Page 20 of Crazy Love

“You need to be initiated,” Sadie says, giving me a once-over. “And by that, I mean, you need to hear us lose our minds over Elle’s book being made into a movie. Excuse me…Zoey’sbook.”Her eyes narrow on me. “Have you read Zoey Archer’s books, by any chance? Did you know you’re in the presence of greatness?” She holds her arm out toward Elle like she’s a game show host and Elle groans, glancing at me apologetically.

“Ignore them. They don’t get out much,” Elle says, and they laugh at that while also pretending to be offended.

“Beg to differ,” Tru says. “I did two extra things today that weren’t related to being a milk cow. One of them includes being here.” She snorts. “I think that constitutes a very busy woman.”

“I’m totally kidding,” Elle says, looking at me. “These women are the great ones.”

“Aww,” Tru says, leaning her head on Elle’s shoulder.

“I have read your books,” I tell Elle. “I loved both of them!”

“Thanks so much!” she says.

“Did you know her book’s being made into a movie?” Poppy asks. “We’re trying to get her to tell us all the details.”

I lean in, intrigued. “A movie? That’s huge!”

“And she won’t tell her best friends anything!” Tru frowns and shakes her head, but in the next second, she’s smiling.

Elle groans. “I swear, I don’t know! They barely tell me anything.”

“That’s not what I heard,” Calista chimes in with a smirk. “Word is they’ve already got a director, and the casting rumors aredelicious.”

Elle shakes her head. “You can’t believe everything you see online. I know a little…and what’s online is mostly gossip. They’re keeping everything under wraps for now.”

“Don’t secrets leak sometimes?” Sadie asks hopefully.

Elle smirks. “So far I haven’t seen anyone with the right information.”

Tru gasps. “So youdoknow something.”

“I promise when I know anything solid, you’ll be the first to know,” Elle promises. “Well, after Rhodes, of course…because he’s the nosiest human on the planet.”

The conversation turns animated, bouncing between book-to-movie adaptations, our favorite actors, and which of Elle’s characters would translate best on screen. Before I know it, they’re talking me into joining them for dinner.

“You don’t even have to drive,” Poppy says. “Just ride with us. We’re taking two vehicles just to handle all of us and the car seats.”

“And you’re in too, right, Calista?” Elle asks.

She nods. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll close up and see if Javi can pull it off.”

Normally, I’d hesitate around new people, but something about them makes me want to say yes. So, I do. And within minutes, I’m crammed into Elle’s SUV, listening to these women laugh and talk to me like they’ve known me forever.

By the time we arrive at the restaurant, I’m in an even better mood. Especially when I see Camden Whitman. I hurry toward him before he even spots me. “Cam!”

His head snaps up, and a slow grin spreads across his face. “Adeline?”

He opens his arms and I wrap my arms around him, squeezing him tight.

“I came with friends and didn’t even realize we were coming to your restaurant! I’ve been dying to come see you since I moved back.”

“Looks better since the last time you were here, right?” He looks around proudly.

“It’s gorgeous, Camden. Really beautiful.”

“Goldie is going to be so jealous that we’re seeing each other without her,” he says, laughing.

“Tough luck. Tell your sister she needs to come see both of us sooner rather than later.”

---