Page 10 of Outside the Lines
Which meantWolf’s Landingwas her passion now. “Oh.”
Embarrassment tightened her features. “I’m sorry. I try not to mention it, especially with people—” She waved her hand.
With people like me, who worked for the show. My stomach lurched. “It’s okay, you know? To be a fan. Bunch of people on set are, too.” Absolutely true. Couple folks had jumped at the chance to work on the show because they loved the books to pieces. Including me.
“I know.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “But there’s the whole thing about not shitting where you live.” She met my gaze. “I live here. So does Levi Pritchard and Carter Samuels and Hunter Easton and a bunch of other people. I can’t imagine what it’s like with all the fans coming through. They don’t need that from me.”
Right there and then, I decided I liked Lydia. She was real and earnest and cared. Sure, she was also married to my walking wet dream, but I couldn’t blame her for getting there first. “Hey, they need people to adore what they do, too. That’s part of why they do it.” I reached over the table, took her hand, and gave it a squeeze. “Just because you live here doesn’t mean you have to stop lovingWolf’s Landing.”
Man, the light in her eyes, and that little smile. If she’d been a guy, I’d have been all over her. As it was, it warmed my heart. No wonder Simon was with her. I let go and took a swig of beer.
Lucky bastards. Both of them.
She wet her whistle with a swig from her own bottle. “So, how’d you guys make out today?” Her focus shifted between the two of us.
Simon scratched the back of his head, as if he, like me, had zoomed right in on the wordsmake out. “Well, I puzzled together some broken tree bits and Ian painted. But I don’t know . . .”
He still had lovely blue eyes, and my body still responded to them, even if my brain slappedmarriedall over that. “It was a good start. It’s gonna be a long-ass week, but I got more done with your help than I could have alone.”
They both smiled and parts of me zinged in ways I didn’t understand. Good people. A hot guy. Amarriedguy. His cool wife. None of it made sense.
I was so damn grateful when the burgers came, because they gave us all a chance to stop talking. But food only covers the lulls in conversation for so long. This time, I wanted the control. “When does the shop open tomorrow?”
Simon had a mouth full of fries, so Lydia answered. “Ten. But I’ll be there, probably before eight.”
“Takes that long to open up?”
“Only on Wednesdays—comic day.” Which tomorrow wasn’t. She continued. “But my studio’s in the back of the shop, and Ineedto finish this coloring job, so I’ll be in early.”
“Wait, you work in comics?” Talented, too? Kill me now and put me out of my misery.
She picked up a fry. “Freelance. A little lettering here. Some coloring there.” She smirked. “And like everyone, I’m working on my own graphic novel.”
No way she was getting off that easy. “About what?”
Simon giggled, but said nothing. A moment later, he jumped. “Ow! Hey!”
“Don’t you start, Si.” There was laughter in Lydia’s words.
“He’ll love the idea, I’m sure.” Simon poked his fry at me. “It’s tons of fun.”
His grin still pushed all my buttons. “What?”
“It’s . . . pirates. Space pirates.” She looked mortified.
“But with tall ships and lasers!” Simon had the glee of a kid with a thousand SweeTarts. He flinched when Lydia kicked him under the table again.
I could buy that, actually. I mean, why not? “And? What’s the story?”
Lydia got quiet. “An older woman searching for her little sister she had to leave behind when their planet was taken over by the Tsar of the neighboring system. She was conscripted into the Navy, rose through the ranks, then broke away. Became a buccaneer and started her search.”
Simon had been right. This was something I’d love. “Got queer characters?”
That made her laugh. “Oh yeah. Queer. Poly. People of color. Basically, I rage wrote this idea from all the stuff I loved but never saw. And now—”
“She’s making it.” Simon finished. The way he watched her . . . damn. He wasn’t trapped. That was a man who loved his wife.
Why did such wonderful, beautiful people have to find each other? How did they? Because I needed to take some notes on that shit. I wanted Simon badly, but that wasn’t going to happen, given his marriage. I might have been gay, but I totally got why he was into Lydia. Hell, I wantedheras a friend.
