LITMIR.BIZ

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paused, stunned by the revelation. “Together?”

      “Yes!” Elliot cried. “Our readers love him. People are painting pictures of him and putting them on the internet! He’s all anyone can talk about on the forums.”

      “Forums?” Keira repeated.

      She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Had her descriptions really painted such a good picture of her Italian tour guide that she’d inadvertently made him into some kind of hero?

      “I don’t get it,” she said. “You want us to go together?”

      “Your love story is a hit, Keira,” Elliot told her. “People want to know how it works out. Hashtag Team Shane or Hashtag Team Cristiano. Who will she marry?”

      “MARRY?” Keira cried. “What is going on? I think you’re all getting a bit ahead of yourselves. I’ve only known Cristiano for a few weeks. I’m not thinking about marriage. And he isn’t either!” She folded her arms, feeling defensive, like some kind of spectacle.

      Elliot softened his voice, clearly picking up on her distress at last. “Keira, what we want to see is more of you and him. What would it look like in Paris? Can your love last in a new place? Of course in Italy, on his home turf, it worked. And back here when you’re surrounded by your creature comforts it works. But somewhere new? What about that? Neutral, equal ground. Can love last in a foreign place?”

      Keira blinked at him, stunned into silence. “You want to… put my relationship under stress to see if it breaks?”

      Elliot tipped his head to the side. He clearly hadn’t thought about it that way. “Well, I mean, I wasn’t expecting it to break you up. Just curious.”

      “Curious,” Keira repeated, feeling more and more put out. “This is my life, Elliot. My real, actual life. I’m not a lab rat.”

      Elliot shook his head. “I’m saying this all wrong,” he said. “Look, the whole idea is that you guys get to spend a month in Paris. You do the travel thing, the love thing. Write it all up. The readers are happy. You two are happy. I’m happy. Period. The End.”

      “Except it’s not the end, is it?” Keira challenged. “Because you want some kind of conflict. You want the stakes to be raised.”

      “It’s just the best angle,” Elliot told her calmly. “To see if you can come back with your love just as strong.”

      Keira had no doubt that a month in Paris wouldn’t break her relationship. It would stay strong, she was certain. What she objected to was the way that Elliot talked about it. Like she was part of an experiment or a story book, rather than a real person with real emotions.

      Elliot leaned his arms on the table in a more open stance. “Keira, what does your New York City life look like at the moment? No apartment of your own. Staying at mom’s.”

      “How do you know about that?” Keira stammered.

      “I have my ways” he said, shrugging.

      She remembered the time her mom had called her in Italy to convince her to stay on the magazine. Elliot had prompted that call.

      “Have you been speaking to my mom?” she asked suspiciously.

      He looked guilty but replied innocently enough. “Mallory and I chat occasionally.”

      Keira took a sharp inhalation of breath. Why did her mom feel the need to interfere so much in her life?

      “So,” Elliot continued, sweeping it under the carpet. “Really, being in Paris would give you the privacy you need. A whole month just the two of you. No sister in the way, no mom interfering.”

      It did sound good, Keira thought. What difference would it make if they embarked on their relationship in New York City or Paris? Other than the fact that here they were crowded with people all eager to meet Cristiano. At least in Paris it would just be them. They’d be anonymous again.

      “After this article,” Elliot added. “I might be able to loosen the reins a bit here at Viatorum. Promote you. Then you can pick your own assignments. If this works, and we get the angle right for the Romance Guru, I’ll let you take control of the whole thing. No more last minute postings. No more Antonio’s.”

      Keira grimaced as she remembered the first tour guide she’d been paired with in Italy, the pot bellied, cheese-smelling, perpetually-gruff Antonio.

      “You really mean that?” she asked. “One more assignment, with Cristiano, and then I’ll be able to set the path for the Romance Guru as I choose to?”

      “As long as you’re still going abroad and writing travel articles,” Elliot said, “I don’t care where you do it.”

      Keira wanted to test this theory a little. “Australia?” she asked.

      “Why not?”

      “China?”

      “If you so desire.”

      “Antarctica?”

      “As long as you’re in love while you do it, that’s all I care about. All the readers care about. And who knows, perhaps afterwards we can collect all your pieces and turn them into a book?”

      Keira sat back, mulling over the prospect properly for the first time. If she could nail this, things would be significantly easier for her going forward. One more assignment under Elliot’s control then she’d be free-wheeling. And becoming the author of a book was a real draw! She and Cristiano could tour the world together. No more gimmicks about matchmaking or testing love. She could really write their love story.

      Besides, things in New York City were a bit strained anyway, with their options either Bryn’s apartment or her old childhood bedroom. There was nothing romantic about either setting. But Paris. Paris! For the first time, she felt a tingle of excitement at the thought of she and Cristiano in the world’s most romantic city. She pictured French windows and billowing lace curtains, kissing under the Eiffel tower, rain splattered sidewalks, croissants in ancient cafes overlooking the Seine, museums, art, culture, architecture. And then a mental picture forced its way into her mind with sudden ferocity: Cristiano down on one knee, a beautiful sparkling ring held out to her.

      She hadn’t thought of marriage until Elliot mentioned it. But what if a month in Paris ended with a ring? It certainly couldn’t hurt.

      “Okay,” she said, at last. “I’ll do it.”

      Chapter Seven

      As soon as her meeting with Elliot was over, Keira grabbed her cell phone and hurried outside to call Cristiano. The streets were as busy with traffic and people as they ever were. The thought of leaving it all behind made Keira excited.

      She rang his number and after a moment he answered.

      “I have some news,” she announced.

      “Oh?” he asked. “You’re not pregnant are you?”

      “No!” Keira cried, laughing. “We’re going to Paris!”

      “We are?” He sounded thrilled.

      “Yup. My new assignment. Turns out the readers love you so much they want you to come along. What do you think?”

      “I think that’s amazing!” he replied. “I can’t wait. When do we go?”

      “Tomorrow.”

      She bit her lip, worried about his response. She needn’t have been concerned.

      “Wow!” Cristiano cried. “Amazing!”

      In the background, she heard the sound of honking horns and ambulance sirens.

      “How is your solo tour of New York City going?” she asked him.

      “It’s great,” he replied with childish enthusiasm. “I rode the subway to a few different places, walked around some parks. Now I’m besided a place called Teardrop Park.”

      Keira was stunned. “You’re

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