“I hope you’re okay with bacon and toast for breakfast.”
“Sounds great.” She thought of the way he’d looked at her a moment ago. “I’m just going to go change.”
“You’re fine with what you’re wearing.”
She let out her breath in a quick laugh. “I’ll betyou’refine with what I’m wearing. But yeah… just give me a sec.”
When she returned wearing the outfit she’d purchased the day before, he’d already set the table. The toaster popped right as she walked in, so she detoured there to grab the toast and drop it onto the waiting plate.
“I want to buy more clothes,” she commented as she sat down, “but I don’t want to take more of your money. And I don’t think I can stand any more meet-cutes.”
“Don’t worry about my money. My grandfather left me a chunk, and, given the circumstances, I’m not really worried about spending it.”
“That’s generous of you, but there’s still the problem of the hopeless romantics out there waiting to pounce on me.”
“I’ll go into town with you today. If anyone tries to sweep you off your feet, I’ll intervene.”
Emmy thought this over as she munched on a slice of bacon. “That could work.”
“For you, yeah. I’m still wondering if I’m going to accidentally wander into a scene from a book. Is anyone going to interact with me normally? Or is everyone besides you going to be on some kind of script?”
“I don’t know. I only read the back cover and like… five chapters.” Another thought struck her. “Maybe… maybethat’s how I get out. You know, if the book reaches its conclusion…”
Will looked at her with sheer disbelief written all over his face. “I’m not going to force myself to fall in love with some woman I don’t even like so you can get out of this.”
“I’m not saying you have to. I’m brainstorming, okay? This is a ridiculous situation. Is some part of me still back in the—” She caught herself before she said real world. “In my world? Or am I gone? Physically in the book? My sister’s wedding is on Saturday.” She had to pause to swallow back the pain and panic that statement induced, but some of it leaked out anyway. “How long before she notices I’m gone? Will she report me missing? Delay the wedding? What if I never get out?” Feeling agitated, she got up to pace the room. “Do you know what my unexplained disappearance would do to my family? And even if I do get back, I might find out I lost my job from being gone with no warning. That, and I’d have to live with the possibility that I might have taken your life.”
She felt his hands on her shoulders and nearly leaped out of her skin. She’d thought he was still sitting at the table. Gently, Will turned her around. His eyes found hers, his expression steely.
“We’ll find you a way out,” he said quietly. “And when we do… I want you to take me with you.”
“What?”
“You think I can let you leave me behind now that I know the truth? No way. I want out. Take me back with you to thereal world.” The way he emphasized the words made it clear he’d known earlier what she’d been about to say.
“That’s not possible.”
“You’re going to talk to me about ‘possible’ when we’re standing here in a book. We’re in abook!” he repeated in a near shout. “So yeah, you’re going to find a way out. That’s one promise. Here’s another one. When you get out, I’m going to go with you.”
He was right. She had no concept of what was possible or impossible anymore. That line had been redrawn when she’d woken up in his bed, and she didn’t know who had erased it or where they’d put the new one. Hell, why not? She’d try to take the protagonist of the novel out of the book.
“Okay,” she said. “Now take me into town so I can buy shirts without getting hit on. Then we can come up with some kind of plan to get us out of here.”
When they got into his car a few minutes later, Emmy caught Will staring at the cupholder.
“Planning a trip to Canada?” she asked. “Wait… no. You were going to give those to Bright, weren’t you?”
“I was, but not anymore. I’m staying far away from her.”
Emmy didn’t say anything else as he started the car and pulled out of the garage. But her curiosity got the best of her.
“Maybe I could bring them to her for you.”
He cut her a quick look before returning his eyes to the road, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Why?”
“Will you hate me if I admit I’m curious?”
“Let me think about that…”
