Page 81 of The Final Draft

“Where’s the remote?” I feel around for it in the cushions.

“What?” Maddie asks, confused.

“The remote!” She picks it up and tosses it to me. I hit rewind to catch what I missed.

“What do you do to relax between games?” the female reporter asks.

“I’m like any other guy, really. I go out with friends, binge watch Netflix, and read,” Logan answers. Why is he lying? There’s nothing to gain with this. What’s he up to?

“Really. Any book recommendations?” she asks.

“Well, I just finished this book by Priscilla Jenkins and JB Moore that came out yesterday. Couldn’t put it down. And the ending? Chef’s kiss.”

“We’ll add book reviewer to your impressive resume,” she jokes. Her flirty laughter fills the room.

Did I hear that correctly? Harper finished our book and published it? She was working on it, but I would’ve thought with everything that happened she wouldn’t have the heart to finish it. Well, apparently, she wasn’t too heartbroken to work. Good for her. I’m not surprised. She cared more about the project than she cared about me.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact Logan read a book. Especially that book.

“Is that the book you were writing with Harper?” Maddie asks.

“Yep. Guess she got it done. She’s driven, that’s for sure. Leave it to her not to miss a goal.” The bitterness doesn’t sit right, and I swallow it down. “I’m going for a run.”

After a long run and an extra-hot shower, I sit down to face my workday. With the time difference, it’s already late afternoonin New York, so I have a full day’s worth of emails to respond to. There are the usual contract approvals and list of potential new clients. Nothing out of the ordinary until I open an email from a client telling me how much he loved my book.

My family group chat is all a twitter about the book, too. Did they all read it? Even Alexander?

Well, good for her. At least Harper can say she’s published now. And surprisingly, I’m not angry about it. Maybe Maddie’s right. New day, new frame of mind.

During our daily check-ins, Patrick hasn’t mentioned JB Moore, which is making me a bit suspicious. He asks if I can go to the LA basketball game tonight because one of our clients, Derrick Johnson, needs some face time with me. Sure. Why not? I’ll take Maddie. She likes those courtside seats. The focus in this city is more on being seen rather than the actual game, and I can work with that.

At halftime, the courtside reporter stops Derrick on his way to the locker room. “Derrick, you’re on fire tonight. What’s giving you the extra motivation and energy?”

“Man, I’m reading this romance book about a hockey player, and I’m hoping they’ll write one about me next. It’s LA, and I’m auditioning, baby!” The crowd goes wild as he bounces on his toes in a circle, his hands in the air encouraging the cheers.

Maddie laughs and bumps shoulders with me. I do my best to control my eye roll. The Jumbotron could flash to us any second, so I need to remain neutral.

“Seems I need to read this book and see what all the fuss is about,” she teases.

“Don’t bother,” I mumble.

After the game, we go home, and I turn on the TV. I need comedic relief, so I find one of the late-night shows. Caleb Lyman, star safety for the Lonestars, is telling a humorous story about team travel and away games. I’m doomscrolling on myphone while he chats with the host about fans waiting outside hotels and fire alarms being pulled.

“No, really, that happens. Last night, I was in my hotel room reading this romance novel about a hockey player and his dog walker, and the fire alarm went off. I thought for sure it was because of the hot scene I was reading. I was definitely invested.”

The host laughs and holds up a copy of the book as the camera zooms in. “You heard it here first, folks. Caleb Lyman loves a hot romance.”

“And my wife likes it when I read them too,” Caleb adds. “It brings us together. Like the couple in this book. The ending was not what I expected. But it makes you a believer in forever love, that’s for sure.”

“We’ll be back and play a game that will cool you off, Caleb,” the host says, and the show cuts to an ad for acid relief. Which is exactly what I need right now because my stomach is rolling.

Forever love? That’s not the way it ends, but if you aren’t used to the genre, you might think a happily for now is forever.

Maddie comes in from the terrace, a bounce in her step. “I’ve got an audition for a Broadway play. I’ve always wanted to do Broadway. Tomorrow, I’m going to New York, and you’re coming too. We’re on this journey together. This new chapter is looking up!”

“I don’t want to go,” I mumble, sounding like a petulant toddler.

“I don’t care what you want, you don’t have a choice. I need to pack.” Her tone is emphatic, and I know better than to argue. She’ll win, so why bother fighting? She turns and goes to her bedroom.

---