Pillars of creation, p.17
The Write One, page 17
I’m glad readers are happy, but if there is anyone that I want to please most in this world, it’s Nora. I sure as hell hope she’s here today so I can make that happen. Making the grand gesture while I'm up on stage has set my nerves on edge, but she’s worth it.
We are dismissed from the panel, and the two of us make a beeline out of the room. I can’t be late. Everything is riding on this.
“Yeah, Tobias even said he saw her with Doug at breakfast this morning. She bailed as soon as she saw him, though. He considered going after her, but considering your plans, he chose not to spook her into not leaving her room for the rest of today.”
“Well, that’s better than nothing, I guess.”
“You’re sure about this?” he asks.
I nod.
“I meant what I said to her. This isn’t over for me. She’s my everything. She’s the only one I want to share my life with.”
He lets out a breath.
“Then I’m not even going to ask what happens if she turns you down, because that clearly isn’t an option.”
I keep my eyes on the lookout as I make my way to the conference room. This can go one of two ways: it will work out or it won’t work out, and I'll have the rest of the week to avoid seeing her.
Or I’ll make more and more attempts to win her back. That’s a much better plan.
I’m leaving this conference with her on my arm. That is my goal. It’s the only goal when you’re in love.
Doug waves at me as I walk into the room. I scan the room for any sign of Nora.
She’s not here.
Yet.
“Do you have your next book planned out? Is there a next book? What’s next for your readers?”
My eyes search the crowd as the L-Mag interviewer, Mina, rattles off question after question. Still no sign of Nora.
After I told the L-Mag that I didn’t click with any of my dates, I expected some sort of pushback. Especially since they just named me author of year. Although, I guess I should have known they’d respond kindly since they announced me as winner, even before I replied with the news of not picking a date. I didn’t mention Nora, though. With the way she and I left things, I didn’t want to say anything that could backfire on me later with her.
Which is why I’m glad they haven’t asked about the surveys yet. Maybe I’ll get lucky, and they won’t ask questions.
Suddenly, the back door opens and Nora walks in. Our gazes lock immediately.
Instantly, I can see that she wants to flee, so if this is my only chance, even if it wasn’t my original plan to win her back, I’m going to take it while I have it.
“Well, Mina, I'm glad you asked. I’ve got a love story in the works, but the heroine is a bit more stubborn than I'm used to.”
“Can’t you just rewrite her?”
“Not this one,” I say and shoot Nora a wink. “I don't want to change her. I want to write this story with her. I just need her to want it too.”
“You keep saying her. As if you know this woman personally, so that brings me to the question everyone is dying to know: did you find love on tour? I was informed that sadly, you did not, but I’m getting a different vibe from you right now.”
Eyes still locked with Nora’s; I nod.
“I actually did, yes. Very much.”
The room erupts into a mix of noises. People are thrilled with my answer.
“Tell us more.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Does she feel the same?”
“I sure as hell hope so.”
“When do we get to meet her? Or at least hear her name?”
“I’m not sure about that one because, you see, I may have already messed it up before it even had a chance to start.”
A collective gasp fills the room.
“Oh, wow. Can you explain that?”
“Not really. Love isn’t something that can be forced, and while I think I fell in love with this woman years ago, the choices I made when I was younger have hindered my chances now.”
“So, this is an old flame?”
I shake my head. “No. She was a woman I’d invited to dinner one night and then I never showed.”
The room is silent and the interviewer’s eyes are wide. “Wow. I wasn't expecting that.”
“I wasn't expecting her.”
“So, what now?” Mina asks and then she laughs. “We are getting off subject and prying too much into your life, Hero. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. She’s actually in this room right now.”
Like before, a rustle of noise takes over as people shift in their seats to look around and whisper to each other.
“So what now?” I echo. “I’m in love with her. I’ve always been in love with her. And I will wait for her. As long as it takes.”
And it’s the honest truth.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
NORA
Holy shit.
The room is buzzing as everyone looks around. No one has spotted me, but I still lean forward and back as if I'm searching for this mystery woman too.
Back and forth, back and forth. Side to side. Anything that lets me avoid eye contact with Hero.
If anyone paused to look at me longer than a few seconds, they would see the sheen of sweat on my forehead or the way I can't stop fidgeting.
He loves me.
Hero Quinn is in love with me.
Holy shit.
The award is the only reason I'm here. I wanted to snag a couple pictures of him receiving it for his page.
After the room quiets down, the interviewer who is also going to be giving Hero his award here in a few minutes, continues with questions.
An interview where he tells everyone he loves me was not what I was expecting.
It’s been only a couple weeks since I held the door open for Hero to leave my house, but he hasn't reached out once. As soon as he explained himself and told me he was just meeting with her about a book, I knew I'd messed up. I mean, I blatantly told him that I didn’t trust him.
“So tell us, Hero, why didn't you show up to dinner? If this woman means that much to you, why stand her up? Why should she trust you now?”
“Because he’s not the same person he was before, Mina, and until this very moment, I don’t think I fully understood that.” I turn quickly, rushing out the door to the large convention hall and speed walk for the elevators.
I can’t listen to him tell that entire room how he loves me, knowing how I treated him. I have to come up with a way to show him that I’m sorry and that I love him too.
“Nora, wait!”
I spin around quickly.
“What are you doing?” I ask in panic. “You need to go back in there.” I move toward him, turn him around, and push on his back.
“No.”
“Hero, this is a huge award, and you weren’t even done with your interview. Everyone in our industry is watching you right now: publishers, networks, and—”
“I don’t care about any of that.”
My eyes widen. “How can you not—?”
“None of it matters if I don't have you, Nora.”
I open my mouth, ready to argue why he needs to go back in there, but of all the things I imagined he’d say, that wasn’t it.
“Hero, this is your career. You have to go back. I don't want you to screw this up. We can talk later.”
I grab his hand and start to drag him back to the convention hall.
“Nora, stop.”
He stops dead in his tracks, and, using the hand holding mine, he twirls me around to face him. He spins me so fast that I have to rest my hands on his chest to steady myself.
“The only thing I'm worried about screwing up is what I have with you. The last two weeks without you have been the worst of my entire life.”
With a finger under my chin, he forces me to look at him. How can someone's eyes say so much more than his lips? I practically melt under their watch.
“Mine too.”
“Then why are we not together?”
“I …”
People start to file out of the room, slowly coming to a stop when they see us.
“This isn’t the right time, Hero. You have to go back and accept that award.”
He shakes his head. “Not without you. I want you more than that award. I want you more than my books or any opportunity that could come with accepting this award. None of it means anything if you aren’t by my side. I’m in love with you, Nora. Short of a marriage proposal, I'm not so sure how else I can say it to make you understand. But hell, I’ll keep trying till I figure it out.”
My heart hammers in my chest.
I want you more than my books or any opportunity that could come with accepting this award.
But he’s come too far to stop here. I won’t be the one who stops him.
I grab his hand and jerk him behind me.
“Nora, I—”
“We are going back in that room, Hero. You are going to finish your interview and get that award; do you hear me?”
“Nora—”
I stop to face him. This man is relentless.
“And when you are done, I will be right there waiting for you. I will always be right there waiting for you.”
His lips tug into a smile.
“Does this mean what I think it means?” he asks, stalling once again.
“Oh my god, yes. I love you too. Go. Get. That. Award.”
Instead of listening to me, he slinks his arms around my waist and lifts me high enough to bring our lips together. A roar of cheering and clapping surrounds us, but that doesn't stop him from kissing me more.
“People are watching,” I say against his lips.
“Let them. This is the happiest moment of my life.”
I smile and press my lips to his once more. “Mine too. But for real, can we go get this award so we get out of here and go somewhere … alone?”
“God, you're smart.”
This time, it's Hero who leads me back to the room. Everyone in the room must have picked up on our vibes because the awards ceremony goes very quickly, and before we know it, we are in the elevator.
Alone.
“I’m so in love with you,” Hero says, pressing my back into the wall. He hikes one of my legs up to his waist and presses his erection against me.
My body responds like an addict about to go insane if they don't get a fix right this second.
“I love you too, Hero.”
The doors ding, opening to his floor.
We untangle ourselves from each other.
“What now?” I ask, looking up at him. I’m no fool; I know what happens next tonight. I’m talking about the future, and he knows it.
I’m expecting some long, sappy answer, but instead, he winks at me.
I grin to match his.
I might not know exactly how our future is going to play out, but I do know this: of all the men in the world that I could spend it with, Hero Quinn is by far the right one.
EPILOGUE
ZANE
One Year Later
I like to think I’m a smart guy.
I have always made goals and crushed them. I’ve always been good with my money. I’ve never been late on a payment. I’m honest and don’t keep secrets. I’m loyal and trustworthy. I’m straightforward, and if I say something, I mean it. I've never done a single thing in my life that would result in karma or bad vibes of any kind, and yet the invitation I received in the mail from my brother says the complete opposite.
I scrub a hand down my face and take a breath.
I didn’t even open the envelope. I know what it is, and I’m not fucking going.
“Dude, this is an engagement party, cheer up.”
Beck takes the seat next to me and shakes my shoulder.
“Sorry.”
He sips his water. “Something going on?”
I let out a long sigh. “Just family drama getting the best of me.”
He nods. “Right. I uh, I got the invite today too.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. Then I take a long pull from my beer.
“You should call him.”
“Nope.”
“You have to try.”
“I really don’t.”
“It could help you move on. Who knows?” He nods toward Hero and Nora. “You could be the next to have an engagement party.”
To this, I let out a fake laugh and then instantly stop to glare at him.
“This table looks like the most lively one here,” Tobias says, the sarcasm in his voice thick as he pulls up a seat. Simon and Graham are right behind him.
“Who would have thought that Hero would be the first to settle down?” Beck says, watching our newly engaged friend pull his fiancée onto the dance floor. It’s not a dancing kind of party, but there is music in the background and Hero is a true romantic at heart, so it’s fitting.
“I’m happy for them,” Tobias says. “They figured their shit out and are pushing through together. Our time will come.”
That has got to be the sappiest thing I've ever heard him say out loud. In his books, sure, but not to our faces.
“Speaking of falling in love,” I say, “who’s that with Natalie?”
My friend's entire demeanor changes as he follows my gaze. He quickly looks away, shaking his head and focusing on his drink.
“That’s Griffin, Natalie's new boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Beck, Simon, Graham, and I say in unison.
“Fuck, could you guys be any louder?” Tobias cringes and then takes a long pull from his beer.
“Since when does Natalie have a boyfriend? I’m not sure I've ever known her to have one,” I say as we all focus on Tobias. He clearly isn’t a fan of said boyfriend.
“Me either, but she’s had one for about three months now.”
Of course he knows the timeline. He’s in love with her but won’t admit it.
“And?” I keep the questions coming. I’m pretty invested in this new scenario.
“And,” he sighs, “the guy seems pretty legit, and he really likes Natalie. He’s good to her. She’s happy. So, that’s it.”
“That’s it?” Beck asks. “If he has a flaw, I’m sure you've found it. What is it?”
“You’re all sure nosey right now.”
“Spill,” I say. “The sooner you do, the sooner this is over.”
Plus, it’s a great distraction from my life right now.
“I haven't found a flaw. He seems like a good guy. He even invites me to hang out with them. He has zero concerns about her friendship with me.”
No one says a word.
“That’s all I have. Let’s focus on something else. Something like, oh look, Nora is trying to get Hero to sing at the karaoke machine.”
The group chuckles.
“If anyone can get him to do that in front of a large audience, it’s Nora. I’m glad he found her,” Simon says.
Each of us quickly agrees.
“Bets on who’s next?” Graham asks.
We all exchange glances with each other, and everyone points to Tobias.
“My time will come, but I don’t think it will be anytime soon. But don’t worry, guys, when it happens, it will be worth the wait.”
One of us is always talking as if we’re all searching for our own love story and we are just filling the time writing them till it happens. Maybe that’s what we're doing, maybe it’s not.
This brings me back to my reality and the reason why I write romance stories instead of creating my own.
Falling in love … not for me.
What happens when the romance writer who swears he will never love again meets a woman who needs a fake boyfriend? Find out in Write About You!
Keep reading for a sneak peek into Zane’s story!
Want a quick glimpse into Hero and Nora’s happily ever after?
Here’s a bonus epilogue to fuel your heart.
Reading in paperback? Just scan the QR below to join my newsletter and get access to all my bonus scenes!
WRITE ABOUT YOU
SNEAK PEEK
CHAPTER ONE
ZANE
I love people watching.
I love observing the different ways people dress, walk, talk, interact, you name it. Everyone in this world acts and reacts differently and studying them never disappoints me. In fact, people watching is one of the top three ways I like to kick back and relax between novels.
I write romance.
I’m pretty damn good at it.
Too good if you ask me. It’s like sipping water. Easy. Easy. Easy.
I’m so good at it that applying it to everyday life is a no-brainer. Women love to be loved. No, scratch that, women love to be noticed and appreciated. As a man, it’s not hard to do either of those things. Fuck, guys, come on—say please, say thank you, open her door, buy her some flowers or books or whatever she loves, put the damn cereal bowl in the dishwasher once you’re finished with it. I could go on, but you get my point. Pay attention and the rest of it, the falling in love part, comes easy.
And when you’re me, Zane Rosey, award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty steamy romance novels, you also know when and how to back off before things get too serious. Some people, like me, aren’t meant for commitment. Just the fun stuff. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Happily ever after isn’t cut out for everyone in real life. Hence, romance novels. You get the heat without all the work or the heartbreak.
“Another round?” the blonde bartender asks me, her smile lingering and her hazel eyes focused on my lips.
I’d wink, but she wouldn't notice. She’s cute. Petite. And she’s also wearing a giant diamond on her left hand. Her flirting is more than likely solely for the tip.
From one “I use my job to make the most of it” fellow to another, touché.
I nod. “One more.”
