AllFreeNovel
Share Us
They chatted as they drove, the kind of meaningless banter that was easy with her, about his photo shoot and the scripts he’d been looking at, about the weather in Oregon and the conversations she’d had with the director of the movie she was going to start working on tomorrow.
When they turned into the Beverly Hills Flats, Maggie plastered herself to the window to gawk at the palm tree–lined streets. “I feel like Eddie Murphy inBeverly Hills Cop.”
“I can’t believe you’d admit having seenBeverly Hills Cop.”
She flipped him off, and he captured her hand and kissed her knuckles.
“I’m glad you’re here.” That seemed safe enough to admit. Besides, it was written all over him. There was no way he could hide it from her.
“Me too.”
Cole pulled into his driveway. A few years ago, when his career had started showing signs of life, he’d bought a bungalow that might have started out humble. But someone had added an enormous back wing and tricked the thing out like a home-improvement catalog on steroids.
Inside, Maggie took in the undercabinet lighting and ultra-high-end appliances and closet engineering and state-of-the-art security system without emotion. “Over the phone, you emphasized that your house has three different burrito shops in walking distance. I wasn’t expecting, well, this.” She gestured at the glass-bubble chandelier over the dining room table.
“I bought it primarily for the access to high-quality burritos. I’ve been meaning to change that out for something less gaudy.”
She snorted. “And I thought the real draw would’ve been that it’s close to Hollywood.”
“Well, I do work there sometimes. And you do too.” He’d been showing her the house as if he were a real estate agent trying to sell it to her, as if she might decide to stay based on the house and not because of him.
“For the moment.”
“Let me show you the bedrooms.” He hoisted her suitcase and shuffled down the hall. “This is the guest room. I asked my housekeeper to make up the bed and stock the bathroom, because I didn’t want to presume. But ...”
“You can presume.”
Thank God. “Noted.” And with that, he led her back to the master suite.
He heaved her bag up onto a luggage rack while she sat in a huge leather armchair and slipped her shoes off. “You’re certain I’m not putting you out?”
“Not at all. I would’ve been hurt if you’d gone to a hotel.” Or if she’d gotten an Airbnb, which she’d discussed. “And you gotta take one of my cars.”
“You have two?”
He felt his cheeks darken. “Yes.”
“More than two?” she pressed.
“Cars might be my weakness.” He’d bought a cheaper house than he could afford, painfully aware that his current level of success wasn’t guaranteed. But he hadn’t been able to resist the lure of several very sharp sets of wheels.
Maggie laughed. “And there it is, he owns an unspecified number of vehicles. I knew you couldn’t be perfect.”
He could’ve told her that. Presumably everyone on earth knew he wasn’t perfect. “I plead the fifth. But we could also get you a car service if you don’t want to drive.”
“No, if I’m going to move here, I have to learn to deal with it eventually.”
Oh, he liked the sound of that. Trying to keep things light, he said, “What do you want to order for dinner?”
“Burritos.”
“The sky’s the limit, Maggie. We could get something fancy, something with Michelin stars and courses and stuff—”
“I don’t need fancy, Cole James. I’ve already got you.”
He really,reallyliked the sound of that.
INT. COLE’S HOUSE
