Chapter Nine

Eli would never have known it was Thanksgiving if not for the giant inflatable turkey that currently sat on the beach. Seriously, that thing was huge—at least fifteen feet tall. He didn’t know who had put it there, but it hadn’t been there the previous evening.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” someone called from their bike as they peddled past on the boardwalk.

He nodded in acknowledgement as he continued to walk the shoreline but doubted the biker had seen, as they were already halfway down the road.

It was still early in the day, but the weather had turned unusually warm, and he felt uncomfortable in his leather jacket. Eli started to remove it, but then remembered the too-tight shirt he was wearing underneath. Benjamin wouldn’t have cared. He liked showing off his muscles. It was the whole purpose of wearing shirts that were a size too small. Fine. When in Rome, right? Or an alternate personality. Eli shrugged off his jacket, and a light breeze whipped past, instantly cooling him. He gave a contended sigh. Much better.

Thanksgiving.

Eli’s gaze swept over the white trailers that were all ready for production to begin the following week. They were empty now—locked. Everyone had gone home for the holiday weekend. They’d spend time with their families before they had to knuckle down with grueling days, trying to get as much done as they could in as little time as possible.

Maybe he should have gone home to Oklahoma. He missed his dad’s traditional, though dangerous, deep fried turkey. And his stepmom pacing around the yard, phone in hand, ready to call the fire department if something went amiss, like Eli’s dad catching the house on fire. Which he had nearly done. Twice.

Things were weird this year, though. His dad was still trying to wrap his head around Eli’s divorce. He had adored Diane and couldn’t understand how things had ended as they had. It hadn’t helped that his dad had heard all sorts of things on TV and in gossip columns, which had left Eli trying to clean up the mess and make sure he knew which things were true and which were exaggerations or, in some cases, complete lies. For a while his dad had thought the reason behind the divorce was that Eli had cheated on Diane. It had taken Eli a week to convince his dad otherwise.

That wasn’t the only reason Eli had stayed in Starlight Ridge. He had lines to memorize for the first scenes they’d film the following week. Just because it was a holiday didn’t mean he got to take time off. He had to work harder than anyone else—he’d known that would be the case when he took up acting—and it being a holiday didn’t change anything.

Eli stopped next to the small fenced area he’d erected several days earlier. Davis, the owner of the hardware shop, had been surprised at seeing Eli for a second time but had gladly sold him the needed supplies. He’d even made a small sign for Eli that declared this area as Jessie’s spot. Three low fences were connected, with one side open, the sign hanging at the front. Thankfully, it seemed to be holding up. Eli hadn’t been sure how it would behave on the sand, or if he’d come out one day to find it floating away into the sea.

Eli walked a bit further, then paused to watch the water moving in and out from the beach. It seemed to call to him, beckoning him closer. He knew it was probably a dumb move, but it was such a nice day, he heeded its call, first slipping his socks and shoes off, then rolling up his trousers. Not allowing himself a chance to talk himself out of it, Eli ran into the waves, water splashing up his legs.

“Oy!”

He jumped back out, his skin screaming in protest. It felt like a thousand needles had been stabbed into his legs, and the pain didn’t subside, the breeze he’d once relished now making it worse.

“I wouldn’t recommend going in the water without a wetsuit this time of year,” a man said behind him.

Eli spun around and found himself facing Caleb, the owner of the local scuba shop, and his wife. He couldn’t remember her name. It started with a B, he thought. Or maybe an L. Eli had visited them a few weeks earlier to get permission to film on the boardwalk in front of their shop. “Now you tell me,” he said with a grin, attempting to ignore the pain that persisted.

Caleb returned his smile. “I have a whole collection of wetsuits for you to choose from if you’re that desperate for a swim.”

“Turning my agony into a sales pitch. I like it.” This Caleb guy spoke Benjamin’s language.

Pink tinged Caleb’s cheeks. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Yes, he did,” his wife chimed in, which earned her an embarrassed nudge from Caleb.

Eli waved a hand through the air, cutting him off with a laugh. “No, really, that was brilliant. I’ll spread the word to my mates who wanted to fit in some surfing while we’re here. See if I can drum up some business for you.”

“I’d appreciate that.” Caleb turned as if to leave and continue his beachside stroll, but then paused. “You all by yourself today?”

That hit on a sore spot—that feeling of embarrassment that he didn’t have anyone else. But Benjamin didn’t need anyone else. He was fine on his own—or so he told himself. “I am.” He gave a shrug like it didn’t matter. “Figured someone needed to stick around and take care of things.”

“But it’s Thanksgiving,” Caleb’s wife said, seeming shocked that someone would be okay with that.

Eli nodded toward the inflatable creature that sat on the sand a few hundred yards from them and laughed. “I’ll admit that I nearly forgot, but luckily stumbled upon that monster of a turkey.” It had since attracted a few children, who were running around it, poking it, while their parents tried to stop them.

“His name is Teddy, and he’s a Starlight Ridge tradition,” Caleb said, not cracking a smile.

His wife did, though. “Starlight Ridge has a lot of those—traditions, I mean. Especially around the holidays.” She paused and exchanged knowing looks with Caleb. He gave a small nod. “Speaking of traditions,” she said, turning her attention back to Eli. “We tend to eat on Thanksgiving. A lot. We hadn’t realized you’d be staying in town and would like you to join us, if you’re not too busy.”

Eli was taken aback, and grateful, for the offer. But he was also very aware that, despite living in the small town for several weeks already, he was out of his element here—an outsider. And all the welcome baskets he’d received didn’t make him a resident of Starlight Ridge. It didn’t help that he now had the accent to further separate him from the locals. Thankfully everyone seemed to have taken it in stride.

“That’s really thoughtful,” he said, “but if it’s all the same to you, I do have a lot to take care of this afternoon and was just going to pop in at the diner.”

Caleb’s wife gave him what looked like an embarrassed smile, like she was about to be the bearer of bad news. “The diner is closed today. All the restaurants are.”

Oh. Right. Because in Starlight Ridge, everyone had someplace to go on Thanksgiving. Everyone was family. Or so it seemed. Except him.

“We’d really like it if you joined us,” Caleb said. “And if you’re worried about super fans, there won’t be anyone asking for pictures or autographs during dinner.” He waited a beat, then grinned. “We always wait until after dessert.”

Eli laughed. He hadn’t been worried about that aspect of things.

Just before the divorce, he’d considered hiring a couple of security guards to hang out around his home in LA, and maybe even when he went out, because of how crazy people could be. But everyone in Starlight Ridge had been respectful, and even though they had followed him around a bit the first couple of weeks of his stay, he could now go around town on his own. The novelty of his visit had worn off, and though he’d still see people sneak pictures on their phones, they usually settled for just waving and saying hi when they saw him.

Okay. Thanksgiving dinner. What would Benjamin do?

He’d accept the free food, then plan on excusing himself early. Intimate family dinners, especially with people he didn’t know well, made him anxious. Benjamin didn’t like the personal nature of it all. There would be questions he wouldn’t want to answer, and inside jokes he wouldn’t understand.

But he’d still go. Because staying in his trailer, alone on Thanksgiving with a box of amaretto chocolates for dinner, would be worse.

“Thank you. I’d love to celebrate with your family,” Eli said.

Caleb’s wife squealed and clapped her hands, like this was the best thing that had happened all year. “Everyone will be so excited,” she said. Caleb gave her a pointed look. “I mean…to a reasonable extent. Like we would be for any guest. Not to the point of making you feel uncomfortable. There will be a totally normal level of excitement.”

Caleb groaned, though he was also laughing, and Eli couldn’t help but join him. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Though, what had she meant when she’d said everyone would be excited? Exactly how many people were going to be at this dinner?

Eli walked from his trailer toward the boardwalk, where Caleb had said they’d be having dinner. It was even warmer than it had been earlier in the day, and Eli was grateful he’d swapped out his tight shirt and leather jacket for a more comfortable but equally Benjamin-like look. He didn’t think the torn-up jeans would be appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner, so he’d dug out some nicer ones from the back of his closet and paired them with a gray long-sleeve shirt. It had a couple of buttons on the front that made it look slightly nicer than it really was. Benjamin wasn’t completely without manners, after all. He knew when it was important to be on his best behavior. When he wasn’t drunk.

As Eli crossed the beach and the boardwalk came into view, his steps slowed. This wasn’t going to be the intimate family gathering he’d envisioned. When Caleb had said they’d have dinner at the boardwalk, he’d assumed it would be at Caleb’s scuba shop, where he lived with his wife. But the tables were actually set up on the boardwalk.

Tables. Plural. As in, a lot of them. They stretched down the entire boardwalk in a couple of long rows, white linen tablecloths covering them, and fall-themed decorations laid out in the middle. As Eli grew close, he could make out a cornucopia and a plush turkey among them.

Most of the chairs were already occupied, and laughter filled the air. Eli felt a brief moment of panic.

This was intense. Joining Caleb and his wife for Thanksgiving dinner apparently meant joining the entire town for dinner. He’d known Starlight Ridge was tight-knit, but he hadn’t realized to what extent.

Eli had to remind himself that for Benjamin, this was a welcome relief. No awkward questions. He could just eat and melt into the background as everyone else talked, the surrounding conversations all competing with each other as he happily did his own thing.

It wasn’t that Benjamin didn’t enjoy being in the spotlight—he absolutely did—but on his own terms. Like, he was okay with going to a party and dancing on top of a table to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” And yes, he could totally do Michael’s moves. But once the song was over, he could disappear, and no one seemed to notice.

This? This was different. And he figured dancing on top of the table probably wouldn’t be appropriate at a formal dinner. When alcohol wasn’t in his system, Benjamin was surprisingly thoughtful of others. He always blamed the paparazzi for showing up at the wrong moment and catching him at his worst.

Eli steeled himself. He could do this. So, with an easy smile, he hid his anxiety and walked toward the gathering, scanning the tables for an empty chair. If given the choice, would it be better to sit by someone he didn’t know, who could be a wild card, or someone he did know and risk having to strike up an actual conversation?

His gaze landed on Caleb and his wife, who were sitting at the far end, near their shop. A couple of empty chairs sat across from them, and he wondered if one of the chairs had been saved for him. He made his way toward Caleb, focusing on his breathing as he drew closer. His anxiety settled to a manageable level, and when Caleb’s wife finally noticed him, her entire face lit up. She nudged Caleb, and he turned in the direction his wife was pointing.

That drew the attention of those nearest them, who then nudged their neighbors and so on. So much for not being in the spotlight.

Eli kept his smile anchored in place as he approached Caleb. “Quite the get-together you are having here.”

“Starlight Ridge may be small, but we know how to do things in a big way.” Caleb leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his stomach, seeming more at ease than Eli had previously seen him. He grinned and shared a glance with his wife. “Bree and I are glad you could make it.” He gestured to the empty chair directly across from him. “Have a seat.”

That’s right. His wife’s name was Bree. Eli had known it started with a B.

“I have to say, I’ve never seen a Thanksgiving dinner of quite these proportions,” Eli said, sitting down. The tables seemed to extend even further, now that he wasn’t seeing them from afar.

Caleb gestured around him. “We’re family.” His gaze landed somewhere down the boardwalk, and he waved a hand, as if calling someone over. Eli twisted to see who it was, but with so many people there, it was impossible to tell. A moment later, Eli sensed someone walk up behind him.

“Addie, we saved you a seat,” Caleb said. His smile seemed to have a hidden message behind it, like there was something Eli was missing. It hadn’t taken long for one of those dreaded inside jokes to appear.

When the woman didn’t sit down, Eli turned to see who Caleb was talking to.

Adeline Baker.

Apparently otherwise known as Addie.

She looked beautiful, her hair tied back with a fake sprig of fall-colored leaves woven in. Adeline stared at him, her lips parted in surprise, and she seemed to be having a difficult time deciding whether she should sit down or not.

“You planning on eating standing up?” Caleb asked, his tone teasing.

Adeline’s gaze darted around the table, like she was trying to find another seat, but at this point, all were taken. It seemed she’d have preferred to eat next to anyone but Eli. He hoped his disappointment didn’t show. Not only was he not used to women acting like he had an infectious disease, but he genuinely wanted to spend time with Adeline. The feeling didn’t seem to be reciprocated.

“It seems you weren’t expecting me,” Eli said. “I can trade places with someone else if you’d prefer.” He moved to stand up.

“No,” she said, the word bursting from her lips. She smoothed down the dark red blouse she wore. “I was just trying to decide if now would be a good time to formally start the feast.”

“Adeline leads the committee that organizes Thanksgiving dinner each year,” Bree said. “But I think her being flustered has more to do with the fact that she just lost a bet for the first time. Ever.” She shot a triumphant grin in Adeline’s direction.

Adeline rolled her eyes, like her friend was making a bigger deal out of it than necessary. “You think I care about something like that?”

Caleb barked out a laugh. “Every time you’ve made me pay up for a bet that I’ve lost to you, you’re practically dancing. Being on the other side of things changes the perspective, doesn’t it?”

Eli looked between the three friends. Yup. Definitely not loving the whole small-town vibe going on. He’d liked the idea of staying in Starlight Ridge on a more long-term basis, but maybe small towns were the type of thing that were better enjoyed from the inside. Which he definitely was not.

He wasn’t going to ask what this whole bet was about—it wasn’t his business—but his curiosity must have been obvious because Bree shot him an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid Adeline was hoping to make some money off of you.”

Okay, curiosity was giving way to confusion. “She was…what?”

Adeline narrowed her eyes at her friend, like this was information that she’d have preferred to stay between them.

Bree didn’t seem to mind and forged ahead. “She’s known for her bets, but the thing about them is that she only makes bets she knows she can win.”

“Doesn’t seem like much of a bet, then, does it?” Eli asked.

Bree laughed. “No, it doesn’t. That’s why none of us take her up on them anymore.”

“Until today,” Eli said slowly. He threw a side glance at Adeline, who he caught shaking her head, warning her friend to not continue. When Adeline saw him looking at her, the movement morphed into her shifting in her chair, like she was trying to get comfortable.

“After Adeline heard you were in town and we’d invited you to dinner, she was certain you wouldn’t show up,” Caleb said, continuing his wife’s story. “So certain that she bet us twenty bucks that your seat would remain cold.”