Page 14 of The Ruse of Romancing
Going on a trip to Oregon made it exponentially easier to avoid her.
I also typed out a quick email to my landlords explaining the internet situation, though I abstained from making any comments on their grandson’s terrible behavior. I’d give Masonone more chance before throwing him under the bus. Now that I was getting food, I was feeling less murdery and could acknowledge he’d tried to warn me about Scooter last night. He hadn’t tried nearly hard enough, but he had tried.
“Careful, soup’s hot,” Joane said a few minutes later, setting a bowl of soup and a plate with a grilled cheese sandwich cut into two triangles in front of me. “I pre-sliced your bread and put your dessert in a to-go container, just in case.” She raised a brown paper bag with the bakery’s logo and settled it on the table as well.
“Thank you! This looks wonderful.”
Not quite sure where to start, I reached for one of the sandwich triangles and dipped it in my soup. As I took a bite, flavors exploded on my tongue, and I groaned. I wasn’t sure if the sandwich was really that good or if I was just that hungry, but I decided it didn’t matter as I swallowed, dipped my sandwich again, and took a second bite. It was a good thing I was the only customer in the bakery, otherwise I’d be scaring away anyone in my immediate vicinity.
“Slow down and chew, hon. The food isn’t going anywhere,” Joane said with a laugh, watching me as if she was afraid I’d choke.
“Sorry,” I mumbled around another bite of sandwich, lifting my hand to cover my mouth while I chewed. “I haven’t eaten much today, and this is literally the best thing I’ve had since landing in Oregon.”
“Where are you visiting from?” Joane asked, settling into the seat across from me.
“Utah. I just got here yesterday.”
“Well, you picked the best place in Oregon to visit. How long are you staying?”
“Hard to say,” I said, slowing down in my rush to eat now that the first few bites had hit my system. I paused to take a drink ofcoffee, content now that I was getting fed and caffeinated. “I’m working on a project and hoping a change of scenery will get my creative juices flowing.”
“Oh, you’re an artist?” Joane asked, her eyes lighting with interest.
“Not exactly.” I shook my head with a laugh, picturing my terrible attempts at illustrating my own covers back when I’d considered self-publishing. “I’m an author on deadline for my next book.”
“Really? Have you written anything I would have heard of?” Joane propped her chin in her hands, leaning across the table as she listened. Her expression was inviting, the lines around her mouth and eyes clearly from laughing and smiling.
“Maybe,” I hedged, not sure if I wanted Joane to be familiar with my book. Life would be so much easier if I could fly under the radar while I worked here. “It’s a romantasy, you know, romantic fantasy.”
“Those are my favorite!” Joane gushed. “My son runs the bookstore next door, and he can’t get the latest romantasies in fast enough. I keep asking him when the next Danielle Baldwin book will be in. That woman knows how to write a story! The way Hypatia and Petros clash, but secretly pine for each other,” she leaned back into her chair with a dramatic sigh, pressing one hand to her ample chest, “it’s simply the most divine torture. Have you read it?”
I gave a small half smile, deciding to trust Joane with my identity and project.
“‘Divine torture’ is a great way to describe it. I’ll have to pass that wording along to my marketing team. Maybe they can use it in the next round of promotions,” I said, watching her reaction. If the team couldn’t use it, I definitely could when I got around to paying attention to my much-neglected social media accounts. While I was very good at scrolling through various videos andcomment sections, I wasn’t the best at posting, much to Avery’s chagrin. Maybe I’d finally get around to posting while I was here.
Joane blinked at me blankly for a moment before her face lit with realization.
“Wait, you’re sayingyou’reDanielle Baldwin?”
I nodded.
“TheDanielle Baldwin? The author of literally the swooniest book in the history of romantasy?” Joane reached across the table, grabbing my arm as if to confirm I was in fact real and currently sitting in her bakery.
“I don’t know that I’d go that far, though I’m flattered you think so,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck and ducking my head. I wasn’t the best at receiving compliments, though I loved hearing how much readers enjoyed my book. If only I could channel all of their enthusiasm into writing book two and pushing back the imposters syndrome that niggled at the corners of my mind when I thought about my book’s popularity too much.
“Wait until I tell Spencer! He’s never going to believe it.TheDanielle Baldwin ate lunch in my shop.” She leaned back in her chair, grinning.
“Maybe we could keep who I am between just the two of us,” I said, flinching as I watched Joane’s face fall at the suggestion. “It’ll make writing in Cascade Harbor easier if no one knows who I am.”
“I guess that makes sense,” she said with a nod, though I could still see disappointment in her eyes.
“If it helps, I’m hoping to eat lunch here again tomorrow, if you don’t mind. I like the vibe. It’s welcoming and bright. Might even be the perfect place to write, assuming you have wifi?” I could only do so much writing without the ability to research as I went. And while I was hoping the internet back at my placewould be fixed soon, it would be nice to have a few writing location options.
“Mind? I’d love it! It would feel like I was living in my own fantasy. Danielle Baldwin writing her next book here in my shop. I’m going to have to ask someone to pinch me. This is unreal!”
“You can just call me Dani, and I’d be willing to pay to use the space. I don’t want to impede business or anything.” I looked around the shop, certain its empty tables were a fluke based on the amazing lunch I’d eaten.
“If it means the sequel toOf Curses and Pomegranateswill be releasing sooner rather than later, you can move into my shop. I’ll even provide you with all the coffee and pastries you can eat.” She waved at the display case.
