Page 23 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

“Is there enough space at your table? I thought seating for the event was pre-determined.”

“I talked to the host when I was acquiring your dress,” he reassured her. His hand moved to the small of her back, though it remained as a soft presence more than a rough guide. Emily was hyper-aware of that presence and it was driving her to distraction.

“Oh Miles, I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Emily stumbled, already unsteady in the fancy high heels Miles had found for her, as her hip was bumped. Miles’s hand fell away from the small of her back as she regained her footing.

Emily stared in shock at the audacity of the woman, though her exasperation evaporated as soon as she realized who had stumbled upon the two of them . . . Vanessa Du Pont. Vanessa was infamous in the reading and writing community as a popular cover model, especially for fantasy and romance novels.

Vanessa was absolutely stunning, though coming from a respectable family certainly didn’t hurt. She was one of those rare redheads with deep crimson hair. Her ivory skin was smooth and blemish free. Emily didn’t even want to know how much money she spent to make that happen. Her true red hair and pale ivory skin made for a striking combination, not to mention her vivid green eyes with thick black eyeliner.

Vanessa wore an emerald green floor-length silk dress with a side slit that reached all the way to her hip, showing off her very long legs. Emily felt like a dwarf next to the woman and a bit uncomfortable, like she probably wasn’t wanted in this situation. Vanessa made that clear by positioning her body between the two of them, placing her hand on Miles’s shoulder in a way that showed familiarity.

“Vanessa,” Miles responded, his tone showing none of the warmth Vanessa’s attitude implied should be there. “What are you doing here?”

“Spending time with my man, of course,” Vanessa responded in a sultry tone. “I don’t like when you call me Vanessa. You used to call me Ness or Red.”

“We broke up a while ago,” Miles said, exasperation coloring his voice. He lifted a hand to his face and rubbed at his chin. “The nicknames were a dating perk you lost.”

Emily shifted from foot to foot, wishing with all her might this had occurred after Miles showed her where she’d be sitting. She’d never felt like such an awkward third wheel before. If this was Vanessa’s intent, it was working spectacularly.

“Miles,” Vanessa said, leaning her hand against his arm, “I’ve had some time to think about everything, and I realize how much I miss you. I miss us.”

“Vanessa, we broke up for a reason. We’re better when we aren’t together.”

“We had some issues, but people work through stuff all of the time. I made some mistakes, but I’m a different person now. Isn’t our love enough? I know you want to give it another shot as much as I do.”

Emily backed away a step, wondering if she’d be able to sit at another random table. Watching the man she was getting a crush on standing with this beautiful woman was absolutely devastating.

“Vanessa, that isn’t happening. We’ve tried multiple times and it hasn’t worked out.”

“What do you have to lose? I’ve been doing some soul-searching. Things will be different. They’ll be better. I love you and I want to make things work.”

“I’m taken,” Miles blurted. “We can’t be together because I’m dating someone else.”

Vanessa flinched, her eyes darkening to reflect her anger. “Who are you dating? Is it that slut Clarissa? She was always out to get me.”

“It’s not Clarissa. Clarissa and I never dated, contrary to your belief. She’s simply one of my good friends who attends these conferences regularly and we occasionally have a working lunch. But either way, Vanessa, you and I haven’t been together in six months. I’ve done some soul-searching too, and it’s best for both of us to go our separate ways.”

“Miles, what we had was special. Don’t you remember the good times we had together?”

“Good and bad times . . . they’re over,” Miles responded. He scooted around Vanessa and wrapped an arm around Emily’s waist, tugging her firmly into his side. Emily’s eyes widened and she stumbled, kept on her feet and steady due to the iron arm wrapped around her waist. “Meet Emily, my girlfriend.”

Emily looked at Miles and back at Vanessa, hunching a bit in on herself with all of the sudden attention. His hand on her hip felt like a burning inferno.

“You’re joking,” Vanessa said, looking from Miles to Emily as though Emily was a bug that had deigned to step into her path.

“I’m dead serious,” Miles responded. “Emily and I have a one-of-a-kind connection. That’s why Emily’s here with me tonight, joining me for our formal dinner.”

Vanessa glared at Emily, her green eyes narrowed into slits. She turned toward Miles, her face softening, her lips pouting, and her eyes widening. Emily wondered how it was possible someone could go so quickly from basically spitting venom to looking so innocent and pouty. “Come to coffee with me tomorrow. There’s so much for us to talk about. There’s business we could discuss, and we can reminisce.”

“Emily and I have plans tomorrow,” Miles said with an apologetic smile. “Sometimes our lives get so busy with work that we can’t make time for each other, so we promised we’d spend as much time together as possible during the conference to make the most of this trip. We scheduled it in advance to force our hand. It would be rude to renege on those reservations. I’d love to join you otherwise, but it’s just not possible.”

Vanessa blew out a deep breath of air and looked back and forth between the two of them. She wrinkled her nose and turned on her heel. Over her shoulder she said, “I’ll look for you later. We need to continue this discussion.” Vanessa turned toward Emily and commented, “We’ll see how long you last with him. He’s definitely not going to commit to someone like you.” Vanessa continued her smooth strides away, putting some distance between them.

It took several long moments for Emily’s heartrate to return to normal, and for her to release the breath of air that was trapped in her lungs. “What on earth was that about?” she demanded, staring up at Miles for answers.

“Improvisation?” he responded with a sheepish grin. Emily pulled away from him, his arm dropping from its resting place around her waist.

“You just lied about us dating,” Emily said accusingly. She crossed her arms and stared Miles down. He looked much too cool and collected for the situation they were now in.

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