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“What happened to you?” I give him a pat on the shoulder.
“Some fans mistook me for the cover model. Avery had to pry them off me when they attempted to get pictures.”
“Well, you do have an uncanny resemblance to me.” I eye him up and down. “Except for your choice in fashion.”
Before my brother can clap back, someone grabs my wrist and yanks hard. “Nico, come here.” Avery drags me toward the podium.
“Ave, aren’t you supposed to be on bed rest?” I follow her waddling and uncompromising stride.
“Merely a suggestion. I still have another week until I’m due. It’s fine.”
I turn back to my brother, who shrugs. Alright, no use arguing here.
“She’s exhausted today.” My sister-in-law turns to me, beaming. “There are a lot more people here than last time.”
Lily’s new book,Secrets, Sex, and Sunflowers, was released a month ago. It’s already a tremendous success and hasn’t budged from the first spot on theNew York TimesBestsellers list. We’ve been attending these signing events every weekend, and the crowds keep multiplying.
The three of us finally weave around Lily’s signing table just as she finishes her tear-inducing conversation with a fan. When she catches us, her cheeks dimple.
“Hey, my pretty, beautiful, famous girl.” I place a quick kiss on her forehead.
“Oh, shut up.” She rolls her eyes, but when her fingers lace themselves into mine, I know she’s just trying to play it cool for all her fans.
“You hanging in there?”
She nods. “My voice is almost gone, but I’m stuck with all the adrenaline.” Lily pushes out of her chair, scraping the thick soles of her new combat boots on the podium. The same boots she bought when her lawsuit against TI Miller settled.
The asshat forfeited all profits and moved out of town. Villa Printers rectified the manuscript, pressed their own charges against him, and became one of the first book publishers to subscribe to Lilium.
I turn toward the crowd, fingers still laced with Lily’s as she chatters on with Avery.
“Sorry, all,” I boom into the room.“Lily Rodin is at her cap for signings today. Make sure to come back next month when she’ll be reading an excerpt from her upcoming release.”
Disappointment bubbles up from the spectators.
“I’ll go find the rest of the group.” Avery’s voice sings through the tumble of displeasure.
Lily and I follow her off the podium and through the throng of excited readers before breaking off into a secluded backroom.
“Is this book about you too?” a fan in the crowd yells when we’re halfway through the door.
Lily shoots me a knowing glare. “Don’t even think about responding.”
“Well, it better not be about anyone else,” I joke.
The door closes behind us, shutting out the noise.
“Always such a jealous boy, aren’t you?” Lily chides, leaning against a wall and pulling me closer to her.
“Always.”
We kiss the same kiss we’ve shared since I moved back to New York, and it still sends a clatter of nerves through my chest.
“I forgot to ask,” Lily says when we pull away. “How’d the meeting with Ever Printing go?”
After moving to New York, my new team and I finalized the testing on Lilium. Publishing houses, printers, and indie authors have flocked to the platform, and my team has become the top-grossing division of Viggle in the span of a couple of months.
I never thought I’d manage a twenty-person team, but here we are, thanks to Lily.
