“They are. But my books are only available on Amazon under my pen name. There’s no way Liam would ever connect the book back to me. And if he did? So what? Calling him a jerk to his face is far worse than making him the villain in my latest romance. It’s fiction, it’s totally harmless. He’d probably take it as a compliment. Say something smug about me being obsessed with him.”
“And he’d be right,” says Char. “I still think you should change the name and tweak a few details.”
“You take all the fun out of a revenge revision.”
“Hey! I don’t want you to ruin your chances with Darcy.”
“Oh, that ship has sailed. Liam has no interest in me.”
“I’m not so sure.” Char steals a Twizzler from me. “I bet he still likes you.”
“If he liked me, he could try apologizing.”
“Have you apologized to him?” Char asks.
“No, but I don’t like him.”
Char chuckles. “Keep telling yourself that, Lettie, keep telling yourself that.”
***
It’s my last day at work. I’vepassed off all projects and cleared my desk. Lydia now shares the turret office with Jane. I’m hanging out in the “lobby,” the formal living room of the old house, killing time before my “surprise” going-away party, which Priscilla accidentally told me about. I take out my laptop intending to do a little writing. I’m sitting on a green velvet Chesterton sofa, which is going bald in a few spots but is divinely comfortable. I flip open my computer and go to my author dashboard to check my sales.
“What have we here?” At the sound of Noah’s voice, I slap my laptop shut. He’s standing right behind me.
“Noah!”
“Who’s Collette Best?”
“Nobody, just an author I like.” Shoot, he must have been standing behind me longer than I realized. I wonder what else he saw.
“Oh! She writes smut. That’s why you hid your screen so fast.” He breaks out into a wicked grin. “Don’t worry, Lettie, I won’t judge.”
“No, she doesn’t write smut, just love stories.”
“Chill! Maybe a snob like Liam Darcy might judge you for reading romance. But never me.” He gives me his sweet, sad puppy eyes. “I think everything you do is perfect.”
“Thanks.” He’s such a flirt. But I don’t mind being told I’m perfect.
“Speaking of Darcy, what happened with you two?” He vaults over the couch and sits next to me.
“Nothing, it went nowhere.”
“I’m so relieved.” He gazes at me with meaning. “Mainly for me but also for you. You dodged a bullet.”
“That’s right, you two were childhood friends.”
“Did he ever mention me? Tell you how his father took advantage of his friendship with my dad to buy out our family farm when we hit hard times.”
“Um... that’s not exactly the sort of thing you tell a girl on a date.” But this story does make me regret Liam a little less.
“That’s what happened. My dad was desperate. He had nowhere to go, and his best friend took advantage of him. In exchange, he promised us permanent jobs at Pemberley Almonds.”
“But you don’t work there?” I ask.
“I don’t want to talk about that. I’m just glad you’re safe from Liam. He’s broken so many hearts.”
“I don’t think Liam is that big of a player.” According to Jane, he hasn’t dated anyone since me.
