Page 103 of Sincerely, Mr. Braden

I’m glad someone is.

I continue to keep in touch with Seth’s family by text. Victory and the rest of the girls text often, and we’ve started a monthly virtual wine date. We had our first date last night, and we dubbed it our Sip and Spill. The guys crashed it halfway through and tried to rename it the Bro-down. After a few glasses of wine and several rounds of hilarious negotiations, we compromised, rebranding as Brews and Babes.

It should be illegal to be this happy.

Seth and I are looking forward to seeing Sutton, Flynn, and Noah tomorrow, when we meet them and the rest of the film crew in Tasmania for the Kubla Khan expedition. They start filming in a few days, and Seth is beyond excited. On the heels of that trip, we’ll be heading back to New York for the grand opening of the restaurant he, Jared, and Wells are opening. And because Seth never wants me to miss out on a thing, he surprised me with plans for a weekend caving trip in May to the Sawa-I-Lau caves in Fiji, which I had drawn on a scroll when I was twelve. His newest goal is to one day explore Kubla Khan with me, which entails years of training.

I love that he’s dreaming of more than tomorrow.

What he doesn’t know is that Mole Creek Karst National Park in Tasmania is also on a scroll. I saw a picture of a waterfall there when I was a kid, and there was something so beautiful about it, I had to draw it. I tucked that scroll away and didn’t tell Seth, because I didn’t want to jinx it.

My laptop pings with an email, drawing me from my thoughts. It’s from Seth, with the subject line Future Projections—Time Sensitive. He’s gotten so many new ideas since coming here, I wonder which one he wants to run with. He’s been toying with expanding to Singapore or London next.

Dear Ms. Nunnally,

Kindly review the attached presentation and provide feedback at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Mr. Braden

“My, aren’t we formal today?” I click on the presentation, and the first slide fills the screen.

Future Projections for Eleanor Taylor Nunnally

A Comprehensive Analysis Prepared by Seth Braden, CEO, Occasional Overthinker, and Your Favorite Distraction

A laugh catches in my throat. He’s turned charm into an art form.

I click to the next slide.

Pros of a Lifetime with Seth Braden

• Excellent limbo partner

• Superior oral skills

• Competent cook

• Able to rescue you by land, sea, or air

• Willing participant in stress relief

• Unmatched commitment to coffee and conversation

• Zero interest in keeping hands off you

• Stable financial suitor (see attached spreadsheets)

• Proven record of exceeding expectations. Frequently and repeatedly. Professionally and personally

• Strong dedication to quality control. Particularly in areas of mutual satisfaction

• Access to Braden family outings, inside jokes, and unsolicited adventures

• Built-in travel companion fluent in sarcasm, caving knots, and midnight snacks

• Dedicated to making you feel safe, loved, and happy