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People are always handing me their phones and asking me to take their pictures. I could make a killing if I was a thief.

CONNOR

I like the way you think.

CECILIA

Oh?

He raises his eyebrows suggestively. Then there’s the POP of a Champagne cork.

CECILIA

I’ve always liked that sound.

CONNOR

Like a party beginning. You never know what might happen.

CECILIA

Exactly.

They smile at each other, leaning in closer as the CAMERA pulls back to reveal the back of a WOMAN watching them...

CHAPTER 4

Does Anything Good Ever Happen on a Ferry?25

I scan the parking lot full of Teslas and town cars, looking for whoever it is that’s set Oliver off.

I should know without looking because there’s only one person who makes Oliver react this way.

Connor Smith.

You didn’t think we were doing this book without him, did you?

I wish.

If you weren’t around for the Italian tour, or haven’t picked up the vibe from context, Connor and I used to have a thing. Before me and Oliver, but also, ahem, brieflyduring.

Anyway, Connor’s getting out of his James-Bond-mobile, some fancy, baby-blue sports car. He’s wearing one of his signature linen suits, and his dark blond hair is cut and feathered short, and even I can admit the look suits him.

Ha! Isthatwhere that expression comes from?

Quick primer for those who skipped the footnote: Connor isone of the protagonists of my book series. He’s also often the antagonist. In my head, anyway. TL;DR: We solved some crimes together in Italy ten years ago, had great sex, and I wrote a book about him, which he wasn’t happy about and kind of blackmailed me over. Then I found out he was married to Allison and we broke up, but I had to keep writing about him because that’s what the public—and my publisher—wanted.

Since we both got book-famous ten years ago, he’s been kicking around Hollywood taking odd jobs as a script consultant, hanging with the semi-famous, dating inappropriately young women, and living off the proceeds of my books.

I’m sure he does other things as well, but that’s what I know for sure.

“Did you not know he was coming?” I ask Oliver as Harper climbs discreetly out of the car to give us a moment.

Oliver runs his hands through his hair, his dark brown curls springing back. “Did you?”

“Not specifically, but, like I said, the whole cast and crew were invited.”

“Is he one of those?”