Summer With The Rock Star (Blue Bay Beach Reads Book 2) Read online

  Summer with the Rockstar

  The Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance Series

  Book 2

  by

  Ellie Hall

  Summer with the Rock Star

  Copyright© 2019 Ellie Hall

  All Rights Reserved

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any informational storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author/publisher except where permitted by law.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Cover Design: Nova Bookish https://www.etsy.com/shop/Novabookish

  Website: http://www.elliehallauthor.com

  Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/elliehallauthor

  Newsletter: http://bit.ly/EllieHallNL

  Contents

  Note to reader

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  The Famous Coconut Cove Café Pina Colado Smoothie Recipe

  Excerpt for Summer with a Billionaire

  Also by Ellie Hall

  Let's Connect

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Note to reader

  There is little that I love more than reading no matter the season, but there is something special about summertime reading, especially while lounging at the beach. Think sweet, romantic beach reads, spanning long, lazy afternoons.

  If you love lying in the sand reading, or if you’re more of a pool person, or prefer the comfort of air conditioning, the Blue Bay Beach Reads Romance series is meant to impart that easy, breezy, sunshine feeling when days are long and carefree.

  I hope these books capture that summer vibe of relaxation and possibility along with sparks of romance, fizzy feels between first loves (or second chances or third tries) and the joy of the happily ever after. Wherever you are and whenever you read this book and the others in the series, I hope they transport you onto the pages.

  I wish you many hours of happy reading.

  ♥ Ellie

  P.S. Be sure to check at the end of the book for a VERY sweet surprise as well as an excerpt from another book in the series!!!

  Chapter 1

  Claudia

  Claudia ducked out of the rain and into the austere stone building on Oak Street. It was the last day of music school for the summer, but that didn’t mean the work for her master’s degree was over. Once the final project was done, that’s when her dreams would really start coming true.

  Her shoes squeaked on the polished granite floor as she made her way to class. Despite the unpleasant sound, a different melody hummed under her skin—it wasn’t a song she’d been working on. Rather, it was a feeling of hope mixed with excitement. The kind of feeling when she’d made a wish on a star when she was a little girl. Never mind that she was in her thirties and by some standards too old to be getting her master’s degree in music—or to be wishing on stars.

  As she settled into class, the professor was talking about his weekend spent fishing, which reminded her of a famous proverb. “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

  Claudia chuckled softly.

  The young woman sitting next to her with her long hair twisted into braids turned in Claudia’s direction. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so much as smile in this class. What’s so funny? It’s only eight a.m., we’re about to get our final assignment, and I was running late so I didn’t get my caffeine fix. I could sure use a good laugh.”

  “I’ve smiled,” Claudia said, thinking of the many times the professor had them analyze famous pieces that carried her so far away from her thoughts she lost track of time. Although, her fellow student had a point. She rarely even chatted before or after class and rarely joined in when everyone gathered in the hall or down at the student center after class.

  The girl with braids shook her head. “I’m Trisha and I’m still waiting to get in on the joke.”

  “I’m Claudia and I’m sorry we haven’t met earlier. I guess I’ve just taken this class too seriously. I’m a non-traditional student and—” Her list of reasons came to mind about why she was focused, a planner, stayed organized, and regimented.

  “Age is but a number.” Trisha lifted and lowered her shoulder.

  “My Aunt Margot always used to say that. Professor Printz’s story about fishing reminded me of something else she used to say. That’s what had me laughing.”

  “I’m waiting...” Trisha drummed her fingers on the desk.

  “Have you ever heard the saying if you give a man a fish...?”

  Trisha nodded. “Printz has it on a poster in his office. But I always wondered what would happen if you gave a woman a fish...”

  “This is fitting then.” Claudia smiled. “My Aunt Margot used to say, ‘Give a woman a diamond, she'll love you as long as it sparkles. Teach a woman how to obtain her own jewels, she'll love herself for a lifetime.’”

  “Oh, that’s good. That’s really good.” Trisha laughed.

  Claudia felt a warm feeling, like a hug, come over her at the sound of Trisha laughing and the fond memories of her aunt. Margot Von Plata raised Claudia and even though she could afford to send her to school, instead of doing so, she taught her everything she knew about hard work, creativity, and entrepreneurship. In other words, she taught Claudia how to obtain her own jewels—though that was still a work in progress.

  “I think I like this Margot lady.”

  “She’s the best. I’m hoping to visit her this summer if work and our project doesn’t keep me too busy.”

  “I also think someone likes you.” Trisha waggled her eyebrows then lifted her chin in the direction of a cute guy with glasses who chanced a look at Claudia every few seconds.

  He was probably almost a decade younger than Claudia since she was late to get her master’s degree, but she had a youthful face.

  She’d been in and out of relationships, but they never stuck around for long. Maybe because they didn’t understand her need for music.

  Professor Printz called for the class’s attention.

  Claudia leaned forward, eager to find out what the professor would assign them for their final project in the class titled Bridging the Past, Present, and Future in Music. She thought the name was clever because a bridge was also a component of a song. Printz was famous in the academic world for being rogue, harsh, and hard to like, but he was also clever and she’d learned more about music in that class than almost all her others.

  Just as Professor Printz started to explain, her phone jingled. She shuffled through her bag as it dinged with the classic retro song Tutti Frutti by Little Richard. Aunt Margot may have been a woman of class, but she also had a wicked sense of humor and insisted Claudia use that as her ring tone whenever her aunt called. It did bring a smile to her face, but her aunt knew she was in class—maybe she forgot about the time difference?

  Claudia rifled through, trying to find the thing that kept blaring then her bag tipped, falling down the stairs of the aisle in the auditorium style seating
of the classroom. Her notebooks, lunch bag, a few random cosmetics, half a protein bar, several highlighters, an accordion stack of sticky notes, and her feminine hygiene products all tumbled out and onto the floor.

  The cute guy with glasses rushed out of his seat to help her.

  Meanwhile, her phone went on. “Bop bopa-a-lu a whop bam boo.”

  A few people chucked.

  Claudia’s face heated.

  The flattening of Mr. Printz’s lips suggested that he was not amused. “Interesting to note that you’re a fan of Little Richard, Miss Von Plata. Now, if you’d kindly turn your phone off, I have a class to teach.”

  She managed to find her phone, but just as soon as it stopped, it started ringing again. Her stomach jittered and sank as she wondered why her aunt would call again unless it was an emergency. As far as Claudia knew, Margot was in good health, but she was well into her eighties, nearing ninety, and on the other side of the country.

  Even though Claudia silenced the phone, it continued to ring. She finished gathering up her belongings. “I have to take this,” she muttered then rushed from the classroom.

  “Hello?” she said, once in the hallway and safe from Printz’s wrath.

  “Claudia, darling,” Aunt Margot’s once strong, clear voice sounded frail.

  “Is everything okay?” The jittering in her stomach went still and became heavy.

  “Of course, darling. I took a little spill. Nothing too bad. They insisted on taking me to the hospital, but it seems my insurance premium wasn’t paid. The kind nurse here won’t let me go home unless I have someone to see to my care. I don’t want to burden you, but I’m wondering if you can help me put my affairs in order.”

  Aunt Margot had never asked Claudia for anything other than for her smile.

  “Of course, I’ll be there as soon as possible.” She’d been planning on traveling to Florida during the summer and envisioned working on her project on the lanai of Aunt Margot’s mansion overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. She’d have to get the details from her professor later.

  Aunt Margot had always been there for her so she rushed down Oak Street to her apartment, going through a mental list of all she needed to do before she got on the airplane.

  At an obscenely early hour the next morning, Claudia emerged from the airport and into a wall of humid Florida air. She smoothed her long dark hair. There was no time to think about how it was likely frizzy or about the few grays she’d found earlier that week. There were just a few. Three to be exact, she reminded herself as she made her way to the car rental desk. Aunt Margot’s voice floated into her head. Age is just a number. Right then, exhausted and worried, she struggled with her aunt’s particularly advanced number and how she’d fallen down and was in the hospital. She didn’t want to think about anything happening to her aunt.

  An hour after that, Claudia arrived at the hospital to find her aunt fast asleep. She consulted the nurses who informed her Margot was doing just fine, except she’d fractured her hip.

  “The week she’s been here has been the most fun we’ve had on this floor in a long time. She is hysterical,” a nurse in lavender scrubs said.

  Another nurse piped up. “She has the best stories.”

  Claudia smiled with relief. Margot Von Plata did have the best stories.

  “Other than her hip, as far as her overall health goes, she’s in good shape.” The nurse in lavender reviewed a chart. “Our concern is with her finances. As you may know, her insurance didn’t go through and we’ve detected the signs of dementia.” The nurse went on to explain how it was common at that stage of her life and the support available for both her aunt and loved ones.

  Claudia’s stomach knotted again.

  The nurse gripped her shoulder. “She’s still the aunt you’ve always known and loved, but from our end, there have been occasions when she’s been confused about time, place, and basic things we’d seen her do before.”

  “But when I spoke to her on the phone—” Claudia’s throat felt scratchy.

  “Most of the time she’s as sharp as a tack if not a bit sleepy, but then there are others when it seems like she’s slipping. Given she had the best insurance money could buy, we imagine she lapsed in payment because her affairs are getting away from her,” the other nurse said delicately. “She’s lucky to have you.”

  The first nurse, wearing lavender—Aunt Margot’s favorite color—squeezed Claudia’s shoulder again. “Listen, she’s a special woman. Anyone who spends more than a minute in a room with her knows that. This isn’t unusual at her age. Keep in mind that she’s otherwise healthy. That’s something to be grateful for.”

  Tears brimmed in Claudia’s eyes, but she nodded because the nurse was right. She just couldn’t imagine her larger than life aunt being anything less than, well, impeccable in every way. She wouldn’t let herself even think about how they referred to her advanced age and what it meant for the future.

  She sat with her aunt while she slept. Even though Margot had moved to Florida where it was much sunnier than her native Montreal, she took great care of her skin. However, the wrinkles were more pronounced than last time they’d been together and she hadn’t been to the hair salon to have her roots touched up in a while, which was extremely unlike her. She was the kind of woman who still dressed as though she were meeting the queen and never had so much as a hair out of place.

  Claudia sighed. Perhaps the nurses were right.

  Aunt Margot slowly roused then sat upright. “Darling, there you are. I apologize. I must have drifted off while I was waiting for you. What took you so long? It’s only a short drive from home.”

  Tears tickled Claudia’s eyes. Aunt Margot’s comment confirmed the nurses’ concerns. “I flew from San Francisco. But I’m sure glad to be out of the rain and with you.”

  “You bring the sunshine with you wherever you go with that smile of yours, darling. Come, let’s get out of here.” She suddenly seemed more lucid and able-bodied as she got out of bed. But as she moved to get to her feet, it was as though she forgot she’d injured her hip and Claudia caught her before she slipped.

  Aunt Margot had always been slender, but she felt small and frail in Claudia’s arms. She continued to fight back tears.

  Together with the nurses, she prepared to bring her aunt home, not sure what she’d find, but hoped it would be the money to pay her aunt’s bills.

  The drive to Blue Bay Beach took about forty-five minutes. Aunt Margot chatted for the first few miles then dozed off. Claudia’s mind raced. Logically, she knew her aunt would age, but she’d never imagined the reality of the changes.

  As the crescent-shaped bay came into view a sigh escaped. The tension in Claudia’s shoulders relaxed at the sound of the waves rolling in to shore. The late-day sun dusted the palmy jungle surrounding the mansion homes on the outskirts of the small town.

  Blue Bay Beach was a hidden gem among the many beaches along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Claudia had been there once, but mostly she visited her aunt at her estate in Montreal, especially during the holiday season. Margot insisted Christmas wasn’t the same without snow.

  Claudia punched the gate key code. “Aunt Margot, we’re home.”

  She stirred and lit up. “Ah, this is a better view than the one in the hospital.”

  Three adorable but yappy dogs greeted them as they entered.

  “I hope Louis was feeding them.”

  At the name, Claudia halted. Perhaps her aunt's memory was worse than she’d thought.

  After getting Margot and the dogs settled, they had lunch. Claudia heard all about the last few weeks leading up to Margot’s spill. From the sounds of things, she was as busy as ever with her social calendar and seemed lucid, but didn’t eat too much of her niçoise salad—her favorite.

  However, a pile of mail was on the counter and at first glance, many of them were bills and past-due notices.

  “You’ll stay awhile, darling, won’t you? I think you’ll like it here.” Margot smiled.
<
br />   “I’ll stay as long as you need me.” Claudia’s breath caught in her chest because there was no denying the once strong and independent hero in her life required help. Maybe she’d stay even longer.

  The bell rang and the housekeeper entered, her face drawn in an expression of worry and concern. “I’m so glad to see you home, Miss Margot.”

  “I’m as fit as a fiddle.”

  Claudia smiled and introduced herself. “Are you Miss Louis?”

  The woman’s brow creased. “No, my name is Esmerelda.”

  “She’s the best around. In fact, she helped me when I fell and looked after Bella, Bear, and Lulu.”

  “Thank you, Esmerelda,” Claudia said.

  Something flashed across the housekeeper’s face, but she quickly pasted on a smile. “Of course.” She excused herself to her chores, leaving Claudia and Margot to their lunch.

  The rest of the time spent at the table consisted of stories—some of Claudia’s favorites that she didn’t mind hearing again and a new one about a date Margot once had with a duke—there had been a gaggle of geese involved and a lost shoe. Another story was about a famous rock star—Margot wouldn’t say who. Claudia had heard the story at dinners with guests from the music industry and gleaned that the mystery man was none other than a certain hunka-hunka burning love.

  As her laughter faded, Claudia steeled her nerves. “Aunt Margot, have you heard from Louis?” Despite, her aunt’s lapse in memory, the stories she’d heard were all true and her aunt was as lucid as ever, at least in that moment. Perhaps her comment earlier was a slip. She hoped so.

  “Who?” Margot asked as she finished her raspberry ice tea.

  A ragged breath escaped Claudia that was part worry and part relief. She decided to ignore it for the time being.

  Later, Margot said she’d retire early after the ordeal at the hospital and the excitement of returning home.

  After saying goodnight to her aunt, Claudia was restless. Even though her aunt didn’t seem to recall Louis, she’d mentioned his name and they certainly knew him and knew him well.