Read Online Happy Again by Jennifer E. Smith - Free Book Online

at him briefly before continuing on their way.
    But Ellie just stared at him.
    She knew how he meant it.
    He meant it the way most people love him: like a fan, like a guy on a movie poster, like the figure on the red carpet.
    He meant it as a joke.
    But something about the words—even spoken as they were, full of humor and self-awareness and a little bit of scorn—tugged at something inside Ellie.
    She was suddenly aware of how close they were, of the rush of water just behind them, a sound like the waves that night in Henley, when they’d huddled together above the wild and foamy ocean, and Graham had looked at her the same way he was looking at her now, his eyes burning a hole right through her.
    “I love Graham Larkin,” she said quietly, her voice full of emotion, and there was a flicker of surprise on his face, and then his expression softened.
    “You’re supposed to shout it,” he said, smiling as she tugged on the brim of the cap, forcing him to lower his face, bringing him closer and closer until their lips met. And even though they were in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world, lost in a sea of concrete and wood and metal, she could almost swear he tasted like the ocean.

Fifteen
    As they approached the theater, Ellie dropped Graham’s hand.
    They were greeted by an enormous poster for the movie, which was propped on an easel just inside the entrance. She’d missed it earlier because of the crowds, but now it stared down at them, huge and shiny and jarring: a nearly life-size picture of Graham, his mouth only inches away from Olivia’s.
    Ellie stared at it, and Graham stared at her.
    “No,” he said when she finally turned to him. “Don’t do that.”
    “What?”
    “Don’t look at me like that.”
    Ellie put a reassuring hand on his arm. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to…I know you’re not that guy.”
    “Exactly,” he said with a little nod. “I’m the guy who tap-danced on the edge of a fountain.”
    “And whose best friend is a pig.”
    “And who has a ketchup stain on his handkerchief,” he said, looking down at his suit with a frown, then rotating the handkerchief to hide the stain.
    Ellie laughed. “And who carries a handkerchief.”
    “See?” he said, pointing at the poster. “I’m not nearly as romantic in real life.”
    “Well,” she said, reaching for his hand, “maybe a little.”
    There was a security guard at the door to the lower lobby, but he seemed to recognize Graham immediately and stood back to let them pass without a word. Everyone else was still upstairs.
    “I guess we should…” Ellie began, but then she saw a pair of legs appear on the escalator, and then a tie, and then the face of Harry Fenton, who bent to peer down at them with a look of relief.
    “There you are,” he said, blinking fast as he stepped off the escalator. “Hi.”
    “Hey,” Graham said, holding on tighter when Ellie tried to let go of his hand. “We were just on our way back up.”
    “Well, good,” Harry said, glancing over at Ellie with a hint of a smile. “Enjoy the movie?”
    “I did,” she said with a nod. “It was very…romantic.”
    Harry looked to Graham. “They’re just about ready.”
    “Be up in a minute,” Graham said in a way that managed to be polite without leaving room for argument, and Harry gave a weary sigh before walking over to the other escalator and stepping on.
    “It was good to see you again, Ellie,” he said, already on his way up. “Hope it won’t be the last time.”
    “Thanks for the tickets,” she called, but he was already gone.
    When she turned back to Graham, he was watching her with an unreadable expression. Without saying anything, she slipped the dark jacket from her shoulders, holding it out for him. He took it, and for a moment both of them held on to it, their hands only inches apart, gripping the jacket as if it were something more binding than just fabric.
    But then Ellie let go, and Graham