Free Playing it Kale (The McCain Saga Book 4) by Keary Taylor

willing to sleep on the couch.   So
that just leaves one bedroom left.   And
there’s one of me and one of Kale.
    There’s a king bed in the last bedroom
that Kale walks into.   He sets my bag on
it, apparently he packed one for me, and that’s all kinds of surprisingly sweet.   And then my brain starts going crazy trying
to think of solutions to the shortage of bedrooms.
    “I’ll take the couch,” Kale says as if
he can read my thoughts.
    “You don’t have to,” I say, shaking my
head.   “Technically you’re the one paying
for all this, so it’s only fair you get to sleep on an actual bed.”
    “Unless you’re cool with me sleeping in the bed with you, there’s no way I’m
letting you sleep on the couch,” he says with a shake of his head and that
lopsided smile.   “I’m not that much of a
jerk.”
    These things he keeps saying turn me all
mushy, and I’m pretty sure my body is going to do something my brain might try
to overthink, when we hear the door open and the sound of a thousand grocery
bags land somewhere.
    “I promise I’m not breaking and
entering,” a female voice calls out.   Kale and I poke our heads out to see a plump younger woman with brown
hair braided over her shoulder putting groceries and other bags down on the
kitchen counter.   “Calvin, whoever he is,
called me and asked me to feed you guys for the next few days.   He also asked me to pick up some clothes for
you and the scary-looking guy outside.   Not too many options here on island, so I hope what I got works.”
    “Uh, thanks,” Kale says.   And I notice he stands just slightly in front
of me, like he’s maybe protecting me.   Seriously?
    “I’m Jamie Hayes, by the way,” she says
with a smile as she starts putting food away and sorting everything.   “That Calvin guy said I’m not allowed to ask
your names.   Which seems super fishy, but
I’m just going to assume the two of you are some kind of celebrity couple on
vacation and don’t want news leaking out.”
    Kale and I look at each other and we
chuckle.
    “Guess we should have assumed people
would think we were together,” I say with a blush.   Which I keep doing every
two seconds these days.   “You were
in your underwear in that picture they got.”
    “Are you embarrassed of me or
something?” Kale asks in mock offense.   “I mean , is the idea of the world thinking we
could be together offensive?”
    “Shut up,” I say with a roll of my eyes
and a shake of my head.   “Don’t even try
to act like that.”
    Jamie laughs.   “You two are adorable together.   So figure out your status, cause the two of you are driving me crazy with all your chemistry.”
    Once again, we both laugh.
    “Come on,” Kale says, taking my hand
dramatically.   “Let’s go check out that
beach.”
    Like a couple of lovers on a honeymoon,
we walk down to the beach.   A little
trail cuts through the trees and underbrush, and suddenly, we pop out on a
sandy, rocky beach.   The sun shines
brightly, the air is warm, and for the first time since I woke up this morning,
I feel as if I can breathe.
    I drop Kale’s hand, walk out into the edge of the water, shoes and all.   I close my eyes, spread my arms, and spin.
    For a long time I’ve imagined my “big
break.”   I imagined what it’d be like to
be famous and to have fans and for my songs to be known.   And it terrified me, but it was still
something I wanted.   Now that it’s
coming—maybe—it’s just not what I expected.   It’s scary.
    But when I open my eyes, it’s all been
worth it.   Cause there’s Kale.   And here’s me.
    And he’s so much more than in my
fantasies.   Because in
those he was just a hot bod and a famous name.
    Here he is, smiling at me, taking care
of me.   And saying all these things I
never would have expected.
    “You’re so different, Whitney,” he says,
his voice serious.   “Thanks for erupting
into my life.   I needed you.”
    I smile at him as I