Page 71 of Reel Love

“Yes. A restaurant, I guess.”

“On Marbella?”

“Yeah. I think so. Definitely. We’re both here. Yes.”

“Then, what’s the problem? Isn’t there like exactly no crime there? And if you’re at a restaurant you’ll have eyes on you. Want me to call your goon squad and have him show up there to keep an eye out?”

“Tank?”

“Yeah. That mountain of a man. He’d come over there for you if you need it. You’ve just never needed it.”

“No. I don’t need Tank. You’re right. Marbella is safe. It’s more the idea that Wordivore will know who I am after this.”

“I hear you, Alana.” Brigitte’s quiet for a beat. “Let me ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Do you want to end up in a relationship? No. Skip that. Forget about a relationship. That’s so next-level right now. Would you like to go to dinner with this guy—the guy you’ve been telling me about forever. The one you feel like you can trust and share things with. Would you like to go to dinner with him?”

“Yeah. I would.”

“There’s your answer. Now get off the phone, go tell him yes, and get your butt to bed. You have interviews tomorrow and Maleficent will have my finger poked with a spinningwheel needle that puts me to sleep for years if I don’t get you there without bags under your eyes. But, then again, maybe I’d meet my Prince Phillip if I went through all that.”

I laugh. “Okay. I’ll tell him yes and I’ll get to sleep.”

“Good. And, admit it. You’re just a teensie weensie bit excited now, aren’t you? Butterflies flitting around? A perma-smile?”

“Stop spying on me.”

“I knew it! You deserve this. Go be a normal girl on a dinner date. Love you, boss.”

“Love you too, goofball.”

“That’s one-of-a-kind goofball to you.”

We hang up and I tap to reopen the app. Sure enough, Wordivore is there, waiting … for me.

Hey,I type.

Hey, he answers.So, let me down slowly.

I’m not going to.I smile big, and then I type.It’s a yes.

I rarely dance, but picture me doing a happy dance. Scratch that if it sounded creepy. I’m just glad you said yes.

I smile and decide to tell him so.I’m smiling.

Me too.

A text comes through from Brigitte. I pause to read it.

Brigitte: Don’t give him your private cell number. New cell phone acquired one minute ago. It will be with me when we pick you up in Ventura tomorrow. Here’s the phone number …

She types the number and I sit there marveling at her mad skills.

Alana: I don’t pay you enough.

Brigitte: Okay, pay me more since you keep insinuating you want to.

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