I take my phone off airplane mode and head to the baggage claim. Three voicemail messages pop up right away. My pace slows, much to the annoyance of the couple behind me, who huff loudly and make a show of going around me, and I press play on the first one.

“Ana,” Cole’s voice says through the recording. “I have bad news. Gregory is being a huge dick—he usually is, but his publicist works hard to hide it—and is refusing to come to his party tonight. His agent asked me to go talk some sense into him. He’s staying in a hotel nearby, so hopefully it won’t take long. Just wanted to give you a heads up. I…I can’t wait to see you tonight.”

The message ends and I play the next one. It’s Cole again.

“Ana, hi…more bad news. Now Gregory has locked himself in his room and has a list of demands in order to come out and talk to us about why he doesn’t want to go tonight.” He sighs, and I feel bad for Cole having to deal with this. “I know your plane lands soon. I’ll try to be there. I miss you, even though it’s only been a few days.”

I smile at his last words and play the last message from him.

“I feel awful,” the message starts, “I’m sending my assistant, Erica to come get you. Now Gregory is shit-faced drunk. He threw up on his agent’s shoes. Tonight is going to be a fucking disaster. Sorry. I’m ranting. Erica will take you to my house. Lexi is there and will go to the hair salon with you. I’m sorry, but I’ll make it up—”

The message cuts off. I bring the phone down, fighting off extreme disappointment. Though I can’t blame it on Cole. It seems like he’s having a rough time right now. I have five new texts. Three are from Cole, one is from Lexi, and one is from Erica, his assistant. Cole sent another apology along with Erica’s phone number and her photo so I can pick her out of the crowd.

Lexi’s text says that she’s running late because Harper threw a fit when it was time for her to leave, and Erica says she’s here and waiting. I get my bag and trudge through the airport to find Erica. She’s nice, but rather shy. We don’t talk much on the way to Cole’s place.

“Do you need anything else?” she asks before I get out.

“No, I’m good, but thanks,” I tell her. “Lexi is here. I think. See you tonight?”

“Yeah,” she says with a smile. “I’ll be there.”

“Thanks for picking me up.”

She gives a small nod. “No problem.”

I lug my suitcase up the steps to the front door of Cole’s large house and knock on the door. No one answers. I pull out my phone and text Lexi.

Me: I’m here but I don’t think you are, right?

Lexi: Fuck. Sorry. I’m almost there. Be there in ten.

Me: That’s fine. It’s nice out, and I like to people watch. And by people watch, I mean, creep.

Lexi: Good! Because by ten, I mean twenty. So see you in half an hour.

I laugh and put my phone in my purse, trading it for my computer. I lean against my suitcase and read through the last chapter I wrote. I get three hundred new words added before my attention is stolen by a young couple arguing as they walk a small dog down the street.

I watch without being obvious, finding their disagreement amusing. She doesn’t want to move into the apartment they had just viewed because there weren’t enough windowsills for her cats.

"Hey, Ana!” Lexi calls, and I whip my head around to see her. She gets out of a car and rushes across the street. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

“It’s not a big deal,” I assure her. “It’s nice outside, so I won’t hold it against you.”

“I’m always late,” she mumbles and digs in her purse. “I don’t understand how people get places on time. I try. But I…I…shit!” She lets out a deep sigh. “I left the keys in the car.” She grabs her phone and calls Luke, who’s finding a parking spot. A few minutes later, Luke comes down the sidewalk holding Lexi’s shoes, dress, and the keys.

“Thanks, babe,” she tells him and gives him a kiss on the lips. Luke unlocks the house and turns off the alarm. He carries my suitcase upstairs and puts it in Cole’s room, no questions asked. He and Lexi must know what’s going on between Cole and me.

“I heard that Gregory is drunk off his ass,” Lexi notes, laying out her dress on the dining room table. It’s midnight blue with a plunging neckline. “Poor Cole.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound fun. I had no idea Gregory was like that.”

“He’s been that way since I’ve worked at Black Ink. Most authors I’ve worked with have been amazing. But some…some are their own breed.” She shakes her head. “Are you hungry or anything? You look so put-together I almost forgot you just got off a plane.”

“Thanks.” I take a glance down at myself. I don’t think I look particularly fancy in leggings, boots, and a tunic top, but I’ll take the compliment. “And something to drink would be nice.”

We go into the kitchen. Luke is standing in front of the open fridge, grumbling about how there’s nothing good to eat in there. Lexi gets us two glasses of water and leans against the island counter.

“How was your flight?”

“Good,” I tell her. “No one sat next to me this time.”

She laughs. “Lucky. I always get stuck next to the worst people.”

Luke laughs. “Lexi’s definition of ‘the worst’ is anyone who tries to talk to her.”

“I don’t want to talk to strangers, and no, I don’t care who they’re going to see or why they’re traveling. I might not be the most social person.”

“I don’t blame you, though sometimes I am that person who makes random small talk because I’m bored.” I finish my water and set the glass down. Sunlight pours through the large windows next to the kitchen table. I shift my gaze to the second set of stairs in the back of the kitchen and I feel tingles pulse through me as I remember the last encounter I had with those stairs.

A huge weight is lifted off me just by being here. I don’t know Lexi all that well, and I know Luke even less, but I like them. I feel comfortable around them. I can see myself being good friends with them in the long run.

Wait a minute. Did I just let myself think of the future?

Fuck me. I did. And I liked it. I wanted it.

“We should probably head out,” Lexi says, setting her own glass in the sink and turning to Luke. “See you in a few hours.”

“It takes that long to get your hair done?” he asks.

“And my makeup. So…yeah.”

“I’m going to nap then.”

Lexi laughs and slips her arms around him. “Okay. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” He kisses her and I can’t help but feel a bit of envy. I want a relationship like that too.

“Are you against walking?” Lexi asks when we emerge outside. She holds up her wrist and shows me a FitBit. “I’m trying to get my steps in.”

“Not at all. I promised myself I’d exercise since I have time. But I don’t.”

“I gave up on that two kids ago. But walking…that I can handle.”

* * *

“Is it weird that I’m nervous?” I whisper to Lexi. We just arrived at the release party, and it’s like something out of a movie. Everything is glamorous, and I’ve already seen two celebrities. It’s in a huge event hall, and I can only imagine the lavish weddings held here.

“No, not weird at all. I used to be nervous too and I still get a little nervous if I’m at a party for an author I’m editing for. I don’t really know why, because no one knows who the editors are most of the time. Well, not me. Cole…he’s known, but he never seems bothered by anything.” She takes a breath and smiles. “Don’t be nervous. You can hang out with us. My favorite thing about these events is the free food and open bar.”

I laugh and look through the crowd for Cole. The last text he sent me was that they forced enough coffee into Gregory that he’ll be able to make an appearance and hopefully a speech, and that we will meet up at the party later. Lexi introduces me to a handful of people from Black Ink, referring to me as Scarlett Levine instead of Ana. And yes, it’s still just as weird as the first time I was introduced as Ms. Levine.

“Oh, shit,” Lexi swears and grabs my arm, pulling me back. “Have you had the displeasure of meeting Caitlin Black yet?”

“No. She’s a publisher, right?”

“Yeah. She’s the granddaughter of the guy who started Black Ink and thinks the family name is all she needs to run the press. She’s a ray of sunshine and I cannot fucking—Oh, hi, Caitlin. So great to see you tonight!”

Caitlin narrows her eyes, looking at Lexi like she has no idea who she is.

“I’m an editor at the press,” Lexi says slowly, smile still on her face. “And this is Scarlett Levine, one of our new authors.”

“Right,” Caitlin snaps. “Another romance author.”

A white-gloved server comes around with a tray of champagne. He offers us drinks. Lexi declines, I take one, and Caitlin takes two. She downs them both faster than a college student at a kegger. Lexi gives me a look, eyebrows raised. Caitlin closes her eyes and exhales. Seeming as if the alcohol hits her right away, she blinks and looks at Lexi and I as though for the first time.

“Enjoy the night,” she huffs. “I’m off to find my niece. I set her up on a date with Cole Winchester. He’s the head editor.”

“I know who he is,” Lexi says slowly. “He’s my brother-in-law.”

Caitlin’s pencil-drawn eyebrows go up behind her blonde-and-gray bangs. “You’re related?”

“I’m married to Cole’s brother.”

“Oh, is this recent?”

“No. We’ve been married for a few years now.”

Caitlin fakes another smile and says something else to Lexi, but I don’t hear it because all I can hear are her words on repeat in my head. I set her up on a date with Cole Winchester. A date with Cole. A date with Cole. A date with Cole…I bring my drink to my lips and suck it down so fast Caitlin would be impressed. Cole didn’t mention anything about being on a date. I was under the assumption I was his date.

I look down at the floor, at my red toenails and my uncomfortable shoes. Blood rushes to my cheeks and I feel so fucking stupid. Nothing was said about us coming to the event together. Was I wrong to assume coming here and staying with him meant the same to me as it did to him? Even if I were just a friend with benefits, nothing more than an easy piece of ass…bringing a date to this event is fucking low.

I blink and look up, trying my best to act normal. Caitlin said she set Cole up. There’s a good chance Cole had nothing to do with this. She’s from the family that founded Black Ink. I’m sure she can throw her family name around and make everyone’s lives hell if they don’t bend over and take it. I can’t chastise Cole for something I’m not certain about.

Lexi and I make rounds, saying hi to a few more people until she goes back to the bar at the back of the ballroom where Luke is waiting.

“This is pretty much the extent of my socializing,” Lexi tells me. “Jillian will be here later, so I’ll have one more person to talk to.”

“Is this what release parties are usually like?”

“For an author of this popularity, yes. And for an author of Gregory’s, uh, style, also yes. Someone like Quinn Harlow would have a slightly more lively party.”

I smile and nod, looking around for Cole again. Lexi sees and turns, whispering something to Luke. He shakes his head and frowns.

“Oh, there’s Erin,” Lexi says and waves to someone. “She used to work with us at Black Ink but left to be an agent a few years ago. I’ll introduce you if you want.”

“Sure, thanks.”

Erin rushes over and hugs Lexi. “Hide me,” she whispers.

“What’s going on?” Lexi asks.

“Lizzie Stevens is here.”

The name is familiar and as I try to place it, Lexi laughs. “Oh, there she is! Should I wave her over?”

“Do it and die,” Erin grumbles and pushes past Lexi to get to the bar. “I’m close to cutting ties, Lex. I’ve never fired an author before, but I cannot stand the woman. She’s a terror.” She looks at me, realizing that Lexi isn’t alone. “Hi, I’m Erin and I swear I’m not a bitch even though it probably sounds like I am.”

“I’m An—Scarlett. And I haven’t known you long enough to make that judgment yet.”

“I like her,” Erin says to Lexi. “Do you think her agent will want to trade?”

Lexi laughs. “I don’t think Scarlett wants to trade her agent. She got her one hell of a deal.”

The sick feeling in my stomach starts to go away as I laugh and talk with Lexi and Erin. And then I see them, and the sickness comes back so fast it almost turns into vomit.

Cole

Looking incredibly handsome in a perfectly tailored suit. He’s the definition of sexy and I swear a hush falls over the room when he walks in.

And she walks in next to him.

Pretty. Thin. Blonde with big blue eyes.

Young.

Years younger than me.

His hands are at his side but hers are around his forearm. She’s smiling and greeting people around the room. Cole’s shoulders are tense and his eyes are slightly narrowed. I don’t think anyone else would notice, but I do. Blondie tugs Cole’s arm and he stops, moving along in the direction she wants to go. They greet a celebrity couple, and the sight of that girl hanging on Cole’s arm pisses me the fuck off.

“Erin!” a woman with a high-pitched voice calls as she draws near. “I didn’t know you were gonna be here.”

“Dammit,” Erin mutters and turns toward the woman with a fake smile plastered on her face. “Hi, Lizzie!”

As soon as I see her face, I place the name. Lizzie Stevens is an author. A successful one at that. But notorious in the romance world for being an asshole. In the short time that I’ve jumped over to the other side of the fence and have chatted with other authors, I’ve learned of a few to be wary of.

Lizzie Stevens is at the top of many authors’ lists. Though I don’t think she’d waste her time using me like she has others. She has nothing to gain from me right now. We make more small talk. Well, we try to. All Lizzie does is bring up how well she’s doing and how her live videos are ‘practically viral.’ I try to show enthusiasm for her, not wanting to make an enemy this early on in my career, but I just can’t. Cole is busy talking to someone else, and the blonde chick is still following him around.

“Does anyone want drinks?” I ask and offer to get them. I return with three glasses of wine—Lexi still isn’t drinking—and casually take a sip while looking around the room for Cole again.

“So, you have a book coming out this summer?” Lizzie asks me.

“I do. I’m really excited.”

“Congrats. That’s so exciting. I remember my first book. Of course, I was just an indie author then so I did everything on my own. While working full-time and raising my children. But I’m sure you’ve worked super hard too. Is Alexis your editor?”

“No, she’s—”

“Mine neither. I wanted her. I even tried to get my agent, Erin, to pull the friend card, but that didn’t work.” Lizzie rolls her eyes and I’m flabbergasted by her audacity to talk about Erin and Lexi like that when we’re standing right next to them. “I got stuck with some new editor.” She pulls a face. “I’m guessing you did too, right?”

“No, Cole Winches—”

“Shut the fuck up. Cole Winchester is editing for you?”

“Yeah, he is.” I blink and slowly bring my wine glass to my lips. Is this chick for real?

Her eyes widen and she flips a wave of black hair behind her shoulder. “You must be good in bed to get the editor-in-chief to work on your book.”

Lexi’s jaw drops and Erin chokes on her drink. If there weren’t music and chatter coming from others in the room, you could hear a pin drop between the four of us. The meek version of myself is right there on the surface, screaming to just laugh and let this go. Because it’s not worth it and she’s probably right. There’s no way I’m actually good enough for the head editor to take on.

I’m not that girl anymore. I am Diana, named by my father after a motherfucking superhero.

“You know what?” I say and raise a pointed finger. “It’s attitudes like yours that hold women back by assuming any female who has success can’t earn it. Maybe I am sleeping with Cole. Or—here’s a crazy thought—maybe I actually have talent and wrote a good fucking book that the head editor of Black Ink Press wanted to accept and edit.” I leave out the part where Lexi was actually the one to accept my book, but that’s not the point right now. Lizzie fucking Stevens hit a nerve.

She recoils, hand flying to her chest. “Just wait until the romance community hears about this,” she spits out.

“Go ahead. Tell them all about your sexist beliefs on how a woman can only get ahead if she uses her vagina.” If I had a mic I would drop it.

Lizzie’s mouth falls open and she sputters, unable to get a word out. She looks to Erin to save her, but Erin is suddenly busy picking a piece of invisible lint from her dress. Adrenaline flows through me and it feels good. Fuck, I missed this. I didn’t do anything crazy. I just stood up for myself for the first time in a long fucking time.

“Scarlett.”

The name is unfamiliar but his voice isn’t. I look up and see Cole making his way over. The blonde girl is dragging behind, eyes on Cole’s ass.

“Cole, hi.” My lips curve into a smile. My muscles twitch, wanting to move forward and hug him. Feel him against me. Put my lips to his. Standing here in front of him makes me realize how fucking much I missed him.

But he keeps his distance and says hello to Erin and Lexi.

“You ditched my brother already?” Cole teases. “Can’t say I blame you.”

“He’s at the bar. Someone turned ESPN on so he’s happy for now.” She smiles and looks past us at her husband. “You just missed a totally epic moment. Remind me to tell you about it later.”

“Hi,” the blonde girl says. “I’m Lindsay. Cole says you’re an author.”

“Yes.” I take her outstretched hand. “I’m Scarlett. Cole edits for me.” And that might be all he does…I sigh and mentally scold myself. I don’t know the details yet. We’re at a work event. Cole was set up by his boss. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Another few minutes goes by and Cole is still standing feet from me, talking business with the others. I keep trying to catch his eye, to get some glimmer of hope that as soon as this party is over, I’ll be his and he’ll be mine. He doesn’t, and he keeps going on as if I’m just another author. As if I mean nothing to him.

And then it hits me. I’m doing the same exact thing I did when shit started to get bad with Steven. I made excuses. Dismissed the red flags.

I flew all the way from fucking Kentucky and Cole is standing here with his date. Not picking me up from the airport because Gregory was shitfaced…that I can look past. But this makes it clear. I do not matter to him the way he matters to me. Jess was right: I don’t do casual relationships. I can’t do this. It’s not Cole’s fault I read into this more than he intended. For the sake of our professional relationship, I cannot do this.

“Excuse me,” I say to Lexi and Erin, and turn to leave. I finish my wine on the way out, setting my glass down on an empty table. I’ll get through the weekend and head home like I planned. There’s no use in making things awkward. Cole and I have to work together, and I can’t jeopardize my career.

Needing a moment to clear my head and figure out what the fuck to do, I head to the venue’s courtyard. The night is cool, instantly bringing goosebumps to my flesh. A few people huddle around a tabletop fire pit, getting warmth from the colored flames while taking puffs on their cigarettes before going back in. I hang back, not wanting to breathe in the smoke, and take a seat on the edge of a fountain.

The courtyard is gorgeous and would make an impressive backdrop for wedding photos, looking like a midnight scene from a fairytale. I let my mind wander for a quick moment before pulling it back in.

The cascading flowers, the over-the-top shrubbery, and the carefully placed up-lighting that casts tall shadows and makes this place look so magical…those are all what I imagined for my own wedding. Soft. Quaint. Beautiful. I wonder how many brides stood in front of this very fountain, arms wrapped around their grooms, believing in the promise of forever.

Maybe forever happens for some people.

But it won’t for me.

I was a fool for thinking true love exists.