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Normally she was a planner and liked knowing all the details. But Sterling hadn’t offered any about the trip and she didn’t ask. It was weirdly refreshing to just abandon control. That’s what she felt like she was doing with Sterling in general: releasing the white-knuckled grip she usually had on her life. Letting go was terrifying, but also exhilarating. And so far, she was really enjoying the ride.
“You said you like the beach, right?”
“Yes! I’ve never seen the Pacific.”
“Well, you’re about to see a lot of it. I got us a place right on the beach in Santa Monica, closer to my mom’s house. You’re going to love it.”
“A place?”
“Sorry—hotel rooms.”
“Rooms, plural?”
Sterling gave her a sideways glance as he put on his turn signal. “Yes, rooms. I stole you away, but I’m not planning to steal your honor or anything.”
A light blush tinted her cheeks. “Thanks. I definitely want to keep my honor intact.”
He chuckled. “Noted.”
“I don’t have a bathing suit though. Maybe we could stop somewhere?”
“I think they have a boutique in the hotel. Or, at least, a lot of times they do.”
“Sterling, I shop at Ross.”
“What’s Ross?”
She stared at him. “Ross Dress for Less? A giant discount store full of wonder and amazing things?”
“Not familiar, sorry.”
“Of course not. I forgot you’re a celebrity diva.”
“I’m not a diva.”
“Then let’s go to Ross. I can’t afford anything in a hotel boutique and I’ll feel really weird if you’re buying me clothes. I can say escort since we’re alone. I’ll feel like your still-keeping-her-honor-intact escort.”
Sterling laughed. “You are too much. I’ll get you something at the hotel.”
“No. I will let you run this trip. This is your town. But I’m insisting on this. We are going to Ross. I already found one on my phone. That is, if you feel like you can handle a store where the commoners shop.”
Sterling rolled his eyes, but he grinned. “Where is it? We’ll go there first. That way once we finally get to the hotel, we’ll be there and can settle in.”
Reese knew that the intervention was the following morning. She’d asked Sterling on the plane if he planned to see his family today, but he said he needed time to readjust to just being here and to mentally prepare. Plus, he thought if they saw him, his mom would forbid him from coming or his sister might realize what was going on and run off. He planned to show up at his house right at the time of the intervention and not a moment before. Until then, they were just hanging out. Which felt amazing like one big first date.
Twenty minutes later, Sterling pulled up in front of Ross. They were in California, but Ross looked like every other Ross she had ever been to. Except for some palm trees lining the cross street, which reminded her that she was in California. Sterling pulled out his phone after parking and looked at the GPS. There was something comforting about its consistency. A Ross was a Ross was a Ross.
“Ever wanted to go to Venice Beach?” he asked. “We’re close and can go after.”
“Sure,” she said. “I hadn’t ever thought I’d come to California, so I don’t have a bucket list or anything. I’ve heard of Venice Beach though.”
Sterling shook his head. “I don’t want to be all touristy and cliché, but I’m going to take you places that will give you a sense of California. After Ross, I’m taking over.”
“Noted. Now, your Ross challenge is not to spend more than $50.”
Sterling gave her a look and made a face. “I’m not planning to buy anything. Except whatever I buy for you.”
She laughed. “You’re not buying my stuff. And you just think you’re not buying anything. That’s because you’ve never been to Ross before. Trust me.”
