Novel Dreams by Jessica Anne Renwick

Author:Jessica Anne Renwick [Renwick, Jessica Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Starfell Press

Chapter Twelve

Anna stared through the raindrops on her windshield at the mass of merlot-coloured leaves that edged the front porch of the inn, only half listening to her sister’s voice. Her phone sat on the dash on speaker mode, and Monty whined from his seat next to her. He leaned over to lick her face, leaving a streak of saliva on the lens of her glasses.

“Ugh, buddy.” She rubbed his ears, then had him sit on his haunches.

“Anna?” Kelsey asked. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Monty just tried to clean my glasses for me.” Anna took them off and grabbed the microfibre cloth from her console to wipe them off.

“How are you holding up?”

“Well, it’s seven-thirty on a Monday morning, I got barely any writing done this weekend, and I’m having a panic attack about going to work. So, not great.” She put her glasses back on and closed her eyes. Why did I have to kiss him? What was I thinking?

“Take a deep breath,” Kelsey replied. “It’s okay. I mean, he kissed you back, right?”

“Definitely.” Anna picked up her travel mug from the cupholder, wrapping her cold fingers around it for warmth, and thought back to Friday night—Matthew swooping in to help her save face with Jace and Jillian, then laughing and joking with him at the meeting. Even when he’d convinced her to stand up and receive her Page Turners pin from Christine, it had been exactly what she needed. For once, she’d relaxed and pushed the stress of fixing her book from her mind.

Then later, in the light of the streetlamp, with her arm tucked through his, and her body pressed against him when he touched her hair—it had all seemed so natural. And that kiss. Her cheeks warmed at the memory. She didn’t know what had come over her, but he hadn’t seemed to mind. She’d never been kissed like that before, as if he couldn’t get enough of her. For a moment, she’d felt like the heroine in her own novel.

But then they broke apart, and reality hit. This was Matthew—Madison’s brother, her temporary co-worker, the man who had tore apart her work with no regard.

“I barely even said goodbye. I ran up the stairs and left him there on the sidewalk, looking completely confused.”

“Oh, Anna.”

“I’m a grown woman! What’s wrong with me?”

“Did he reach out to you later?”

Anna opened the lid of her travel mug, breathing in the grassy scent of green tea. “Yes. Well, he sent me a text yesterday asking me how I was doing. I replied with totally fine! and three happy face emojis.”

“Okay,” Kelsey replied in an amused tone. “Then what?”

“He told me he had fun at the book club meeting. Then he gave me his email address to send my chapters to him.”

“See, that’s a good sign. You must not have scared him off. At least, not too badly.”

“Kelsey.”

She chuckled. “Oh, come on, Anna. It’s not a big deal. You kissed. So what?”

“I have to work with him. And now, he’s critiquing my work.

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