AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you watch a lot of documentaries?” he asks.
“I’m obsessed with them, thanks to my sister, Maddy. She wants to be a documentary filmmaker after graduation from college.”
“Where does she go?”
“U Dub. She’s in her second year there, but she’s hoping to transfer to UCLA’s film school in the fall.”
Henn gasps. “You know Josh and I went to UCLA together, right?” Without waiting for my reply, Henn waves at Josh across the table. “Joshua! Do we know anyone in the admissions office at UCLA? Hannah’s little sister wants to transfer to the film school in the fall.”
Oh my gosh. I didn’t mention that to Henn to prompt him to try to help Maddy get in. In fact, it didn’t even occur to me he could do that.
“I don’t know anyone,” Josh says, “but Reed gets invited to sit on career day panels for the business and music schools all the time. Maybe he knows someone who knows someone.”
“Cool. I’ll ask him.” Henn returns to me with a wink. “If anyone could help your sister, it’s Reed Rivers. That dude knows everyone. And weirdly, everyone owes him a favor. Has Maddy already submitted her application?”
My head is spinning. Could Reed really help Maddy make her dreams come true? I’m floored at the mere thought of it. “Uh, no. She’s still got several months before the deadline. She recently submitted her first full-length documentary to a bunch of film festivals. She’s hoping to win some big awards on it to include in her application.”
“Good thinking.”
My head is still spinning. “Henn, listen,” I blurt. “I can’t let you ask Reed Rivers of all people to help my little sister get into UCLA. He doesn’t even know her. I mean, she’s brilliant, but he doesn’t know that.”
“Reed couldn’t get her in. All he could do is make sure someone takes a good, long look at her application. And don’t worry, he’d think of it as doing me a favor, which he wouldn’t mind doing at all. Josh, Reed, and I have always done favors for each other. That’s how we roll.”
Henn asks me about Maddy’s documentary, and I tell him the film is called Shoot Like a Girl and that it’s about the male and female basketball teams at her school, the University of Washington. “I saw the final cut of the film last week,” I say, “and it blew me away. And not because Maddy is my sister, but because the film is objectively riveting.”
“I’d love to see it.”
My heart leaps. “Oh. Wow. Well, Maddy’s having her world premiere at a little film festival on-campus in a couple weeks. Maybe the timing will work out for you to see it then during your visit to Seattle.”
Henn grins. “I hope so. I’ll do everything I can to make it.”
My heart is beating wildly now. “Fair warning, I’m sure my mother will be there. So, if it’d be too much to meet my mother and sister during our first week of dates, I’d totally understand.”
“Are you kidding? I want to meet your whole family. Bring ‘em on.”
Whoa. My chest heaves. Isn’t this the part where he’s supposed to act skittish and freaked out? The part where he’s supposed to noticeably pull back? “Okay. Cool. My mom and sister are basically my whole family in Seattle. My father’s not in the picture and my grandfather lives in Arizona.” I shift in my seat, feeling a bit disoriented. This man is emotionally available, communicative, funny, sexy, and smart—and he’s making his interest in me clear as a bell. What am I missing? Where are the red flags? Is the fact that there’s not a single red flag a red flag?
I clear my throat. “I feel like I should mention I don’t have any vacation days stored up at work. I’ll have to work every day while you’re in Seattle. But I’d love to go out any evening you’re there.”
“I’ll take every evening you’re willing to give me.”
What the fuck? He’s supposed to say something vague like, “Yeah, I’ve got a few moving parts myself, so I’ll let you know when I’m available.”
I drag my fingertip around the rim of my wine glass, feeling a bit disoriented by Henn’s flagrant pursuit of me. “I could come up with a few ideas for dates in Seattle, if you’d like.”
“Awesome. I’ll come up with some ideas, too. Maybe even some surprises, if you like that sort of thing.”
“Oh, I love surprises. There are so few in life. Good ones, anyway.”
“Then surprised you shall be, my dear. Actually, you know what? Other than dinner at that salmon place and Maddy’s film festival, how about you leave the rest of our itinerary to me?”
My heart is hammering. What species of man is this? Henn seems too good to be true. Is he going to come on strong tonight and then ghost me after leaving for DC tomorrow? It honestly wouldn’t surprise me, based on my dating history.
