Page 40 of The Final Draft

“Did you forget I don’t drink coffee?” She pokes her lip out in a pretend pout, and she’s adorable. I need to get off this panic rollercoaster. It’s making me crazy.

“I didn’t forget, gorgeous.” I lift my hand to her face, and the warmth of her cheek calms my nerves. “You’ve got me a little discombobulated at this moment. You overwhelm me, that’s all. How about the best hot chocolate in New York?”

She bites her lip as she considers my suggestion. With a slight nod, my afternoon is turning around. I still have to figure out how to tell her I’m her writing partner, but for now, I’ll enjoy our time together.

“Let’s duck in here to keep you warm while I make arrangements. It will take a few minutes.” It’s a perfect mid-October day, but the wind off the river is a little brisk. We turnback to the café, and I pull out a chair for her while I go to the back and make a quick call to Kat.

When I get back to the table, she’s scrolling on her phone, celebrity gossip posts filling the screen. Priscilla told me she uses social media for inspiration and to generate ideas for her characters. Now that I know Priscilla is Harper, the clues were obvious. I can’t believe I didn’t put it together sooner.

I lean over to get a better look at the picture of Madelyn Reynolds at the beach with her friends and the ridiculous headline speculating she has an eating disorder. “I really hate these sites. I’ve told you not to believe everything you read. That girl will eat more pizza than me and wash it down with a full-bodied beer. Eating disorder, my ass.” Another surprised look from Harper. “She’s watching what she eats in public because of sites like this.”

I take the chair in front of Harper, and she puts her phone in her bag. “Sorry, I was scrolling. I can’t believe you know Madelyn Reynolds like that.”

“Yeah, we went to college together. Promise me you ignore all the trash they write about me.”

She cocks her eyebrow and fires back at me. “Even the article about you sponsoring the local baseball teams in the city?”

I laugh and slap my hand on the table. “I knew you googled me!”

She blushes and sits up taller in her chair. “I needed to know exactly who I’m dealing with.” When she bites her bottom lip, my dick pays attention. She’s right. She needs to know who she’s dealing with, and I’ll tell her. Soon. I just need to find the right time.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-FIVE

HARPER

Who I’m dealing with indeed. Maybe Julian bailed, or maybe he saw me and got scared. Either way, he’s not ready to disclose his secret identity. That’s fine with me. I’m okay with him doing this at his pace, but it doesn’t mean I have to make it easy for him. I require trust in a relationship. Yes, it goes both ways. I’m ready to strip down our identities and our bodies. It’s obvious Julian is used to being in charge, calling the shots. I’ll let him have this one. For now.

Kat greets us and whisks us away to find the best hot chocolate in New York. Julian types away on his phone, supposedly making more arrangements for our afternoon. Kat and I chatter about the latest season ofThe Bachelor, both admitting it’s our guilty pleasure. While Julian’s attention is on his phone, mine is on him. His lips curve into a small smile and I can’t resist the urge to kiss him. I lean over, and he quickly hides his phone. I’d normally call him on his red flag behavior, but his smile only grows.

“Quit being nosy. You’ll spoil the surprise.” He bops me on my nose. I sit back with a playful pout. He shakes his head and leans in for a sweet kiss, and I quickly take it up a notch. I remember where I am and pull away, not feeling comfortable getting hot and heavy while Kat pretends not to notice.

“What surprise? You said we’re going for hot chocolate and…. what are we doing here?” Kat brings the car to a stop next to a heliport, where several large, sleek, black helicopters sit. A man in a pilot uniform opens my door.

“Good afternoon, Miss Cartwright, Mr. Decker. Everything is ready and on schedule.” He extends his hand to help me out of the car, but I turn and look at Julian.

“I thought we were getting hot chocolate?”

His grin is bright enough to light up the night sky. “We are. I promised you the best hot chocolate in New York, and that’s what you’re going to get.” He puts his finger below my chin and closes my mouth before giving me a light kiss. “I’ll never tire of surprising you.” He says that more to himself, but I shake my head. I can’t believe this man.

We walk to the enormous helicopter, and I pause. The wind comes off the river and blows my hair everywhere, adding to the chaos and my growing fear. “I’ve never been in one of these, and it’s a little terrifying.”

“Wes has clocked thousands of hours flying. It’s safe, I promise. Do you trust me?” That’s the thing. I trust him. More than I probably should. But that trust doesn’t stop my stomach fluttering with nerves.

“I thought the hot chocolate would be in Brooklyn or ….”

“Something like that. Come on, this will be fun.” His eyes dare me to take the risk. Truth or dare. Doesn’t matter. I’ll give in every time.

We get in the helicopter, and it’s nice. The soft, buttery leather seats make it easier to relax. When the door slides shut,it’s quieter than I expected. “Do we need headsets? I always see headsets.” Through my aimless rambling, the tension in my voice becomes noticeable.

“Not unless you need them for the full experience.” He puts his arm around me and pulls me in tight to his side. “Wes will give us a tour if you want.”

“That would be fantastic. But, um, where are we going?”

“I promised you the best hot chocolate in New York, and that’s where we’re going. You’ll be home in time to take Noodle for his evening walk. Promise.”

Spending time with Julian is unpredictable and overwhelming. Julian is larger than life, and that’s his normal setting. His current setting is off the charts. Happiness fills his face, and his excitement fills the cabin. All his contagious energy washes over me, and I let my nerves disappear and enjoy the moment. Enjoy Julian.

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