A ROMCOM NOVELET || Can a girl fall in love at a Romance Writers Convention with a dreamboat hunk who is determined to steal her heart?
Annie attends the glamorous convention to promote her new romance novel. But the first man she meets is not only...
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PHOTO - Annie and Van
A surprising twist of fate for Annie ...
Annie awoke to a bright San Francisco morning. Sunlight poured in the windows and the warmth of the rays promised a pleasant day to come. She lazily stretched her arms and looked over at Mary, who was standing in front of the dresser mirror applying makeup.
"Good morning. Have you been up long?" she asked her.
Mary turned to her with a smile. "Just about a half hour. I took a shower and did my hair. I figured I'd get it out of the way while you were sleeping. Do you always sleep so soundly? You didn't wake up when I came in last night, and you've slept through the racket I've been making since I got up."
Annie had fallen asleep immediately last night when her head hit the pillow. She remembered now that she'd been dreaming of Van all night; Van dressed as the pirate Jean-Luc and chasing her up and down the foggy early-morning streets of San Francisco. She felt a pang of regret that he hadn't followed her out of the ballroom and up to her room last night, but she chuckled and quickly stifled that regret. She wouldn't really have wanted him to do it.
She yawned and stretched her arms again. "I always sleep like a log, Mary. Besides I have jet-lag. I stayed up till midnight, which is three A.M. New York time. That's way past my bedtime."
Mary turned back to the mirror, laughing. "The plane I took out must not give jet-lag. I feel fine. You had a rather exciting day, too. I think you have Van Drake lag. He must have really worn you out."
Annie threw back the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed. "I guess he sure did. He'd gotten me so ... oh ... such mixed emotions! I hope he's not planning to breathe down my neck all day today."
Mary hooted. "Down your neck and everywhere else he can. That man is crazy about you. I don't understand why you won't at least give him a chance."
"It's very simple, Mary. I don't want to fall in love. I did once and I got hurt. I won't let it happen again."
Annie felt like such a fraud. How could she say that? She knew perfectly well she was already head-over-heels in love with Van Drake. But she couldn't admit that to Mary. Or anyone else. Yet.
Mary set down her blusher brush and turned to look at Annie. "Was it really all that bad?"
Annie nodded, letting out a deep sigh of remembrance.
"Tell me about it," Mary urged.
Annie looked at her uncertainly. "It's a long story."
"You can make it short." Mary gave her a sympathetic smile. "Sometimes it does a lot of good to talk about that kind of thing with another woman."
Annie snorted. "I know. I confided in Vanessa Drake about it. She was the only one I told. And then she turned out to be a man."
"Then tell me now." Mary grinned at her. "I assure you that I'm not going to suddenly change into a man."
