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Forseveral heartbeats, she andSethstared, each waiting for the other to blink. “We’lldiscuss this another time,” he said, turning and walking back to where he’d leftGracea few minutes earlier.
“Whata charmer,” saidAdameasily. “Atrue prince among men.”
Hazellaughed despite the heaviness sitting on her chest.Despitethe fact that it seemed as though their book wasn’t going anywhere, she wasn’t willing to give up easily.Thisbook was too special to let it die inSeth’shands.
“Comeon, let’s get a drink,” she said, and he nodded, leading her through the crowd with a hand on the small of her back.
Theyeach ordered a cocktail and then she sagged against the bar, feeling deflated.
“Youokay?” he asked, eyes warm with sympathy.God, it was sexy that he didn’t seem to have a jealous bone in his body.
“Yeah,” she said, blowing out a breath. “I’mmostly just disappointed about the book, honestly.Itsucks that they didn’t like the pages.”
Adampressed his lips together, drumming his fingers on the bar.Shecould tell that he had something to say and was holding back.
“Justtell me, babe,” she said, slipping an arm around his waist.
Helicked his lips before he spoke, andGod, she wished they were back at her apartment making out and watchingBritishpolice procedurals instead of here. “Youthink he’s being truthful?”
“Seth?” she asked, eyebrows inching up. “I…Iassume so.Youdon’t?”
Heshrugged and took a sip of his martini. “Idon’t know.Imean, obviously you know him andIdon’t, but the way he was looking around the room, not being forthcoming with details…it felt like bullshit to me.”Hechuckled into his drink. “Thenagain, maybeI’mtoo jaded and just think anything publishing related is bullshit.”
“Hearhear,” came aBritish-accented female voice from behindAdam, and he turned.Thewoman’s face lit up when she spottedHazel.
“HazelWoodward!”Shemoved aroundAdamand pulledHazelin for a hug.
“Daisy,” saidHazelwith equal warmth. “Daisy, this is my boyfriendAdam,” she said, andDaisybriefly shook hands with him. “DaisyBancroftis the editorial director of the publishing house.”
“Verynice to meet you,” he said.
Daisyturned her attention back toHazel. “Iwasn’t expecting to see you here tonight given that you’re not writing these days,” she said, waving her glass of wine precariously through the air as she spoke.
Hazelfrowned. “Whatdo you mean?OfcourseI’mstill writing.Sethjust showed you pages from my new book.”
Daisylaughed and then stopped whenHazeldidn’t join in. “Whatare you talking about?”
“I’mco-writing a book withAdam.Alexsent in the first hundred pages, plus a sample scene further into the book, along with a detailed synopsis.Sethsaid it would be an uphill battle since it was different than the bookI’doriginally proposed, but…”Shetrailed off at the look of pure confusion onDaisy’sface.
“Darling, seriously,Ihaven’t the faintest idea what you’re on about.Sethtold us you were on a sabbatical and he wasn’t sure if you were still writing.Weknew all you’d been through with the divorce, so we were happy to leave the option open.”
Hazelcould feel her pulse everywhere in her body. “Hesaidwhat?”Sheshook her head quickly, the room spinning around her. “Iwas under the impression thatIhad to write a book orIwas in financial trouble.”
Daisylaughed. “Whotold you that?”
“Seth.”
Daisy’slaughter died once again. “Well, that’s a flat out lie.Oneof many he’s told,I’mstarting to suspect.Yousubmitted pages?Tohim?”
Hazelnodded. “Yeah, about two weeks ago.Whendid he tell youIwasn’t writing anymore?”
Daisyblinked slowly. “Abouttwo weeks ago.”
Hazelgasped as realization dawned. “He’strying to kill the co-written book,” she said. “Thisis all about control and getting me to do what he wants.”
Daisyfrowned, tapping the tips of her long nails on her wine glass. “Tellme about this book.”
SoHazeldid, with helpful interjections fromAdam.Shetold her aboutMaryElizabethAxton,GossamerFalls, and the time traveling love story they were writing together.
