“Jeez. His loss. How long ago was that?”
“About a year ago.”
“Hm.” He shook his head. “Dumb guy.”
I shrugged. “What about you? No wife and kids waiting for you at home?” I wondered.
“Definitely not.”
“No long-distance supermodel girlfriend flying in to meet you in Aruba?”
He laughed. “I’m afraid not.”
“How come you’re traveling alone?” I asked. “Is that something you do often?”
“I’m searching for inspiration,” he said, looking down. Crimson bloomed across his face, and I wondered if I’d embarrassed him.
“Wait. Is this a writing trip?”
Beckett tilted his head. “Is that, like, the dumbest thing you ever heard?”
“No! It’s actually very, very cool. I’ve always wanted to do something like that.”
“Oh. Well, yeah.” He smiled, and I watched his cheeks get fuller. They were laden with caramel-tinted stubble. I vaguely wanted to put my lips against his laugh lines. “Just feels weird to say it out loud, but it’s a writing retreat. It was my Christmas gift to myself.”
“First, you switch seats with my mom. Now this?” I ask. “I think you might actually be my hero.”
“Not possible. In fact, I think you’ve got it backward.I’mthe one who’s completely starstruck byyou. It’s taking everything I’ve got not to google you right this second and learn about all of your books.”
“Only writers are starstruck by other writers.”
“Well… I think you’re a rock star.”
The plane began to taxi down the jetway then, and I turned back to check on my mom, who gave me a wink when she saw me craning my neck to look at her.
Then, as I settled back into my seat, I placed my right forearm, palm side up, on the armrest between us. Beckett Nash interlocked his strong fingers with mine. The plane lurched forward and picked up speed, pushing my body weight into my chairback. I gripped my fingers tightly around his hand and closed my eyes, catching my breath as my heart took off into the sky.
Chapter 6
The weekend comes, and I spend it doing errands, laundry, meal prepping for the week, and reading Beckett’s book.
One might think I would have readThe Beginning of Everythingcover to cover the second it came out, but I didn’t. To be completely honest, I didn’t have the time because I was dealing with my own release (with its subpar title,Holiday Island) and all the publicity events surrounding it. Also, once I heard that Beckett was dating Analise, I was fairly aghast. Like,howdid that happen? It felt like a fever dream. So naturally, any sliver of hope I’d held on to that we might ever find our way back to each other suddenly washed away like a castle in the sand. Andthatnews I couldn’t escape. Untethered has been topping the charts with their #1 singles for years, starting with their breakout hit “Love Juice” six years ago. Analise Renda has the voice of an angel and a body to match, along with being crazy famous and having the bank account of a thousand teachers combined. So even if they had only dated for as long as it takes to microwave a can of soup, she would ruin Beckett Nash for all future girlfriends for the rest of his life. How could he resist comparing every impending potential—or previous—love interest to her? He couldn’t. No man could. Which I guess at this point is irrelevant, given the fact that he went ahead and put a ring on it.
I don’t even blame him.
But I can still be petty and refuse to see him, right?
Fine, yes. In my heart, I know that all Evan is trying to do is help me. And thatyes, it would do amazing things for book sales. Not to mention the fact that it would clear my name.
I know all that. I mean, obviously.
I just… I don’t think I can do it.
I sigh, pairing socks on the bedroom floor. If Mom were still here, I can guess what she’d say. I can hear it in my head, clear as day, her enthusiastic voice that made her sound significantly younger than she actually was, marked by the tiniest rasp in her throat left behind by years of smoking. “You’ve alreadydoneit, Pretty Girl. You’ve already made the decision just by entertaining the thought of it.”
“And how exactly do you figure that?” I would reply, probably with a snarky edge to my voice that both of us would know was just a wiseass front to cover my nervousness.
“Because, don’t you know that saying? Thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits. There’s more to it, but I forget the rest.”
