“Wow.” My head shook. “So let me get this straight. You’re saying it’s not possible our connection is real and that he’s genuine. The only options are he’s using me and trying to distract me, or he’s crazy. Because that’s the only way a man could like me, want to spend time with me, and talk sweet to me.”
She groaned. “I didn’t mean it like that, A.”
“Then how exactly did you mean it, Jessica?” I stressed, voice raising.
“I mean this isn’t a fucking fairy tale! It’s real life! You’ve been there for two weeks, you haven’t gotten his permission to do your damn job, and you haven’t mentioned when you’re coming home. You have to write the article, whether he lets you interview him or not.
“If you don’t, Laya is going to end the assignment and make you come home. Then what? You think he’s going to just ask you to stay? No. Whatever the hell y’all got going on is going to be over and you’re going to have to return to reality.”
My nostrils flared as I massaged my temple and shook my head. “If this isn’t reality, I don’t need you or anyone else trying to wake me up. I’m happy here. I’m at peace. And I’m going to enjoy it until it’s over. Now that I know how you feel, I’ll make sure I don’t tell you anything else that happens between us.”
“Come on, Avery. You’re being dramat?—”
I ended the call and plopped down on the bed.
How dare she suggest what was happening between us wasn’t real?
That it wouldn’t last?
Well, technically I knew it wouldn’t last but still.
I also knew it was real.
What Ali and I shared couldn’t be faked . . . could it?
I mean . . . there was no way he was keeping me close just to distract me from writing the article . . . or was he?
When my phone vibrated, I picked it up and didn’t bother looking at it before I answered and said, “I don’t want to talk to you for the rest of the day.”
“Sheesh. What did I do to you?” At the sound of Laya’s voice, my heart dropped. Closing my eyes, I inhaled a sizzling breath and squeezed the back of my neck.
“Laya . . . hi. Sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
She chuckled. “I see. I’m not mad about it, seeing as you probably wouldn’t have answered if you knew it was me. Is there a particular reason you’ve been avoiding my calls?”
I couldn’t lie. It went against my nature. Sighing, my shoulders slouched as I confessed, “Yes. Ali hasn’t agreed to the interview yet. I was hoping I could change his mind before we talked, so I’d be able to report back with good news.”
“Well, we knew there was a chance he’d say no. I don’t want you wasting your time or the company’s dime waiting for a yes we know we won’t get. Why don’t you come on back home, and I’ll give you a different assignment?”
My head shook as I stood. “I want to stay on, if possible. I want the full thirty days to try and get him to agree. Even if I have to pay for my expenses myself. I don’t want to give up on him just yet.”
The breath she released was shaky, and I heard the sound of her pen tapping against her desk in the background. “Fine. You can stay for the full month, but we need that exclusive, Avery. This would be big for us. A ten year anniversary exclusive on the reclusive and elusive Ali Mitchell?We’dmake headlines off that. I need that interview, no matter what.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m on it.”
“Alright. I’ll reach out next week.”
I nodded as if she could see me as Laya disconnected the call.
Great.
What in the hell was I going to do now?
Hours Later
I didn’t believe Ali when he said he was going to pull up on me for a change. During one of our random conversations, we talked about how he rarely went to public places, and in my head, that included my hotel. While he wasn’t a complete recluse who never left home, he had a team of people who did his shopping and errands to avoid interacting with people if he didn’t want to or absolutely have to. When we talked earlier, I was admittedly short and ended the call rather quickly. He texted me and told me he was on his way to me, and I didn’t believe him, until I heard someone tapping on my room door.
Several seconds passed of me staring at the door before I took small steps toward it. I looked down at my attire absently and shrugged. The two piece satin short set was just fine for his unexpected popup. My hair was under a bonnet, but at least I had on lashes, so that was something.
