When Dreams Come True

Untitled Part 1

Chapter One
April 2015

Melissa Loring sat in the hippest restaurant in Los Angeles trying to act like she belonged there. Looking around was like reading the most recent gossip magazine; celebrities were all over the place and she felt completely out of her element. With one ear, she listened to the lilting Australian accent of her agent. She knew she should be paying closer attention since she was going over what was going to happen at the meeting, but she was just too nervous. At some point she knew she was either going to knock something over, or when she got up she’d trip, or somehow take the whole tablecloth with her. Something was going to go wrong.

“Lissa!” Angelica Sanderson leaned over and pinched her arm. “Lissa, pay attention, they’re going to be here any minute. Remember, we already have a contract to turn your book into a movie, so this is the final meeting before deciding the final details of filming and cast. We both know how important this deal is going to be, but to them it’s nothing. It’s no sweat off their back if it doesn’t happen. We don’t want to blow anything now, so try to come up with a poker face so they don’t realize how much it means to you.”

She might only be five foot three, but Angelica was one of the fiercest agents in the business, and going up against men twice her size to boot. Putting her heart and soul behind every one of her clients, she’d do whatever it took to make sure they received the best deal. Lissa felt lucky they’d found each other and worked so well together. They’d been working together for years, and finally one of Lissa’s books was going to be turned into a movie by a big-name studio. She had Angelica to thank for that, and if things went their way, it wasn’t going to be the last deal.

“What? I have a poker face.” When Angelica narrowed her eyes at her, Lissa shrugged. “Okay, I know I don’t, but at least let me lie to myself once in a while.”

Angelica did a double-take, looking behind Lissa before she reached over and grabbed Lissa’s arm in a death grip. “Oh, my God…” She whispered.

Lissa had her back to the door and was looking at Angelica when she saw her visibly start to shake and go pale. That was something on the red-headed Aussie; Lissa didn’t think she could get any paler. She wondered what could have caused her to react like that. Slowly, Lissa turned in her chair and saw Will Martinsson walking in his six-foot-two, long, lean and dangerous stride, and he was heading in their direction. He was, by far, perfection. Lissa actually had a huge crush on him, and he had been her muse for the book they were talking about making into a movie. Her mouth went dry seeing him in person; the big screen did nothing for him, and he was more magnificent in real life. But it wasn’t just his looks, which couldn’t be tossed aside; it was his personality, his humanitarian efforts, the whole damn package which was outstanding. He effectively ruined women for any other man with the standards he’d set forth.

Her mind whirled and she had no idea what to do. Not wanting to stare, or drool, which she knew would be mortifying she turned back to Angelica and was surprised when she stood up and held her hand out.

“Sam, it’s good to see you again. You didn’t tell me you were bringing company.”

“Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t have been a surprise, now would it?” Sam Lundy’s big laugh boomed through the restaurant.

Lissa’s head whipped back around. She hadn’t even seen the studio exec walking next to Will Martinsson, she’d been so focused on him. Considering Sam was larger than his personality and laugh that was saying something. She could feel everyone’s eyes on them, but slowly she turned back toward Angelica when she heard her agent continue to speak. Lissa knew what he was right there and she was terrified she was about to say something completely stupid herself, she decided to keep her mouth shut as long as possible.