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Finally, I nod. "Okay, but if I was going to write a romantic comedy that was super spicy, I don't think I would want to do it as hockey. I think that's maybe too close to home. What if I wrote about another sport?”
He nods. "Great. What other sports do you like or know a lot about?"
I shrug and laugh. "None."
He smiles. "Well, you can learn. Or doesn't have to be a sports romance. It could just be a romantic comedy. Friends to lovers. Enemies to lovers. How about best friend’s brother?" he asks with a little smirk. "You know something about that."
I let that sink in and the flip in my stomach turns into a bigger swoop. “I could write a sexy billionaire romance too,” I say. “Or a hot doctor.”
He smiles. “Or all three.”
I grin. "Okay. I will think about that. Maybe we can plot something together?"
"I'm happy to help. But I also know that you can do this. Just tell a sexy love story, Dani. You know all about that."
My heart softens a little as I look into his eyes. Yes, he’s critiquing me. But he’s not trying to tear me down. He’s trying to make me better and not just tell me what I want to hear.
Yes, I definitely know all about falling in love.
My love story happens to be right in the middle, where the couple—or couples—are figuring out that things aren't always sunshiny. That there are real-life situations that we have to get through. But I'm still madly in love.
And it is very sexy.
“I need to ask you something,” he says, his expression getting serious.
“Okay.”
He reaches out and takes my hand. “What do you think about getting a critique partner or some online beta readers?”
I frown. “What do you mean? You don’t want to do this anymore?”
“I don’t know if it’s good for us.”
“Michael.” I squeeze his hand until he meets my eyes. “Why?”
“Do you really want my critiques? I feel like it creates a tension for us. Nathan and Crew…they don’t critique you. Ever. In anything. And…” He blows out a huff of air. “You like that. You like their adoration and…” He trails off again and then gives a little chuckle as he shakes his head. “Those guys think you fucking walk on water, Cookie.”
I press my lips together and study him. I finally nod. “I know. You don’t let me get away with what they do.”
His frown is quick and deep.
I squeeze his hand. “But that's okay, Michael.” I pause, then ask, “Can I say something without you thinking I’m happier with them? Because I’m not. You know that you’re all three just different.”
He thinks about it for a second and I appreciate that.
He finally nods. “Okay.”
“Nathan has his life pretty well set up the way he wants it. He’s old enough and rich enough to do that. The only thing that was missing was love. And he didn’t even think he wanted that. Then he and I fell in love and it was the cherry on top. I know he’s happy with me. Very happy. And I know I make his life better. I know he wants it, me, forever now. But in every other way, his life is set, and he’s content. He doesn’t like change at all and if nothing else ever changed for him again, he’d be happy.”
I pause. Michael doesn’t say anything. He’s just watching me.
“Crewdoesn’thave his life set up yet, but that’s okay. He’s only twenty-three. He’s right where he should be for his age and everything. He’s very successful in his career. He knows what he wants from that. He knows what he wants from his life and as far as he’s concerned, he’s got time to make it all happen. He and I fell in love and it matches right up with his timeline and what he wants for his future.”
I stop again. Michael is still just listening.
“And then there’s you. You are at a place in your life where you’re not quite set. You thought you’d have the life that your friends and colleagues have—kids, a house, a wife–by now. You have it figured out. You knowwhatyou want. You just don’t have the person to move forward with.”
“I haveyou,” he says, his voice gruff.
