Page 21 of Love Unexpected
@Briarsandthorns: You’re so good to them.
@Briarsandthorns: You should go do your interview. Your fifteen minutes are officially up.
@RandomIOfficial: Yes. Yes they are. But I think I’d rather chat with you.
@Briarsandthorns: Than interview a movie star? I’m flattered.
@RandomIOfficial: You should be. I’m holding up the entire afternoon because I’d rather be here with you.
When a response didn’t immediately come through, I typed out another message.
@RandomIOfficial: Did I just scare you away? Because I was thinking about asking you if we could talk on the phone sometime, but if it’s too soon, I won’t ask.
This time, her response popped up almost immediately.
@Briarsandthorns: You didn’t scare me away before. But I’m not gonna lie. That last message is a tiny bit intimidating.
@RandomIOfficial: Why? Talking isn’t all that different from texting.
@Briarsandthorns: It’s entirely different from texting. You can’t delete things you say...
@RandomIOfficial: Very true.
My phone buzzed with an incoming call from Steven. I rejected the call even as I walked toward my office door. I shot Steven a quick text letting him know I was on my way.
@RandomIOfficial: Just think about it. No pressure.
Ana had told me she had her reasons for keeping a low profile, and so far, I hadn’t pushed her. Just because my life was an open book didn’t mean that other people had to live the same way. Plus, there was something a little magical about getting to know someone through nothing but text. I didn’t know her voice or what she looked like. And yet, I felt a connection anyway. It was strange. And humbling, in a way. I’d dated a lot over the years. An upside to relative fame and plenty of money. But that ease often made it hard to find anyone whom I felt really connected to. It was hard not to wonder about people’s motives, about whether or not they were actually interested in me, or just interested in the notoriety of dating me. But Ana wasn’t like that. She didn’t even wantmeto know who she was. She for sure wasn’t interested in the world knowing we were talking.
I looked back over our last few messages, wondering how to persuade her to give me just a little more.
@RandomIOfficial: The thing is, I like you. Which means I’ve started talking about you with my family and closest friends. They already think I’m crazy for wanting to be friends with someone I met on the internet. If we talked...it might make them worry a little less.
@Briarsandthorns: You like me?
@RandomIOfficial: Enough to make a movie star wait for his interview.
@Briarsandthorns: I promise I’ll think about a phone call. Now go! Tell Drake I said hi.
@Briarsandthorns: Also, I like you, too. I don’t have Drake Martinson waiting on me, but if I did, I’d probably stand him up altogether if it meant more time to chat with you.
One more message popped up before I closed out my phone and crossed the warehouse to the elevator.
No words, just a single red heart.
I smiled all the way to the studio.
Chapter Eight
Rosie
I dropped my phone into my purse and scooted closer to my screen just as Isaac left his office and headed toward the elevator that would take him downstairs to the studio. It had been all I could do not to keep glancing at his office while we were messaging back and forth. The few times I did sneak a peek, he’d been smiling. Staring at his phone andgenuinelysmiling.
“You know, you do actually have work responsibilities around this place,” Greta said, eyeing me from her desk.
I grimaced. “Sorry. He just told me he likes me. And asked if we can talk on the phone some time.”
Greta’s eyebrows rose. “What did you tell him?”
