Chapter 1

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ANDI

Being back at the lodge isn't what I planned. Once I graduate from college, I have big dreams of getting a job at a Hollywood studio and convincing Nolan Archer I'm not a little girl anymore.

The only problem? He's my dad's oldest friend. He was there when my mother gave birth to me, and he was there when she attempted to run off and almost got us both killed.

As I got older, Nolan was always there. He even offered to kick Tom Sullivan's ass for cheating on me in my freshman year of high school.

Somewhere between being a little girl and becoming a woman, the lines blurred, and I saw Nolan differently. No longer just my dad's friend, he's the man I measure every other man against.

The man I want to spend the rest of my life with. The man I fantasize about almost nightly. The man who, unfortunately, still sees me as nothing more than a little girl."What has you in such a funk, sweetheart? I thought you would be more excited than this," my dad says as he throws his large arm over my shoulder before ushering me into the lodge's restaurant.

"I am excited." I plaster a forced smile on my face. "Thanks so much for convincing Nolan to give Ivy a shot with this movie. I know she'll do an amazing job."
"I didn't put in a word for just Ivy. Nolan said he needed a few costume designers. It's only natural that he'd help my little girl out as well.

I'm cutting him an amazing deal on this place as it is."
I squeal in delight and throw my arms around his neck, giving him a squeeze. "Thanks, Pops!"

My dad probably thinks I'm excited about having a job in the film industry, but I'm excited to be spending every day with Nolan.

"Now that's more like it," he chuckles as he pulls back from my embrace. "Nolan and the crew won't be here until tomorrow. Why don't you have a few drinks and relax before you have to work? I hear Nolan is a real slave driver."

"Nolan is nothing but a softie." I roll my eyes as I head toward the bar. "I can handle him without any problems."
"Just remember, even though he's your dad's oldest friend, he's still your boss. I doubt he'll go easy on you just because he's known you since you were in diapers."

The reminder makes me want to cringe. "Don't worry about me, Dad. I've got this covered."
"Yeah, I'm sure you do. I don't know what Nolan is going to do with both you and Ivy around." With a shake of his head, he turns and heads out of the restaurant.

As I take a seat at the bar, I contemplate how to get Nolan to see me as more than just a little girl.
"What can I get for you, Andi?" my friend Charlie, the restaurant's bartender, asks.
"The usual. I don't want anything hard tonight. I have to work in the morning."
"Work? Does your dad have you serving or something this winter?" Charlie jokes as he pours me a Shirley Temple with extra cherries.

I know it's cliché, but I love these things. I've been drinking them for as long as I can remember. They made me feel a little more grown up, especially when I was surrounded by my father and his friends."No. Didn't he tell you? Nolan Archer is filming his next big movie here for the next couple of months. Ivy and I will be working on it."
"No shit! That's amazing! Congratulations, babe!" Charlie gives me a wink before turning to help another guest on the other side of the bar.

I grab a cherry out of my glass and pop it into my mouth as I look around the bar.
"I've been coming here for years, and I've never seen you. Let me guess. Came for a little adventure?"
I whip my head around and lock eyes with Nolan.

"W-w-what are you doing here?" I stutter, almost dropping the cherry from my mouth.
His deep chuckle vibrates through my entire body. "I'm here to film my upcoming movie. Don't tell anyone, but I'm not supposed to be here until tomorrow. My friend owns the place. I wanted a night of peace before the wolves descend."
Dumbfounded, I blink a few times. Does he really not know who the hell I am?
"Must be awful," I deadpan. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
I give him an exaggerated wink before pulling the end of the cherry stem between my lips. Nolan's eyes zoom in on it. What a dirty old man!

"You're wondering if I can tie it with my tongue, aren't you?"Without waiting for his response, I suck the stem back into my mouth and begin working it with my tongue. As I finish with my trick, Charlie spots Nolan and comes back over.
"Hey, Nolan. You're here early. I see you've made yourself right at home with-"
I shake my head in his direction, warning him not to alert Nolan to my identity. Charlie gives me a quizzical look, but doesn't continue his sentence.
"Here you go, big shot." I grasp his hand and place the double knotted cherry stem in his palm. "Hope this answers all your questions.""Can I buy you a drink? Charlie, can you get my new friend and I a couple of drinks? Since Bruce didn't know I was coming tonight, my room isn't ready yet and I have nothing but time on my hands."

Charlie mumbles something under his breath before walking away to get our drinks.
"Isn't he going to ask us what we want?" I ask, although I already know the answer to my question. Charlie knows what I'm drinking, and Nolan has been drinking the same thing for as long as I can remember.

"Charlie has a way of knowing exactly what someone wants just by looking at them."

I try to keep a straight face at his response, but after a few moments, a giggle escapes. "That sounds like the biggest crock of shit I've ever heard."
"You're right. Whenever I come here, I always get the same thing. Whiskey neat. Seeing as you already had a drink when I walked up, he'll probably just refresh what you already have." Nolan reaches back and rubs that back of his neck. "I'm a little out of practice with this impressing a beautiful woman at a bar thing."

"You think I'm beautiful?" I can't help but feel surprised.

Charlie sets down a new round of drinks in front of us, and suddenly I wish this Shirley Temple was the real thing.

"If you aren't completely aware of that fact by the time we finish our drinks, I'm not doing my job correctly." Nolan grabs his glass and takes a sip.
This night just got interesting.

So lovelies here is the 1st chapter
I hope you all like it and plzz
vote and follow me.

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