Finding Sage (Young Adult)

Twenty: Finley

Sage

Finley, Finley, Finley, its all I heard since Gillian and Adam went to Kellan's a couple nights ago. Today he is coming in the office to meet with Angela. She wants do to a feature on him and print one of his short stories.

"Sage, are you ready. Angela wants us all in her office now," Gillian says from behind me.

"Great, lets go. I can't wait to meet this guy. He's all you and Adam have talked about," I say, grabbing my notepad and walking with her down the hall.

"Yeah, he has an amazing personality. I was laughing so much the other night I thought my ribs would split," Gillian says, pushing the elevator call button.

"Is that code for very unattractive?" I joke.

"Hardly." She says. "He is not unattractive. At all." Gillian raises her eyebrows at me as she step onto the elevator.

We get to Angela's floor and there are caterers setting up food in her office. "She's catering this interview?" I ask.

"Well, it's not an interview yet. She's wooing him. He has not agreed to an interview, only a meeting," Gillian says. "I just hope he figures out what he wants to do before the wedding. I want to write the interview myself and we only have this week before we're taking off for three weeks."

We walk into Angela's office and meet up with Roxy and Adam.

"Monica is on her way up here with the three of them. Does everything look okay?" Angela asks. Its strange to see Angela slightly insecure.

"It's great Angela. He's a very nice guy and very down to earth, you have nothing to worry about," Adam says.

We all take a seat around Angela's conference table and Monica comes through the door. "Hello everyone. Angela, this is Kellan Garrighan of Mayhem, Finley Robinson, the author and Mr. Robinson's agent and sister, Bridget Robinson."

I don't turn around right away. I did not know Kellan was going to be here today. Why didn't Gillian warn me?

Slowly, I stand and walk over to greet the guests.

The girl. That girl from Boston. That's her. What the hell is she doing here?

Everyone is shaking hands and I am standing there staring. She notices and holds a hand out to me, "Hello my name is Bridget. And you are?"

Oh god, she has an English accent. "Oh hello, I'm Sage Walker, one of Whisper's journalists."

"Oh, well it's very nice to meet you Sage," Bridget says. "Are you the Sage the Kellan has spoken of?"

"Umm, well, yes I suppose I am..." I say, and glance over at Kellan who is engaged with Angela and Adam.

I feel movement from behind me. "Well hello there. What may I call you?" Finley moves in next to me.

"I'm Sage Walker. It's nice to meet you," I say, holding out my hand. Finley take my hand in his and wraps his other hand lightly around my forearm and he tugs me forward and greets me with kisses on both side of my face. As we come out of it, he gently squeezes my hand, and brushes my forearm to my fingertips.

Oh.

His eyes are deliberate with how he looks at me and I feel it in the pit of my stomach. "Well it is very nice to meet you Sage. May I call you Sage, or is it Mrs. Walker?"

I giggle. "Oh no, I am not married. Sage is fine."

Gillian is absolutely correct; Finley is definitely not bad looking but just the opposite. He is nothing like I expected. He does not look British because his skin tone and features are darker. His telling eyes are light brown and are given life by his expressive and ever moving eyebrows. His features are sharp, with the exception of his full lips that open to an amazing smile. Dark hair that is slightly lighter and tousled on top, neatly frames his angular face.