’s already in motion and Kyle called you to deliver a kick in the ass.”84
“Call him and convince him,” Christopher ordered. 85
“Whoa,” Liam said. “I’m not your bitch, so you can blow any orders regarding me.”86
“He’s going to self-destruct if he ignores this. A stalker who kills… no one will touch him for a role. He needs to play nice with this detective and at least act like they’re screwing each other.”87
”How charming,” Liam said. “And how nice of you to skull-fuck him from the safety of your office. Kyle’s coming back in a couple days, and unless he’s killed whoever you sent, and hid her body, I’ll talk to him.”88
“It’s a Detective Grant.”89
Laughter erupted over the phone. “You better get him that role in the new Spielberg movie that he’s been asking for, cause you’re going to owe him big time for wanting him to pretend to like that woman.” 90
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~91
He was on the couch, or rather half on the couch, half on the floor. Lying on his stomach, his right arm and leg were on the floor, resting amongst the litter of beer bottles. Kyle had ignored her for the rest of the afternoon, and made it painfully obvious that he would probably rather suffer multiple snake bites to the groin than have her in his hideaway. 92
Tired of being ignored, and beat from the long drive, Izzy was starting to get annoyed and bored with his attitude. Spotting a hot tub on the patio, she’d asked if she could use it, and getting a noncommittal grunt from him, she quickly changed to her swimsuit and grabbed the chance to get out of the house. Once in the steaming water, she’d taken a long time, soaking away the tension and giving both herself and Kyle time to cool down.93
Coming out after about an hour of relaxation, she discovered that he’d basically drunk himself to the passing out stage. Shaking her head, Izzy started to walk away, but spite prompted her to decide to wake him. After all, it was nearly seven in the evening. Going to the couch, she raised her leg and kicked the side of it. 94
“Get up!” she yelled at the same time. 95
Jerking awake, Kyle’s gaze whipped to her, and she could swear that she saw terror in those emerald eyes before he realized where he was. 96
“Lord fuck, woman,” he said, his voice hoarse. “Don’t wake me like that.”97
Lord fuck? “You’re just a bundle of sunshine today, aren’t you?”98
“Let me kick you awake and see how it feels.” Moving so he could sit on the couch, he moaned, then opted for lying down. 99
“I didn’t kick you.” 100
“Fine,” he mumbled, placing an arm over his eyes. “You didn’t kick me.”101
”You all right?”102
He was silent, hoping that she’d give up asking questions, and he could get back to sleep. Peeking out from under his arm after a few minutes, and seeing that she was still there, he growled lightly. “I don’t like being woken abruptly,” he said. “Freaks me out.”103
“Freaks you out how?”104
Sitting up and ignoring the way the room seemed to spin, he glared. “I don’t see where that’s any of your business, really.” Standing, he stumbled as he turned. Catching himself before falling, he kicked a few of the empty bottles out of the way. “I’m goin’ to bed.” 105
“Kyle?”106
He continued until reaching the hallway that led to the rest of the house. Stopping with a groan, he turned and looked at her. “Yes?”107
“Do you have internet access here?”108
He shrugged. “Dunno, really. I come here to get away from everything.” Snorting in amusement, he shook his head. “Funny how it never quite works as planned.” Turning back to the hall, he vanished into the shadows. 109
Making it to his room, he fell on to the bed, not even bothering to get under the covers. Staring at the dark walls, he sighed. “Now I’m awake.” 110
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~111
“You see the newest Enquirer?” Davy asked, holding the gossip paper up. 112
Glancing at it, Liam cocked his head in annoyed disbelief. Taking the paper from Davy, he read the headline blurb that was posted over a picture of Kyle. “His father speaks,” Liam read out loud, his tone showing that he couldn’t believe someone would be crass enough to sell memories of someone’s childhood. “’Reaching out to his son, only to be ignored?’ What is this shit?”113
Leafing through the paper, he came to the page in question and quickly read through it. “What a complete dickhead,” he said while reading. “Glossing over the shit he put Kyle through for nine years, and making himself look like the victim.” 114
“I don’t really remember him,” Davy said in an irate tone. “But what I do remember fits right in with this whole article. He’s still trying to hurt Kyle.”115
Tossing the paper aside, Liam shook his head. “He knew the paper was printing a story, but I don’t think he knew it would be this in-depth. Greg around?”116
“Took off a while ago,” Davy replied. “Said he wanted to discuss a few things with Kyle’s agent. Personally, I think he’s pissed that Christopher cut everyone out of the decision making and he wants to find out what else is going on.”117
“Don’t blame him. It pissed me off, too. I’m holding off on calling Kyle because it’ll probably piss him off that we didn’t know. I don’t want to be adding extra pressure unless it’s necessary.” He paused. “But he’ll want to know about the Enquirer article.”118
Grabbing a phone, Liam dialed a number and waited. “It’s me,” he said as the call automatically went through to Kyle voice mail. “Enquirer article is out, and it’s not pretty. Just wanted to let you know.”119
Davy smirked as the other man disconnected the call. “You called his voice mail? Too scared to tell him in person?”120
“Fuck off, shit for brains,” Liam said, humor in his tone. “His cell is always turned off at night when he’s in Rio del Mar…and he’s probably passed out by now anyway and wouldn’t hear the phone.” 121
“Excuses. You just don’t want to piss him off more than he already is.”122
“He’s not the only one getting pissed off,” Liam said pointedly.123
“Whatever,” Davy said, ignoring the not so veiled threat. “You’re just an asshole anyway. Kyle, on the other hand, is too tense lately, and it’s messing with his karma, or psyche, or qi, ch’i, or whatever it’s called, ” Davy said. “He needs to get laid.”124
“That’s your answer for everything.”125
”What’s your point?” Davy leaned back in his chair and regarded Liam evenly. “Can you honestly tell me that Kyle’s fine the way he is? Sabine’s pissing him off, this Detective Grant’s pissing him off and he’s fucking whining about the stupidest things lately. Like, when the fuck did he ever care about people partying in his house?”126
“When you decided to turn it into an orgy?” Liam asked. 127
“Fuck off.”128
“Blow me.”129
”Not even on your best day,” Davy replied. “And now this talk about a stalker, and shit.”130
“Kyle’ll be fine,” Liam said. “He’s taking a break.”131
“With bitch cop.”132
Liam shrugged. “He’ll be fine.” 133
“I still say he needs to get laid.” Davy stood. “Since his royal pain in the ass doesn’t want people coming over for a while, I’m taking off for the night. I’m not going to have to remember a bunch of security shit when I come back, am I?”134
“You’re fine,” Liam said. “The front gate will just need your pass card, retinal scan, dental imprint, thumb print and ass impression.”135
Staring, Davy wasn’t sure if he was serious or not… one never quite knew when it came to Liam. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “You’re not in the FBI any more, fucknuts.”136
“Fucknuts?” Liam repeated. “Go get laid or something, you’re starting to annoy me.” 137
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~138
Jerking awake as hard rock music vibrated through her, Izzy raised her head and tried to focus on the clock by the bed. Six in the morning, and someone was doing their best to piss her off. 139
Grabbing her housecoat, she walked out of the bedroom, and into the main area of the house. The music was coming from the living room, and being sung along to by Kyle, who was in the kitchen… cooking. 140
He turned from the stove, spotted her, and raised a remote to the living room. The music lowered considerably. “Did I wake you?” he asked in a pathetically fake tone. 141
“Yes.”142
“Good.” Turning back to the stove, he turned a few burners off, and nodded to the table. “Grab a seat, Isobel,” he said. “We’re going to get a few things in the open.”143
Not sure if she even wanted to bother, she slowly went to the table, surprised to see a basic buffet already set out. “You cook?”144
“Of course,” he said as if the answer was obvious. “Davy burns water, Greg only knows how to make cereal, and Liam eats disgusting healthy crud. Someone’s gotta feed me.” 145
“So hire a cook.”146
Grabbing a piece of French toast, he took a bite, chewed, then swallowed. ”This is what I’m talking about. You seem to think I’m some dumb-ass flake that’s only interested in the perks.”147
“I do not.” 148
“You despise me, actually, and it’s kind of annoying.”149
”I do not hate you,” she said, wishing she could put a little more emphasis in her tone. 150
“Bull…shit.” Taking another bite, he paused and motioned to the table. “Help yourself.” 151
Picking some bacon and an omelet, Izzy stalled for time while she worked out what to say. “All right, I may have thought you were a flake at the beginning.”152
“And now?” he asked, taking a drink of spiked coffee. 153
“You’re not that big of a flake.” 154
“Yet you still think I’m not worth your time because of my profession.”155
“Didn’t say that.”156
“Didn’t have to,” he said. “I can read it in your demeanor every time you look at me.” Not having much more of an appetite, he concentrated on his coffee, wishing he’d poured just a bit more alcohol in it. “Do you know why I didn’t move to California until I was twenty three?”157
“No.”158
“I decided to graduate college first,” he said. “I had contacts from half the universities on the east coast, offering me a full scholarship if I took dramatic arts.” He paused to take a drink of coffee. “I opted to go to a regional college because I actually wanted to do construction engineering. Acting was just something I did to pass time.”159
“What made you change your mind?”160
“Last year of studies, me, Davy, Greg and a friend of ours, Steven, were driving home from late classes. Drunk in a truck ran the red, and the next thing I remember is hearing my mother crying as I woke in the hospital. Steve was killed on impact, and Davy was in the hospital for a couple months.” 161
He fell silent as he stared at the plates of food on the table. “After that, I couldn’t get my mind wrapped around the basics of my studies. I knew the work, aced the exams, but when I tried to put it to practical use, I would end up just staring at things.”162
He looked at her. “So, when the insurance company paid out, I thought ‘what the hell’, and moved west.” Exhaling, he picked up his plate and brought it to the counter. “I have to go out today, and I’d prefer you not trailing behind me.”163
“But-“164
“No,” he said, turning. “I have some things to do, and I want to be alone to do them.”165
“I’d really like to oblige,” Izzy said. “But I can’t. I have my orders from not only my lieutenant, but the damn Police Captain to stick to you like glue.”166
“Great.”167
“Plus, you’ve been drinking,” she pointed out, motioning to the coffee mug in his hand. “So, it’s either me, or a DUI.”168
“You make it sound so tempting,” he replied, taking another drink from the mug. “Fine. You can come with, but you have to keep your questions to yourself.” 169
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~170
Sitting in her car as she watched the gate to Kyle Ryders’ Nichols Canyon home, the woman checked her watch. She’d been waiting since early morning, and so far he had yet to emerge. 171
It wasn’t like him at all. He was always on time for the studio, and since she’d been able to get a shooting schedule near the beginning of filming, she knew where he was most of the time. 172
Except for today. 173
Actually, she didn’t remember him arriving back home for the past two nights, either, and started to worry. Hoping that he wasn’t with that bitch that he’d shown up at his friend’s party with, she replayed the memory in her mind again. 174
She had arrived a little after midnight at the party for one of his inane friends, and Kyle wasn’t there. Hanging around, she’d gotten nervous when a couple seemed to be staring at her, so taking off for the pool area and slipping by a security guard took care of that. 175
She’d made it back to the house around three, and the couple that she’d been hiding from were no where to be seen… however, neither was Kyle. She was just about ready to call it quits when he arrived back home. And hanging off his arm had been a pretty woman. 176
That completely pissed her off, and she’d glared at the slut even after Kyle slipped away once again. Then, before she knew it, the women he’d brought with him also vanished. Angry when she imagined what they were doing, she stuck around until just before dawn, planning on questioning the slut just to see what her intentions where with her Kyle. 177
Sometime before six that morning, her fatigue finally won out and she left without seeing Kyle again. That made her morose since she’d been in love with the man ever since she’d seen him on the studio film lot shooting scenes for the first Geoff Saturn movie. And she knew that he liked her, too… she could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. At the movie's premier, he had smiled at her, and it warmed her heart so much that it seemed like she was the only person in the entire theatre. 178
After the party and a restless sleep, she needed to clear her mind, and to see the spot in the park where Sabine Valance had almost been hit, and where Kyle had performed a heroic stunt that fit right in with his whole character. 179
At the park... she knew it was Kyle because she had been outside the gate one time when he exited on a bike wearing that same jacket, so she knew it by sight. She wasn’t sure why he pretended to not be himself, and wasn’t sure why he seemed intent on sniffing around the same woman that had been staring at her the night before. 180
This wasn’t the one he had come home with…and she had to wonder just how many women she had to go through to get him to notice her. 181
Pulling her attention back to the gate as it opened, she tensed in giddy anticipation. It died quickly when she realized that it wasn’t Kyle leaving. Wondering just where he could be, she settled back in her car and waited. 182
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~183
Kneeling in front of the headstone, Kyle placed a hand on the smooth marble surface and lowered his head like in prayer. Izzy could see his lips moving, but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. He took something small out of his pocket, raised it to his lips, kissed it, then placed it on the grass, pushing it gently into the ground with his fingers184
Standing, he kissed his fingertips, then placed them on the top of the grave marker. Making his way back to Izzy, he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, not really wanting to talk to her. Walking straight past where she was standing, he got in the car and waited for her to join him. 185
Climbing in, Izzy started the car and drove away in silence. “Hungry?” she asked. “Or would going to a restaurant invite too much attention.”186
Kyle shrugged, his attention out the windshield. “It’s okay. I’ve been coming here for years, so I’m basically ignored.” He glanced at her, then went back to staring. 187
“No one knows you here?”188
“No one cares who I am in Rio del Mar.” 189
“And that’s important to you?”190
“What do you want me to say, Isobel?” he asked, frustration and weariness creeping through. “If I like the attention, then I’m an attention whore. If I want to be left alone, I’m a temperamental star.” He looked out the side window. “I can’t fucking win with you.” 191
“Damn, you’re moody today.”192
He looked at her again. “Am I not allowed to be?” he demanded lightly. “You have a bad day, and it’s chalked up to work. I have a bad day and most times it ends up on the front page of some trash paper.” 193
“It’s not all about you, you know?” she asked, pulling into a small parking lot outside of a restaurant that he pointed to. 194
“No?” he asked. “Then why are you here?” Opening the door, he got out, and headed for the restaurant. 195
Tempted to leave him stranded, Izzy’s foot hovered over the clutch before pulling back and turning the car off. “Asshole,” she muttered as she got out. Walking to the restaurant, she entered, coming up short as Kyle stood in the foyer of the stylish Spanish-inspired restaurant, talking to a tall, beautiful Latina with long black hair tied back in a simple, yet decorative braid. Her eyes smiled as she looked at Kyle, and Izzy felt a stab of unfamiliar jealously with the friendly smile Kyle was returning. 196
Clearing her throat, both looked. Kyle rolled his eyes slightly, said something in Spanish that Izzy didn’t quite catch. The woman gave a throaty laugh, then took a step towards Izzy.197
“I hear you’ve been giving my cousin a hard time,” she said, her voice smooth and lightly accented. “Good. He deserves it sometimes.”198
“Your… cousin?” Izzy asked, her eyes tracking from Kyle’s fair skin, light brown hair and emerald eyes, to the woman’s dark tanned skin, brown eyes and black hair. 199
“She’s a cop, Izzy,” Kyle said, smirking as the woman smiled. 200
“She’s a cop, too?” Izzy asked. 201
“Nope,” Kyle said. He motioned to the woman. “This is Esmeralda, or as I call her, Izzy,” He looked at Esmeralda. “Izzy, this is... uh Izzy.”202
“Pleased to meet you,” Esmeralda said. “Please, call me Mera to avoid confusion.” She looked at Kyle, “You too, big shot.” 203
“Okay, whoa,” Izzy said, taking a step back. “You’re cousins?”204
“Step-cousins, actually,” Mera said. “My father’s brother married his mother.” She looked at Kyle. “Have you been to see our Abuela yet?”205
“Just came from there,” Kyle said, his smile eroding slightly. “So, you going to seat us, or do I take my business elsewhere?”206
“You eat anywhere else while you’re in Rio del Mar, and I’ll spit in your coffee.”207
Laughing, Kyle followed Mera as she led them to a table overlooking the back flowered courtyard. Sitting in the chair, Izzy waited until she walked away. “She works here?”208
“Owns it, actually,” Kyle said, grabbing a menu. ”She can’t cook worth shite, but her husband is a fantastic chef.”209
“When you said we just came from visiting your grandmother…?”210
Glancing up from the menu, Kyle studied her. He wanted to ignore the question, but she’d only keep harping at him until he answered. “She died five years ago,” he said quietly. “I come see her every time I’m here. In fact, she’s the reason I bought a place in Rio del Mar. I can’t get to the east coast all the time, but just a six hour drive up the California coast brings me to family.”211
Smiling gently, Izzy picked up the menu and looked it over. “Everything looks great,” she said. “Any recommendations?” 212
“I usually get whatever the special of the day is,” he said. Raising a hand, he rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry for what I said in the car. I’ve been a little pissed off and tense lately. But, that’s no excuse.” 213
Nodding her head in accession, Izzy put the menu down. “I guess I can be a little single minded at times… but I’m doing what I do so that you’ll remain safe.”214
“My hero,” he whispered sarcastically. Clearing his throat, he took a brief look around. “Here’s the deal. You don’t like me, and I’m not overly impressed with you. Since you’re supposed to be some sort of bait, which I strongly disapprove of, by the way, not just because it’s you, we’re just both going to have to suck it up and get along.” 215
“You don’t like me?” she asked. “That’s going to make it harder for you to act all lovey-dovey when you look at me.”216
”All what?” Shaking his head, Kyle leaned back slightly. “Acting like you like someone is one of he easiest things to pull off,” he said. “I do it all the time. Hollywood is full of people who will smile at your face while planning exactly when to drive that knife into your back.”217
“How charming.”218
He smiled. “There are more than a few people I’d love to metaphorically shove a shiv into, and snap off the handle, but on the whole, it’s just too much hassle to even bother. Hating takes up far too much energy.”219
“Yet, you don’t like me.”220
“Guess you’re just special, then.” 221
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1 - 5 of 5
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Smooth
Really admire the flow, casual nature of the narrative and dialogue, transitions between characters. Guess I'm waiting for the action to start.
beginning: 4, language: 3, plot: 3, ending: 3, dialog: 4, characters: 4.
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This was very good. There are a few errors, maybe go back and reread what you wrote. Ohter than that I enjoyed reading this pice. very good!
beginning: 3, language: 4, plot: 4, ending: 4, dialog: 3, characters: 3.
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It just keeps on rolling. I'm running out of praises to throw at you. lol Great stuff as usual.
A few things I caught-
para.13 - 'he "stared" at the intercom'
para.174 - 'she didn't remember him "arriving" back'
para.185 - 'he shoved "his" hands'
para.197 - 'said something in "Spanish" that Izzy'
para.205 - 'Have you been to see "our Abuelita" yet'
The last one is fine as is but flows better this way. Trust me.
The little english words 'arse, shite' were they on purpose, the characters being silly or something else?
I usually shy away from stories that have all the chapters put together but this one could easily pull it off. In a way I'm glad you didn't, this allows me to space out my reading time.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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shite would be me being Canadian
, but, I find shite more... polite, I guess, than saying someone cooks like shit. As for arse... I thought I changed that 
Thanks for pointing out errors!
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I like the way this chapter reads, no skids or bumps.
But, to effectively rate this story I would have to go back to the very beginning and read it through to the end, that would only be fair.
So, I will tag this story as a to-read and return at a later time to reread it from the beginning and grant you the high rating that I feel this particular chapter deserves for being well written and engaging.
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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