56. Chapter Fifty-Six
And the Instagram post of Graham and Loki standing outside of Christina’s gate says, “He’s meeting her!!! Seriously OMG! Are they still together? Are they back together? #couplegoals #ilovegrahamcrowley”
* * *
Loki is pacing at my feet. The moment Christina’s door opens, he barks, and she laughs. Then, I can hear Dolly barking too.
Christina buzzes us through the gate. I take off Loki’s leash, and he takes off for her. I watch as Christina crouches down to love on him, but he then pushes past her to sniff Dolly. When the two are satisfied with their greeting, they take off into the condo.
Christina is still grinning after the dogs when I get to the door. She stands and then turns her soft eyes to me, and everything inside of me melts.
“Thanks for letting us come over,” I say as I slide the leash into the messenger bag on my shoulder.
“She’s been pretty miserable,” she says, and then we just gaze at one another.
I refuse to think she doesn’t want me. Even when she forces herself out of my life, she looks at me as she is now. This is love. No publicity stunt could ever make two people look at one another as we look at each other.
“Come in,” she says. “I have some Cokes in the fridge if you’d like one.”
I laugh. “You don’t drink soda,” I say, following her toward the kitchen.
“Well, you never know when company will want something other than water.”
When she walks into the kitchen, she pulls open the refrigerator and waits for me to tell her what I want.
“I’m okay for now,” I say, and she closes the refrigerator, then crosses her arms and watches me.
I set down my bag on the island and lean up against it. I could stand here all night and just look at her.
Her hair is pulled back, leaving her delicate neck exposed. How many nights have I dreamed of kissing her neck in the past six months? More than I can count.
There’s a slight shine to her full lips, and her eyes are dark and needy. Maybe I’m needy. Just being in her presence makes me that way.
“You look beautiful,” I say.
Pink fills her cheeks, and she looks down at the floor before she looks back up at me. “Thank you.”
I realize the dogs have disappeared. I wonder if they’re hiding so I won’t take off in a huff with Loki, or if they’re in a corner doing the things I want to do to Christina. The thought has the corner of my mouth turning up into a smile.
“What did you want to talk to me about?” she asks, and I let out a long breath.
“They shut down my film,” I say. “For good.”
Her face goes soft. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t heard that.”
I shrug. “Wasn’t meant to be, I guess.”
I take a step toward her, glad when she doesn’t take a step back.
Turning back to my messenger bag, I pull out the book I have inside. I hand it to her, and her eyes go wide as she studies it.
“You got your book published?” A smile forms on her mouth and lifts into her eyes.
“It releases in August. This is your early copy,” I say, and she presses it to her chest, wrapping her arms around it. “It’s a super early copy. Its edits aren’t even complete yet.” I point to the cover where it says that it’s an unedited copy.
She studies the bland cover and then lifts her eyes back to me.
“I’m so proud of you,” she says with love in her voice, nearly the same kind of love my mother had when I’d shown it to her.
“Thank you.” I lick my lips and keep my eyes on Christina. “Next week I’ll have the script for it too.”
Her eyes go wide. “You already sold movie rights?”
I run my hand over my hair. “King of Mischief Productions picked it up.”
A line forms between her brows. “I have never heard of that company bef—” she stops as if it has all starts to make sense. “Loki is the god of mischief.”
I nod.
“Are you the king of mischief, then?”
I nod again, only this time my smile widens.
Christina looks down at the book and back up at me. “You’re producing the movie?”
“New adventure. Well, for me and my investors.”
Her smile returns. “You’re going to do great things.”
“I hope so,” I say as I close the gap between us. “I want to offer you a job.”
Her lips part. “Me?”
“You see, I took a long time to write that book and to get it just right. It was written in my trailer after I’d do scenes with you. It was written in my office after I’d filmed with you. It just so happens that as I’ve been editing it with my editor, I realized I’d been writing you into it the entire time.”
“Graham...”
I lift my finger to her lips and let it linger a moment before I drop my hand. “I want you to be the love interest in the movie.”
“I don’t?—”
“Don’t make your decision standing in your kitchen. Read the script first—read the book first,” I amend. “It’ll be another year or more before we can start production. But it was always your role.” I lift my hand to her cheek. “It was written for you.”
The dogs both walk into the kitchen and look up at us.
Christina shifts a look at them, and then back up to me.
“I can’t wait to read it.”
I smile down at her, wanting to kiss her so badly my hand is shaking as I withdraw it. But I step back.
I did what I came to do, and it opened the door for something else.
“I guess we’ll get going,” I say, picking up my messenger bag and hiking it up over my shoulder. “I’ll be in touch.”
She watches me walk toward the front door, and Loki slowly makes his way through the condo toward me, obviously not ready to leave Dolly behind.
As I clip on Loki’s leash, Christina kneels next to Dolly and slings an arm over her.
“If you’re not filming, your schedule is open?” she hesitantly asks.
“There’s some word that Love Is in the Air has a role for me, even though my contract was bought out.”
Her smile widens. “Interesting. I start filming at the beginning of the year on my next one. Well, as soon as I’m done with my current movie.”
“You know, we’re still their golden children.”
She stands. “I was just thinking, maybe we could get the dogs together.”
I’ll take whatever she’s willing to offer. “I’m very sure that Loki would love that.”
“So would Dolly.”
“I’ll talk to you soon, then. Just let me know where and when you want to meet.”
“I’ll do that,” she says.
I lift my hand in a wave, and Loki and I head home. I’m hopeful that I’ll get my girl back, and Loki will, too.