erek finally shifted h

ears still clung to her lashes as she turned to Allison, visibly surprised and gratefu

ison a passing glance before reac

ns. "Derek, this is Ms. Allison Brown, our newest screenwriter. She's quite young,

ity in her voice, softened

ook up, Derek gave a b

ered with a polite smile. "Now that your daugh

another glance, she tu

of the lounge that she noticed h

Cooper in her arms, whispering softl

attention to Derek. "Derek,

a playful smile. "You hardly ever give anyone your attention.

r, the suspicion behind h

rply, "Don't ever bring Emma to a place like this agai

ual, his expression

whether he was upset

felt a knot for

nto the production was merely his way of settling a debt. After she had helped him smooth things o

hundred-million-dollar investment had gone. As far as he was conc

, he wouldn't have bothe

ek,

erself, but he stopped he

ance, he turned and left the lou

, the cameras were already rollin

g with props ever since

attitudes giving way to almost desperate attempts to p

ked impressive enough to justify i

in anyone, Derek brushed them off. All he w

hen a familiar figure caught his

pretending not to notice him would have been ridiculous.

r since the day Derek had pick

kirt suit, she looked effortlessly put together. Her long hair c

young professional taking her fir

d the Rylie he once knew coul

been like an abandoned pupp

er. Even the slightest bit of affection from him was enoug

ueler when he eventu

ison kept stirring memories of that gi

d demeanor. His face held a certain gentleness, yet somethin

t side of him be

been entrusted to watch over. Their relationship hard

to climb into his car and le

, he li

he offered an opinion that was far too personal to pass for casual conversation. "Braden isn't the guy

n could only stare a

ss grace, hiding his sharper side behind a friend

e would interfere so ope

on his family has a problem with me is that I'm not rich. If money and social status were all it took to make a relationship work, finding love would be easy. Su

, but every word carried a