Page 17 of You. Me. Us.

Ethan shot him a knowing look as they waited for the next group to come through the black curtain. “A woman, huh?” he asked in a low voice, just loud enough for Julius to hear.

Julius shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Yeah,” he admitted with a sigh. “She’s... different.”

Rebecca raised an eyebrow curiously. “Different how?”

“She’s smart,” Julius said with a small smile. “She seemed interested in this world, but like her entire actual focus was on academic readings and meetings.” It sounded ridiculous when he explained it like that.

“And you got all that how?” Ethan snickered, but clearly interested.

“Well... she’s a journalist,” trying to find the right words to describe Hillary without giving away too much. “She’s incredibly smart and passionate about her work.”

“And beautiful?” Rebecca prompted with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Absolutely,” Julius replied without hesitation. “But that’s not what drew me to her.”

Rebecca raised an eyebrow at him in surprise. “Oh? Do tell.”

“It’s... hard to explain,” Julius admitted with a shrug. “It’s like she sees through all the superficial stuff and actually cares about who I am as a person. And she’s not afraid to challenge me or ask me the questions that don’t make any sense in line with my character.”

Ethan chuckled lightly. “Sounds like she’d be more interested in your character than you.”

Julius rolled his eyes playfully before turning serious again. “She interviewed me yesterday,” he explained. “And she just, got under my skin somehow. Then last night?—”

“Got under your skin? Sounds like someone has a crush,” Rebecca teased, nudging him with her elbow. “Now, we have a little more left. Let’s get your head out of your own fantasy and into the one that pays our bills.”

As the session ended and the fans dispersed, Julius found himself reaching for his phone, his fingers hovering over Hillary’s contact information. He took a deep breath, trying to steady the nervous flutter in his chest as he typed out a message.

“Hey, how’s your day going? I was wondering if you might be free to meet up later, grab a coffee or something?”

His thumb hovered over the send button, uncertainty holding him back. Was he being too forward? Too desperate? Hedidn’t want to scare her off, but he also couldn’t bear the thought of letting this connection slip away.

With a final surge of courage, Julius hit send, his heart beating oddly fast for just sending a text as he watched the message whoosh away into the digital ether. Now all he could do was wait and hope, his fate resting in the hands of a woman he barely knew but couldn’t seem to forget for a second time in as many days.

Hillary navigated the bustling convention halls, her eyes wide with wonder she tried to not stop in front of every single booth she passed. From plushies to books, and character models to dice, there was literally every color under the sun and every possible fandom she could think of represented up on the main floor. The air buzzed with excitement, a palpable energy thrumming through her very bones. She felt a sense of belonging here, amidst the throngs of passionate fans and creators, all united by their love of storytelling.

As she wove her way through the crowds, Hillary couldn’t help but scan the surrounding faces, secretly hoping to catch a glimpse of Julius. She knew it was a long shot, with his undoubtedly packed schedule, but the memory of their brief encounter still lingered in her mind, a tantalizing “what if” that refused to be ignored. He’d stopped them both, but she’d ultimately killed it by rushing out on her own.

“Focus, Hillary,” she muttered to herself, shaking her head as she glanced at her itinerary for the ninth time. ‘World building in the Science Fiction Age’ was down next to Artist’s Alley, and if she didn’t find the escalators to get down there on time, Olivia would have her head because she was friends with two of the authors on the panel. It wasn’t that she didn’t know where theywere after two days, just that she had to find her way through the throngs of people.

She couldn’t afford to be distracted, no matter how captivating a certain actor might be.

Rushing, her foot got stuck on what must have been wiring tapped to the ground and she stumbled forward, slapping her hands against a booth.

“Sorry!” She muttered and tried to move even faster out of the way.

She nearly sighed in relief when she found the down escalator, stepping on without pausing to avoid a collision behind her. She did her best not to tap her fingers as she waited to get to the bottom. Thankfully, she’d been in this panel room earlier—she just hadn’t come from upstairs.

Rushing into the designated room just as the lights began to dim, Hillary settled into a seat surrounded by eager fans, many of whom she had interviewed earlier in the day. As the panelists took the stage to a round of applause, Hillary felt a buzz against her thigh. Startled, she reached for her phone, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Julius’s name illuminated on the screen.

She knew opening it was a bad idea before the panel, but couldn’t seem to help herself. Tapping the banner to open the message, a smile tugged at her lips as she read his text. He wanted to see her again, to spend time together amidst the chaos of the convention. The thought sent a thrill coursing through her, even as a voice in the back of her mind whispered cautions about getting too close, too invested.

Hillary took a deep breath, trying to calm the flutter in her stomach. She typed out a response, her thumbs dancing over the screen as she crafted a message that she hoped struck the right balance of casual interest and professional distance.

“Today’s been amazing, but you’re far too much of a distraction! I’ve got to stay focused on the job at hand. Rain check on that coffee?”

As she hit send, Hillary couldn’t help but wonder if Julius had been thinking about her throughout the day. If their brief connection had left as much of an impression on him as it had on her. The thought made her giddy. She was like a schoolgirl with a crush, and she had to stifle a laugh as she imagined his reaction to her playful rebuff.

As the panelists took their seats at the front of the overly crowded room, Hillary leaned forward in her chair, her notebook at the ready. The moderator, a well-known science fiction author himself, welcomed the crowd before introducing the distinguished guests.

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