Page 16 of The Devil of Hollywood

I sighed. “Yes, light brown. You’re so silly,” I laughed. “You’re a gem for trying to convince me of Bastian’s hotness, but I’m not blind. I know how dreamy he is. He knows it too. And marrying him would be fine. The attraction or vows aren’t my problem.”

“The love is.”

At her softening tone, my gaze met hers, and I couldn’t stop the tears that welled. One hard blink and it was all over with. They’d spill, and I’d break. I had to get myself together.

“Your book. It says to Marian and Drayton, the cutest couple I’ve ever seen. Is it because of him? Because of this man named Drayton?”

I flattened my hands on the table, trying my best to ground my emotions and not lash out like I wanted.

“I’m declaring this National Drayton Day. Dammit. I’ve heard that name more times today than I have in the last ten years. But yes, it’s because of him. No, I don’t want to talk about it. That was the past. I’m over it. Bastian is my future. I just need to figure out how to…feel again. I need time.”

“You still have a few months.”

My lids closed as my lie ate into my chest like acid. “I’m not sure that’s long enough.”

“Your life can change by the day. If anyone knows that it’s me. You never know what might happen.”

Light flooded in, and I took a shuddering breath as I nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Life is unexpected. Maybe I’ll learn to love again if I try hard enough. Or… maybe I’m making a horrible mistake.”

“I don’t see how you could go wrong with Bastian Allard. He’s—” Penny’s brows drew in as her gaze followed someone in the distance. I turned, searching through the mass of people, but there were too many in the lobby area of the large hotel. “Bastian can wait,” she mumbled. “Oh my God. Marian, look. Just past the fountain. Is that her?”

“What? Who?”

“Right there,” Penny stressed, pointing as her finger bounced. “The woman in black with the two large bodyguards. Is that the author we’re here for? The one I’m reading right now? I saw her picture in the back of the book. I’m almost positive that’s her.”

My neck craned, and a couple took a few steps, giving the smallest glimpse of Jenn’s small frame. She was wearing a black outfit like she always was, and her mostly dark hair was shorter than I’d last seen, sitting at her shoulders. The small streaks of gray were new, but it only had me smiling more as I nodded.

“That’s her.”

“I can’t believe it.” Penny was nearly standing as she moved her head, trying to see past all the people coming-and-going. “Do you want to sneak over and get a closer look?”

The playfulness in her tone, not to mention Bastian’s presence, had me reaching for the check that was already resting on the table. With the bill charged to the room, I quickly wrote down the tip, grabbing my purse as I stood to flee.

“I’ll do you one better. Let’s go say hello.”

“Really? Won’t she be upset?”

Penny scattered to grab her tote.

“She knows I’m going to be here.”

“You mean the two of you are friends?”

The star-gazed surprise had me looping my arm in hers as we left the hotel’s restaurant.

“You could say we’re close. I may be all the way in London, but she signs there once a year. Over time, we’ve stayed in touch. Plus, I have a lot of connections in the US. Jenn reaches out to me sometimes. Like, last year. She was looking for a cozy little studio with a city view, so she asked if I knew anyone.”

“Which I’m sure you did.”

I laughed. “I gave her a friend’s number. Nina is a real estate goddess. She found Jenn the perfect writer’s retreat. You should have heard how happy she was. She was forever grateful. Now she has the perfect place to write us more stories. It’s a win-win.”

“I can’t believe you didn’t say anything. Wait, how do I look?”

I led her out of the restaurant and into the buzz of travelers.

“You look great. I’m glad you decided to take me up on my offer and wear my other sundress. It’s cuter and cooler than those jeans you were wearing.”

“It is a cute dress. I hate jeans.”