Free On Sunset Beach by Mariah Stewart

year,” Cam told her. “But I did recognize a few cars while I was looking for a spot to park. Let’s go on in and see who’s here …”
    Carly trailed a few steps behind Ellie and Cam, feeling just a little out of place. She reminded herself that she’d been wanting to visit the inn. Hadn’t Grace said that one of Carolina’s works hung in the lobby? Carly was itching to take a look.
    The party for Grace’s son was in what Grace hadreferred to as the drawing room near the front of the building, and was already in full swing when Carly, Ellie, and Cam arrived.
    “You weren’t kidding, Ellie,” Carly said from the corner of her mouth. “I’ll bet half the town
is
here.”
    “Ford grew up in St. Dennis,” Cam reminded her. “Everyone in town knows him. I guess a lot of people wanted to stop by and say hi.”
    “Which one is the welcome-home guy?” Carly asked.
    “I don’t know,” Ellie said. “I’ve never met him either. Cam?”
    Cameron looked around the room. “I don’t see him, but he’s got to be here somewhere. There’s Grace … and I see Lucy and Clay … and Dan and his kids.” He nodded. “Yeah, Ford must be around since his entire family is here.”
    Carly did recognize some of Ellie’s friends she’d met before. Dallas MacGregor and her husband, Grant Wyler, gestured for the newly arrived threesome to join them. Carly had been secretly pleased that the movie star had remembered her and greeted her by name.
    “Dallas, I heard about your new venture,” Carly said. Everyone had heard about the new studio and film production company Dallas had started in St. Dennis. It had been the talk of Hollywood—and therefore the magazines—for months. “I wish you much success with your film.
Pretty Maids
, right? From the book?”
    Dallas nodded. “We plan to start shooting in two weeks. I can hardly wait.”
    “You’re filming locally?” Carly asked, though she knew the answer. That, too, had been in the news. Everyone in town knew that Dallas was more at home in St. Dennis than she was in Hollywood.
    “Yes. We’re looking for extras, if you’d like to make your film debut. We need people on the street, that sort of thing.” Dallas put a hand on Carly’s arm. “Though I’m sure you have better things to do. I heard about the plan you have for the carriage house at the Enright place, and I think it’s a brilliant idea to put it to good use. There are very few stone buildings in St. Dennis and that one is a beauty.”
    “How’d you hear about it so fast?” Carly laughed. “We only met and discussed it this morning.”
    “Ed brought his cat in for shots this afternoon,” Dallas explained. “Besides being the only veterinarian in town, Grant’s also on the town council this year.”
    “So does your husband think the idea is brilliant, too?” Carly couldn’t help but ask.
    “He does, but like Ed, he wants to see what Cameron comes up with. I have total confidence in Cam. I’m sure he’ll do a fabulous job. He and his crew just finished some renovations on our house and everything they did was perfection.” Dallas leaned a little closer to Carly. “Ed also said you were writing a book about one of the local artists you’d be highlighting at the gallery. An ancestor of Ellie’s?”
    “Yes, Carolina Ellis was Ellie’s great-great-grandmother. Ellie was kind enough to loan me Carolina’s journals and diaries as references. Since so little is known about her as an artist and as a woman, I thought her biography would be a nice introduction to her work.”
    “Could I impose on you for an early copy of your work? I’m looking ahead for my next project, and I’d love to do a film about a woman artist.” Dallas added,“A woman artist from St. Dennis would be even better.”
    It was all Carly could do to keep her composure. “I’ll send you the manuscript when I’m finished. I hope I can do her justice. Carolina was quite the girl. She was crazy talented and made