you will find your way back to one another. If not in this lifetime, than in the next.”
Bret swallowed and hoped the camera didn’t catch his look of disgust. There was no next lifetime for him. Though he wasn’t raised with a faith, he’d become very religious when he was in Iraq. There, he attended church every week and even had a tattoo of a cross on his back. Every day during his most recent deployment, he and some of his men prayed Psalm ninety-one. They suffered no causalities. He believed in one life, one God, one Heaven. He only had one chance to do things right.
“We aren’t soul mates. We were both very young. It’s clear now we have nothing in common and very different beliefs.”
Robyn’s beautiful lips curled. “Maybe you are meant to learn something from each other. We don’t always fall in love with someone who is like ourselves. It would be too easy. I’m from a very different background than Xavi. But he completes me, and I’ve experienced such amazing growth from him. Twenty years together and we’ve raised three beautiful children.”
Bret was pleased that their marriage seemed to be the real deal. He had hoped that he wouldn’t be paired with a cheating Holl ywood housewife that would look at him like a piece of meat.
“You two are very lucky. I hope to find that someday—once I get out of the Marines. But it won’t be with Selena.”
Robyn put her hand on Bret’s knee, but not in a creepy, seductive way. More motherly. “Bret, you can’t choose your path. You should just be open to your surroundings.” She stood up, walked to the stereo, and turned off the music. Selena and Xavier stopped dancing. Xavier looked as if he might fall to the ground.
“Please, Bret and Selena. Would you both care to join us for lunch?”
The tears that Selena had shed earlier had long since disappeared but she still wouldn’t look at Bret in the eye. “Sure. I’m starving.” She gave Xavier a quick encouraging hug.
Robyn led everyone to the redwood deck, and went inside the French doors to bring out lunch. Bret was also impressed that he hadn’t noticed any maids or cooks at the home. Selena had been right; celebrities in Marin were very humble. At least Xavier and Robyn were.
Robyn brought out a pitcher of iced tea, a plate of sandwiches, and a bowl of pasta salad. Everything looked delicious, though Bret noticed that there was no meat to be found.
He piled his plate. “Thank you, Robyn. You didn’t need to do this.”
“It’s my pleasure. The sandwiches are hummus, avocado, sprouts and tomatoes, and the pasta is organic, gluten free, and vegan. Enjoy.”
The food tasted great and surprisingly filling.
They ate quickly and engaged in a meaningless conversation about the show. Robyn went to get dessert and Xavier followed her into the house.
Bret and Selena stared out into the three-tier rose garden.
“Sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Bret offered.
“It’s fine. You made a good point. It’s a hard lifestyle for ot hers to accept. I understand. It would be so much easier to be involved with my partner.”
“What happened with you and Dima?”
Selena pushed the last piece of pasta around on her plate. “Well, we didn’t start dating until a year after you and I broke up. I wasn’t over you, I guess.”
She looked up at Bret, but he didn’t give her any reaction so she continued. “Anyway, we started dating after we won the U.S. National Professional Rising Star Championships. It was really great for a while and we got engaged. But once we were cast on the show, everything changed. We never saw each other since we were spending all our time with our celebrities. And then we started fighting about the tabloid rumors. So we decided to take a break, but we left open the possibility of getting back together one day. That was three years ago.”
“Well, it’s none of my business. But I doubt it was
Bret swallowed and hoped the camera didn’t catch his look of disgust. There was no next lifetime for him. Though he wasn’t raised with a faith, he’d become very religious when he was in Iraq. There, he attended church every week and even had a tattoo of a cross on his back. Every day during his most recent deployment, he and some of his men prayed Psalm ninety-one. They suffered no causalities. He believed in one life, one God, one Heaven. He only had one chance to do things right.
“We aren’t soul mates. We were both very young. It’s clear now we have nothing in common and very different beliefs.”
Robyn’s beautiful lips curled. “Maybe you are meant to learn something from each other. We don’t always fall in love with someone who is like ourselves. It would be too easy. I’m from a very different background than Xavi. But he completes me, and I’ve experienced such amazing growth from him. Twenty years together and we’ve raised three beautiful children.”
Bret was pleased that their marriage seemed to be the real deal. He had hoped that he wouldn’t be paired with a cheating Holl ywood housewife that would look at him like a piece of meat.
“You two are very lucky. I hope to find that someday—once I get out of the Marines. But it won’t be with Selena.”
Robyn put her hand on Bret’s knee, but not in a creepy, seductive way. More motherly. “Bret, you can’t choose your path. You should just be open to your surroundings.” She stood up, walked to the stereo, and turned off the music. Selena and Xavier stopped dancing. Xavier looked as if he might fall to the ground.
“Please, Bret and Selena. Would you both care to join us for lunch?”
The tears that Selena had shed earlier had long since disappeared but she still wouldn’t look at Bret in the eye. “Sure. I’m starving.” She gave Xavier a quick encouraging hug.
Robyn led everyone to the redwood deck, and went inside the French doors to bring out lunch. Bret was also impressed that he hadn’t noticed any maids or cooks at the home. Selena had been right; celebrities in Marin were very humble. At least Xavier and Robyn were.
Robyn brought out a pitcher of iced tea, a plate of sandwiches, and a bowl of pasta salad. Everything looked delicious, though Bret noticed that there was no meat to be found.
He piled his plate. “Thank you, Robyn. You didn’t need to do this.”
“It’s my pleasure. The sandwiches are hummus, avocado, sprouts and tomatoes, and the pasta is organic, gluten free, and vegan. Enjoy.”
The food tasted great and surprisingly filling.
They ate quickly and engaged in a meaningless conversation about the show. Robyn went to get dessert and Xavier followed her into the house.
Bret and Selena stared out into the three-tier rose garden.
“Sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Bret offered.
“It’s fine. You made a good point. It’s a hard lifestyle for ot hers to accept. I understand. It would be so much easier to be involved with my partner.”
“What happened with you and Dima?”
Selena pushed the last piece of pasta around on her plate. “Well, we didn’t start dating until a year after you and I broke up. I wasn’t over you, I guess.”
She looked up at Bret, but he didn’t give her any reaction so she continued. “Anyway, we started dating after we won the U.S. National Professional Rising Star Championships. It was really great for a while and we got engaged. But once we were cast on the show, everything changed. We never saw each other since we were spending all our time with our celebrities. And then we started fighting about the tabloid rumors. So we decided to take a break, but we left open the possibility of getting back together one day. That was three years ago.”
“Well, it’s none of my business. But I doubt it was
Similar Books
