AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shiver with anticipation. “Well, now that sounds like my kind of proposition.”
I slip down from my stool, and let Reeve drape my winter coat around my shoulders. I give the tourists a wink as we pass. “Tell my boyfriend, he should be on time in future,” I coo, and sashay out, leaving them slack-jawed behind us.
The minute we emerge into the brisk December night, I burst out laughing. “Did you see their faces?” I giggle, clutching at Reeve.
“You definitely gave them something to write home about.” He chuckles, pulling me closer. “Lola’s got nothing on you.”
He kisses me, under the Paris lights, and my heart has never felt so full. “I’ll get us a cab,” he says, finally drawing back.
“No, let’s walk a while,” I suggest. “I want to see the city.”
“In those shoes?” he asks, dubious.
“I’m a woman of many talents.”
“Oh, I know.”
I slip my hand through his arm as we begin to stroll. “How were all the interviews?” I ask, as we make our way down the grand boulevard. Reeve is technically here for work, doing promotion with the cast of his new movie,The Last Time You Left Me,which is premiering this month. And I’m more than happy to tag along on vacation as his plus one, getting a five-star tour of every major city in Europe. “Is it weird, talking about work you did a year ago?”
“You know me,” Reeve smiles, “I can talk about my movies forever.”
“Not just yours,” I tease. “You went a full two hours about the cinematic genius ofStrictly Ballroomon the flight over.”
“It’s an underrated gem!”
I laugh. I love how passionate he gets about his work. After all, I’m the same way. I spent the rest of that flight going over the chapter outline for my book – and he listened to every word.
My book.
It still feels wild to think of it, but after the splash I made with the discovery of Earl’s treasure, Reeve had a genius idea: that I turn all my research and materials about Earl and Madeline into a nonfiction book, telling the story of their lives and love. That way, there would never be any doubt about whose idea it was. Everyone would know his movie was based on my work; it would be my name on the cover, and up there on screen, for everyone to see.
I wasn’t sure any publisher would be interested in my small slice of family history, but it turns out, having a hot director option the raw manuscript to make a blockbuster Hollywood movie is a shortcut to instant buzz. My proposal got snapped up, and now, I’m working on the book itself, which is nerve-wracking, but an adventure of its own.
“My editor sent notes on the first few chapters,” I report. “She had some ideas about arranging the story, moving back and forth between the modern treasure hunt, and Earl and Madeline’s courtship.”
“That’s great,” Reeve smiles at me.
“And Dot’s dug up some more documents, back in town. It turns out, all the attention from the treasure find made some more locals dig through their attics, and find all kind of diaries and mementoes, so there’ll be a ton of work when I get home to the museum.”
“Yourmuseum,” Reeve says with a smirk.
“It’s not mine!” I protest.
“You donated the entire treasure haul to keep it open,” he points out. “That means you pretty much have the run of the place. I still can’t believe you gave all that gold away,” he adds, shaking his head.
“I kept a souvenir.” I point out, reaching to touch the diamond necklace that’s glittering at my neck.
The diamond necklace that mysteriously was never reported found, when we cataloged the contents of the treasure chest for official records.
I don’t know how that happened.
“Besides,” I add. “History is important. How will we learn anything if all those stories are lost?”
Reeve leans in and kisses me, right there on the street. I sink against him, savoring the warmth. “What was that for?” I ask, drawing back.
“You know I love it when you get all history geek on me.”
I laugh. “Sure, real sexy.”
