Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93575 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 468(@200wpm)___ 374(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“We’re canceling BC and heading right to Ontario. Between Toronto and Port Albany, we have everything we need for exterior and interior filming. We’ll finish up these scenes and move the production there. It helps on the budget and streamlines the filming. Win-win situation.” She flashed me a smile. “You get to go home sooner than you thought. But Andi assured me you’d hang around the set some, if needed.”
Nick squeezed my hand. “Of course,” I replied.
“The winery and that building in your complex—the Hub? Your uncles agreed to let us film there. The town has exactly the look we need. And your uncles own a bunch of buildings they’ll let us use for exterior shots, plus the corporate office Roxie works at. They’ve been amazing.”
“Did Uncle Aiden get his walk-on?”
She laughed. “All of them did. They’ll be extras in the wedding scene we’ll shoot at the winery. I can’t believe how beautiful all that is. How perfect it is for the film.” Then she paused. “I guess since you wrote it, it must have inspired you.”
“It’s a lovely town,” I agreed. “When do you plan on being there?”
“Three weeks or so. All the permits will be in place, and we’ll have it all organized. We’ll wrap here as soon as possible, then head that way. We’ll be ready to go when the actors show up.”
“Great.”
I met Andi’s eyes. “We’ll talk, kiddo,” she assured me. “In fact, I have some new offers to discuss with you.”
“Sure. I’ll be ready to leave in a few minutes. I don’t think I’m needed any more today.”
“Okay.”
She and Amber moved away, and Nick looked at me. “You’re wrong.”
“Oh?”
“I need you, Shortcake.”
I laughed. “I think you can do without me for a few hours. Surely the coffee is not that bad when someone else makes it. Or, you know,” I teased, “you’ve seen me make it several times. You could get off your butt and make it yourself, movie star.”
He chuckled. “How do you feel about having the filming done so close to home?”
“I like it. I can be in my own place where I’m most comfortable.”
“I guess you’ll be leaving soon, then,” he said softly.
“A few days, I imagine.”
“I want to take you out.”
“On another picnic?” I asked.
“No, a proper date. There’s a place I go—it’s out of the way, the owner knows me, so I can sneak in the back way. It’s about an hour’s drive from here. You could see some of the coast, we can dress up and have dinner. No one will bother us, so your privacy is intact. It will take a couple of days, but if I can arrange it, may I take you out to dinner, Mila?” His expression was serious, his gaze intense and worried. “If you’re still here.”
I met his gaze with mine, hoping he saw what I was feeling. I didn’t want to leave him. The thought of it made my chest ache. I didn’t understand how quickly he’d become important to me; I just knew that he had.
“I’m sure I will be. And I’d love that.”
“Okay, I’ll make some calls.” He glanced around, then leaned close and kissed me. “I’ll see you tonight?”
“Yes. Tonight.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
MILA
“You’re awfully quiet, kiddo.”
I glanced up at Andi. We were back at the hotel, and she was going through some foreign rights offers. “Sorry. Just thinking.”
“The offers are all good.”
“Oh, I know. You wouldn’t encourage them if they weren’t. I’m good with them.”
She sat back, contemplating me. “So, what’s on your mind? Or, should I say, who?”
I felt the heat in my cheeks. “Am I that obvious?”
“To me, you are. You forget how well I know you.” She took a sip of coffee. “What’s going on with you and Nicholas? I certainly felt the flow between you. And I heard you defending him to MJ. Not all of it, but what I overheard, you were fierce.”
“She’s awful.”
“I know. Stay away from her. But we’re discussing Nick, not his choice of representation.”
“I don’t know. He’s…important.”
“How important?”
I met her gaze. “More than I expected him to be.”
“Kiddo—” she began, but I held up my hand, stopping her.
“I know. I’ve only known him a short time. I’m sure you’ll tell me I don’t know him at all.”
She set down her coffee mug, placing her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her palm. “It’s been just over a week. You can’t possibly have developed deep feelings for him.” When I didn’t reply, her eyebrows rose. “Mila?”
“I write about soul mates and love all the time.”
“Writing and living it are two different things. One is a fantasy, and the other is based in reality.”
“My dad said he knew he loved my mom right away. Reid and Becca were in love before their first real date. Even Bentley knew how important Emmy was going to be to him. It happens.”