Gabriella sighed heavily. “Your top priority is meeting my agent tonight.”
Russ grimaced. Tonight was the auction with Alice. He’d already missed their Thursday lunch at the café. He could use a quiet night with a beautiful girl who didn’t wear enough perfume to freshen up a dumpster or expect him to be this brilliant wordsmith who wrote screenplays in his sleep. Alice didn’t care about fame or fortune. To her, Russ was enough right now. “I’ve got plans.”
Her laugh tinkled through the line. “Cancel them. This could be the moment—the one you look back on and realize that your life suddenly became everything you wanted it to be.”
Russ debated. Alice might accept him, but Gabriella pushed him to be more. He wanted more out of his life. There were screenplay writers and authors who did more than live in a small cottage and ride their bike. They traveled the world and sought inspiration through exposure to history, culture, and language. That was what he wanted—freedom. Russ rubbed his hand up and down his cheek. “Okay, I’ll take care of it.”
“Wonderful. Now, I’m going to hang up so Roberto can finish my shoulders.”
That was a mental image I could do without. “Bye,” he said to a click.
Russ paced next to his car. Gabriella was right. This could be the greatest moment of his life. His fear was just his body reacting to change. Change wasn’t always bad. In this case, change was a good thing.
With a bit of chagrin, Russ mentally cancelled his conversation with Alice. He couldn’t do it over thephone. That was tacky. What he needed to say had to be said in person.Alice, you’ve been the biggest and best part of my life for the last few years. I’m so sorry, but I have to go.
He tapped his phone to his forehead.Come on, man! You use words for a living!Pacing, he rewrote his lines.
Chapter Thirteen
Alice put on her new shirt—again—in anticipation of her day with Russ at the auction. She checked her reflection. Stacy was already at work at the Swiss Bliss Salon, so she settled for big waves, which were easy enough to do on her own. “I may not be Gabriella Green, but I’m not too shabby.”
Her phone rang, and she got to it by the third ring. “Hello?”
“Alice?” Russ’s breathing came quick, like he’d just finished a punishing trail. She could picture him all sweaty, wearing a huge grin and his body armor. He looked so rough-and-tumble in that armor. She wished she was there.
“Are you just getting off the mountain?” She checked her alarm clock. “We’re going to be late for the auction.”
“That’s why I’m calling. I can’t make it.”
Her hands stilled over her purse. “What? Why not?”
“Gabriella’s agent is in town, and he wants to meet me. There’s talk about writing a screenplay. If it goes well, this could be my break.”
Alice narrowed her eyes. She’d met Russ’s current agent, Graham, several times and really liked him. He was a solid guy, good at his job, and had Russ’s best interest at heart. And she felt loyal to him. “What about Graham? He could sell a screenplay. It would probably help him out too, with the baby on the way.”
“I’m not changing agents, just feeling things out.”
The timing was a bit too perfect. “The guy just happens to be in town?”
“I guess.”
Alice clenched her free hand. “That’s …”Fishy,suspicious,dodgy.“… a great opportunity.”
“It is. At least, I hope it will be.” Russ’s voice took on a serious tone—one that said he suspected something wasn’t on the up-and-up too.
Between the pressure to continually produce at a high level and this guy coming to town, Russ didn’t have time to find a book for Lillian. He might feel fine dodging out on her—which didn’t sit right at all with Alice—but there was no way she was going to let him let Lillian down. “Don’t worry. I have this covered.”
“You sure?”
“Yep, no mercy.” On anyone. One day a spot on the board would open up, and Alice was going after it. She loved the library just as much as anyone on that board did, and she would prove it by fulfilling this assignment in Russ’s place.
“Alice, I just want you to know …” He paused.
Alice gripped the phone, half hopeful and half terrified of what was coming next.
“I’m really grateful for you. You’ve been an important part of my life in Harvest Ranch.”
Her fingers slackened. His words were complimentary, but his tone was allgoodbye, darling. “Thanks. Me too.”
