‘No, not really. You could have warned me. I felt blindsided in there. Why didn’t you tell me about this?’
He grinned. ‘You know that NDA you signed? I signed one too. This was the only way.’
‘But why did you sign it?’ she asked him, confused. ‘Why did you agree to any of this? After everything Everett did to you, why are you letting him do all this now?’
She was almost frustrated at his calmness. Was this really the same man who’d hit his brother at the mention of a movie?
‘If Mat wants to tell his story, knowing everything he does, then I can’t stop him. He’s the one who wants to work with Everett.’
‘But he got hurt last time, what’s to stop that happening again?’
‘Money and geography,’ Adam said. ‘What happened in Colombia won’t happen here, thanks to the rule of law. And Mat and his family are being paid handsomely for his story. Enough to pay for any protection if they need it.’ He sat down next to her, taking her hand in his. ‘Seriously, this is happening whether I like it or not. And either I go all crazy about it again and cause more unhappiness to all of us, or I accept it, and try to have a positive influence on the movie.’ He nodded at her. ‘You’re the positive influence, by the way.’
‘You trust me to do that?’ she asked him.
‘I trust you completely,’ he said, leaning closer to her. ‘I wasn’t lying in there, you’re the person I trust most in the world.’
‘But I’d have to work with Everett.’ Her mouth screwed up. ‘After everything that’s happened, I’m not sure I can.’
‘Give him a chance,’ Adam urged. ‘He’s still an asshole, but he’s a bit more mellow than he was. He’s split up with Mia, and the separation has been good for him. For both of them, really.’
‘It has?’ Her eyes widened. ‘But what about Jonas? Is he OK?’
Adam smiled. ‘I love the way you worry so much about everybody. It’s one of the things I love most about you. But you don’t have to worry about Jonas, he’s doing fine. Getting more attention from his parents now they’re apart than he ever did when they were together.’
The way he was looking at her took her breath away. As though she was something precious yet strong. She loved the way she looked, reflected in his eyes. Loved the way he couldn’t stop touching her.
And he loved her, too, didn’t he? Wasn’t that what he’d just said? Her heart pounded in her chest at the thought of it.
‘What about you?’ she asked him. ‘What are your plans?’
He tipped his head to the side. ‘I thought I might hang around LA for a while. Maybe finish up a few projects, hang out with some friends. And there’s this girl, I thought I might try to make something work with her, too. If she’ll have me, that is.’
‘You’re going to stay?’ she asked him, a little breathless.
‘That’s the plan.’
‘What about the cabin?’
‘It will still be there,’ he told her. ‘Mom and Dad aren’t going anywhere, after all. And maybe if we get a free weekend we can fly over there. It’s damn beautiful in spring, plus the perfect place for a dirty weekend.’
She laughed. ‘Sounds like my kind of place.’
‘That’s because you’re my kind of girl.’ He wove his fingers into her blonde hair.
‘In that case, the answer’s yes.’ She felt a wave of warmth wash over her. Of excitement, too. As though a door had just opened, and the sun was shining brightly through it, waiting for her to step inside.
‘Yes?’ he asked. ‘To which question?’
‘To both,’ she told him. ‘Yes I’ll take the job, and yes I’ll take you, too.’
This time his smile was dazzling. It still curled his lips as he inclined his head, brushing his mouth against hers. ‘OK then,’ he said, when he pulled away. ‘Shall we go tell them your answer?’
She smiled at him. ‘Lead on, Macduff,’ she said, threading her fingers through his. ‘Let’s go make a movie.’
Epilogue
I would not wish any companion