All the Way (Romancing Manhattan 1)

“I’m sorry I didn’t say it last night. I think I was gobsmacked.”

“It’s okay.” He kisses me and boosts me up on the countertop so I’m out of his way. “You were tired and surprised.”

“I hope I didn’t hurt your feelings.”

“You didn’t.”

“Because I wouldn’t ever—”

“London.” He comes back to me and leans in to kiss me, long and slow, before just resting his lips against mine. “I’m fine. I’m glad you feel better. And I love you.”

“I love you.”

He kisses me once more then returns to the task at hand.

“Now, what do you want to do today?”

“The movies might be fun.”

He bursts out laughing. “What’s up with all of the women in my life wanting to go to the movies all of a sudden?”

“Who else are you taking to the movies? Be very careful with that answer.”

He shakes his head. “My mother asked me to take her the other night.”

“That’s sweet. What did you see?”

“Deadpool.”

I stare at him in horror. “You took your mom to Deadpool?”

“It was that or some scary alien shit, and I knew she’d have none of that. Aside from the language, I think she enjoyed it. She laughed a lot, and she said that Ryan Reynolds is a looker.”

“Well, he is.”

“Even with the scars?”

“We all know the scars are makeup.” I shrug and then laugh when he just stares at me. “What? It’s Ryan Reynolds.”

“Good to know that you and my mom like the same celebrities. Wait. Does this mean you might work with him one day?”

“He does mostly action and romantic comedy. I’m a musical girl, so probably not.”

He hitches a hip against the countertop, pointing a spatula at me. “What if you got a call from your agent that he wants you to read for a part with him?”

“Unlikely.”

“Just humor me.”

I pop a strawberry in my mouth and think it over. “Well, I’d probably do it.”

He frowns.

“Unless you’d rather I didn’t. You have seen how in love he is with his wife, right? They have, like, twelve kids. He can’t keep his hands off her.”

“I know that feeling,” Finn replies as he wraps his arms around me and hugs me close. “Can I have a veto in those things?”

“In the jobs I take?” I stare up at him in horror. “Do I get a say in the jobs you take?”

“Trust me when I say I don’t work with sexy celebrities.”

“You get one veto.”

“Ryan Reynolds,” he says with a satisfied smile. “He’s the veto.”

“You’re weird.” I laugh and then grab my phone when it rings. “This is Sasha. Hello?”

“I did it,” she says.

“What did you do?”

“I went out on a date with him.”

“Wait. We just had this conversation yesterday, and you already changed your mind and went out with him?”

“He was persuasive.”

“So how was it? Did it ruin the fuck life?”

“It didn’t suck,” she says.

“Be more specific.”

“Okay, I had fun. He’s way nicer than I thought. It seems like he has an ego the size of Alaska, but really he’s just shy.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yeah. And then we did the hookup thing after the date, and it didn’t ruin it.”

“So the sex was still on point?”

Finn glances over, raising a brow, and I throw him a kiss.

“Totally on point,” she confirms. “In fact, we’re going on a picnic in Central Park today after class.”

“I won’t be in class today,” I warn her. “I’m hanging out with Finn.”

“Tell him I said hi.”

“I will. And, Sasha, I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

She hangs up and Finn passes me a plate with an omelet and fresh fruit.

“Yum,” I say, and kiss him in thanks.

“What’s up with Sasha?”

I give him the rundown from yesterday. “So, it sounds like they’ve moved past fuck life and into dating material.”

“Gotcha.” He nods, but then frowns.

“What’s wrong?”

“Did you describe us as a fuck life?”

“No. I described us as a love life.”

He grins. “Good girl.”

Chapter Fifteen

~London~

“This line feels weird,” I mutter, and highlight it in orange. I write a reminder to talk to Gerald about it when I see him. I’ve been running lines alone in my condo all morning, trying to memorize them.

It’s a slow process.

My phone rings at my elbow, and I answer without looking at it. “Hello.”

“Hey there, London Bridge.”

“Kyle.” I look up and check the time, then rub my eyes. I’ve been at this for about three hours already. “How are you?”

“I’m doing pretty well,” he says, and I’m waiting for the but.

But I could use some money.

But I need . . .

But I don’t want to check into rehab.

What’s it going to be this time?

“But I could use your help.”

Here we go.

“What do you need?”

“Well, I’m kind of nervous to check into this place down here in North Carolina. To be honest, it’s a scary thing, London.”

“I can see that.” My voice sounds distant and cold, and part of me hates that, but the other part of me knows that it’s just how I have to be where Kyle is concerned.