Page 30 of Long Story Short

I shook my head but I had to smile. ‘You need to focus on what we’re doing here.’

He raised an eyebrow.

‘I mean work wise! God.’ I put a hand to my face, flustered, feeling my cheeks heat up. I looked away from his gaze because it felt like he was peeling away layers off me with it. ‘But you’ve always been my favourite romance author,’ I admitted quietly.

‘Even though I let you down yesterday,’ he said. ‘I am sorry about that, Freya. I want to be more like you.’

‘If that’s a good thing,’ I said. ‘Hayley definitely doesn’t think so. I suppose you and me are very different.’ I wondered if that was something that should be making me even more wary of this spark between us. ‘Although they do say that opposites attract,’ I added absentmindedly.

‘So, if opposites attract then we’re agreed we’re attracted to one another?’ he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

‘I suppose I didn’t mind kissing you…’ I said, teasing him right back.

‘Oh, it was just an okay kiss for you?’ Jake leaned on the table and lowered his voice. ‘Am I going to have to try harder next time?’

‘Next time?’ I questioned, my heart thumping faster at the thought of him doing that.

‘There you are!’

Before Jake could answer me, Liv was suddenly standing by our table. I jumped when she appeared, my cheeks flushing further. ‘Morning,’ I said to her, in a high-pitched voice, tearing my eyes from Jake’s.

Liv frowned a little bit and looked from me to Jake as if wondering what was going on between us. ‘So, are you ready for the panel later? I was going to come and listen with you as I’m free until lunch.’

‘I can’t promise it will be as entertaining as the last one,’ Jake said.

Liv stared at him for a bit as if confused by him making a joke. I had to admit I was still getting used to him loosening up a little bit too. ‘A lot of people will be there wondering what confessions you’ll make this time.’

‘What are people saying after the reader session?’ I asked her, pushing our kiss as firmly as I could to the back of my mind. ‘Can we still salvage the conference?’ I knew that Hayley had decided we couldn’t and I hated that I was losing hope.

‘Of course we can,’ Jake replied instead. ‘I told you, I’m sorry I let you down; I will do better today. Have faith in me.’

Our eyes met again and I really was desperate to trust him.

‘I think the problem is by giving them just a little bit yesterday, they want more,’ Liv said. ‘I’ve heard some wild theories going around about what the secret you wanted to hide from Davis Mulberry was. Like you have your wife hidden in your attic.’

Jake chuckled. ‘Jane Eyreis one of my favourites but there is no wife. I’ve never been married. Anything else?’

‘That all your books have been written by someone else,’ Liv said, smiling at his response like I was.

‘That’s definitely something Mulberry would be very gleeful about.’ Jake said. ‘But sadly, I have the neck pain to show for being hunched over my laptop for hours on end.’

Liv grimaced. ‘Mine gets sore by the end of a writing day too. Well, just be warned: things are getting pretty crazy out there.’ She gestured into the air. ‘I think your panel today will be packed in case you share any more secrets.’

‘I don’t think I have any more secrets, do I, Freya?’ Jake asked me, his expression innocent.

My face heated up again. ‘Um…’

‘I had an email from Hayley this morning,’ Liv said to me. ‘She told me I wasn’t posting enough on social media. Sometimes, she scares me a little bit.’

‘She was terrifying when she phoned me after Jake revealed that article was true. If I don’t do better, there won’t be a job for me when I get back home.’

‘Oh, Freya.’ Liv shook her head then gave Jake a glare. ‘Freya would make a brilliant agent. She has great instincts and as her client; you should be listening to her more.’

‘Jake isn’t my client,’ I said quickly.

‘While you’re here, he kind of is,’ she replied with a shrug.

‘I’m sorry, Liv,’ Jake said. ‘I’m doing my best. I just can’t say any more about it.’

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