Page 109 of One Wrong Move

Nate’s lips twitch. “I see we’re starting at the beginning.”

“It’s important,” I say. But then, the car pulls to a red light just a block from Leicester Square, and all it takes is a single glance out at the crowds of people and the erected metal barricades on the sidewalks to derail my thoughts. Is that a…

“Nate,” I say. “We won’t be walking a red carpet or anything, will we?”

“It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the main entryway, yeah,” he says. “But the paparazzi and throng of fans will be focused on spotting the celebs who show up. They won’t care about us.”

My chest tightens. “You think we’ll have to walk the red carpet?”

“We might,” he says, eyebrows drawn low. “Don’t worry, Harp. It’ll be okay.”

“I didn’t realize we’d be like… that close to the celebrities.”

“They’re just people.” He puts a hand out on the middle seat between us, and I take it without thinking. His palm is warm as his fingers close over mine. “It’ll be an adventure.”

I nod. That’s true. And that’s what I want. The excitement isn’t gone, it’s just tinged with nerves and a hint of performance anxiety.

They’re going to photograph us?

“Keep telling me about Sense and Sensibility,” he says. His thumb moves in a slow circle around the back of my hand. “Tell me what happens. The father just died…”

I explain it to him as best I can. Linger on the four main players, leaving out as much about Willoughby as I can. I tell him about Marianne and the patient love of Colonel Brandon.

“My favorite is Edward and Elinor, though. I love how tormented he is, how he clearly wants her,” I say. “But he can’t be with her, and you can see how it eats at them both up until the very end.”

Nate’s forehead is furrowed. “And why can’t he be with her? That makes no sense to me.”

“Because he’s already engaged to a woman he met years prior, but it’s a secret.”

“That’s idiotic,” Nate says. His deep voice is matter-of-fact. “If he truly loves Elinor, he would break that off.”

“Yes, but that would mean forfeiting his honor. He’d given his word!”

“Then, he should at least tell her how he feels, so she isn’t misled.”

“But that would also ruin his honor. Don’t you see? He can’t confess his feelings, knowing there is no point in encouraging her to return them, because he can’t offer marriage. That wouldn’t be honorable, either.”

Nate’s brow is furrowed. “I don’t like that.”

“It does seem a bit old-fashioned,” I say.

He shakes his head. “Doesn’t seem old-fashioned to me. But I still don’t like it.”

“Don’t worry,” I say teasingly and tighten my fingers around his. “There’s a happy ending.”

“Well, thank God for that,” he says bitterly. “We can’t have fictional people suffering.”

He looks ahead at the sprinter van in front of us. A pair of glamorously dressed women are getting out of it, and my heart rate skyrockets. It’s our turn next. Our driver has already had to lower his window and give our names and invitation to security.

Something warm touches my skin, and I turn to see Nate kissing the back of my hand. His eyes are on mine. “We’re making memories tonight,” he tells me. “Have fun, Harp. Enjoy this moment.”

I swallow my fears and focus on the excitement instead. He’s right. This is a night I will remember forever. A night I can’t wait to tell my mom about. I know she’s been planning to take some of her students to see this adaptation.

“Let’s kill it,” I say.

His lips break into a wide smile. “That’s my girl.”

My heart skips at his words and the emotion in his eyes. But then, my car door opens, and I’m waved out onto a deep red carpet and to the surrounding commotion.

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