Part 6 (2/2)

She'd had this crush on Uriel for years-one that had lasted through her adolescent years and all through her teens. Even after that incident that day on the pier, when he had walked off from her with anger in his eyes at what she'd done, she had still loved him and had come to the lake each year after that for five straight years, hoping the anger within him would have subsided. She had even tried calling him a few months later at college to apologize, after getting his cell number from his father, only to get cold feet and hang up when she'd heard his voice. When it became apparent to her that he would keep his word and not come to the lake while she was there, she had stopped coming.

And now, after ten years, they were both back at the lake; they were adults who were attracted to each other, though for her it went a little farther than that. A part of her still loved Uriel and would always love him. For some women, teen crushes faded over time; but not for her, which was why she could not consider a fling with him. She would need something more lasting than that.

Chapter 9.

”Okay, El, start at the beginning.”

Ellie rolled her eyes as she slumped down in her favorite chair. She glanced out the window. Uriel was in the middle of his workout. It was close to nine, which meant he'd gotten a late start this morning for some reason. She'd had a sleepless night, and she couldn't help wondering what his excuse was.

She tried turning her attention away from Uriel and back to her conversation with Darcy. She had meant to call her aunt's agent first thing this morning, but before she could do so she had gotten a call from Darcy, who in a very excited voice had told her about a job offer she'd gotten with the City of New York.

Ellie was happy for her friend and knew it had been Darcy's lifelong dream to live in the Big Apple. Darcy worked hard and was good at what she did as a city planner. Minneapolis's loss was now Manhattan's gain. After going through all the congratulations and deciding when the two of them could get together to celebrate, Ellie, needing someone to talk to, and had unloaded on Darcy, telling her all the things that had happened over the past two days, namely Uriel wanting a summer fling and her aunt being, of all things, a romance author of erotica fiction.

”Just what part didn't you get, Darcy?” she finally asked.

”Both.”

Ellie pulled in a deep breath as she went through everything again. From her time spent in Gatlinburg with Uriel to their heated kiss, and then his proposal that they have a summer fling, all the way to the letter her aunt had left with her attorney. Surprisingly, Darcy just listened and let her talk without any interruptions.

When she was finished Darcy had her turn. ”Okay, let's take one issue at a time. I understand about you and Uriel. You've been hooked on the guy forever, and you're not bad-looking, so quite naturally he would come on to you. Personally, I expected it. And if you recall, that day the two of you kissed on the pier, he was enjoying it. He only got p.i.s.sed off because I interrupted things. You were too busy kissing him back to notice that he was attacking your mouth just as much as you were attacking his.”

Darcy paused briefly, then continued. ”Now fast-forward to present day. Most men his age aren't ready for commitment. In a way, I wish Harold hadn't a.s.sumed that he was. It would have saved me a lot of misery. I applaud a guy who won't marry until he feels that he's ready. And in the meantime, do you really expect him to twiddle his thumb and lay off women until then? Come on, El, that's not how it works. I read plenty of romance novels, but this here is the real world. Men prefer affairs, and believe it or not, some women do, too. Things are less complicated that way.”

”Are you saying that maybe I should should consider having a summer fling with Uriel?” consider having a summer fling with Uriel?”

”It's your decision, Ellie, and I can't help but admire Uriel for giving you the time to make it. Most men, especially one our age, would use this time to seduce you into one. From what you've said, Uriel has kept his distance, giving you a chance to think straight, without him being around. In other words, he hasn't sought you out.”

Ellie gnawed on her bottom lip, deciding it wasn't necessary to tell Darcy that it had been the other way around. She had sought him out, without him knowing she'd done so. Uriel had no idea that she watched him work out every morning or that she would often watch him fish from the pier.

”Now, with this issue involving your aunt. I can't believe she actually penned a romance novel. And one with love scenes. How hot were they?”

Darcy's words pulled Ellie's thoughts back in. ”They were hot. Actually a bit erotic. But the love scenes fit the story.”

”So you enjoyed it, hmm?”

Ellie knew what Darcy was getting at. ”Okay, I did enjoy it. It was different from what I've been reading, so I was quickly pulled in. After the first chapter, I knew it was more than that. It was truly a well-written story. I hate that the ma.n.u.script didn't get finished.”

”So, what are you going to do about that?” Darcy asked.

”There's nothing I can do but contact her agent to let her know Aunt Mable pa.s.sed on, and to find out how much of an advance she received so that I can return it to her.”

Darcy didn't say anything for a moment, and then said, ”You know there is another option, don't you?”

Ellie raised her brow. ”And what option is that?”

”You can finish it.”

”What!” Ellie exclaimed, jumping out the chair. ”Are you nuts, Darcy? There's no way I can finish that book. First of all, I know nothing about writing a novel, and then, did you miss the part when I said that it's a romance romance book, with plenty of sensuality and pa.s.sion-two things I know nothing about?” book, with plenty of sensuality and pa.s.sion-two things I know nothing about?”

”Calm down, Ellie, and listen to me for a second, because I think you're wrong. You can can finish it. I think you owe it to your aunt to do so. You read what she wrote in that letter. It was her dream to get that book published. And you said there're only a few chapters left. The only thing you need is to get romantically and s.e.xually inspired, and we both know the person who can serve as some real-life inspiration.” finish it. I think you owe it to your aunt to do so. You read what she wrote in that letter. It was her dream to get that book published. And you said there're only a few chapters left. The only thing you need is to get romantically and s.e.xually inspired, and we both know the person who can serve as some real-life inspiration.”

Ellie frowned. ”Don't even think it.”

”Sorry, too late. I'm already thinking it. I think it's perfect. If the book is that good, then you owe it to Ms. Mable to finish it, even if it means that summer fling with Uriel to get inspired, to feel how sensuality and pa.s.sion works hand-in-hand.”

Ellie rolled her eyes while shaking her head. ”That doesn't mean I would able to finish that book, Darcy. I'm not a writer.”

”But you are your aunt's niece. Her favorite niece. Her only niece. You even got her name, Ellie Mable Mable Weston. So, in essence, a Mable Weston Weston. So, in essence, a Mable Weston would would have written the book.” have written the book.”

”Jeesh” was the only comment Ellie could make, not believing Darcy's logic.

”And I believe, once you start writing, that Ms. Mable will also inspire you with the right words to say,” Darcy tacked on.

Ellie didn't say anything for a moment. Would her aunt do that? She didn't necessarily believe in the paranormal, but if it was possible, her aunt would find a way to reach her. ”But what about Uriel? He would never go along with being used that way,” she said.

”You're talking nonsense now, Ellie. The man asked you to indulge in a summer fling. It's all about s.e.x, girl, so get real. If you agree to it, do you think he'd care one iota that he's inspiring you or that you're doing research for a book? In fact, why even bother telling him? The fewer details men know about certain things, the better. Uriel thinks your aunt was a sweet old lady. Do you really want him to know she was a hot tamale?”

”Darcy!”

”Sorry, but you know what I mean. Think about my suggestion. Your aunt was given until the end of the year to finish that book. If I were you, I would finish it and turn it in as soon as possible. If the agent thinks it doesn't work she will let you know it. If it flows and turns out to be a good book, like I know it will be, at least there will be one book on the shelf written by Flame Elbam, and no one will know the truth but me and you. And if the agent wants another book, we can tell her then that your aunt pa.s.sed away. We don't have to tell her when.”

Ellie eased back in the chair and closed her eyes. Sometimes she actually thought that Darcy was in the wrong profession. She could plot deception too easily. ”I need to think about this.”

”Then think about it, and if you decide to let Uriel be your inspiration, all you have to do is let him know you'll agree to that summer fling. You don't have to give him a reason. And then, who knows? In the midst of it all, Uriel just might figure out that you're the best thing to ever happen to him, and you'll cure him of his commitment phobia.”

Ellie used the rest of that day to pack up some more of Aunt Mable's things. Around noon, she had stopped for lunch, and later that day she took a break for dinner. It was only later, when the sun had finally gone down that she decided to call it a day, take a shower and relax.

She sat downstairs on the sofa with a gla.s.s of wine and her aunt's letter and unfinished ma.n.u.script, to ponder her options. She hadn't called Lauren Poole today, deciding to give Darcy's suggestions some thought first. Was finis.h.i.+ng this ma.n.u.script something she could actually pull off?

She took a sip of wine and then reread her aunt's letter. Afterward, she placed it aside and picked up the ma.n.u.script and began reading it again.

The room was quiet, and reading her aunt's words a second time was just as exhilarating as the first. After she finished the first chapter, she took another sip of wine and smiled to herself. Darcy really had a lot of confidence in her abilities, if she thought she could just come in and finish this story without a reader recognizing it hadn't been written by the same person. But then, as she continued reading, she had thoughts and ideas on just how she would want the book to continue and then to conclude. But would those have been her aunt's thoughts and plans for her hero and heroine?

Ellie lifted her eyes from the ma.n.u.script and sighed deeply. And what about those hot and steamy lovemaking scenes, where sparks were flying off the pages? It had been years since she'd actually shared a bed with a man, and even then things had been kind of rushed each time. Could she actually write the love scenes after obtaining some real-life inspiration?

In a way, Darcy was right. Uriel had asked her to indulge in a summer fling. If she decided to go along with it, did he have to know her motives for doing so? Darcy was probably right in thinking that he wouldn't care. Especially since he'd made it known he was not interested in anything long-term. They would be former lovers who were nothing more than friends. Those had been his words, and not hers.

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