“Oh my God,” I whispered, when it finally clicked that this was a book signing more than a party. “Elena.”
She watched my face, clearly pleased. “You happy?”
“Yes.” My voice caught. “You know I am. But I don’t get it. This is clearly a book signing, so why wouldn’t I need my books?”
She sighed, dramatic and drawn out. “Okay. Fine. I was going to wait, but you’re going to figure it out anyway.”
My heart thudded. “Figure what out?”
She leaned in, lowering her voice like she was sharing a secret. “She’s giving out signed copies of her new book.”
My breath hitched. “Her new book? It isn’t out yet.”
“I know,” Elena said, eyes sparkling. “But she’s giving away a few physical copies tonight.”
My hand reached out and grabbed hers. “Before release?”
Elena nodded. “Before release.”
My knees actually went weak. I had to shift my weight to keep from swaying. “How long have you known about this?”
“For a week,” she admitted.
“A week,” I repeated faintly.
She winced. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
I laughed, a breathless, disbelieving sound. “You’re evil.”
“And generous,” she added. “Don’t forget generous.”
I shook my head, smiling slightly. “I can’t believe this.”
“I can,” Elena said. “You deserve it.”
The line moved, and I floated with it, barely aware of my surroundings. My mind raced ahead to the feel of new pages, the smell of fresh ink, the weight of a story no one else had yet.
That's when I saw him.
Across the room, near one of the display tables, stood a man who didn’t belong to the soft, cozy warmth of the space. He was tall, dark-haired, his presence sharp enough to cut through the gentle buzz of conversation.
My breath caught.
I recognized him instantly, even from afar.
The mystery man from the café.
4- Callahan
I knew the moment I saw her that I was in trouble.
She crossed the room with an ease that didn’t demand attention but drew it anyway, like gravity quietly doing its job. I hadn’t been prepared for that. Hadn’t been prepared for the way my chest seized or how my thoughts scattered so completely I forgot, for half a second, why I was even standing here.
Then she smiled.
Not a polite smile. Not a careful one. A real one—wide and bright and so genuine it felt like it split something open inside my chest. A soul-shattering smile, aimed directly at my sister, as if the world had narrowed to just the two of them.
My hand came up instinctively, tugging the brim of my baseball cap lower over my face just as her gaze drifted outward, skimming the room. My pulse slammed against my ribs. I angled my body away, turning slightly, hoping shadows would do what my instincts demanded.
