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“Oh, don’t be like that.” Gill pouted prettily. “I haven’t seen you for months.” She batted her eyelashes. “You haven’t even called or messaged me.”
“Gill, I told you I needed space,” Mike hissed and caught the look of surprise in Harry’s eyes.
“I think you’ve had more than enough space, darling,” Gill purred. “When are you going to forgive me? I’m going to be leaving my father’s company soon.” She leaned provocatively closer to Mike. “I’m sure to be making a move to Star Publishers soon.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Harry told her and got another scathing look.
“How would you know?” Gill hissed at him. “You’re a plumber.”
“Hardware chain store owner,” Harry corrected her. “And mybrotherowns Star Publishers.”
“A company thatIput on the map saving your brother’s failing publishing house andyourfriend’s writing career,” Gill gloatingly reminded Harry. “If I hadn’t intervened and suggested Mitch Stone take his book to Star Publishers after that idiot of an editor working for my father turned his first novel down. Your brother’s company would’ve gone bankrupt, and Mitch Stone would’ve faded into obscurity.”
“Wow!” Harry whistled. “You really are as clueless as you look.”
“Harry!” Mike admonished him.
“Please tell me you’re not sticking up for Cruella again!” Harry’s eyes widened. “You remember what she tried to do, right?”
“It wasn’t her fault,” Mike told Harry.
“Right!” Harry nodded, pushed his beer aside, took his jacket, and stood. “Dinner’s on you,” he told Mike. “I’ll see you back at the house.”
“Harry, wait,” Mike said, feeling awful and guilty at not having told his friend the whole truth about Gill.
“Nope, don’t worry about it!” Harry slipped his coat on. “The two of you obviously have alotto talk about.” He pushed his chair in. “Besides, I feel a need to round up all the stray puppies, especially the Dalmatians.” He gave Gill a smug smile as she frowned at him in confusion. “I have a feeling they may be in mortal danger tonight.”
With that, Mike watched Harry turn and casually strut out of the restaurant, leaving Mike alone with Gill. He knew he’d have a lot of explaining to do later when he got back to the house, and he knew that Harry would wait up for him, too.
“I know that man is your friend.” Gill shuddered. “But honestly, darling, I have no idea why. The two of you are so different.”
“Harry is a good guy.” Mike’s eyes narrowed. “Gill, what are you doing here?”
“I told you I was tired of waiting for you to call me, and I think you’ve had enoughspace,” Gill said. “I’m tired of waiting around for you.”
“Then move on, like I told you to,” Mike told her. “Gill, I think you misunderstood me when I said I needed my space.” He pulled his hands from hers. “We’re over. I don’t know how else to get that through to you.”
“You said you needed space to sort your life out,” Gill reminded him. “Not that we’re through.”
“Gill, please, it’s been a long day, and I don’t feel like arguing with you,” Mike said resignedly. “I have to go. It’s getting late, and I have an early start tomorrow as I have a lot to organize before returning to Marco Island.”
“You’re going back there?” Gill looked at him, surprised. “Why on earth would you want to go back?”
“I’m moving there for good,” Mike blurted out. He hadn’t wanted to tell her, but she brought the worst out in him, and he started to feel his stress levels rising. The woman was a viper. “Jade loves it there, and it was good to be back there.”
“Is this because you still haven’t forgiven me?” Gill asked him. “Because I told you a million times. It wasn’t me that turned Mitch Stone’s first novel down. It was that horrid editor that worked for my father.” She tried to put her hand over Mike’s again, but he pulled away. “She no longer works there, and my father was furious that we lost Mitch Stone’s novels.”
“Us breaking up wasn’t just about the novel,” Mike told her. “We don’t work.” He stood. “You’ll have to excuse me because I must be going.” He gave her a small smile. “Goodbye, Gill.”
Mike paid the bill and left, not giving Gill a second glance as he walked into the humid Miami evening air. His mind swirled over all that had happened in the past five weeks as he walked back to his house, which wasn’t too far from the restaurant in the upmarket neighborhood of Miami. As he neared his house, he saw the lights were still on and took a deep breath before going inside to face Harry.
Nicky’s heart jolted every time the bookstore’s door jingled or the glass door rattled. It had been five days since Mike had gone to Miami. He’d messaged her every day, and she was a nervous wreck, feeling like a giggly schoolgirl awaiting his return. Nicky glanced at the big clock in the shape of an open book that hung on the wall opposite the sales counter. Mike was due back in an hour. Her eyes fell on the boxes of Mitch Stone books that had arrived the previous day, which she’d promised not to open until he returned.
He’d told her there was something he wanted to tell her when he got back, and her mind had gone wild trying to imagine what that might be. She looked at the boxes of books again and then around the store. With the help of Sam, Gemma, and Jade, they’d managed to get the bookstore ready for the reopening and book launch. While Nicky was still nervous about meeting Mitch Stone, she was even more worried about Mike coming back. While they’d messaged while he’d been away, they hadn’t seen each other since the kiss.
A knock on the door drew Nicky’s attention, and she approached to see who it was. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the smartly dressed woman standing there—a woman Nicky had hoped never to encounter again.
“What on earth is she doing here?” Nicky muttered to herself as she unlocked and opened the door.
