Nick: You can’t see me but I’m frowning
Lily: I know, it’s bad! I’m trying to be better. What are you doing?
Nick: Walking through midtown back to our building
Lily: Wait, I work in midtown! Want to meet me and we can walk home together?
Lily: Unless you want to be alone ofc
Nick: No, I’ll meet you. What’s your job’s address?
Lily: I just dropped my location.
Nick: See you soon
Lily: See you soon
Despite pep-talking himself the whole walk over about how he needed to remember that Lily was off-limits and he should look at her as only a friend and nothing more, Nick was a nervous wreck by the time he got to Lily’s office. He peered through Mitchell & Milton’s glass doors at the large, empty lobby. And then he saw something that made him momentarily forget about Lily altogether.
There, on one of the large screens displaying book covers, was the new cover for The Elves of Ceradon. It was dark blue and silver with the name N.R. Strickland written across the bottom half in large type. In the center of the cover was an illustration of the Ceradonian queen’s castle. Nick had no opinion on the cover one way or another when he first saw it. But seeing it here, displayed so hugely and proudly in his publisher’s lobby, did something to him. It almost made him want to tap a stranger on the street and point it out. That’s my book, he’d tell them. Weird. Since signing with M&M, he’d never felt that desire.
He blinked when he saw Lily come into view. She hustled quickly through the lobby, wearing a lavender short-sleeved dress and a gray cardigan. Her face lit up when she smiled and waved at Nick. She looked so lovely, he felt like his heart might burst.
“Sorry,” she said, meeting him on the sidewalk. “Right as I was leaving, my boss wanted to go over my notes from a meeting she missed this morning.”
“It’s okay.” Automatically, Nick lifted his arms to hug her. But then he froze, unsure if they were at that level of friendship yet. So instead of leaning closer, he held out his arms like Frankenstein.
Lily laughed and stepped into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso. He held her close, inhaling her vanilla scent. When that became too overwhelming, he stepped back and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
“That flashing screen is dope,” he said, nodding his head at the lobby, just to have something to say.
“Oh yeah, I guess it is.” Lily glanced at the screen, and he couldn’t mistake the way she frowned deeply when the image switched to The Elves of Ceradon cover. She turned away and readjusted her tote bag over her shoulder.
Why had he brought up the screen?! She didn’t need to be reminded of how he’d caused their email correspondence to crash and burn. He needed to stay on task and help her forget all about it.
“So, your wedding date,” he said as they began to walk down Seventh Avenue. “I think we’ve been looking in the wrong place for your man. You probably won’t find him at a bar or a party.”
“Oh? Where will I find him?”
“At the bookstore.”
“Riiight,” Lily said. “You mean the fantasy when two people reach for the same book and end up falling in love? It’s unrealistic, but I’m into it. When are we going to this bookstore?”
“Now.”
“Now?”
Nick nodded. He wondered if she’d protest, which would be fair. She’d just finished a long workday and probably wanted to go home and see her (allegedly) sweet cat.
But instead, Lily smirked and put on her game face. “Okay. Let’s go.”
Relief washed over Nick. He was glad she still wanted his help.
It had nothing to do with the fact that she was agreeing to spend more time with him.
10
Lily and Nick stood in the sci-fi/fantasy section of the Strand, waiting for . . . actually, Lily wasn’t sure what they were waiting for. They’d arrived at the bookstore and got so caught up in looking at books, she forgot their plan of action.
“Remind me what this plan of yours is again,” she said to Nick.
He was paging through a copy of The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang. He placed it under his arm and turned to Lily. “We’re waiting for your Prince Charming to come into this section and lock eyes with you while you’re looking at a book. He’s going to think you’re a like-minded person and the two of you will strike up a conversation about the book you’re holding. Then that will turn into a date, and that date will turn into multiple follow-up dates, and boom. The next thing you know, he’ll show up on your arm at your sister’s wedding.”
Lily shook her head, smiling. “Do you really think it’s that easy?”
“I honestly don’t know but it should be, and it’s worth a try.”
“And what if this Prince Charming sees you standing next to me and assumes we’re together?”
“Good point.” Nick stepped backward, putting distance between them. “Once he shows up, I’ll walk away.”
Lily figured the chances of someone arriving anytime soon were slim. So far, they were the only two browsing sci-fi and fantasy. It was a Wednesday evening. They probably should have enacted this plan on a Saturday afternoon for better results, but she was enjoying this, and she was genuinely interested to see if Nick’s method would work.
“Are you buying that?” she asked, pointing at the book he held.
He nodded. “I’ve heard good things. Have you read it?”
“I inhaled it during Christmas break last year. You know what you should also read, though?” She scanned the rows of books until she found Riot Baby. She plucked it from the shelf and held it up for Nick to see. “This book. It’s about two siblings, and the sister Ella has these powers—”
“Oh shit, I’ve read this!” Nick said excitedly, not even giving her a chance to finish her pitch. He grabbed the book from her and turned it over in his hands. “I found a copy at the American Book Center in the Netherlands. It’s dope. That opening scene had me.”
“When the gang member walks onto Ella’s school bus, right?” Lily said, equally excited. “It sucks you right in. My boss always says that a good book will hook you instantly from the first page.” She smiled ruefully and added, “That’s the one useful piece of information I’ve learned from her.”
“True.” Nick walked farther away, looking closely at the shelves. “I want to show you this other book I read a few months ago that I liked. Something about a time war.”
“This Is How You Lose the Time War?”
“Yes! Have you read it?”
“Not yet, but I’ve been meaning to.”