All the Way (Romancing Manhattan 1)

“I have the best news ever. I’ve been discharged from PT.” I pull back and do a little dance in excitement. “I get to go to the gym and lose the weight I’ve gained. I can do pretty much whatever I want.”

“That’s the best news I’ve had all day,” he says, his handsome smile wide and happy. “Not that you’re losing weight, but that you’re healing. The curves don’t bother me.”

“The curves don’t bother me either, I just want to go to the gym,” I reply honestly. “I need to be more active than I have been. Exercise has always come easy to me, and it’s time to get back there.”

“Anything that puts this glow on your face makes me happy as well,” he says. “And I might have an idea on how we can celebrate.”

“How?”

“Let’s go to London.”

I stop and stare at him in confusion. “As in, England?”

“Yes, that one.” He leans in to kiss me softly. “To be fair, I’d already planned the trip as a surprise, and this is the perfect opportunity to tell you about it.”

“When are we leaving?”

“Tomorrow morning.”

I feel my eyes grow wide, and then I smile and launch myself into his arms. “You’re taking me to London?”

“Baby, I’ll take you anywhere you want.”

“Let’s start with London.” I kiss him and grin when he sits me down on his desk. “This is the best surprise.”

“Just wait until you see what I’ve planned for us there.”

The lights. The music, and the dancing. The incredible acting, direction, costuming.

The story.

Finn brought me to London yesterday, first-class, and tonight he brought me to a show at the Bush Theatre, in the West End theater district, London’s equivalent to Broadway.

Our seats are, of course, stellar, and all I can do is hold his hand as I sit and take it all in avidly, soaking in every minute of it.

Oh, how I’ve missed this. Not just being a part of it, but being a lover of the theater, part of the audience, experiencing the absolute magic of what the actors create.

For two hours, we are entertained impeccably, and with each curtain call, I’m on my feet, enthusiastically applauding the hard work of everyone involved.

“What did you think?” Finn asks when the houselights come up.

“Absolutely wonderful,” I reply with a wide smile, and crook my finger, silently asking him to lean in and kiss me.

Which he happily does.

“I know some of the cast. Do you mind if we go backstage?”

“Not at all. I’d called ahead, so they’re expecting you.”

I stare at him in awe for a moment. “You thought to let them know I was coming?”

“Sweetheart, do you know who you are? You’re London Watson, and trust me when I say, no one has forgotten that.”

Tears spring to my eyes, and all I can do is take a deep breath and squeeze his hand gratefully.

“Let’s go,” he whispers in my ear, and leads me to the back of the house, where a security guard checks our IDs, then gestures for us to go behind stage where the actors are gathered, signing autographs and greeting fans.

When Jeffrey Cameron, a superstar in both film and stage, sees me from across the room, he poses for one more selfie, then marches over to me and lifts me up in a tight hug.

“How are you, darling?” he asks as he sets me on my feet. “I’ve been worried sick.”

“I’m better,” I reply with a smile, and cup his cheek in my hand. “And I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve been here, doing this show for about six weeks. I have two more weeks to go, and then I head back to the States, and I was going to call you, but now I can talk to you in person.”

I frown. “About what?”

“Let’s go to my dressing room.” He winks at me, and I immediately reach for Finn’s hand.

“Jeffrey, I’d like to introduce you to Finn. He brought me here tonight.”

“Well, then he’s a friend of mine already,” Jeffrey says with a perfect smile, and holds his hand out to Finn. “Nice to meet you. I’m Jeffrey Cameron.”

“Pleasure,” Finn says, but his eyes say that he’s not pleased with how familiar Jeffrey is with me.

I’ll explain to him later that he has absolutely nothing to worry about.

We’re led to Jeffrey’s dressing room, and once we’re inside with the door closed, he gestures for us to have a seat.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“A movie,” Jeffrey replies, and leans forward, his blue eyes dancing in excitement. “I know you’ve always been content in New York, but I also know that circumstances have changed. There’s a new movie that I’m working on with Gerald Silverman.”

My eyes widen at the mention of the famous director’s name.

“It’s amazing, Lon. It’s a musical, and I’m the lead male. I need a wife.”

I feel Finn stiffen next to me, and I smile up at him. “A movie wife,” I clarify.