Love Don't Cost a Thing

By Elle Driver

After years flourishing under pressure as an award-winning journalist, Beauty Leonard, Beast of LA, is being forced to take a vacation. She books a room at an East Coast beach resort for herself and her life companion, Zelda the Doberman, but once there, she's faced with a serious problem: How is she supposed to keep from being bored out of her mind for the next two weeks?

Luckily for Beauty, a chance conversation with a stranger about a sci-fi novel on the beach stirs up some intrigue, just the sort of thing that Beauty is drawn to investigate. Jamal Ahmad is charming and funny and seems to have a LOT of money to throw around, but he won't say much about himself. As their dates get more and more extravagant and Beauty unearths the truth about who Jamal is, she has to decide if she's willing to go along for the ride.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bryant Street Shorts
• Release date: Sep 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781094427799

Elle Driver

Elle Driver is a mild-mannered civil servant who adores her husband and kid, and loves writing different romance tales to share with others when she can.

Book preview

1

Beauty Is Forced to Take Time Off

"Look, I think we can both agree that you could write a decent piece even if you had the measles plus walking pneumonia," Blanche said.

Beauty arched her eyebrow at her editor’s choice of words, considering Beauty had actually had COVID not long ago. She’d managed to write an exposé about what it was like to have a respiratory virus like COVID when you were already asthmatic. In the midst of a pandemic. In a hospital beyond full capacity. She honestly hadn’t thought it was that good, but it was the reason why Cut, the magazine she worked for, had been chosen for the George Polk Award.

It hadn’t been her best work, considering she had been running a fever and racked with a cough and chills on and off.

But I think we can both also agree that your writing has been a bit… uninspired.

Uninspired, Beauty repeated slowly. It wasn’t the worst thing anyone had ever said to her. Obviously it wasn’t the best. She sat up and adjusted her blazer, straightening her lapel unnecessarily. Well, I think we can all go through bouts of… well, moments when you aren’t buzzed by the creative bug. But I think you’ll also find that those of us who have fallen from grace can indeed rise again and… Beauty took a pen from her blazer pocket and began slashing at the air, like Jack Sparrow.

Wait, B, stop, Blanche said, holding up her hands. This is not a discussion about the state of your employment, or you. It’s not about your job, keeping it, or anything like that. In fact, it’s not a discussion at all.

Beauty felt a little sick. It wasn’t even a discussion? She capped her pen and put it into her pocket. She squared her shoulders.

The first thing Beauty did when she got in was let out her dog, Zelda. Zelda was a Doberman. And she was a big, happy, well-mannered girl, but she often forgot how big she was when greeting her human-familiar: Beauty.

Hey, sugar, Beauty laughed, rubbing Zelda’s slick head and big neck. Hey! Okay, calm down, calm down. Why don’t you go use the restroom and I’ll go ahead and get your dinner together? I’ve got a bit of news for you. Zelda tilted her head and wagged her uncropped tail. Beauty opened the sliding door to her backyard to let Zelda out, then went to retrieve her laptop from her office. She grabbed her vape pen, too, taking a deep puff before getting a glass and filling it with ice and water at her fridge door.

She puffed again on her pen and had to clear her throat from the tightness. She was grateful about a lot of things where California was concerned, but its legalization of weed was definitely in her top five. In general, she was a recreational user, but she was absolutely a daily user, too. It was better than her anxiety meds, and certainly more enjoyable. She tucked the pen against a white vase on her island and settled her laptop there as well, dusting off a few specks from the farmhouse wooden slab.

Beauty went to Zelda’s corner of the kitchen, where her snacks and toys and the huge container of her food sat, to fill the bowl. Zelda walked up to the sliding door just as Beauty was snapping the container shut again. As respectful as Zelda was, she was also mischievous. And a big eater. Zelda in the house.

Okay, Z, dinner’s up. She opened the door and Z came jogging into the kitchen, tags jingling as she headed straight for her bowls.

Enjoy, Beauty said. You’ll probably be eating on the East Coast tomorrow. It almost looked like Zelda was considering this new information, but then she went to stuff her face. Beauty closed and locked the door, hitting the button for the glass to fog. "But I kinda gotta finish something first. Well, I gotta make some plans but… then I have to make some other plans."

She was referring to booking a flight, a pet-friendly stay, and… well, a visitor before she left. A friend, really.

…with benefits.

Beauty chewed her lip while she texted her friend Rob. They had been planning to get together this week, and now she was going to jet across the country for some hardcore rest and relaxation. It wasn’t the first time she’d left right when they had plans. But normally it was for a story, not self-care. He would understand, though he might pout. His pout was mighty adorable.

She explained herself quite matter-of-factly: she was off to the East Coast for some required time off, but she’d love to see him if he was available tonight. And that she was sorry about such short notice, but that if he wasn’t free, she’d absolutely catch up with him when she touched back down in LA.

Beauty had barely set her phone down and opened her laptop before she received a text back.

Is 30 minutes too soon to show up at your door?

Beauty bit her lip and wrote back: I think it would be really hard for you to pick up Japanese and still make it here in 30 minutes.

He sent back a laughing emoji and a clock.

She turned to her laptop, the sign-in cursor blinking at her. She closed it. She would book stuff after Rob left. Plus she needed a jumping-off point anyway. She’d call her brother, Laurence.

Beauty popped her AirPods in and made the call, slipping her phone into her pocket so she could straighten up the dining room, which led into the living room; more than likely, she and Rob wouldn't make it to her bedroom.

They hadn’t seen each in a few weeks, and that was a lot longer than they were used to going between… getting caught up. As she picked up things here and there, Zelda followed a pace or two behind her, always circling on Beauty’s right, where her eye was. Z knew she hated turning to see people or pets; she liked both in her line of sight.

Laurence answered on the third ring. B, how ya doin’? You okay?

She laughed. "Are you?"

It was unusual for her to call. And it was unusual for him to answer, let alone so quickly.

Fair, he said. I was shocked into answering the phone. Worried about your health. Or my niece’s. Of course he meant Zelda. And Zelda was the only niece he was ever going to get. Beauty had never thought she’d be a mother anyway, and the further she had gotten into her career, the harder it had been for her to see a life with a child. She didn’t crave kids, except for when she went to one of her friend’s houses who had a baby, and then she got to hold them, and see their round little faces and legs, and how they smelled…

But the spell pretty much dissipated when those cute little lovebugs began to spit up or shit. And she promptly handed them off to someone else, her ovaries very suddenly silent.

No, we’re both good, we’re good, she reassured him. I need a vacation. Actually I was forced into taking a vacation.

That is… so very much you, Laurence said, laughing. Okay, but don’t come to Atlanta. You always come to Atlanta and pretend it’s a vacation, when really you’re just running up behind me, or Mom.

You’re right, which is why I called you. What do you recommend?

I have a few ideas that aren’t too out of the way, but let me google right quick while you explain to me how your editor propositioned you to actually take a break.

Beauty explained, but then one thing turned to another, as it always did, and then they were somehow talking about their mom watching Squid Game, and Beauty had burnt up fifteen minutes, easily.

When she hung up with Laurence, he’d already texted her the suggestions he had for visiting.

Tybee Island, Orange Beach, Hilton Head, and… Orlanda. Beauty squinted at the last suggestion. Not only did her brother know she hated visiting Florida (and had since they were children), but he had also had the forethought of spelling it exactly how their annoying-ass aunt always pronounced it. Orlanda. She rolled her eyes.

She landed on Hilton Head, because she remembered it being a destination getaway when she was younger. There had been a lot of bumper stickers on a lot of people’s cars—that HH with the little lighthouse or palm tree. She’d find some place to stay there.

But first—getting ready to say goodbye to LA the right way… with Rob.

Beauty started the shower and pushed Zelda out of the way, since she was parked in front of her closet.

"Z, please, Beauty begged, booty-bumping her big four-legged friend. I stayed on the phone too long with Law and Rob is on the way." Z’s ears perked at both familiar names, and she moved to sit across from the closet entrance, watching curiously. Zelda had watched Beauty get ready in this particular rush many times. It never seemed to stop amusing her.

She chose a simple coral chiffon dress. It was light and breezy, great for a laid-back dinner where the dress might need to come off quickly. Better yet, it was so easy to just push up…

It was one of her favorite pieces. She was sure Rob had seen it a few times, but he always fawned over it and wanted to touch it, touch her. She actually enjoyed touching the material herself. It was either silk or a silk blend.

Beauty showered at lightning speed and nearly fell in her bathroom as she ran to find the eyepatch she was looking for.