Page 43 of Willow in the Wind

She would never forget the unreality she felt when he waved his hand and asked a question. She’d fallen deep into his eyes; memories had coursed through her.

She’d wanted to scream,Why now?

Although the answers were obvious,The Athens Affairwas everywhere. It had gone viral on social media. It was discussed on podcasts, radio shows, and television news broadcasts. It was reviewed by NPR.

James had recognized her name. Maybe he’d even thought,How dare she tell my story?

Stella had, admittedly, not thought of James much throughout the writing process and marketing this book. Well, she’d thought of James, but notmodernJames. James was in his forties. In fact, it occurred to her now, as she helped Esme and her daughters clean up the book launch, that she’d considered James to be living on another planet entirely. As though the minute they walked out of each other’s lives, he’d ceased to exist.

But apparently, he was just in the city. New York City, to be exact.

A five-hour drive away.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Has he been here the entire time?

Will I ever find out?

Esme approached when the chairs were put away and the extra food was packed in the fridge. She hugged Stella with tears in her eyes.

“You were marvelous, honey,” she said.

Esme did not ask about the gentleman who’d caused such a stir. Maybe she sensed Stella needed time to think.

Stella hugged the rest of her family goodbye. They gathered downstairs at the Sutton Book Club, drinking coffee and discussing evening plans.

“What do you say, Stella?” her father asked. “You want to grab some dinner?”

Stella imagined herself out to dinner with her father, mother, and siblings. She imagined herself going through the motions as her brain shut down with panic about James.

“Let’s grab dinner tomorrow,” she said. “I’m beat.”

“It’s a date,” her mother said, hugging her tightly. “We’re so proud of you.”

Stella thought they really were, in their own way.

Stella drove back home with her hands at ten and two as phone calls came from her agent, her editor, and three of her friends. It was clear to Stella that only one topic was on their minds: the mystery man she’d chased outside the Sutton Book Club.

Those photographs would probably generate book sales.

But they might put Stella and James into a world of hurt, too. Again.

Once upon a time, they’d been anonymous twentysomethings with very little money, exploring Greece together.

Now, they were thrust into the public eye. All because of Stella.

Her stomach sloshed.

There was a reason I called him “J” in the book,she thought as she touched the brake. She realized she was driving too quickly.I wanted to respect his privacy. If he hadn’t come today, nobody would have ever known.

But she couldn’t blame him for coming. Curiosity was James Atkinson’s best trait. It was why she’d been drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

Stella parked in the garage next to Matt’s car. It took her nearly a full minute to realize this was strange.Why is Matt here?She’d known Matt was going to drop Chloe off, but she’d assumed he’d head home after that.

But it was such a comfort to enter through the garage door and find Matt and Chloe on the sofa in the living room. The television was on low, and they were drinking diet sodas and chatting as though it was the simplest thing in the world. Stella wanted to sink into the sofa between them and fall asleep.

“There she is! The famous novelist!” Matt got up to hug her and grab her a diet soda. “What can we get you? Food? Wine?”

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