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“That sounds awful,” Lily exclaimed, taking his hand in her own.

“They raised me the way they were raised. I was lucky, though,” he said. “I met Anthony and Daniel and got to see what a real family is like. William and Ava took me under their wing and have been amazing surrogate parents. Sometimes I think I’m closer to them than my own parents.”

Lily nodded. “I could tell you were close when we spoke last night. And I’m glad you have people who look out for you. You can count me among that group, too.”

He gave her a warm smile. “Thank you, Lily.”

They continued to chat until it was time for Lily to get her luggage at the hotel and go to the airport to catch her flight back home. Since Nate wasn’t leaving on the international press tour until the next morning, he offered to accompany her.

While they sat in the back of the cab, they looked out opposite windows. But their hands met in the middle of the seat, fingers entwined. Lily was reluctant to get out of the cab when it pulled up to the sidewalk at JFK.

“Give me just a minute,” Nate told the driver. “I’m heading back to Manhattan.”

Lily walked to the trunk where Nate skillfully pulled her luggage out like it weighed nothing. Their eyes met in a long gaze as he set it on the ground and pulled up the handle for her.

“Lily, I don’t know what to say here except . . . I really want to see you again.”

She sighed. “I know. I feel the same way.”

The sad expression on Nate’s face matched what Lily felt inside. She guessed they must both be thinking back to the last time he’d taken her to the airport and how much more there was between them now, making it that much harder to say goodbye.

“Okay, I know this isn’t how these things normally work—assuming there is a thing—but we’ll just have to do this differently. We’ll call, text, e-mail, Skype . . . all that stuff. How does that sound?”

Lily smiled as she nodded. “There definitely is a thing. And I like the sound of that.”

If he’s willing to make an effort, then I am, too
, she thought.

He pulled her into a tight hug. “This isn’t goodbye, Lily. This is just . . . see you later,” he whispered in her ear, before pulling back to look at her. When he saw her big, wet blue eyes, his hands reached up to cup her cheeks, his thumbs sweeping under her eyes.

Leaning in slowly, he bumped his nose against hers and gave her one last kiss, causing her knees to momentarily weaken. Nate’s kiss was sweet, but Lily wanted more and lifted up on her feet to deepen the embrace.

Too soon, Nate pulled away. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

She nodded and kissed him on the cheek before turning to go inside.

Just before she reached the door, she turned to look back one last time. Nate stood beside the back door to the cab, watching her. She raised her right hand in a small wave goodbye. Nate repeated the gesture before getting in and closing the door. After the driver pulled into traffic, Lily sighed and walked through the automatic doors.

A few minutes later, as she sat at her gate waiting for her flight, she heard a beep from her phone signaling a new text message.

Have a good flight. Let me know when you’ve arrived home safely. I’ll be thinking about you.

She smiled as she typed out her response.

I will. Thank you again. For everything. Looking forward to talking to you soon.

A million thoughts floated through Lily’s mind as the miles blurred past her on the drive home from the airport.

Were the last two days just a fluke?

Did he mean what he said?

What happens from here?

She was no closer to having the answers when she arrived at her apartment. But the time to step back and reflect made her tired mind feel somewhat clearer.

Later that afternoon, she pulled her suitcase up the stairs and into her bedroom, threw the mail on the kitchen counter, collapsed on her comfortable couch, and closed her eyes. Her voice mail indicator was blinking, and she knew she needed to start a load of laundry, but all that could wait while she enjoyed a moment of silence and solitude.

Whatever happens next . . . this has been worth it
, she thought with a sigh.

She smiled as she pulled out her phone to text Nate, bittersweet memories of their last kiss in her thoughts.

Back home safely. Past few days seem like a fantasy now that I’m here. Thinking of you.

She didn’t have to wait long for his response.

Glad you made it back safe and sound. Feel the same way about the past few days. Wish you were heading to London with me tomorrow. Will be in touch when I get there. Is it weird that I already miss you? Take care.

Chapter Sixteen

Between finishing her work from the junket and catching up on work she missed while she was away, Lily barely had time to breathe. Maggie and Colette called the next day, dying to know everything that happened in New York, and they planned an afternoon coffee-and-gab session for the next Saturday.

On Thursday morning, Lily was so engrossed in her work that she missed the “ping” signaling a new e-mail in her personal account. She finally had a moment to check her messages during her lunch break, and what she saw put a smile on her face for the rest of the day.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: London

Lily,

I’m not sure what it is, but London reminds me of you. Perhaps it has something to do with all the great storytellers who’ve walked this land. It makes me think of your way with words and your own gift of storytelling. It makes me want to know all your stories—what makes you cry, what makes you blush, what makes you sigh, what puts the sparkle in those clear blue eyes of yours. I want to know them all. And, for probably the first time, I want to share my stories with someone. That’s terrifying to me, but I know you are one of the very few people I can trust to appreciate them.

You mentioned that you love to travel. I’d love to bring you here one day—drive out to Stratford-Upon-Avon, show you Westminster Abbey and where Chaucer is buried. I wouldn’t mind finally being a tourist myself, and I know you would appreciate all the history here.

So I thought that we could use this time apart to get to know each other. Since we’re talking about traveling, tell me about your favorite vacation.

I hope your return to work hasn’t been too stressful. Things here are going well. It’s interesting; the fans in London are more reserved, but the paparazzi are much more invasive. My hands are full keeping Daniel calm.

I look forward to reading more of your words. Until later . . .

Yours, Nate

Hours later, after her long day at work was finished and she’d eaten dinner, she sat down with a glass of red wine to respond.

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: RE: London

Nate,

My return to work has been a little stressful—there’s a lot to catch up on—but your e-mail made all those frustrations disappear. Thank you so much for thinking of me in the middle of such a hectic time for you. I can’t tell you what that means to me. I hope you know you’ve been on my mind as well.

London always has been high on my travel wish list. To walk where the masters have walked no doubt would be incredibly inspiring. As much as I adore their stories, yours are the ones I want to hear. I want to know why your emerald-colored eyes are so serious and why you seem to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. I want to know what inspires that air of focused confidence in you. I want to know what you’re like when you’re completely at peace. In fact, I wouldn’t mind being the one relaxing by your side.

My family never did an extensive amount of traveling, but we did go to Tybee Island just outside Savannah, Georgia, every year. We’d rent a condo and spend a week splashing around in the ocean and venturing into the city. When I think of summer, I think of the smell of the salt air, the sound of the seagulls, and the taste of the amazing home fries at Spanky’s Beachside. What about you? Tell me about your favorite vacation.

I have my favorite song playing on my iPod in the background as I write this. Actually, it seems apropos that I should be listening to the Beatles’ “Let It Be” while you’re in London. Now that you know my favorite song (and favorite band, by default), tell me yours. What song makes you stop and listen every time you hear it?

I hope you (and Daniel) are enjoying your trip. I’m sorry that the paparazzi are being so difficult. Just remember . . . “Keep calm and carry on.”

You’re busy, I know, so write when you can. I look forward to your words, too. Until later . . .

Yours, Lily

Saturday saw Lily wrapped up in a navy cardigan, white T-shirt, worn jeans, and her favorite British tan suede boots. She arrived at Dolce early to people watch as she sipped a rather large skinny vanilla latte while waiting for her friends. Maggie entered first, waving to Lily before heading to the counter and ordering a cappuccino. Colette got there a few moments later and placed her order for an Americano before joining Lily and Maggie.

“Okay, spill it,” Maggie demanded before she even sat down. “You’ve been distracted all week. What’s going on?”

Lily had to laugh at her friend’s abrupt inquiry. She admired Maggie’s no-holds-barred nature.

“I’m fine. I’ve just had a lot of work to catch up on and stuff on my mind, that’s all.”

“Such as?” Colette asked.

“Well . . . Nate.” This was why Lily called this girl-power powwow. She needed to get this off her chest and hear what her friends thought about the situation.

“So I take it something happened in New York?” Maggie questioned.

“Um . . . I guess you could say that. He kissed me. And we kind of went out on a date.” Lily blinked nonchalantly as her friends scooted their chairs closer, putting their elbows on the table, and looking at her with questioning eyes. “Oh, don’t look at me that way, you guys!”

“Okay, what happened?” Maggie asked.

“Well, Daniel asked me to dance at the after-party. Nate cut in at the next song. It was almost like he was jealous . . . maybe. Anyway, the dance was a tango, and it was . . . intense. By the end of the night, we’d both had enough to drink to have a slight buzz, and that same intensity was still there. So, when he dropped me off at my hotel, he kissed me. And then he asked me out to brunch later that morning, and I said yes.”

Lily quickly grabbed her latte and took another sip when she finished rambling. She wasn’t embarrassed at all by what happened, but she also didn’t want to hear any I-told-you-sos from her friends.

Colette was the first to break the tension with her deadpanned observation. “Wow. I’d say your trip was successful.”

Before long, all three were giggling like schoolgirls.

“There definitely is a spark there,” Lily said with a sigh. “I just don’t know what to do about it. I mean . . . he’s there, and I’m here. He’s Hollywood premieres, and I’m small-town newspaper. Where can this possibly go?”

 
“Lil, don’t you think you’re jumping the gun a bit? You haven’t even known him that long.”

Lily sighed, knowing her oldest friend believed she had a tendency to overthink and overanalyze everything.

Colette agreed. “She’s right, you know. Just let it ride. There’s no harm in seeing where this takes you.”

Lily nodded. She had an inordinate amount of patience when it came to everything except romance. She wanted it figured out, and she wanted it figured out now.

“I think Nate was on that same line of thinking,” she confessed to her friends. “He said we’ll just have to do this differently. You know, e-mail, phone, Skype, all that stuff. But it’s weird not to be able to
see
him, you know?”

“Well, it may not be the conventional way of dating, but he’s clearly interested in you,” Colette added. “So just enjoy it and get to know him. Actually, not being able to see him kind of takes the pressure off. You don’t have to dress up or even shave your legs to send an e-mail!”