London (International Guy Book 7)

by Audrey Carlan

  Authors are weird. I get that, accepted long ago when I watched my ma deal with aspiring authors in the library she worked in as I grew up. Hell, she still works there.

  When we reach the sunroom, Geneva is sitting at her desk, a blank white page on the screen in front of her. She sighs and drops her head down into her hand, elbow firmly planted on the desktop. “I just can’t do it. I don’t know how to move forward.” The curve of her spine, her shoulders hanging, give a damning picture of how torturous the situation feels for this woman.

  Sky walks over to her and puts her hands on both of Geneva’s shoulders. “When my best friend reached out to Parker, she was desperate. I was completely gone. No desire to act, to perform. The love of my life, which had always been acting, telling a worthy story, was no longer inside of me. I’d lost it.”

  Geneva lifts her face, tears clouding the view of her blue eyes. “What if I make the wrong choice? There is so much riding on this book. And I . . . I can’t get it wrong.”

  Sky kneels on the floor, placing her hands on Geneva’s knee. “Why do you think you’re going to make the wrong choice? This is your story to tell. Whatever you decide is going to be the right path. It is as you mean it to be for Simone and Dean.”

  Geneva shakes her head, and the tears fall. “The way I left it, the cliffhanger at the end of book two, I . . . started to write what I thought would be their path in book three, but it doesn’t feel right. It feels like I’m writing for what will bring me the most dollars, but not for the story that’s in my soul.”

  Skyler inhales loudly and lets it out. “You can only write the story you feel in your heart, the one that speaks to your soul. That’s the one that the readers want to read and the story the characters demand. I know when I’m playing a role, if I try to act against the character’s nature, it doesn’t fit. It’s like putting a round peg into a square hole.”

  Geneva wipes her eyes and leans an elbow onto her desk, then lays her head in her hand. “You’ve read the first two books. What do you think happens?”

  Both Sky and I spent the evening before we left the States and the entire plane ride reading the first two books.

  Sky sits back on her heels and ponders the question.

  I answer immediately, “We don’t know. You left so many possibilities open, we’re silently waiting for whatever path you have them walk. Let me ask you this . . .”

  “Okay?”

  “Do you see Dean and Simone together? Do they get their happily ever after?”

  She looks at me in the face, but it’s as if she’s seeing through me. “Yes, I do believe they end up together. They deserve one another after the hell I’ve put them through.”

  Skyler grins and puts her hands in the air. “Yay!” she cheers softly. “You see, we don’t care how you get them there, only that at the end, they find one another. Isn’t that what life and love is all about? The path to finding your happily ever after with the one you’re meant to be with?”

  Geneva nods. “I always thought so, yes.”

  “What we need to work with you on is finding that light again. Finding the joy that your writing gives you. When was the last time you did a fan event? A book signing?” I query softy.

  Geneva purses her lips. “Wow, uh, I don’t know. At least two or three years. I’ve been focused solely on the books and spin-offs.”

  “Sky tells me that a lot of authors have prereaders or beta readers. Do you work with any of them?”

  She shakes her head. “I have my editor, Catherine Martin. She reads through and works with me on everything I write.”

  Sky gets up off the floor and leans into the desk. “You pay her to help you work through these things, yeah?”

  Geneva nods.

  “And what has she said about your current predicament?”

  She snorts. “My editor says to stop believing the garbage my last publisher made me feel.” Her cheeks pinken as if she’s embarrassed.

  “Which is what?” I tip my head and lean against the couch in the center of the room, ensuring my stance isn’t dominating.

  “That I’m not good enough. That the only reason I’m where I am today is because of them and their marketing skills. So basically, they foreshadowed this series, without them, folding.”

  Sky clamps her jaws shut, and fists form from both hands. “That’s total bullshit. They didn’t write the books. They didn’t weave a story so beautiful people wanted more. You can’t possibly believe their crap.”

  Geneva shrugs. “When you’re told over and over you are nothing without their money, their marketing of your stories, you believe it. Then you second-guess why you’re even doing what you’re doing.”

  “Their marketing and money don’t change the fact that the series you’re writing now is a worldwide bestseller. Your agent has Paramount on the line for a three-movie deal. That’s huge! Your other books did well too. Not because of your publisher. Of course, they helped spread the word, and a good publisher, like a good agent, believes in their author and the story they produce, but the end result is that not one person would have bought book two if they didn’t love the first one. Can you see the logic in that at least?”

  Geneva lets out a long slow exhale and shrugs. “I guess. I don’t know.”

  Sky stands up and puts her hands on her hips. “Well, I do know. I think you need to see a little bit of it for yourself.”

  “Exactly! I couldn’t agree with Skyler more,” I say. “Which is why I contacted Amy last night.”

  Skyler’s questioning gaze flings to me.

  “You were in the bath,” I say.

  “Ah. Travel takes it out of my body,” she remarks randomly.

  I smile at my girl and glory in the fact that she’s here with me, working this case. And she’s right; having her here is fun. Different. A definite change from the norm but entertaining nonetheless. I absolutely appreciate going back to the hotel and losing myself in her body, sharing dinner with her, watching a late-night movie before falling asleep. It’s a novelty I haven’t had with a woman before Skyler and one I’m coming to adore more and more when I’m with her.

  “Anyway, I contacted Amy. From four to six tonight you’re going to be doing a pop-up signing at a bookstore in downtown London. She’s already had your graphics designer create some artwork, and we’ve blasted it across your social media platforms.”

  Geneva’s eyes widen. “Seriously? Um, wow. Okay. I . . .” She stands up and smiles. “I think this will be interesting. I haven’t spoken to readers in a long time. Do you think any will show?”

  Skyler makes a loud scoffing noise as I bite my tongue, watching the dramatics of my woman’s response play out. She grins. “Puh-leeeze . . . of course they’ll show. And I’m going to be first in line! I need every book they have at that store signed.”

  Geneva waves her hand in the air and goes over to a door that looks like it might lead to a closet. Inside are rows and rows of shelves with copies of her books on them. She grins as Sky runs her fingers across the spines and practically drools at the titles.

  Readers and their books. Strange but sweet.

  “You can have one of everything if you’d like.”

  Sky nods numbly. “Oh yeah, this is awesome!”

  While Geneva starts removing titles and stacking them on a table, I scan the covers of the two print books for the A-Lister Trilogy. I glance at the couple on the fronts. You can’t see their entire faces; the designer cut off the top half from the eyes up.

  “Why cut off their faces?” I spin the cover around to Geneva, so she can see what I’m talking about.

  She grabs the book in my hand and looks at it. “If the readers can see the faces, it may not match what they envision. I prefer to have the readers use their own imaginations of what the characters look like, unless I have my exact perfect vision of the characters by way of a cover model. It’s rare, though. Since Skyler was my celebrity cast for Simone, and I had no way of getting her on the cover, I had the de
signer get a couple whose forms and hair colors suited the characters. That’s also why their faces are in profile and half-visible.”

  “Huh, interesting.” Another idea comes to fruition about zapping the author’s writer mojo, but I’ll have to talk to Skyler about it and Bo if she agrees.

  My phone buzzes in my coat pocket, and I pull it out and note Amy Tannenbaum’s number.

  “Ms. Tannenbaum. How are you?” I move out of the supply closet and back into the sunroom. Outside is a private, lush green garden that would be an excellent place to sit and have a meal or chat about life over a beer, or a glass of wine in Skyler’s case.

  I don’t have a backyard. My apartment is just that, an apartment. There are walls and a slider with a balcony that exposes my girlfriend to paparazzi if she chooses to open the door and check on the atmosphere outside of my home. I frown and think about Royce and his three-bedroom house in suburbia. Maybe there’s something to planning for the future. Having a beautiful home and environment to share with the one you love while you plan to fill it in the future with your own children.

  Amy’s reply knocks me out of my current reverie. “Wonderful. How is my client?”

  I curve around the closet door and watch while Geneva stacks more books on a growing pile. We’re going to need to have those books shipped to Sky’s New York apartment. There is no way that huge stack is being dragged back in our luggage. We’d need a suitcase just for the books.

  “Enjoying herself, talking books with my girlfriend.”

  Amy lets out what sounds like a relieved sigh. “And she’s going to attend the signing today?”

  “Yep. She sounded excited about it, though worried no one will show up.”

  Amy groans. “My author doesn’t think very highly of herself. The announcement went out three hours ago. As of five minutes before my call to you, there was a line around the block at the bookstore. Fans are already waiting, and she doesn’t sign for another three hours. The store had to call in security. I thought it best to notify you, but mostly Skyler. I can only imagine how bad it will get if she shows up.”

  “If?”

  “I’m suggesting she stay back. The crowd is already crazy. Skyler Paige shows, and it could turn into something scary.”

  A pinprick of dread ripples along my spine, and I grind my teeth. “I’ll talk to her and her security team. She is not going to be happy about this.”

  “Who’s not going to be happy about what?” Skyler asks me, a stack of books in her hands, the smile on her face slipping the longer I stare and don’t answer her question. She narrows her gaze. “Park . . .”

  I close my eyes and rub at the back of my neck. “Okay, I’ll let you know the end result,” I respond to Amy.

  “Good luck,” Amy says before ringing off.

  “Well, we have good news and bad news,” I start.

  Skyler frowns as Geneva comes up behind her with another stack of books and sets them on her desk. “What’s the good news?” Sky says.

  I attempt to put on a happy-go-lucky smile but fear I’ll fail as Skyler sets down her stack of books, crosses her arms, and sucks her bottom lip into her mouth.

  “There’s already a line around the bookstore of fans ready to get their books signed.”

  Geneva stops in her tracks and gasps, her hand flying to her chest. “Really?”

  Sky looks over to her. “Like there was ever any doubt.”

  “Wow. I mean, I haven’t been to a fan event in forever. I guess I just thought they might have forgotten about me.”

  I walk over to Geneva and place my hand on her shoulder. “Guess your readers want to meet the woman who’s written the stories they’ve fallen in love with.”

  She smiles wide. “I guess they do. Now I need to figure out what to wear!” Geneva looks down at her jeans and fingers the hem of her white V-necked T-shirt. “Not exactly hip author threads, are they?”

  “I’m sure Skyler can help you pick something,” I offer, knowing Skyler will always willingly help someone if she can. It’s part of her nature.

  “What’s the bad news?” Skyler taps her toe against the hardwood floor.

  This time, I move over to my woman and bring her into my arms. It’s not very professional, but having Skyler here in the first place is unorthodox anyway. “Amy is worried about the potential security risk if the already large audience finds out that Skyler Paige is attending the signing.”

  Her entire expression falls into one of sadness. “No . . . ,” she whispers.

  “I’m sorry, Peaches. Amy doesn’t think it’s safe. The store is hiring more security as it is. You come into the mix, and it could be mania.”

  She pouts and leans her body against mine, her forehead dipping to my chest. “This isn’t fair, Park. I want to go. I’ve never been to a bookstore signing.”

  Geneva clears her throat. “What if she goes in disguise? My best friend loves to wear wigs and crazy attire when she goes out, and she buys me the same things. If we change her hair color, put her in a pair of aviators, it could work, no?”

  Skyler grins wide, curls her fingers around my waist, and tugs. “Please, pretty please . . .” Her voice dips to that sultry note she uses when she’s being playful in the sack. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

  I grind my teeth together. “You are not playing fair.”

  Skyler spins her fingers in circles around my lower back, sending bolts of excitement through my skin and straight to my cock. I thrust my hips against her without meaning to, and she sighs and giggles.

  I groan. “I’ll talk to Nate and Rachel about it. Even if you’re in a disguise, the public is starting to recognize me and your bodyguards. Who’s to say they won’t suspect your presence if they see the rest of us?”

  Skyler shakes my body. “Parker, I can’t live wrapped in cotton or behind gold bars. It’s not fair to me, or anyone for that matter. Plus, I’ll go in through the back while you and Geneva are led through the front. I’ll stand off to the side next to my security team. It will be okay, I just know it.”

  “That’s what every celebrity’s famous last words were before they were attacked or gunned down by a lunatic.” My heart starts to pound in my chest, and I rub my fist over the tension I’m feeling in my sternum.

  She rolls her eyes and pushes out of my hold. “You’re being dramatic. The paparazzi don’t even know we’re here. We’ve seen neither hide nor hair of them.”

  I point at her retreating form. “Yet! That’s all about to be blown to shit the second one of them catches a whiff of you at the bookstore in downtown London with the book world’s most famous author.”

  Geneva shakes her head. “Not true. That would be Stephen King. James Patterson. J. K. Rowling . . .” She continues rattling off a list of authors.

  A heavy sigh leaves my lungs as I plant my hands on my hips. “I’m going to go talk to the Van Dykens. Why don’t the two of you figure out what Geneva is going to wear to the event?” I look down at my watch and note it’s eleven thirty. “We’re leaving in T-minus three hours. Maybe we should order in some food too.”

  “I can make us lunch,” Geneva offers.

  Does the woman do everything on her own?

  “We’ll figure something out.” I let out a breath through my clenched teeth and head for the stairs.

  Sky grabs Geneva’s hand. “Come on. Let’s leave him to his brooding.”

  I grimace as my phone buzzes in my pocket again. I pull it out and note it’s a text.

  From: Unknown

  To: Parker Ellis

  WHAT DOES SHE HAVE THAT I DON’T?

  I read and reread the text. It doesn’t make any sense, as there was no conversation that came before it. Probably an error.

  Hitting the “Message” button, I respond:

  To: Unknown

  From: Parker Ellis

  You’ve got the wrong number.

  I click the “Send” button and make my way down two flights of stairs to the front entry, which R
achel and Nate have been guarding. While we’ve been here, Nate has done intervals walking around the house while Rachel guards the inside, and vice versa.

  As Nate’s about to exit the front door, I call out, “Hey, Nate, Rach, can we talk? Got a scenario to plan for.”

  Nate locks the door and checks it’s secure before following me into the living room Geneva first brought us to. I stand over by the windows and glance at her garden. So peaceful and serene. Makes me yearn for that type of luxurious respite in my own home. If I had a private space like that, surrounded by trees, barricaded by a nice tall wall so my girl wouldn’t be under the microscope, we could lie out in the sun, play Frisbee, get a cat or a dog. Hell, we could get both. Whatever she wants. And if we had a pool, I’d be able to watch my girl walk around in a bikini within the comfort of our own home . . .

  “Ellis?” Nate breaks my wandering thoughts.

  I cough into my elbow. “Sorry. We’ve got a situation. We’ve scheduled Geneva for a book signing at three today. Her agent called and told me there’s a line around the block and growing.”

  Nate grumbles under his breath. The man does not like crowds, and I don’t know if that’s because he personally doesn’t like them, or because a crowd makes it harder to protect his charge.

  “The store is hiring more security in the event that something gets out of hand.”

  “Let me guess . . .” Rachel grins. “Skyler plans on attending.”

  I point to my nose and then to her. “Bingo.”

  “Aw, man. That woman has absolutely no sense of self-preservation.” Nate runs his hand over his chin.

  Rachel licks her lips and crosses her arms. “Maybe because she just wants to live a normal life.”

  “She should’ve thought about that before making her career choice,” Nate retorts in a deep, growl-like tone.

  Rachel scowls. “It’s not her fault she’s talented. Besides, we have jobs because she is. And frankly, it’s our job to keep her safe. I think it’s fine. We’re solid. This is a bookstore with a bunch of readers, bookish types, not a metal concert with a bunch of meatheads hopped up on X.”