Page 45 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

“M’lady, I’ve been awaiting you,” Miles greeted Emily as she exited the conference room.

“I thought we were going to meet at the restaurant.” She rested her hand on the arm he held out to her and fell in step with him as he maneuvered them toward their lunch date.

“This was on my way, and I didn’t want to make the fair lady walk the whole hotel expanse on her own,” Miles responded in mock horror. He placed his free hand palm down on his chest.

“The horror,” Emily gasped, mimicking his gesture. “That’s why you texted and asked where I was during the panel. You should’ve come to it. The romance genre is fascinating.”

“I’m learning that more and more. And yes, that’s exactly why I was texting you. I wouldn’t dare interrupt you learning about romance otherwise,” Miles said. “I saved you from the terrible fate of walking alone.” He held the door of the restaurant open until Emily stepped through and then followed along behind her. The two were seated quickly at a table for two and given water and menus.

“How did the talk with Ben go?” Emily asked once she ordered.

“Ben was excited to hear the news,” Miles responded. “He’s been hounding Larissa for a long time, so he was also a bit annoyed that I was able to accomplish the task with little to no effort.” Miles shrugged. There wasn’t anything to it, and honestly it was easier for Miles to get what they wanted and needed.

The response Emily was planning halted in her throat. She reached a foot out and tapped Miles’s leg and then gestured with her head to the right. He followed the direction of her gaze and visibly wilted.

Vanessa strutted toward them as though the carpet of the restaurant were her own personal runway. She stood taller than most everyone in the room in her black Louboutin red-soled heels and the black corset gown she wore like a suit of armor, giving her power over all those around her.

“What’s she doing here?” Emily asked in a whisper, glancing from Miles to Vanessa.

“Not a clue,” Miles said, his shoulders dipping lower and lower with each incoming step.

“Miles, Emily, fancy seeing the two of you here,” Vanessa said as she arrived at their table. She pulled a chair from one of the nearby tables and sat on the edge of the seat at their table. Her legs crossed at the ankles revealed what seemed to be miles of smooth unblemished skin.

“Vanessa, we’re in the middle of lunch,” Miles said. “Could we have this conversation another time?”

“There’s no time quite like the present,” Vanessa said with a falsely cheerful smile. “And there’s nothing as important as this conversation.”

“What’s so important?” Miles asked, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to hide some of the annoyance.

“Getting to know your new girlfriend and helping her with you, of course,” Vanessa said with a high giggle that made Emily’s hackles rise.

“I’m okay, I don’t need help,” Emily said. She glanced back and forth between Miles and Vanessa desperately, hoping for some way to get out of this disastrous situation. Nothing was forthcoming.

“Well, of course you do. Luckily I’m here. I don’t know how someone like you could manage without a little help. I’m actually surprised Miles went for someone so . . . small and so . . . plain. I always thought Miles was into more womanly looks,“ Vanessa said. She emphasized small and plain, staring at Emily as though she lacked essential qualities. When she said womanly she brushed against her breast and hips with a pointed eyebrow rise.

Emily flushed deeply and looked at the tablecloth in front of her. She knew she wasn’t the tallest or curviest of women. But she couldn’t do anything about her genetics.

“Emily’s perfect the way she is,” Miles snapped. “I couldn’t be with anyone but Emily. She’s slowly become my whole world.”

Vanessa glared at Miles, all pretense of politeness gone in a flash. “You were extremely torn when we split, Miles. You can’t be over me.”

“Vanessa, we split a long time ago. It’s always sad for a relationship to end, but it needed to happen, and it needs to remain that way. Please leave so I can enjoy my lunch with my girlfriend, Emily, who I’m very happy to be with.”

“You won’t be able to get it up with someone like her.”

Miles glared at Vanessa. His calm demeanor vanished at the obvious slight against Emily. “I assure you there are no problems in that department.”

Emily lifted her chin and fell into her “role” as Miles’s doting girlfriend, “I can satisfy him just fine, thank you.” She paused, then gave the woman a mocking smile. “And he more than satisfies me.” She could stick that in her craw.

Vanessa glared at Miles and stood, knocking the chair back in the process. She turned toward Emily. “I hope you can handle him and his insufferable writing better than I did. He was pretty hung on up that and everything but us. This man doesn’t know how to be anything but neglectful most of the time. Good luck,“ Vanessa shouted over her shoulder as she walked away.

Emily covered her mouth and stared at Miles with wide eyes. “What on earth did you drag me into?”

“Writing inspiration?” Miles answered with an awkward chuckle. “I really didn’t plan for all of the crazy, but it followed me here.” He gave a shrug. As soon as she was gone, she was already being forgotten. There was so little time left, and there was no way Emily was going to allow that woman to ruin it.

Chapter 35

“How do you plan to spend the rest of this afternoon?” Miles wrapped an arm around Emily’s waist as they left the restaurant.

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