Page 101 of Seale the Deal

Excellent, I say.

Remi lets out a little squeal, then walks out of the room. As soon as the door clicks shut behind her, I exhale.

I press my fingers to my lips, and the reality of what happened finally begins to settle around me. I kissed Remi’s brother. The thought should probably send me spiralling for a dozen different reasons, but somehow, that’s not the part that keeps catching in my chest. What feels bigger is that this whole time, this arrangement has never been about just me and Ruger. It’s always been about the three of us working together to help my career, and every step has felt like something together.

But there’s no denying that something changed in the elevator.

I fall backward onto the bed and stare up at the ceiling.

If this were just attraction, it would be so much easier. Attraction fades. Attraction can be ignored. Attraction doesn’t make you rethink entire life plans after one afternoon. But I’m also ignoring the bigger problem. I enjoyed spending time with him long before he kissed me.

And what the hell was that comment about how I could see myself in Alaska? And why do I actually feel that way?

A groan escapes me.

I don’t think it’s simply Alaska. I think it’s him. And lying here in the reality of what happened is only making my head spin. This arrangement has always been complicated. Now, it’s complicated in an entirely different way. Because feelings have a way of changing things. The question is what happens next.

I’ve got it, Ruger says, gently taking the handle of my suitcase. He pushes it down and lifts it easily up the stairs.

I sigh and step into the living room, the weight of the past few days settling on me. In so many ways, the trip was a success. We got stuff for the wedding and escaped the prying eyes of Alpine Harbor. Though the escape brought new problems. Remi landed her dream actor for her book adaptation, Rhett Donovan. I didn’t know who he was, so I stayed up far too late watching Chasing June, a romance about a woman named—surprise, surprise—June. They have a one-night stand, and then she promptly disappears across the country for a job opportunity or something.

According to Remi, it’s one of the greatest romance movies ever made.

Personally, I spend most of it distracted by the fact that June moved across the country with a single carry-on suitcase and somehow maintained the wardrobe of a woman who had at least fourteen coats in her massive walk-in closet and never wore the same pair of shoes.

Or maybe the worst part of the movie is that I could see the parallels between it and my own life. Except in the end, June had the benefit of being in a romance movie, which means she was always destined for a happily ever after. Meanwhile, I’m left wondering what is happening between Ruger and me. Not knowing is awful, and I wish I had a script to tell me how this all ends.

Footsteps echo on the stairs, and I turn to see Ruger coming down. He looks unfairly handsome in his camo Henley and black hiking pants.

You okay? he asks, concern softening his voice. You look loopy.

Just tired. I smile weakly. It was a long trip.

He smiles, and my stomach immediately flips. He takes a step closer, and I wonder if he’s going to reach out and touch me.

Instead, he asks, But a good one, right?

Very good, I say.

Silence falls over us. A few days ago, this wouldn’t have felt strange. We would have just gone and done our own thing. Now, neither of us seems entirely sure what normal is.

Ruger’s gaze drops briefly to my mouth before returning to my eyes. Heat rushes through me so fast it almost makes me dizzy. For a second, we don’t move or speak. We just stand there looking at each other, and I know exactly what he’s thinking because I’m thinking it too.

Then he slowly reaches for me, like he’s giving me a chance to stop him. A chance to tell him everything that happened between us was a mistake and I want things to go back to the way they were. But I don’t. Not even a little. My pulse trips over itself as he takes a step closer, and every nerve ending in my body seems to wake up in anticipation.

Then a sharp knock sounds at the door.

Ruger groans under his breath. He opens the door. Walter?

I peek around the archway to see the older man standing on the stoop, looking flustered.

I’m so glad you’re back, Walter says, his voice rushed. There’s a tourist couple up on Elk Pass who are stuck. It rained a lot while you were gone, and—

Turned that whole road to a mud pit, Ruger says with a shake of his head. Where’s Glen?

He tried to help, but the winch on the police truck broke. I know you’ve got a good one on your truck.

Ruger nods and reaches for his coat. I’m coming.