Page 51 of Willow in the Wind

“Oh gosh. Yes. We need to know more about J!” Brittany cried. “Is it true that he just showed up out of the blue at the book launch two weeks ago?”

“Those photographs were insane,” Natasha declared. “I mean, the looks on your faces! You both looked like you’d seen a ghost.”

Stella’s heartbeat quickened. Hadn’t her agent told the podcastno questions about James?

But Stella knew Gwen. Gwen knew that talk of James sold books. And Gwen wanted to sell as many books as possible. Didn’t Stella want that, too?

Stella stuttered and smiled. “Well, I mean. The man called J never agreed to be written about. I’d really like to respect his privacy if that’s okay.”

Natasha and Brittany exchanged annoyed glances. Why wasn’t their guest playing along?

“But J came to your book launch,” Brittany pressed. “Doesn’t that mean he wants to be known? Doesn’t that mean he wants to go public about his identity?”

Stella continued to smile. “I don’t know what he wants. But I don’t feel comfortable talking about him. I left the man called J back in 2001. The modern J is nobody I know. He’s a stranger.”

“You’re saying you didn’t meet up after the book launch?” Brittany demanded.

Stella pressed her lips together. She was in hot water. How could she get out of this?

“Like I said, I can’t talk about J,” Stella said. “But I’m happy to answer any other questions about my writing or my time in Greece.”

Natasha and Brittany didn’t press her after that. But they looked annoyed. They’d obviously wanted as much juicy gossip as they could get. But Stella felt she’d already given them enough.

After wrapping up the podcast recording, Stella shook hands with Natasha and Brittany, thanking them politely. Despite theirsweet tones, she could tell they were still irritated with her. Stella didn’t mind. She walked out of the studio into the bright September afternoon, pulling her phone from her pocket. There were messages from Gwen, Chloe, Matt, and the radio host she was scheduled to meet next. The radio host was “excited to get into things!”—which likely meant he wanted to talk about James. Stella’s heart pounded with confusion. James still hadn’t called her back.

Why did he give me his card if he didn’t want me to reach out?

Maybe he’d already skipped town. Perhaps he’d gone to London. Maybe he’d decided he didn’t want anything to do with the mess ofThe Athens Affair.

Stella had to be okay with that.

In the taxi, she read messages from Gwen, Chloe, and Matt. Chloe wished her well and asked where something was she needed for school. Gwen congratulated her on the podcast and wished her luck on the radio interview.

And Matt? He sent:

I’m so anxious to hear how your trip goes. Good luck, Stella. You’re going to kill it.

Tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away and shoved her phone into her purse.Matt shouldn’t make me cry,she reminded herself.

That night at the hotel, Stella drew a bath and sat in the calming warmth with a glass of red wine. Through a series of careful maneuvers, she was able to prop up a book without getting itwet, and she read for more than an hour. The stress of the day eased off her shoulders.

When Stella got out of the bath, she called Chloe to make sure she’d found the paper she’d needed for school. Chloe answered happily, “Mom! How did it go?”

Stella tied her fluffy robe and lay back on the king-sized bed. From down below the hotel came the sound of horns. The city was alive. But she was nearly conked out.

“It was great, honey. I have a bazillion appointments tomorrow and the next day, and then I’m off to the next city,” Stella said.

“You’re so famous now,” Chloe said. “A few girls in my class read your book.”

Stella’s ears rang. Had she wanted teenage girls to read her book? She wasn’t sure. Then again, romance was for everyone. Even, or especially, stories of failed romance.

Everyone has a love that failed.

Chloe told Stella about what had happened today at school. Stella could feel her moving through her father’s house, opening and closing doors.

“Where you off to so fast?” Stella asked with a laugh.

Chloe muttered, “I just wanted some privacy. Dad’s downstairs.”

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