Page 86 of Booked on You
I slice fresh tomatoes and strawberries.
After assembling the sandwich, the back door opens, and Scarlett enters. She grins wide, walking over to me. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close, kissing her hair. “You’re cooking breakfast?”
“Yep, you’ve got a big day ahead of you,” I say. “Lots of words to write. Get some coffee.”
Scarlett opens the cabinet with the mugs and stares at them for a long time. “What’s your favorite color?”
“The exact color of your eyes,” I answer.
She tucks her lips inside her mouth, pulling down a green mug.
Scarlett pours herself a cup and leans her hip against the counter, watching me. Her dark hair is falling over her bare shoulder.
Her eyes wander across the kitchen and land on the book on the counter.
“Are you a collector now?” she asks, walking over to the book. “Or trying to flip it?”
“Is there a market for that?” I ask.
“Surprisingly, yes. The first edition of my debut book is pretty special. And if it’s signed, even rarer. I hardly did any signings back then, and the first print run was so small.” She chuckles, inspecting it. “Original cover. A little worn, but in good shape. It could get you seven hundred dollars.Highlycollectible. Let’s see if this one has the error. If it does, over a thousand…”
I watch as her amusement shifts into confusion, then stunned disbelief.
Her eyes widen as her handwriting stares back at her.
“Whose book did you take?” she asks, glancing up at me. “Please tell me you didn’t pay a ton for this, Ezra.”
“You signed that book for my mom, Ellie,” I say, watching the mix of wonder and recognition wash over her face. “Your book must’ve made quite an impression on her. I was going through some boxes, and that was packed among her most cherished items that sat on her bedside table.”
Scarlett stares at the inscription, her fingertips tracing over her words. Her eyes widen, memory flickering to life behind her gaze. “Oh my goodness. Ellie…I remember her now. Had one ofthose laughs that’s contagious. Wore red lipstick. Cozy. She was incredible.”
“Yep.” My throat tightens. “Yeah. She really was.”
Scarlett looks up at me, her eyes glistening. “Oh,” she says, then bursts into laughter. “You know, your mom was trying to play matchmaker with us. She was relentless, but I declined the offer. I was dating someone at the time.” She narrows her eyes at me. “But to think, I could’ve met you ten years ago.”
“That’s a shame. I would’ve whisked you away,” I tell her.
“I don’t think I was ready for that yet.” Scarlett holds the book against her chest, then sets it down.
I remove the bacon from the pan.
“Mom used to talk about divine timing, that things happen when they’re supposed to. Maybe we both had more lessons to learn, so when we met, we’d fully appreciate the other,” I say, adding food to our plates.
“I like that thought,” she says.
Once our plates are loaded, I carry them to the table. Scarlett grabs forks, and I rip some paper towels from the holder. As she slides past me, our arms brush. Scarlett smiles back at me, and her gaze flickers between my eyes and my mouth, as though she’s searching for something more to say as she sits.
I join her. “So, I finished your book late last night.”
There’s pride in her eyes. “And?”
“It broke my fucking heart,” I admit, not hiding the raw truth. “But in the best possible way. I felt you in every word. Also, I’m so fucking sorry.”
She exhales, the tension leaving her shoulders. “That means a lot to me.”
“And that was your best seller?”
“To date. I think my upcoming release will be the best yet. It’s happier. No hero to forgive. Very sexy. Lots of exploration and revelations.”
