Your Endless Love (The Bennett Family 9)

***

After Alex leaves, I call my cousin Valentina Connor. It’s been a few months since I saw her, which is a few months too many.

“Hey, girl,” she greets me.

“Val, hey! I’m in LA right now.”

“Shut the front door. Since when? Until when? You’re not leaving without us meeting, or the bad vibes I’ll send you will reach you faster than karma.”

I grin. “Relax, Val. Of course we’re meeting. That’s why I’m calling. I’d love to see all of you. Are Friday dinners still a thing in the Connor clan?”

“Of course. It’ll be a thing until we’re ninety or toothless, whichever comes first.”

“Great. At what time should I stop by tomorrow?”

“Dinner’s at seven, but I’ll be home at six.”

“Perfect. I’ll be there at six. See you tomorrow, Val.”

The next day, I’m bumbling through shops in search of a gift. The Connors are family, but I don’t like to go to anyone’s home empty-handed. I love shopping in LA as much as I love taking leisurely strolls. We might still be in California, but LA has such a different vibe than San Francisco, we might as well be on another continent. At least that’s how it seems to me. The pace is different than in the Bay area, for one. Plus, the artistic vibe is strong here. I’m about to enter a shop selling hand-sewn tablecloths when Alex calls. Weird! According to his schedule, he should be in a meeting with Preston right now.

“Hey,” I greet. “Finally realized they’re exploiting you and you lobbied for a longer break?”

“No, but the atmosphere in the meeting room was so tense, we needed a breather.”

“Why?”

“The studio called Preston. They’re pulling the plug on the spin-off.”

“Oh God.” The other shoe dropped freaking fast.

“Yeah. They’ve read the box office forecast.”

My throat tightens. “But that’s bullshit. Why are they using predictions for a romantic comedy to make decisions for a superhero franchise?”

“Because there’s enough crossover in terms of fans, and because they don’t have much else to base their decisions on.”

“Why aren’t they waiting for the movie in the main superhero series to come out?”

“Because that’s an ensemble cast. They’re afraid I can’t carry a franchise on my own, that I’m not enough of a box office draw without the group. Preston was right about one thing. They’ve labeled me as difficult. No one wants a diva on their hands.”

I fix my gaze on the beautifully sewn rose on one of the tablecloths in the storefront, but I’m not really seeing it.

“You’re not a diva for wanting to be in control of your personal life. Where are you?”

“Taking a walk in the hotel’s inner yard.”

God, he sounds so sad that all I want to do is wrap my arms around him.

“How long is your break? I can be at the hotel in half an hour, and I can bring donuts. They make everything better. I promise. I can sprinkle a kiss or two as well, you know, for improving your luck.”

“No, that’s fine. I’m going to walk some more on my own, gather my thoughts, consider my options.”

If someone dropped an ice bucket on my head, I don’t think my blood would have felt as glacial. Consider his options? What exactly does this mean? Is he considering faking the romance with Amy after all? I’m too much of a coward to ask.

“Tell me how I can make things better, Alex.”

“You can’t right now. I just need to think.”