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Ten
Hamlet
IbrushAnnie’shairout of her face. “You have to come with me. Please. It’s not a family affair like the wedding.”
“You said your whole family will be there!” she protests.
“Romeo and Sierra are on their honeymoon,” I point out. “And it’s not a wedding. It’s Trivia Night at the local pizza parlor.”
She frowns. “I don’t know, Hamlet…”
Annoyance flares within me. “What’s going on here, Annie? You say you’re not in trouble with the law or on the run from a scary ex. Are you married, is that it?”
“No, of course not.”
“Then why don’t you want to be seen with me?”
“It’s not that. You’re sexy as hell, and you know it, Hamlet Jones. Any girl is lucky to be by your side. It’s…you may not want to be seen with me.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “What on earth are you talking about?”
She waves vaguely at her face.
“What the hell, Annie? Is this a vanity thing? Are you worried about not wearing makeup? Because I love that you don’t wear all that junk on your face. You don’t need it.”
“Hamlet, Idowear makeup sometimes. You don’t understand. I don’talwayslook like this.”
“Oh-kay,” I say slowly. “Are you saying you want to stop by the store for some makeup?”
“No!”
She’s not making any fucking sense. “Just come to Trivia Night. Please.”
“What happens when I go to Nashville?” she asks quietly.
I shake my head, confused. “What do you mean? You said you have a meeting, right? You didn’t tell me the details.”You never do.
“What happens tous?” she asks, blinking rapidly.
I take a deep breath to tamp down my frustration. “You’ll come back, right? To Mercury Ridge? You’re writing every day. The muse is still strong here.”
“I can’t come back,” she says, her voice cracking with emotion. “I have plans.”
I shrug. “Then I’ll come with you.”
She stamps her foot. “You don’t even know what my plans are.”
I chuckle. “Of course, I do. It’s not rocket science. You want to move to Nashville and strike it big. And you will, Annie, I’m sure of it. You’ll be a super star. And I’ll be so proud.”
“Hamlet…”
“No, listen,” I say, holding up my hands. “I’ve been thinking about it. I love to travel. So, when you’re flying all over the world for concerts, I’ll come, too. We’ll be together. But tonight, I just want you to be a normal girl who meets her boyfriend’s family for pizza and trivia night. Okay?”
Annie’s eyes meet mine. “You’re my boyfriend?”
I shift my feet, momentarily stunned by the word. I hadn’t really meant to say it. But now that I have…
“I’d like to be,” I say. And to my surprise, it’s the truth.
