Wild Image: Charisma, #1

By Heather Hiestand

Blond, bubbly, and single-minded Kasee Kean is a reality TV star, holding onto her celebrity status by the tips of her manicured fingers. Handsome, street-smart Dion Hamilton is a professional photographer in search of a subject. When the two meet outside a pub one sultry spring night, sparks fly and careers are re-ignited.

Losing her mind on camera during her divorce cost Kasee her featured spot on the Ladies of Baltimore television show, but she has a plan to regain her job. A romance with a sexy younger man, manufactured for the tabloids, will put her back on top. But what happens when she wants her made-for-television romance with Dion to be real?

Dion isn't sure what kind of person Kasee is underneath her perfect exterior, and some parts of his life aren't camera-ready. Still, he can see her vulnerability, and she does have a way of punching excitement into his life. Is this a relationship he should run from, or is there a chance she's the one?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Hiestand
• Release date: Sep 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386893332

Book preview

WILD IMAGE

A Kindle Worlds Novella

Based on Mari Carr’s Wild Irish Series

A Charisma Series Novella

Written by

Heather Hiestand

www.heatherhiestand.com

Newsletter

Wild Image

Copyright 2017 by Heather Hiestand

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

This work has been made possible by a license from Mari Carr. All characters, scenes, events, plots, and related elements appearing in the original Wild Irish series remain the exclusive copyrighted and trademarked property of Mari Carr and her affiliates and assigns and are used herein with the express permission of Mari Carr.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or Coffee on Sundays Press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Coffee on Sundays Press

Visit us at http://www.heatherhiestand.com

Publishing History

First D2D Edition, 2018

V 1.0 R 1.0

Published in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Wild Irish

Acknowledgments

More From Heather Hiestand

About the Author

Chapter One

KASEE KEAN PEERED OUT of the windows of Pat’s Irish Pub, looking for a camera flash. Most paparazzi stuck to Los Angeles and New York, but Pat’s, though in Baltimore, was such a hot destination for musicians that occasionally photographers hung around outside, hoping for a photograph of Sky Mitchell or someone else that famous.

Is anyone out there? She smelled a hot citrus tang as her friend, Louise leaned over her shoulder.

No, but I really need to have my photograph taken. Her long fingertips staccato-tapped against the windowsill as she squinted into the darkening street. They slid into grooves created by years of patrons using the wooden ledge to hold glasses of Guinness. The edge of her index finger caught in a sliver and the top of her manicure tore. She squeaked as she pulled it away, hoping against hope she could repair it herself. Life as she knew it hung in the balance.

Oh, no, Louise exclaimed.

Another manicure isn’t in the budget until next week. Do you have a file? Rubbing at the rough edge of her nail as Louise dug in her purse, Kasee checked around the room, hoping someone famous lurked in the shadows, ready to take Pat’s stage. Someone who would attract a crowd and cameras.

A year ago, she’d been one of the celebrities who had been eagerly pursued through Midtown or Fells Point as a first season cast member of The Ladies of Baltimore. The network that picked up the show pitched it to audiences as a reality soap opera, and had experienced a ratings bonanza, mostly because Kasee’s marriage had imploded on camera during the two months of shooting due to her husband’s affair with her best friend, another of the ladies.

But then, at the reunion show, she’d foolishly gotten drunk and had attempted to pull the wig off her husband’s mistress. Now, season two had just started pre-production, and she was off the show as punishment for her bad behavior, while her ex bestie was flaunting an eight-carat diamond engagement ring and planning for her wedding to be the biggest reality TV event since Trista and Ryan married on television after a successful season on The Bachelorette.

Found one. Louise passed the nail file to Kasee.

Thanks. Kasee watched traffic going by as she fixed her manicure. Tourists with out of state license plates drove by, coming from the waterfront, delivery trucks. She recognized the van for the florist shop she used to use. Then a white SUV pulled up to the curb a couple of doors away and parked. She watched as the driver stepped onto the street. A police car she hadn’t noticed before turned on its light bar just in front of the pub and sped up, nearly squashing the SUV’s driver as it raced by. He lifted his hands and waved them, dancing around as he had himself a temper tantrum worthy of an enraged housewife after four glasses of chardonnay.

Meanwhile, the SUV’s passenger door had opened. Kasee’s hand went to her blond hair, instinctively fluffing her long locks as she saw how attractive the second man was. He had light hazel skin and his dark brown hair was closely cropped on the sides, lying flat across the top. A sharp nose, but full lips. He squinted into the fading light, but she could see he must be under thirty, unlike her, because the lines around his eyes didn’t stay. When he opened the rear door of the vehicle, biceps bunched under his tightly fitted black cotton shirt. She was admiring the way his jeans cupped his long thighs and round ass when she realized he’d just pulled out a fancy camera.

Kasee and Louise gasped simultaneously at the sight of the Canon 6D, a camera that paparazzi often used.

He’s pretty, Louise said with a sigh.

Kasee’s senses went on high alert. I’m glad your husband isn’t around to hear you saying that. Louise’s husband was the jealous type.

At least you aren’t married anymore. Go work your wiles on that photog. Keith never looked that good on any day of his life.

Kasee wrinkled her nose at the sound of her ex-husband’s name. Wish me luck. I have to prove to the TV producers that I’m more an asset than a liability. Her image being posted on the blogs was exactly what she needed, to show people were still interested in her. After all, she hadn’t actually gone so far as to physically attack Tammy. What were a few screamed death threats between old friends anyway?

You go, girl. Louise emptied the last inch of her lemon drop martini. Without you as a featured part of the cast, my friend role is gone, too.

Behind her, Kasee heard shuffling as someone took the stage. She turned around, hope suspended in her chest, and squinted at the band. Her 32Ds deflated instantly when she didn’t recognize anybody. Some alt-folk group, she guessed, no one she’d heard of before. Still, one thing gave her hope. The acoustic guitar the lead singer was cradling looked expensive. She recognized the distinctive shape of the Breedlove instrument as one that her ex-husband had coveted for his collection. She’d priced one, thinking it would be the perfect forty-fifth birthday present for him, just before she discovered his affair. Hold on. Let me find out who this band is.

When she glanced at the bar, she saw Pop sitting on his usual stool. She click-clacked over to him on her four-inch heels.

Nice to see you, Mrs. Kean, Pop said, a friendly smile on his face.

You, too. She leaned toward his ear and whispered. Do you know who the band is?

He shrugged. Retired now, he knew every aspect of the operation as if he were still running it. The Lazy Merrys? Haven’t heard of them before, but Ruby is a fan.

If Pop’s daughter Teagan, nicknamed Ruby, was a fan, they were worth knowing about. She had been a bona fide music star for over a decade now. Thanks. Kasee made a beeline toward the door and the gorgeous photographer.

The paparazzi had set up camp across the street. She guessed they had been warned to stay off the pavement directly by the front door. Of course, Pat’s had a rear entrance/exit as well, but people who wanted to be photographed would use the front door. The paps might live for the photographs no celebrity wanted them to take, the ones that made the big bucks, like Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt discussing divorce on a secluded island beach, but their bread and butter were shots like celebrities going out to a shop or a club.

She debated going out through the back and coming in through the front, but that just seemed silly. Why hadn’t she planned this better?

What are you waiting for? Louise prompted with a wave of her empty glass as Kasee hesitated at the door.

I’m just debating if I should stage an exit with you after they are set up, or go out there and tell them about the band and try to get them to shoot me after I pass the information.

Good grief. Louise set her glass on the ledge. Let’s go out together. You look great. This divorce has taken five pounds off your midsection.

That’s the Pilates.

And Keith is no longer plying you with chocolate. I swear he must have brought you a box from Rheb’s every time he cheated on you with Tammy.

Kasee’s chocolate martini churned in her stomach at the name of her former best friend. Fine. She smoothed her perfectly tailored shift dress over her hips. The navy blue helped accentuate her clear eyes and the heart shape of the bodice framed her face.

Good for you! Louise said. I think I’ll grab another drink.

Oh, no, Kasee said, grabbing her friend’s arm. We should go now, before I lose my confidence.

Are they set up? Louise peered out of the window again, though Kasee thought she was taking in the attractive photog’s buff chest more than his camera. Good, I guess so.

Louise followed behind Kasee as she opened the door, tucking her Chanel clutch underneath her arm. Kasee had her sunglasses on, though the sky had darkened in the past five minutes. When she reached the edge of the curb, she took them off, staring directly into the two photogs’ lenses.

No flashes went off. As best she could tell, no fingers moved to press buttons. Didn’t they recognize her? She’d done her patented reveal with her Jackie O sunglasses.

Where’s the car? Louise said with a giggle.

Her friend, all of ninety pounds, never held her liquor well, but it made her silly, not angry, which wasn’t what they were looking for in reality television. Down the street, Kasee said, but we’d better cross over. Maybe the paps can’t see well.

She waited for a taxi to pass, then sashayed across