Page 106 of Love is an Open Book
“Okay, but in draft zero, it’s Legolas or nothing.”
I peek from under my arm. “Is it actually Legolas?”
Gavin shoots me a grin. “Nah. It’s Toby.”
“As in Tobias?” I squint up at the wisps of clouds in the afternoon sky, trying to remember putting that one on the list.
“As in you have your hero.” He shifts the laptop to my outstretched legs, the plastic warm against my bare thighs where my cotton dress has gotten bunched. “Go forth and do your magic.”
Toby.Tobias. I roll the name around in my mind, trying it out. Stalling. But Gavin is already clambering out of the hammock. He never reads over my shoulder, unlike the rest of my friends with whom I have to slam the laptop shut the moment they enter the room. Then again, he’s not just a friend. Not anymore.
He’s halfway to the house, walking along the tidy brick path between hydrangeas and rosebushes, when I call out, “How old is Toby?”
“Thirty-three,” he answers without turning around. “No kids, two parrots.”
“Parrots?”
He does turn then, walking backward. “To keep each other company. They live a long time.”
“Don’t be getting any ideas,” I warn him. “What would the cats do?” We didn’t keep them all, but we couldn’t let Mama Cat go after all she’d been through, and Cedar had sunk his tiny kitten claws into our hearts from the start. Morris pushed past his fear of screwing up pet ownership and adopted Ash, who now has her own social media account, and Sera surprised us by taking Juniper home to keep her company while on bed rest. Their daughter is infatuated with him.
I don’t catch Gavin’s reply because I’ve already slipped on my noise-canceling headphones. A new book is always a mix of excitement and intimidation, but now I’m writing with theknowledge that I’m not weaving fairy tales, I’m writing possibilities.
Hours later, I reach the end of a chapter and glance away from the screen to find Gavin watering the patch of daylilies by the shed. He’s dressed to go out, and twilight paints him in smudges of purple and blue. When did the sun set?
Taking off my headphones, the soothing sound of falling water reaches my ears, the orange flowers swaying under the near-invisible spray from the garden hose. “How long have you been out here?”
“Not long. I just got off the phone with Mom and Dad. He surprised her with concert tickets.” His parents have reconciled, though they aren’t remarried. According to his mom, they’re taking things slow this time around, but seeing them date is the cutest thing ever. “You were really caught up.” He stoops to turn off the tap. “Nice to see you writing instead of struggling with names.”
“You’re taking credit for the success of randomness?”
He comes over and I tip my chin up for a kiss. “If you think I’d ever take credit for your success, then you’re not seeing clearly.”
As if to prove his point, he removes my glasses, the earpiece catching on one of my braids. Gently, he reaches behind my ear and frees them. He wipes the lenses clean on the hem of his shirt, then, with a satisfied hum, puts them on himself. The black frames that are Book Nerd Basic on me look outright dashing on him, especially with his crisp button-down.
“You’re awfully dressed up.” Thoughawfulisn’t how I’d describe him. His cheeks are pink, freshly shaved, hair gelled into a neat style that likely won’t last through the opening credits of the season-four watch party Riley has planned.
“Not every day I get to attend a premiere.” He came with me a couple years ago, right after we finally got together, but I brought my sister and Ted to the premiere of this season, so thiswill be Gavin’s first glimpse of Sydney and Victor as a couple, on-screen, that is. “Better hurry or we’ll be late.”
Passing him the laptop, I climb out of the hammock. “Would that be so terrible?” I never let on to anyone else, but Gavin knows how uncomfortable I feel to watch my books play out on-screen. Despite the actors’ talent and the nuance brought out by the adaptation, I haven’t gotten used to it.
He tucks the laptop under his arm, draping my headphones over his wrist, and not for the first time, I notice his strong forearms. Now those are the stuff of romance novel legend.
“Pretty sure Riley plans to use the fact thatTheMia Brady is attending her watch party as social media bragging rights for life, so she might not be too happy if we skipped it.” Gavin slips his free arm around my shoulder. “But I heard she’s making book-themed snacks.”
“Now that I can get behind.” We stroll toward the house, walking hip to hip, absurdly close yet in sync, and if I had a pen, the moment would make a damn good metaphor, but I’m learning to soak up life and not hoard each moment, knowing inspiration comes when I let go.
An hour later, we’re standing on the threshold of Riley’s place, hand in hand. Gavin tugs me up against him after he rings the bell, and I rise on tiptoe to kiss his cheek, just as the door opens. Morris groans and shuts it in our faces.
We’re both laughing when the door opens again, and this time it’s Riley. Without hesitation, she waves us in. “Sorry Morris is a prude.”
“Am not,” he hollers from the kitchen. “I just don’t need further evidence of how happy everyone else is when I’m about to be subjected to hours of on-screen romantic bliss.”
“His date is a no-show,” Riley explains, leading us through to the patio, where she’s arranged a table of snacks and drinks. A projector screen is set up in the yard, blankets spread over thegrass. As much as I love the glitz of Hollywood premieres, this is much more my scene.
“It’s beautiful out here, thank you.” The night is perfect. Warm, with stars twinkling overhead.
“Thankyoufor not giving up on the book,” she says, pouring two glasses of wine. I reach for one, but she picks both up, clutching them against her chest. “Nuh-uh, these are mine. I’m going to need both to get through watching Robert cheat on me.”
