That’s my woman,Noah interrupts. I bite my tongue to keep from smiling. Ever since meeting Ashton, I have a clearer vision of the man inside my head speaking to me. I hear the deep rumble in his voice, which sends chills rippling down my limbs.
Dad, always the laid-back one, pipes in before Mom has a chance to respond with questions about how I’ll juggle teaching and writing a book. “Who is the company again? The one wanting to represent you?”
“Yeah, I don’t think you ever told ushisname.” I don’t miss the emphasis on “his” Mom adds, bringing her lemon water to her mouth.
“The agent is with Prewitt Publishing.” I avoid saying Ashton’s name right off the bat so Mom’s flying fingers don’t start searching for him and find out he’s an attractive male around my age. Mom spits out her drink, sending the spray spritzing across the table onto Dad. Dad’s eyes widen by three sizes, and he’s too shocked by something else to care that he's covered in Mom’s water.
“Prewitt?” Dad asks, his voice elevated.
I nod, my brows furrowing. “Yes. Is something wrong with him?” I did more research on him and the company after meeting with him, and I found nothing that raised a red flag. In fact, I learned that Ashton represents another one of my favorite romance authors, Ashton Ashley, who inspired Noah’s middle and last name in my story. (Also, I was watchingGone With the Windat the time.) I vaguely wonder if it’s Ashton writing under a pen name because there are no pictures of Ashton Ashley when you search the name, and I plan to find out if he’ll tell me.
Because if it is…
Holy smokes.The guy is a serious romantic, and I don’t know if my heart can take working in such proximity with him when I feel like I know his soul from his stories. He wrote my all-time favorite novel,Days in Dothan.
“No, not at all, baby,” Dad says, grabbing a napkin and finally wiping off his face. I don’t miss the look of concern he sends Mom’s way, however.
“What is it?” I ask again with more force.
Ethan and Sam exchange glances, and I feel like I’m in one of those “Who’s gonna tell her” moments.
“They’re a publishing company strictly for the South? Based out of Tuscaloosa, right?” Ethan questions as if he already knows. But something is still off. Moments left unuttered.
“Yes,” I say slowly, wondering how my brother, who hasn’t picked up a book since high school, is aware of a small publishing company. “Which is why this is a huge opportunity for me.”
“Yeah, it is!” Sam lifts her hand for a high-five, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. But I’m unable to press any further because, at that moment, Bryan and his parents walk through the door and spot us. My spine stiffens.
“Oh, hi,” Bryan’s mom, Sandra, says as the trio approaches the table. Bryan is an equal mix of his parents. He’s got his mother’sshort and stocky frame while parading his father’s sharp facial features.
“Hey, Sandra,” Mom says through a tight smile before addressing Bryan’s dad. “Dave.”
My dad only nods his head in greeting. Ever since their son left me at the altar, my parents aren’t friendly and welcoming like they typically are with others—even strangers. I have no recollection of any of it, and I think my parents try to protect me from any sort of pain I might feel if I did suddenly remember. I don’t blame them, but I do wish they’d understand that I’m not the same person. Even if I did begin to recall events of the past, it’s been one whole year of rewriting my life already. I don’t think I could ever go back to the woman I was pre-amnesia.
“Where’s your boyfriend?” Bryan asks, cocky sarcasm lacing his voice.Weird. He’s usually expressionless.I’ve never felt the desire to slap someone as much as I do at this moment. The audacity of this mid-tiered man, to barge into my favorite restaurant on my birthday, and suggest I have a boyfriend!
But wait…
What if…?
Every set of eyes turns to me, and I make a split decision to play into Bryan’s assumption just to get him off my back.Adiós, Bland Box of Crackers.
The way Ashton stood up and stepped in for me at Main Street Coffee replays like a broken record in my head, and I think he wouldn’t mind if I used him at this moment. He was adamant that Bryan stay away from me because he made me uncomfortable.
After sipping my sweet tea for sugary courage, I square my shoulders and ready for the eruption to commence. “He is on a work trip right now.” I pause, eyeing everyone carefully at the table. Sam’s jaw is dropping, Ethan is clenching his teeth, and Mom and Dad are working overtime to take deep breaths.
Then the questions amalgamate and ring out.
“Girl, who is the man who took your attention off of writing for two seconds?” Sam leans back in her chair, crossing her arms and waggling her eyebrows.
“I want to meet him,” Dad and Ethan bark out at the same time.
“I’ll be,” Mom says, breathless, holding a hand over her heart. “Why did you keep this from us, sweetie?”
Because it’s all a farce and I’m a big fat liar, and oh… He’s my potential literary agent. Let’s not forget that one.
“It’s still new.” I shrug and occupy my dirty, lying mouth with another cheesy chip.
Bryan is sulky, back to his blank expression and sagging shoulders, but his parents seem fine enough. “Well, we should get seated,” Sandra says, ushering her crew away as we all wave and mumble goodbyes. “Oh, happy birthday, dear!”
