[FIRST FIVE CHAPTERS]
Debut author Alex Evansley delivers a sweet summer romance in this inventive novel about a young heartthrob and teen author falling in love.
Teddy Sharpe is kind of famous. He might actually be on his way to being really famous...
Teddy and Bennett talk for almost the entire the flight.
Well, mainly Teddy talks. It starts out with not-so-discreetly prying for information on Parachutes (homegirl is like Fort Knox over there with her manila folder and indestructible poker face), and it kinda evolves from there. Teddy talks, and Bennett works on whatever those papers are, occasionally asking questions or offering snarky commentary on something dumb he says. It's a solid four and a half hour distraction.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we're preparing to land," the flight attendant says to Bennett, wedging herself into Teddy's dramatic retelling of a Fourth of July fireworks debacle he was involved in last year. "May I take your trash for you?"
"Yes, please." Bennett smiles up at her. "Thank you."
She reaches for Teddy's trash without a word.
"You're so mannerly," he says to Bennett once the flight attendant is out of earshot. "Your mama must've raised you right."
"Bless your heart." Bennett presses a hand to her chest, exaggerating her own accent. "No wonder you've got one of them picture shows on the tee-vee."
Teddy laughs, despite the unease that shows up whenever someone mentions his acting career. He hasn't been in the game long enough to be too paranoid about people's intentions, but the thought that maybe he should've kept his guard up a little more around Bennett creeps into his head anyway.
He steals another glance at her—at the way she's meticulously evening the edges of her papers on her tray table, pen between her teeth and eyebrows furrowed in concentration—and feels like a complete douche.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention please," the pilot crackles over the intercom. "We'll be making our way into the gate in about twenty minutes; however, I do have an announcement to make, as I've been informed there are several passengers on board trying to catch connecting flights."
Teddy's stomach drops.
"Flight 1123, nonstop to West Palm Beach, and Flight 1435, nonstop to Miami, have been delayed indefinitely due to inclement weather. We apologize for the inconvenience and will assist passengers in any way we can to help make other arrangements. On behalf of myself and the crew, thank you for flying to us tonight. Welcome to Charlotte."
Teddy presses his head back against his seat, and the word is out of his mouth before he can stop it. "Shit."
"Sounds like that was your flight," he hears across the aisle.
Rolling his head to the left, he nods at Bennett, and instead of panicking about landing, Teddy spends the rest of the flight trying not to look as pissed off as he feels.
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"So, you got a game plan, Buzz?" Bennett asks on the way off the plane. Teddy's so distracted by his blossoming predicament and those damn jean shorts and being called Buzz that he doesn't realize when the strap on his duffel bag gets caught on an armrest until he's suddenly yanked backward.
