Page 3 of Accidentally Yours
“I’ve got one,” Ethan replied, easy and way too cool. “I carry a twelve-point felt-tip marker. It makes for the cleanest signature.”
Both mom and son sounded very excited by this piece of information, but Paige rolled her eyes again. Then she repeated his words in a mocking whisper. Of course, he’d carry a marker to sign books. He probably stashed it next to a backup pair of aviators and a can of pomade for his hair, all hidden in his leather jacket.
“Here you go,” Ethan said, likely handing back the book. “Thanks for being a fan. I couldn’t do it this whole writing thing without you.” Then he plugged the movie coming out based on his book, and Paige went into full whisper-mock mode. Her head swung back and forth like a bobblehead on a car’s dashboard. She even waggled a finger.
When the conversation stopped, she was thankful. Just the sound of Ethan’s voice had irritated her to her core. She needed that burger and fries now more than ever.
After a deep breath, Paige rounded the column, ready to leave the thought of Ethan behind. Instead, she slammed face-first into a chest of leather.
Chapter Two
Ethandidn’texpecttosee Paige Moon at the museum today. He didn’t expect her to thump right into his chest, either.
One second, she’d been lurking behind a column, her reflection in a nearby window giving away her hiding spot and exactly how she felt about him. The next, she’d rounded the white pillar with all the grace of a startled baby giraffe. When she collided head-on with his chest, Ethan had been nearly as surprised as she was.
“Holy brick wall!” Paige stumbled back. Her wide brown eyes darted up, and her sharp gaze flickered with recognition and annoyance. She clutched at her purse like he’d been the one to jump inherpath, and for a second, Ethan forgot what he’d walked over to say.
“Easy there.” He instinctively grabbed her shoulder to steady her but she shot him a glare that made him consider raising a white flag. He immediately dropped his hand. “Didn’t mean to get you all wound up.” His comment came out more sarcastic than he’d intended, especially since he wanted to make amends.
When he’d spotted Paige in the crowd, Ethan thought it was time to break the ice, to apologize for his tweet. He’d been out of line. It didn’t matter that she’d taken a shot at him first, refusing to blurb his new book. He shouldn’t have commented on her writing choice, especially publicly. Who was he to criticize? He’d been trying to write the first chapter of his next book for the past two months. At least she’d finished another book.
“Wound up?” Paige blinked at him, irritation cementing in her stare. “Maybe you should watch where you’re standing. I didn’t even see you there.”
“You didn’t?” Ethan tilted his head, questioning her lie. “Because it looked like you were practicing your best impression of me a minute ago. Not very accurate or convincing, by the way.” He cocked a brow at her.
Paige stiffened. “What are you talking about?”
He nodded toward their reflection in the window, where he’d watched her roll her eyes and mimic him. Seeing her so animated had been . . . unexpected. He’d only ever known Paige Moon as the polished, poised writer with a reputation for icy confidence. But in those exaggerated gestures, he’d glimpsed someone much less composed. Someone who clearly hated his guts.
And oddly, Ethan found himself both irritated and amused.
“I saw the entire show in the window,” he said, and Paige turned. Their gazes connected through the reflection of the shiny glass, and Paige’s mouth popped open briefly. For a moment, she looked genuinely surprised. That was satisfying, at least.
Then she whirled back to face him.
“I wasn’t mocking you,” she replied, her voice an octave higher than usual. But her cheeks flushed crimson, giving away the truth.
“Oh, no?” Ethan folded his arms, but fought back a chuckle. Paige Moon was a terrible liar. But her defiant confidence strangely amused him. “So, the dramatic eye rolling, head bobbing, and repeating of everything I said wasn’t directed at me? My mistake.” A smirk landed on his lips. It seemed to fluster her even more, because she crossed her arms and glared at him.
That was when Ethan noticed the envelope in her hand.
His heart stuttered at the sight of the red wax seal. For a moment, he thought he might have imagined it, but no—he’d recognize that mark anywhere. The crest, delicate yet bold, was his family’s. His grandparents had used it on every card, every letter, for as long as he could remember.
A pang of nostalgia hit him, sharp and sudden. He could picture his grandfather at his desk, carefully pressing the seal onto an envelope. “A letter should always feel like a treasure,” Grandpa had said with his signature wink, handing Ethan the wax-stamped envelope containing one of his famous riddles.
Ethan swallowed hard, the memory as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. The seal was more than just a mark. It was a symbol of his grandparents’ love, their shared adventures, and the legacy his grandfather had intended to pass down. But it wasn’t just that. It was the last link to the man who had taught him to dream big and seek the extraordinary in the world.
And now Paige Moon was clutching it like it was hers to claim.
“What—” Ethan stammered, his voice tight. “What is that?”
Paige’s eyes flicked down to the envelope, and a split-second decision flashed across her face before she tucked it under her arm, hiding it like a squirrel guarding its last acorn. “None of your business.”
Ethan blinked—once, twice, three times—doing his best to look unimpressed as his mind whirled. “Is that the second clue? From theJewel of Loveexhibit?”
Paige’s brow furrowed, like he’d thrown her off her defiant path. “What?”
“Where’d you find it?”
