Page 79 of Booked on You
I giggle and cut another piece, taking a bite. It’s sweet, and the crust is perfectly cooked; the pecans are like candy. “Wow. I think it did, too.”
There’s a small envelope tucked in the box. I pick it up and hand it to Ezra, and he shakes his head. “That’s for you.”
My heart lifts even higher when I see my name beautifully scripted across the other side. I trace the letters with my fingertips.
Ezra watches me like I’m his favorite show. “I asked her what it said, and she told me it was a woman-to-woman thing.”
“Oh, then I can’t open this in front of you,” I say playfully. “It’s girl code. Either this is going to be a warning for me to run far away from you or keep you close.”
Ezra chuckles under his breath. “My aunt is my biggest fan. Good luck.”
I glance down at it, finding it strange how something so small can feel so personal. I bet she’s the type of aunt who always calls on birthdays and mails get-well-soon cards.
Ezra’s hand brushes my hand, his eyes full of curiosity as he watches me.
“It’s a sweet gesture,” I say, taking another bite of pie, then feeding him one. His teasing smile makes my stomach flutter.
I want to commit every glance and laugh to memory.
His eyes soften like he can read my mind.
“Well, Millie likes to give unsolicited advice, so I’m sure she’s filled that note with plenty. She’s a super fan of yours.”
I chuckle. “Really? Your aunt read my book?”
“Books,” he adds. “You’re a big deal. Your next book…” He hesitates. “Her Forever?”
“Yes, it’s the final book in my series. Helena findsher foreverafter waiting so damn long for the right man to appear,” I admit.
“I can’t wait to read it,” he says. The warmth in his voice spreads through me. “What about Scarlett’s happily ever after?”
“Working on it,” I say, leaning forward and kissing him like tomorrow will never come. He stands between my legs, my arms wrapping around his neck as he kisses up my chest to my mouth.
When he pulls away, my eyes glide over the tattoos on his arm: a flower, a bird with its wings spread, and a tree line. It tells a story.
His expression shifts to something playful yet tender. “Tell me this. Out of all the places in the entire world, why did you come to Charleston?”
He grabs the fork and feeds me, maintaining eye contact the whole time.
I stop breathing and have to force myself to focus. “What was the question again?”
He gives me a lazy grin. “Why Charleston?”
“Oh, right. So, I had a book signing here a long time ago and fell in love with the vibe. Everyone was so kind, and it was the last time I felt true happiness in my life, when I remember loving everything,” I explain. “Your listing was the first one that made me stop scrolling, so I booked it.” I shrug. “My intuition drove the decision. It was this feeling.”
Ezra cuts himself a sliver of the pie.
“Why did you list your cottage?” I ask.
“Millie peer pressured me. Kept telling me how I was leaving money on the table,” I explain. “I honestly listed it to shut her up and prove to her that no one wanted to rent a cottage in someone’s backyard. So, thank you for proving me wrong. She hasn’t rubbed it in yet, but I know she will. You know, I lived there for years, and before that, it was my mom’s art studio.”
“Oh, wow. Your mom created there?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, she loved that little cottage.”
I swallow down the pie. “Thank you for letting me use it.”
“She’d love that you were in there writing your next bestseller,” he says.
