Bubble Wrap

chapter twenty-three

MAGGIE STAYS FOR another hour and the excitement of creating her book deal has me buzzing as I meet with our legal team to talk over the details. I want nothing more than to create the perfect body of work with her. Something for the world to fall in love with.

A smile permanently rests on my lips as I step out of my office at the end of the day, my eyes trained on my phone as I text Luke and ask what he's doing. I feel different in the best possible way. Almost like I'm the most whole I've ever been. Everything in my life feels as though it's exactly where it needs to be. I'm exactly where I need to be.

My heart whole once again.

"Hold the elevator!" I call out when I see the doors starting to slide shut again, tucking my phone into my coat pocket. A hand slides between the doors, holding them open for me. "Clark," I say with a small smile as he steps back, giving me to room to step inside.

"Leaving on time for once, Wheeler?" he asks with a teasing smile. "I heard you're drawing up a new contract with the legal team. Does that mean what I think it does?"

I nod. "The author is officially on board."

"And they're okay with putting their name and face out there?" he asks.

"Yes, they've agreed to creating a brand for themselves," I say. "It's Maggie."

He turns to look at me. "Our Maggie?"

"Yeah, her husband submitted the manuscript without her knowledge and she hadn't wanted to at first, but she's changed her mind," I explain. "If you think that it's a bias for me to be working as her editor, we can look into shifting the project to­–"

"That's not necessary." He shakes his head. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Emery. I know you'll keep things strictly professional when it comes to working on the book," he tells me as the elevator doors slide open. "I'm excited to see you work your magic."

My lips curl up as I step onto the lobby floor with him. "Yeah, me too," I say as we head for the exit. The cold wind drawing heat to my cheeks as I turn toward him. "Have a goodnight, Clark. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight, Wheeler."

There's a skip in my step as I head toward the subway, finding an empty seat as I pull my phone out and find Luke's message waiting for me. The corner of my lips curling up as I tap on his name, bringing up his number on my screen as I press my phone to my ear. A flutter of excitement fills my stomach as I press tighter to the my seat, crossing my legs and press my elbow into my knee.

"Hey there, 4A," Luke says as soon as he answers the phone. "How was work?"

"It was great," I say with a bright smile. "When do you get off work?"

"Not until about two," he says. "You want to come visit me?"

"Do you want me to come visit you?"

"Yes, I would," he says and the honesty makes my heart flutter. This is a Luke that not many people get to experience, but I do. I get the honest side of him that wants to spend more time with me. The one that will sit and stare at me, not saying anything but somehow, saying a million things and it's slowly sewing the pieces that I thought would never fit back together into perfect alignment. "I just want more of you, 4A."

"Well, when you put it like that," I say as I chew my bottom lip. "I want to stop by Zane and Maggie's and check up on them, but then I'll be over, okay?"

"Sounds good," he says. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye Luke," I say as I bring my phone down from my ear, ending the call as the train comes to my stop. I hop up from my seat, moving closer to the doors as the train slows to a stop. My body buzzing as I step onto the subway platform, heading up the stairs and down the block until Zane and Maggie's building is in view.