Playing for Love (Summer Beach Vets 1) - Escape Down Under by H.Y. Hanna Page B

with the delectable Ms Monroe that has gripped the U.S. recently. Their well-publicised split caused Monroe to go on an eating binge, gaining several dress sizes, and requiring rehab and therapy. A friend told reporters, “Sara is devastated. She knows she shouldn’t have let herself go like that, but Jeff was the love of her life and losing him destroyed her.”
    However, it looks like our Craig has no problem handling a woman with “real curves” and Monroe might be luckier in love on this side of the Pacific. A romance with a Hollywood babe could be just what our sexy beach vet needs to take him to the next level. Rumours of a six-figure sponsorship deal now seem to be confirmed. And judging from the photos, it looks like Monroe can’t keep her hands off our hunky Aussie heartthrob either! Now that she’s got her claws into him, let’s hope Craig is up to date with his annual vaccinations!
     
    “I don’t believe it.” Sara stared at the page, her hands shaking as they held the magazine.
    Ellie put a gentle hand on her arm. “Sara…”
    “I DON’T BELIEVE IT!” Sara felt her whole body shaking now. She didn’t know if it was with humiliation, fury or just plain shock. “The whole thing is just one massive lie! I never went on an eating binge after Jeff and I broke up; I never needed therapy and rehab—God, and I never said I had ‘let myself go’ after we split! For that jerk? Why don’t they talk about how Jeff lied and used his so-called love for my ‘real woman’ looks to score brownie points, when all along he was dissing me behind my back? And those pictures! They make it look like Craig and I were being totally shameless in public—we weren’t even embracing! I’d tripped on the steps and he’d caught me, that’s all. They’ve engineered it to make it look like we’re kissing passionately! I would never… I…” She ran out of breath and had to stop, panting, as she tried to gather her thoughts.
    “I know.” Ellie’s voice was soothing. “I know that you wouldn’t do anything like that. Sara, these magazines always just print garbage they make up half the time. That so-called ‘friend’ they quoted—none of your friends would say anything like that; it’s complete fabrication.” Ellie furrowed her brow. “I just can’t understand how they knew so much. It almost feels like they were tipped off—”
    “It was a set up,” said Sara through clenched teeth. “I remember now. Craig had a phone call from his agent just before we went to lunch and I overhead him telling her to ‘go ahead’ if she thought it was a good move. I’ll bet he was approving this. She was way too interested in me when we met and I’m sure she called her media contacts as soon as we left her office.” Her face darkened. “She’d been telling Craig that he needed some good publicity—some personal interest story—to improve his media ranking and his chance of getting this sponsorship deal… I guess I was the convenient idiot that he used to boost his image.”
    “I can’t believe Craig did this,” murmured Ellie. “He just doesn’t seem—”
    “Well, you’re wrong,” said Sara flatly. “I saw him with some of his fans and he’s pretty dedicated to his celebrity career. He might come across all humble and whatever here in Summer Beach, but in reality, he’s just out for himself.” She gave a bitter laugh. “I knew he was too good to be real. I was a fool. Again.”
    She tried to say it lightly, but inside, she was hurting. Her heart felt like it had been punched out of her chest and then crushed on the ground under a spike-heeled stiletto. She hadn’t thought that it would be possible to feel worse than she did when she’d first learnt of Jeff’s betrayal back in L.A., but she was wrong. That feeling was nothing compared to the devastation she felt now. She realised that with Jeff, it had been her pride hurt more than her heart. But this time, it was her heart that was being