Page 13 of The Road Trip Romance

“Uh, y-yeah,” I stammer as he pulls back.

“Good, 'cause I sort of want to. Come on. Show me your office,” he says as he gets out of the car as if he didn’t just totally turn me on with a single line. I sort of hate Tate Anders…and I also kind of want to sleep with him, but that would be crazy because men like Tate don’t go out with women like me. That only happens in my stories.

CHAPTERSIX

Tate

Why did I do that? And why does Sophia smell amazing? I almost kissed her. Shit, I need to pull myself together. I’m here in a professional capacity. OK, sort of a professional capacity. I mean, that was the first thought I had as I was lying in bed staring at her book. I kept thinking if I could just meet this author and talk with her, then maybe she’d agree to let me make this book into a movie. And then every decision I made after that point was probably not very lucid at best, and downright unbalanced at worst. The guys are going to think I’ve lost my mind when they find out what I’ve been up to. Hell, I’m beginning to think I’ve lost my mind.

I stand outside the car taking in a deep breath and hoping to quell my body’s reaction to her being so close before she comes out of the car. I don’t want her to think I’m some weird Hollywood pervert.

Her door opens and then I hear the beep of her car as she locks it.

“This way,” she calls out as she begins to walk toward the office building in front of us. Her cheeks look flushed, and her chest is rising fast.

“You OK?” I ask as I run up the steps of the building and hold the door open for her.

“Great.” She pauses as we stand in front of elevators in a lobby. The building is nondescript. There are a few planters but that’s about it. “I should warn you…my assistant might be your number one fan and she has no idea you are here.”

The elevator dings and the doors open. We step inside and the doors close. I look down at her. “You meanyouaren’t my number one fan?” I tease.

She glares at me in the mirror of the elevator doors, and I fight a grin. I open my mouth to say that I had hoped she was, but the elevator stops, and the doors open.

“Uh, this way,” she mumbles, taking my hand, and leading me to an unmarked door where she uses a key to open it. We’re in a hallway off an office. She practically shoves me into a room and shuts the door. “Sit. Feel free to make coffee. The bathroom is down the hall to the right,” she adds, motioning to a single-cup coffee maker by the door.

“Oh, uh, OK,” I say slowly as I take in what I presume to be her office. There’s a big window behind her desk that looks out into a park area. Her walls have photos of children. There’s a small circular table in front of me with four chairs, another two chairs face her desk where she’s sitting in front of her laptop. One of those standing desks is next to her on her right. I sit down at the table and pull out my computer. I guess I can start writing this screenplay. Since I have the author sitting next to me, I’ll be able to ask questions. I open a blank document and begin to type when a woman enters the office. She’s small with dark hair and she’s staring down at some documents in her hands.

She glances over at Sophia. “Do you have time to review this grant?” she asks, holding up the paperwork.

“Sure,” Sophia says and stands, taking the papers from her. Then the woman’s eyes suddenly meet mine and I watch them get bigger and bigger until they are like two saucers on her face.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you…had…holy shit!” She stumbles over her words as she looks at me, and then her gaze shoots back at Sophia.

“This is Lex,” Sophia offers. I suddenly wonder if Lex knows Sophia is an author. Why the hell haven’t I asked her if her pen name is to keep her writing career private?

“Sorry, you probably get this all the time, but you look just like—” she starts.

“Tate Anders?” I finish her thought.

Lex nods her head. Her eyes darting back and forth between Sophia and me.

Sophia sighs. “That’s because heisTate Anders, Lex.”

Lex’s hand flies to her mouth. “Oh. My. God,” she says. “I mean…uh…hello.”

“Hello, it’s Lex, right?” I ask, extending my hand to her.

She nods her head and bites her lip. “Nice to meet you, Lex,” I continue.

“Uh, nice to meet you, too,” she manages, turning to Sophia and giving her awhat the helllook.

“So, I’d like to call a staff meeting so I can introduce everyone to Tate and explain why he’s here,” Sophia says, giving Lex a harsh look. I’m beginning to wonder if coming here was a bad idea. I want to keep a low profile, but my brain hadn’t thought this far ahead. I acted in total panic mode when I bought the plane ticket. I should know better by now. I should know that I’m not a normal person anymore and that I need to watch my surroundings and the people I interact with all the time. But, honestly, sometimes I just forget. It’s easier than it should be to slip back into Brooks Anders and his normal life.

Lex nods. “I’ll, uh, send an email to meet in the conference room at ten, OK?”

“Yes, thanks,” Sophia replies. Lex turns and leaves, closing the door behind her.

“Well, that went well,” I say with a grin as Sophia slumps down into her chair.

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