“They caught him,” I answer. “Just someone that was lonely and took his loneliness in the wrong direction.”
Leo tilts his head, and I can tell he’s curious.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t think people are bad.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Really?”
“I mean, people do bad things or say bad words, but the actual person…I just can’t believe people want to be bad. I think they just don’t know how to be good because no one believed they could be,” I try to explain. “Life is hard, and a little kindness can go a long way. I think it can even change someone’s heart.”
“You’re an interesting person, Rachel Perry,” Leo says. “And someone is now looking over here at you.”
“What?” I ask, and the question comes out more rushed and breathier than I want it to.
He lets out a laugh. “We could make this little interview look like a date if you’d like?”
His dark eyes are glistening now.
“What? Why? What do you mean?” I stammer.
“I mean, he’s on a date, so…” Leo trails off.
I swallow. “It’s probably just a fan experience.”
“A what?” he asks.
“A fan experience. It’s part of the book tour. People pay extravagant amounts of money to dine with the author,” I explain.
When Melanie had told me about the fan experiences in detail, I rolled my eyesout loud. They cost upward of ten grand, which is absolutely ridiculous. I would never pay a penny to have dinner with someone who had tobe paidto eat with me. Plus, I’ve had dinner with Evan Michaels and…
Well, actually…it was kind of great. Not life-changing great though. Not ten thousand dollars great. Especially when that is about all I have in my bank account thanks to this little book tour I'm on.
I glance behind me at Evan, sitting up a little taller in my chair, and thankful that my wild red hair is covered by a half wall that is a large planter with snake plants keeping me mostly hidden. Evanis sipping on his water while the woman seems to chug her wine, leaning across the table in averyforward way that makes me think she wants more than a conversation with Evan.
My phone buzzes and I pick it up.
Evan
I see you.
I know my face is as red as my hair now.
“Sorry,” I say to Leo. “Can I reply to this?”
He leans back in his chair, putting his hands behind his head. “Go ahead.”
Rachel
I see you, too.
I pause and then decide to add…
I didn’t realize dinner with a fan came with a show. Is she hoping for an autograph or a sequel with you?
I hurry and glance back at Evan as I watch him discreetly looking at his phone beneath the table, and I catch his eyebrows lift before he steals a look over at me with a smile.
I watch as he types something back, and it buzzes on my phone in seconds.
Evan
