one of them had to speak so they wouldn’t spend the morning staring at each other, she asked, “And you are...”
He seemed to snap out of it; chuckled. “Forgive me. I’m Campbell Monroe.” He extended his hand to shake hers. “I’ll be helping you choose a rental unit.”
She returned his firm handshake. “Great. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Monroe.”
Flashing that gorgeous smile again, he shook his head. “No need to be so formal, Ms. Dandridge. Call me Campbell, or Cam.”
“Okay, Campbell.” She smiled back, careful not to oversell it. Her pulse raced, but he didn’t need to know that.
“Follow me.” He started walking toward a corridor to the right.
She followed him until he led her into his office. He sat behind the large oak desk and gestured for her to sit, as well. Taking the upholstered chair opposite him, she placed her purse on her lap. The space appeared just as masculine as its occupant. The walls, painted a deep shade of burgundy, hosted his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, several sports and movie posters, and a few modern art pieces. The tall shelves lining the walls were filled with various nonfiction titles, and a few trophies and knickknacks. When her eyes swung to the movie poster hanging on the wall directly behind his desk, she couldn’t help smiling.
“So, Ms. Dandridge. We’re excited to have an actress of your caliber staying with us here in Sapphire Shores.”
His voice drew her attention and her gaze back to his handsome face. “Thank you, Campbell, that’s very kind.”
“I mean, Waltz at Midnight is one of my favorite movies of all time, mainly because of your stellar performance.” He gestured to the movie poster behind him. “That’s one of my most treasured possessions.”
“I’m flattered. It was only my third film, but I really did enjoy playing the role.” Her cheeks warmed a bit. She wasn’t an egomaniac, but she’d thought she’d gotten past having a compliment affect her this way. In truth, it had been a minute since she’d been complimented by someone this fine. She sensed that he was very much a fan of her work, but she didn’t want to use the whole appointment on conversation about her past roles.
As if he sensed her thoughts, he opened his desk drawer and pulled out two booklets. “While I’m a big fan of your work, I don’t want to waste your time. So, let’s talk about the kind of rental unit you’d like.”
Grateful for the change of topic, she looked at the two glossy, full-color booklets he slid her way. “The Glenn and Shoreside Manor.”
“Those are our most upscale developments on the island, and also our newest ones. The Glenn opened back in May, and Shoreside Manor in July.” He rested his elbows on the desk and tented his fingers. “So, why don’t you tell me the top three amenities that are most important to you.”
She nodded. “I’d like a good deal of privacy, easy access to a gym or workout room, and security.”
He scratched his chin. “Based on what you’re saying, I’d recommend The Glenn. They’re large luxury condominium units, and there’s a lot less traffic and noise on the inlet side of the island.”
She listened as he described square footage of the units, the laundry valet service and the well-appointed clubhouse, complete with workout room. One thing she’d requested, though, was left out of his description. “Everything you’ve mentioned sounds wonderful, Campbell. But what about the security?”
He snapped his fingers. “Yes, sorry about that. The Glenn is a gated community with twenty-four-hour surveillance, both remotely and through the on-site guard.”
“I’m assuming the guard has a station at the entrance gate?”
“Yes.”
“What about security for the individual units?”
His brow cocked as if the question surprised him, but he slid smoothly into an answer. “Each unit has an electronic security system. Cameras are placed all around the property, and every square inch has coverage.”
She shifted in her seat. “That sounds great. But what if I require something more? Is it possible for me to get a security guard for my unit?”
He frowned a bit. “I’m not sure that would be necessary, Ms. Dandridge. You won’t find a safer place in the country than our little island.”
“That may be so, but this is a unique situation. In my line of work, I’ve seen what people are capable of. I’ve dealt with stalkers and crazed fans in the past, and I’d rather not do it again.” She decided not to tell him about the guy she’d found scaling the fence at her house in Los Angeles, or the one who’d tried spying on her with a drone. At least not now.
Sitting back in his chair, he looked thoughtful for a moment. “I may be able to arrange something for you, but it will take some time. The Glenn isn’t staffed for that sort of thing.”
“I can understand that. I would really like a guard, though, and I’d really appreciate it if you could make that happen.” She returned the booklets to him.
“No problem.” He picked up a pen from a cup on his desk. “Let me show you the video tour of the unit, so you can see how it’s laid out.” He entered some commands onto his computer’s keyboard, then turned the monitor her way.
For the next few minutes, she watched the screen, impressed by the unit’s layout, furnishings and decor. “It’s lovely. It looks like just the sort of place I want. What do I need to do next?”
“We’ll need to do a bit of paperwork, and I’ll collect your deposit and the first month’s rent. Then you’ll leave a list of the groceries you want, and we’ll take care of the rest.”
“How long will it be before I can get into the unit?” She’d long since gotten tired of the chain hotel she was staying in. While the place was serviceable, she thrived on privacy and there was just too much noise and commotion there.
“I can get you in tomorrow, as long as I can get the cleaning crew in there in the next couple of hours.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. “Then as soon as I leave here, I’ll start packing.”
For the next twenty minutes, he worked with her through the property agreement. After she’d signed her name to the document, and selected her desired groceries from the extensive checklist he gave her, she passed his pen back to him.
She sat by as he made calls to the personal shopper and the cleaning crew. Once he was done, he set his phone aside. “You’re all set, Ms. Dandridge. Your unit should be ready around 1:00 p.m. tomorrow. Since you put your mobile number on the form, I’ll text you the address.”
She stood. “Thank you for your help.”
He pushed his chair back and stood, as well. “Thank you for your business.” Another megawatt smile followed his words.
Turning away lest she started staring at him again, she slung her purse strap over her shoulder and exited.
Back in her car, she let herself feel the glow of his fanboy crush on her for a few moments. Then she banished the thoughts from
