“A recurring role on the hottest sitcom on air? I’d call that more than lucky.” He holds a finger up to someone looking for his attention. “I’m surprised you could remember your way back here.”

His words sting. They feel hurtful on purpose, leaving me wondering what I ever did to him.

Other than leave him behind.

“Like I said, Luke. This is my home. I’ll always want to come back here.”

“Yeah, well, that’s fine. . . until you don’t want to come back here anymore.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” He gives me a half-cocked smirk that owns every part of me before he moves down the length of the bar top where a trio of college-age girls giggle and bat their lashes at him while he takes their order.

Jealousy flares.

Even more so when he glances my way and knows that I see him flirting with them.

That could have been me. Still in school, still coming here and hanging on every one of Luke’s words, and passing up the once in a lifetime opportunity.

But I couldn’t. Dreams are there to chase for a reason.

Too bad I had hoped he’d chase them with me.

When I look up, there is a group of women with sorority sweatshirts on, talking to Saint. I do a double take, startled by the sight and the similarity to what I was just writing.

I stare for a beat and my breath catches when Saint looks my way and smiles. “You good?” he mouths the words.

I nod quickly in response before averting my eyes back to my screen, embarrassed as if he knows I’m writing about him.

But a slow smile slides onto my lips as I realize I’m writing. Actually writing.

How did I not see this plot all along? How did I not realize how Luke was pushing Sophie away because he knew with one word from him, she’d stay in that Podunk town and never chase her dreams? How did I not see that he truly believed in her and her talent and was simply doing what was best for her? How did I not understand he was hurting her so she wouldn’t blame him later for it?

And more than anything, how did I not see that he’s smiling through the pain because he still truly loves her?

The adrenaline hits. It’s been months since I’ve felt the high of finally understanding my story and wanting to write like the wind. Of worrying that I won’t be able to type as fast as my thoughts fly.

So simple, and yet it felt like I was trying to prove Einstein's Theory of General Relativity over the past few months.