Gabriella’s smile softened as she wrote a note. “Can I have a picture with you?”
“Me?” The girl looked frightened.
“Yep. You’re my newest friend.”
“Okay.” They posed for the selfie, and then the child melted back to the fringe.
“Thanks for stopping by to say hi. I’ve got to get going.” Gabriella waved and made her way over to Russ.
Russ offered his arm. “That was very nice of you.”
Gabriella shrugged. “I remember what it’s like—teen girls can feel isolated even inside a group of friends.”
Russ and Gabriella walked over to the Black Cherry and were seated immediately at a table near the glass wall overlooking the resort. Below them, the cobblestone drive was sprinkled with attendants in maroon jackets with silver trim. Beyond the traffic, a grassy meadow, decked out in fall colors only Mother Nature could provide, rose up and up, disappearing into trees crowned in sunlight.
Maroon tablecloths dripped over tables like candlewax, laying heavy with thread count. The tables were far enough apart to make private conversation possible. It was still early in the evening, and the restaurant wasn’t crowded. Their food arrived in record time.
Gabriella blotted her lips before taking a sip from her glass. “I’ve been meaning to ask you who your contacts are in New York.”
Russ paused, his water halfway to his mouth. The hair on his neck stood up, and he wondered why he was anxious at her question. She’d been dropping names since the day they’d met. The truth was, he didn’t know much about that end of things. He’d done a trip to New York two years ago and circled the meet-and-greets, and every once in a while he’d hit opening night of a play and attend the after-parties, but he wasn’t really that guy. “To tell you the truth, Gabriella, I leave most of that up to my agent.”
Gabriella gasped and pressed a splayed hand to her chest. “You can’t be that trusting. How do you know your agent is honest?”
Russ took a sip and set his glass down. “Because he was my friend before he was my agent.”
“Darling, agents act like your best friend and pick your pocket at the same time.”
Russ shook his head. “Graham wouldn’t do that to me.”Of course, Graham probably thinks I’m hard at work right now …
“What you really need to do is put your face out there.” Gabriella flaked off a piece of tilapia with her fork.
“How would my face help me get ahead?”
“First off …” She dabbed the corners of her lips. “You’re adorable. Women would flock to your plays if they thought they could see you there.”
Russ grinned. Gabriella was so good for his ego. Her continual touching his arm or leaning against him had his chest out and his shoulders back. Years had gone by since he’d really dated anyone, and the physical contact felt good. Really good. “Well, there’s that.” He winked.
“If you moved out west, we could really get things going.”
There it was again—moving. “I don’t know that I could write in California.”
“You’re so good, you could probably write on the moon. But that’s not the point. What is it about this place that holds you here?”
“It’s the mountain, the quiet atmosphere, the community. I’m on the library board and Al—”And Alice. Mentioning Gabriella to Alice had gotten him nothing but quick goodbyes. “My, my friends.”
Gabriella lifted that perfect eyebrow. “Maybe one friend in particular?”
Russ pushed broccoli around his plate. “Maybe.”
“Is she pretty?” Gabriella’s voice was a wee bit higher than normal.
Russ tried to process this quickly, hoping he wasn’t scaring her off, but he kind of liked the idea that she would be jealous. “She is pretty.” He took a sip of water.
“Have you slept with her?”
Russ choked. “No!” He dabbed his chin with a napkin to make sure he hadn’t dribbled.Sleep with her?He couldn’t fathom taking that all-important step with Alice. Not without a ring on her finger. Alice wasn’t the type of girl you took advantage of; she was the type you rode mountain bikes with and discussed great books with and could ask about dialogue when you were stuck in a scene. She was …
“Have you kissed her?” Gabriella brushed her fingers over his hand.
