Page 154 of Lucky Shot
I hate to admit that I’ve had that thought. Maybe the magic wasn’t in the idea but in him. Either way, it was a shitty thing to do.
“What the fuck did you say to her?” Nick asks, grip tightening on my hand.
Matt hesitates, jaw moving back and forth as he considers us. Slowly, that sly grin returns. “You should be thanking me. Do you know how many people would kill to have me write their concept? I did you a favor. You would have turned it into some cheesy, chick lit crap that only sells to women who want a one-hand read.”
He no sooner than gets the final word out, then Nick is lunging forward and punching him. Matt crumples to the ground, catching himself on one knee. He looks up, blood in his mouth and sneers. There are a few gasps and wide-eyed looks, but no one comes forward.
“We have to go.” I grab Nick’s arm and pull him with me down the hall.
No one comes running after us, so when we turn a corner, I slow and face him. Then start laughing.
Nick’s jaw is tight but slowly loosens and as a smile finally stretches across his face, he laughs too.
“Fuck, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Are you kidding? That was the highlight of my entire year.”
“I don’t know how you kept your cool all this time, knowing damn well he stole it from you.” His jaw returns to stone.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s going to spend the rest of his career striving to recreate something he doesn’t know how to do. He has to look at himself in the mirror and reconcile who he is and what he’ll do to get ahead. I sleep just fine at night. Though better when it was next to you.”
“Same.”
“Well, that was entertaining,” Molly interrupts.
I open my mouth to ask her how she already knows, but she waves me off. “I was thirty seconds behind you. Good news. Matt’s jaw isn’t broken.”
“Is that good news?” I ask.
She levels me with an unamused glare.
“Kidding,” I say. I mean, kind of.
“That’s on me,” Nick says. “I take full responsibility, and I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure it doesn’t blow back on Ruby.”
“If anyone asks, we’ll tell them you were in a jealous rage. Though I doubt Matthew will mention it. He went down like a sack of potatoes.” She makes a face depicting her embarrassment for him. “But we have bigger problems.”
“We do?”
“Doreen wants to meet with you now. She got a last-minute flight home and needs to leave soon.”
“Go,” Nick tells me.
Molly nods her head and angles her body for me to follow her.
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I’m sure whatever she wants is important, but I need five minutes alone with Nick.”
Molly heaves a sigh then looks around. She tips her head to the left. “The green room is probably empty.”
“Thank you.”
I take his hand and lead him there.
“Five minutes,” Molly reminds me.
The green room is, as Molly assumed, empty. I shut the door and lock it. I turn and lean against it. With one hand, I wave toward the table of drinks and snacks. “Want anything?”
“Yes,” he says as he wraps an arm around my waist and drops his mouth to mine again.
