Page 72 of How to Write a Rom-Com

Anne is taken aback. “Do what? Finish the book?” I look down at the papers in her hand, the neurons in my brain making their way back to full capacity, then forging into overload.

“No, I mean, yes. I can. But not yet. I can’t finish it yet because I don’t know how it ends.” Anne looks at me quizzically. I stand up abruptly and start to walk out of the room, but I turn back and lean against the desk across from her. “I really hope you’re serious about publishing this book. Because if you are, I’ll write you another one and another one and another one. Because I don’t think I can be your assistant anymore. Or even your assistant editor. This isn’t how my story ends. And I have to go find out how it does.”

“And where are you going to do that?”

“Hudson Hollow.”

The smile on Anne’s face is unlike any expression I’ve ever seen her make. “I was hoping you would say that.” With that, she jolts out of her chair and rushes out of the room before I can comprehend what she said.

I furrow my brows and awkwardly follow her into the hall. The people in the rows of cubicles are staring at us like they’re angry librarians and we coughed in a silent library.

“Um, Anne?” I say, peeking my head out of the conference room. She’s already back at our desks. I grab my stuff from the conference room and speed-walk back to our row. Anne is waving her hands at the rest of our team. “Anne, what are you doing?”

She pulls out her phone and starts typing ferociously. “Going to Hudson Hollow,” she says matter-of-factly.

“What?” Elle and I say at the same time. Nicole, Terri, Callie, and Nadine take their earphones out to see what the commotion is about.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, my heart starting to race a bit.

“Exactly what I said,” Anne says, finally looking up at me. “We’re going to get you an ending to your story.”

“What’s going on?” Nicole chimes in, all of us now standing around our desks and attracting the attention of the entire department.

“Anne, that’s crazy—” I start. “I—I didn’t really think it was a group kind of thing,” I say, staring at my boss in disbelief. Did I not explain myself well? It almost kind of sounded like I quit back there, and this was definitely not the response I was expecting. This is supposed to be my big montage moment, where I decide what I want and go get it. Anne is kind of stealing my thunder here.

“Where are we going?” Nadine asks, rounding the corner with Elle and Terri to be closer to the conversation.

“Hudson Hollow,” Anne answers.

Elle smiles brilliantly. “You’re going back? You’re going to tell him you love him?” She runs down the line of cubicles, drawing the attention of the rest of the floor.

“Tell who, what?” Callie asks, swinging her chair back from her desk.

“Liam, the chef guy. She loves him and we’re all going to Hudson Hollow to find an ending to her book,” Anne explains, dialing her phone.

“I’m sorry,we all?” I say, looking between my co-workers. I turn my attention back to Anne and she raises her phone to her ear and puts up a finger to silence me. “Hey babe, I have a work emergency, I have to run up to the Catskills… I’ll explain everything later…”

“This is not a work emergency!” I whine in a whisper. “This is the exactoppositeof a work emergency!”

“We’re all going!” Elle announces, and I look at her like she’s gone mad. How did this get so out of hand?

I look around at the rest of the team. “I have to say, I think that might look a little bit like we’re ganging up on him,” I say with a look of hesitancy on my face.

“We won’t alltalkto him!” Elle says in an obvious tone. “Come on, ladies! Let’s get going!” The women jump up and we all begin to gather our belongings.

“This is so exciting!” Callie squeals, throwing miscellaneous items into her purse. Nicole and Terri look unsure but Anne is already halfway to the door.

“Nicole, Terri, let’s go! Time to be a little spontaneous! Don’t you want to see how this turns out?” she calls from the end of our aisle of cubicles.

“I do,” Nadine says, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

“Nadine, find out what time the next bus is. Let’s get a move on!” Anne says, clapping her hands. I look over at the desk of our publisher, who is turned around with a curious look on his face. Anne follows my gaze and gives me a wide-eyed look. She really didn’t think this through. “Team-building exercise!” she yells across the floor. “As you were!”

Wow, Heartwarming Love Stories has really gone to the zoo today.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Once we’re on the bus, it all clicks into focus—this is happening. The feeling in my stomach churns with a chaotic mix of anticipation, excitement and dread, like I’m perched at the apex of a roller coaster, bracing for the inevitable drop. The journey here felt like the agonizing climb, each turn of the wheels cranking me up, inch by inch. Now there’s no going back. The only thing left to do is to hold tight, steady my breath, and resist the urge to let the adrenaline spill over.

---