“I’d make a dashing protagonist, I hope,” Dan said.
“I’m sure you would,” Zoe said, playing along, winking at him.
The audience laughed again, and I couldn’t hold back my smile. Dan fidgeted, Erin clapped her hands together, and the audience began to clap as if they were watching a magic show. It was magical… The way Zoe was winning them over, and looking sexy as hell while doing it.
I grabbed one of the books off the desk. Pleasing Him. I turned the book over and stared at the sapphire eyes of her picture on the back. She was so successful; the book didn’t even need a fucking blurb. The picture alone sold it.
“She’s doing a signing afterwards,” the girl at the desk said.
The audience had begun a long applause over the music going into the break. Zoe was shaking hands with both Erin and Dan. The camera panned to show an audience on its feet, every member holding a copy of her book in their hands.
I shouldn’t have let her dump me so easily.
I should have put up a fight.
I should have fought for her.
It occurred to me then, stronger than ever, and even though she had always been in the back of my head, actually seeing her made something in my mind snap, like a switch being thrown.
All of a sudden, I felt like there could be a lot more to this than just a chance encounter and the dilemma of whether to call her again or not.
I’m gonna get more than a book signed…
I made my way back to the studio.
***
I waited for her behind the curtains, watching as she signed one book after the other, posed for pictures, and shook hands. It was clear she was feeling uncomfortable again, because she kept looking at her watch and calling the segment producer with the tight ass over.
When it was finally done, I stepped out from behind the curtain and made my way to the table where she’d been signing books. She was getting her stuff together and shaking hands with Dan and Erin again when I caught her eye and saw her freeze.
“Chad?” she blinked at me under a frown. “What are you still doing here?”
“My book,” I said, smiling at her, holding up the book and shaking it. “Got time to sign one more?”
She hesitated for a second, then a nervous smile itched at the corner of her luscious lips.
“You two know each other?” Erin asked with a suspicious smile, as if she had just uncovered the biggest story of her life.
“We go way back,” I said as I watched Zoe fumble with her pen. Her hand was shaking. “Isn’t that right, Zoe?”
“Huh?” Zoe glanced up with a deer in headlights look, then muttered, “Uh, yes, long time, old friends.”
To help cover her nerves in front of Erin, I laughed and said, “She doesn’t like to talk about me. I’m the one who got away.”
Erin wanted to hear more, but the segment producer came by to pull her away. “Well, I’ll leave the two of you alone to catch up,” she said. “It was a pleasure meeting you both.” She gave me the eye. “And Chad, be sure to give me the address to your New York studio once it’s up and running.”
She placed a hand on my arm and squeezed. I would have replied to that, maybe even offered a private session under the guise of a marketing strategy. But I didn’t. All I could think about was Zoe. I looked at her for a brief second, then shook Erin’s hand again and smiled.
“I’ll have my manager let you know,
” I said formally, without a hint of flirtation. “And thanks again.”
I could see the look of disappointment on Erin’s face, but I didn’t care. Right now, I just wanted her to get the hell away so I could be alone with Zoe. I watched her leave just as the segment producer gave Zoe a quick hug.
“Thank you, Sara,” Zoe said. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You were great,” Sara said to her, then nodded at me. “It was nice meeting you, Chad. You should read that book. I was just telling Zoe that the male protagonist seemed a lot like you.”