Page 64 of Staying for You

Last night, I dreamt of a different outcome. She was getting ready to leave and I was fighting against the urge to beg her to stay. Her blue eyes were filled with tears when she looked at me and I couldn’t stop myself from telling her I wanted her here and that we’d figure it all out.

She seems calm and peaceful at The Escape and in my home. It’s hard not to see it and wish for more. But that’s not what we’re about. She’s here for a short time only. However, friends with benefits isn’t only about the benefits.

Her breathing is even and I know she’s still sleeping soundly so I slip out of bed, find my flannel pants and pull them on. Putting a knee to the mattress, I bend low and kiss the top of her head and leave her be.

I turn on the coffee maker and then look outside. It’s still snowing, but lighter than it was last night. I can already see that we have another foot of fresh snow on the ground, though.

I go back to the kitchen and pull out the ingredients to make my famous — okay, they’re only famous among my family but they’re highly requested — sausage, egg and cheese breakfast burritos, and place a pod in the coffee maker to brew a cup.

Trying to stay as quiet as possible, I carry my coffee into the living room and start a fire. I stare into the flames, thinking over last night and letting my lips curve into a smile. She was so eager, so fun and responsive.

I sit down on the couch, rest my foot on the coffee table, and sip at my coffee then do something I’ve wanted to do since she arrived and I learned she was an author.

I do a Google search.

My eyes widen when my thumb clicks on her name and see the extensive list of books attached to it. She’s been busy.

And it seems that she’s quite popular, if I’m understanding the pages correctly. Her books have a lot of stars and the number behind each is in the triple digits, indicating that her books have a lot of reviews.

I filter so her newest is listed at the top and my stomach sinks on her behalf.

Not her best work.

What happened to the Camilla Moore we know and love?

She lost her touch.

This was her worst work yet. Juvenile writing at best.

I quit at 30%. I just couldn’t put myself through anymore of that drivel.

One of my favorite authors and it was such a disappointment.

I quit reading at the word disappointment and reverse my search.

Reading through her earlier books’ reviews, readers couldn’t get enough.

The praise was endless.

This is a debut? It reads like a seasoned author.

Her characters have depth and the story was flawless.

Absolutely without a doubt my favorite author.

She knows how to tell a love story like no other.

Camilla’s men are what all real life men are up against.

My gosh, if her real life is half as romantic as the stories she spins, I want to be her.

Is this why she’s up here?

What happened?

I don’t know anything about writing books, or reading them for that matter, so I’m not entirely sure what any of this means aside from the fact that her recent books haven’t been as well received.

Draining the last of my coffee, I drop my phone on the coffee table and stoke the fire a bit before heading to the kitchen to start making the breakfast burritos.

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