I see you.
Addie looked around. Toni wasn’t in the lobby, as far as Addie could tell. The sound of an incoming text sounded. Addie glanced down.
Bar.
With a steadying breath, Addie looked over at the lobby bar to find Toni looking back at her. Jeans, black sleeveless top, and another blazer folded over her lap. Ink covered one of her arms from shoulder to wrist, and Addie smothered a sound. Last time, Toni’s sleeves touched her wrists. Now, defined muscles on tattooed arms were in full display.
Addie removed her shawl and clutched it as she walked toward Toni.I dressed for her, so I’m not going to hide.
Addie’s heart thrummed in her chest.
Toni swiveled to watch Addie’s approach, and her expression was hungry enough to make Addie want to run toward her. To distract herself from the fact that the woman of her dreams was watching her, Addie studied Toni.
Her cheeks were more defined than Addie remembered them being in Scotland, and her hair was slightly longer. The slight undercut was new, as if Toni had decided to make a statement now that she was an author. Addie’s gaze dropped to the hand curled around a glass of what she knew was whisky.
Toni, of course, noticed and grinned as if she could read Addie’s mind.
With a slightly faster step, Addie closed the distance as Toni stood to greet her, but Addie wasn’t sure what the protocol was here.
“Do I hug or kiss you?” she mused aloud. “After… Edinburgh… and a year of talking over email, I’m not sure.”
Toni laughed like she was startled, but she opened her arms. “Come here. I would’ve hugged you at the studio, but I was speechless after your performance.”
Addie stepped into the circle of Toni’s arms. She felt like she might melt. This was right, like finding where she wanted to be.
Then Toni released her, emptied her drink, and added in a huskier voice, “I’ll give you what you want, Addie, if you do the same.”
Addie flinched. Toni’s comment felt very much like a dig at her for freezing back in the garden, and that expression must have shown on her face. The next thing she knew, Toni’s hand was cupping her jaw.
“Notwhat you’re thinking,” Toni said once Addie met her gaze. “You seemed to want some answers earlier, and whatIwant is to have dinner with the beautiful actor about to star in a new show… one who failed to tell me she was even auditioning.”
“Oh.”
Toni leaned in and brushed her lips over Addie’s too quickly to even be called a kiss, and then she added, “So I think we have a few things to discuss. Don’t you?”
Addie nodded. “I didn’t know how to tell you that I knew who you were without risking you vanishing. I laid out openings for you to tell me about the book. You didn’t. So I couldn’t tell you about the audition for the show about your book without admitting I knew about the book, but…” She shrugged.
“Today’s email was pretty overt.” Toni flashed her a grin before she slipped her jacket on and gestured Addie forward.
Addie restrained her impulsivity, folding her hands into tight balls to resist the impulse to touch Toni’s arm or hip or bum. She had to remind herself that Toni might have readers nearby, and Addie had to get used to that restriction for herself, too. If the show was a hit—please let it be a hit—Addie would have fans of her own.
She kept pace with Toni as they crossed the lobby until Toni paused. “I should’ve asked if you wanted a drink.…”
“No.” Addie smiled brightly at her. “I mean, no, I don’t, and no, you didn’t need to ask. I can speak up to tell you what I want.”
“Can you?” Toni shot her a heated glance before she pushed open the door. She looked around at the bellmen and valets, adding lightly, “There’s to be a car out here waiting.”
Addie spotted a black car withADDIE WIGHTon the sign in the corner of the window, but she kept looking even as Toni said, “There it is. I hope you don’t mind. I put your character name on it in case.”
“In case?”
Toni glanced at her. “In case you walked in, and I scared you off, and you wanted to leave. Or in case you were angry that I never told you about the book.…”
The driver stepped out as they approached. He walked around the car and nodded. “Evening.”
“Hi!” Addie chirped, too brightly, cringing at the bemused smile on Toni’s face.
Toni gave the driver a calmer, “Evening.” She stood beside the open door, glanced at Addie. “Miss Stewart? After you.”
