Page 58 of Falling Inn Love
Logan grins. “You just gave me crap about my love life. Maybe it’s time you find someone, Preston, so I can give you crap about yours.”
“Who’s in love?” Preston deflects. “I was just curious about her. I mean, you’d have to be blind not to see how pretty she is. But…” he hesitates.
“But what?” I press, feeling protective of Mellie.
“She seems, well, a little jumpy? I feel like maybe there’s something off there?”
“She’s really great,” I assure him. “She may be a little jumpy, but she has her story, like we all do. Who knows? Stick around and give her a chance, and maybe someday she’ll share it with you?”
I glance over at Logan, who’s wearing a shit-eating grin. I continue, “Hey, maybe you both should stick around, and we’ll find you some nice women here in Freedom Valley to settle down with. We can host our very own version of The Bachelor,” I say, then bust out laughing.
Logan cocks an eyebrow at me. “So you’re staying here in Freedom Valley,” he chides.
I immediately stop laughing. “I didn’t say that,” I tell him.
Logan chuckles. “You’re my best friend, Beth, and I know you well. You didn’t have to say it, and I still know it.”
I start to feel a little cornered and I cut him off with a quick, “Agree to disagree.”
He sighs, pretending we’re going to sweep this under the rug but we both know he’s going to press about it again. Instead of doing that now, however, he deflects and tells me, “I’m good with no relationship right now, thanks. Or ever. I just want to focus on my career. I’m up for a big promotion, and I need to stay focused,” he says. “But Preston here…”
Preston is scribbling into his notebook. He seems to have lost interest in our conversation long ago.
“Preston?” I ask.
He looks up, in a daze. “Say what?”
Logan switches gears again. “I was waiting to talk to you about—”
I cut him off. “I don’t want to talk about Evan and my staying here in Freedom Valley right now. Possibly ever.”
He shakes his head. “If you would let me finish, I would tell you that I have news aboutLet it Rain.”
“What about it?” I ask, a lump forming in my throat. My first book. I’m prepared to hear about some bad reviews or something of that nature when Logan surprises me.
“Someone wants to buy the rights for the film. And Montage wants to talk about a two-book deal. This is happening, Beth.”
If I let it…
I take a deep breath. “What’s the advance?”
“It’s big, still negotiating. Could set you up for a while. You could just settle in here and write.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No more hermit status. You have to build your social media and agree to speaking engagements. Otherwise, it’s never going to happen.”
I bite my lip. So much has changed in the weeks I’ve been here. Even since the last time Logan made it clear what would be expected of me, really. It’s amazing, but somehow I feel less ambivalent, instead I feel more strong and secure. Like I’ve finally made progress toward healing and being ready for something new. Something has definitely changed in me because I barely fight my residual anxiety at all as the word falls out of my mouth.
“Okay.”
Logan sits up straighter. “Okay? Really?” He looks at me, scanning my face. “That’s it? Just like that, you’re agreeing to it?”
I nod. “Yeah. Let’s do it.”
TWENTY-TWO
EVAN
