Page 67 of Unscripted with Mila

“A few days, I imagine.”

“I want to take you out.”

“On another picnic?” I asked.

“No, a proper date. There’s a place I go—it’s out of the way, the owner knows me, so I can sneak in the back way. It’s about an hour’s drive from here. You could see some of the coast, we can dress up and have dinner. No one will bother us, so your privacy is intact. It will take a couple of days, but if I can arrange it, may I take you out to dinner, Mila?” His expression was serious, his gaze intense and worried. “If you’re still here.”

I met his gaze with mine, hoping he saw what I was feeling. I didn’t want to leave him. The thought of it made my chest ache. I didn’t understand how quickly he’d become important to me; I just knew that he had.

“I’m sure I will be. And I’d love that.”

“Okay, I’ll make some calls.” He glanced around, then leaned close and kissed me. “I’ll see you tonight?”

“Yes. Tonight.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MILA

“You’re awfully quiet, kiddo.”

I glanced up at Andi. We were back at the hotel, and she was going through some foreign rights offers. “Sorry. Just thinking.”

“The offers are all good.”

“Oh, I know. You wouldn’t encourage them if they weren’t. I’m good with them.”

She sat back, contemplating me. “So, what’s on your mind? Or, should I say, who?”

I felt the heat in my cheeks. “Am I that obvious?”

“To me, you are. You forget how well I know you.” She took a sip of coffee. “What’s going on with you and Nicholas? I certainly felt the flow between you. And I heard you defending him to MJ. Not all of it, but what I overheard, you were fierce.”

“She’s awful.”

“I know. Stay away from her. But we’re discussing Nick, not his choice of representation.”

“I don’t know. He’s…important.”

“How important?”

I met her gaze. “More than I expected him to be.”

“Kiddo—” she began, but I held up my hand, stopping her.

“I know. I’ve only known him a short time. I’m sure you’ll tell me I don’t know him at all.”

She set down her coffee mug, placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm. “It’s been just over a week. You can’t possibly have developed deep feelings for him.” When I didn’t reply, her eyebrows rose. “Mila?”

“I write about soul mates and love all the time.”

“Writing and living it are two different things. One is a fantasy, and the other is based in reality.”

“My dad said he knew he loved my mom right away. Reid and Becca were in love before their first real date. Even Bentley knew how important Emmy was going to be to him. It happens.”

“They lived in the same city,” she pointed out. “They had common interests.”

“Nick and I are similar in many ways.”