I nod, remembering how she’s now dating the subject of her current series.
“Finding romance is quite a feat when you’re on location. I would know,” she says. “Enjoy yourselves.”
I let out a breath, relieved. Drew peers down at me while wiggling his eyebrows before he scoops my hand into his once more.
Haley walks up to the elevator, a knowing smile on her face. “You two heard Brooke. Enjoy yourselves.”
She presses a button, and the doors close once more.
Drew glances up at the floor numbers that are positioned at the top of the elevator. “Looks like we’re headed for the basement.”
“No one ever goes to the basement,” I say. “That’s where all the utility stuff is.”
Drew smirks at me. “Haley’s a genius. That gives us sixty floors to enjoy ourselves.”
He wraps his arms around me, tugging me close against his body. I bite my bottom lip, my heart pounding. But behind all this excitement lies contentment. All that uncertainty and struggle and anticipation of the last several weeks have brought us here. Despite everything, Drew and I are finally, officially together. I’ve never been so happy.
“Does this mean we’ll finally get to live out my fantasy of you having your way with me in an elevator?”
I tug at the buttons on his shirt. “Possibly. I’ve got a pretty good idea of what we can get up to.”
He grins, his heart in his eyes. “I’m all yours, Dunn.”
Epilogue
One Year Later
Last shot of the day, guys,” I holler across the pristine white beach we’re set up on. “Let’s see if we can nail it.”
Drew glances up at me from where he stands several feet away. “I think I can nail it.”
Rylan runs over to Drew to straighten out the short-sleeved button-up he’s wearing, restyle his hair, and dab away the few droplets of sweat on his forehead.
She finishes and runs back over to stand by me.
“Excellent work, Ms. Stylist.”
Rylan beams wide. “Thanks.”
I turn around and check that the rest of the crew is ready. Wyatt and Joe flash me a thumbs-up from their cameras. Haley looks up from the tablet to nod at me. Off to the side Colton stands with a boom mic.
I look back at Drew and wink. “Action.”
Today is the last day of shooting for Hidden Gem Island Getaways: Philippines. Tomorrow we start our journey back to New York.
I still can’t get over that I’m shooting my second series. When Discovering Utah aired last fall, it was an instant hit. It received the highest ratings of any new series debuting in the fall for Expedition TV. The network immediately approached Drew and me to film another show. And that’s when I pitched my other dream. This time I went big, though. I proposed a series where each season we focus on a different ocean region. The network was all for it, signing us for three seasons. In a few months we’re headed to Micronesia. After that, we’re hitting up little-known beaches in the US.
Curling my toes in the sand, I watch my boyfriend nail his lines for the last scene that we’re filming today on Jomalig Island. There’s not a hint of hesitation when he looks at the camera. The stage fright that held Drew back from his hosting dreams is under control now. He insists it’s because I set him at ease—and that I’m the only person he ever wants to host for.
During this six-week shoot, we’ve been island hopping all over the Philippines. We’ve hit Palawan, Seco Island, and Romblon Island. Every time we set up, I get that same flash of warmth in my chest. Apong Lita would be so excited to see her favorite beaches featured on this series.
I swallow back the emotion in my throat when I remember how Mom cried happy tears after watching the Needles episode of Discovering Utah.
“Oh, anak. That was such a beautiful dedication. Apong would have loved it. Absolutely loved it.”
And when I told her and Dad that I had just gotten the go-ahead from the network to film an entire series in the Philippines, they were just as thrilled and emotional.
“Apong Lita is smiling down on you,” Mom said, sniffling. “She is so, so proud.”
Even my dad, who hardly ever cries, got teary. “We couldn’t be prouder of you, honeybun.”
When I think back on their reaction, I get a lump in my throat. I focus back on filming. I was able to recruit everyone from the Utah crew for this series, and hopefully they can all join Drew and me next season and the one after.
Even though it’s been a year since we’ve all worked together, our dynamic is the same as it was in Utah.
“Jomalig Island is the very definition of a hidden gem,” Drew says as he walks along the beach. A small wave kisses the sand, hitting his feet. “It’s got the gorgeous golden-sand beaches and crystal-turquoise water that everyone loves, without the crowds of other touristy areas.”
Drew goes on to mention how vacationing here is a must for travelers who prefer a relaxed, more local experience.
Then he stops walking and turns to look at the sparkling-blue ocean before focusing back on Wyatt’s camera. “I know this won’t be my last visit to this incredible island. Thanks for joining me on this episode of Hidden Gem Island Getaways. Can’t wait to explore our next hidden gem with you again soon. Until next time.”
“Cut! That’s a wrap!”
Gentle applause from the people watching us nearby makes me smile. I take a moment to glance at the water. My second series is officially wrapped.
Drew walks over, wraps his arms around me, and presses a kiss to my lips.
“So did I nail it?” he asks, his voice soft.
The butterflies in my stomach swarm. “You always do.”
His smile widens, and he kisses me again. It doesn’t matter how many times Drew gives me those soft little kisses. They’ll always make me flutter from the inside out.
He’s made it a habit to do that every day at the end of filming. It’s a fun little routine we’ve carved for ourselves. Spend several hours shooting, behaving like consummate professionals, then at the end of the day when we wrap, we let ourselves act a little like boyfriend and girlfriend.
“God, you two. Get a room,” Haley whines in mock disgust.
I roll my eyes and toss my hat at her; she catches it and puts it on her head.
Drew walks off to help Colton put away equipment while I help Wyatt pack up.
“So how many Hail Marys is your mom doing in preparation for our journey back to the States?” Haley asks Wyatt as he zips up gear bags.
“Only three. She’s easing up a bit, I think.”
Joe chuckles as he finishes breaking down a tripod, then wipes the sweat off his brow. “Well, they’re out of vodka at the resort, so you at least don’t have to worry about that,” he says, patting Wyatt on the back.
“We should definitely have a celebratory drink tonight, though,” Wyatt says.
Just the mention of alcohol has me on high alert. I’ll have to be extra-careful.
Haley elbows my arm. “What do you say? A drink before we head back to our beach huts and pack up for the journey home tomorrow?”
She turns to ask Drew, Rylan, and Colton, who are walking over to us.
“We’re in,” Colton says, grabbing Rylan’s hand. They give each other a smile that makes me grin despite the nerves firing inside me.
“I’ll definitely join you guys,” I say. “I probably won’t drink, though. I’m feeling pretty dehydrated after working in the sun all day. Best to stick with water, I think.”
I keep my tone light to make sure no one suspects anything. When we finish packing everything up, we head to the hut where the hosts at the small resort we’re staying at are serving dinner.
Drew walks up to me and wraps his arm around my waist as we walk. “You doing okay?”
I try my best to smile and nod and not let o
n that anything is on my mind. “Just excited to go home.”
“Me too, Dunn.” He kisses my temple.
It’s the truth. I do feel great. There’s just that one thing hanging in the back of my mind . . . and I won’t be able to deal with it until we’re back home.
I shove the thought aside and breathe in. The aroma of garlic, fresh-caught fish, and sauteed veggies hits my nose as we walk into the hut. As if on cue, my stomach growls.
“Hope you’re hungry,” Drew says while peering at the table, where a giant pot of meat, veggies, and rice sits.
“I’m starving.”
* * *
• • •
Standing in my bathroom, I stare at my phone, which is sitting on the edge of the sink. One more minute left.
Ever since arriving home from the airport late last night, I haven’t been able to focus—not until I ran to a drugstore this morning and bought a pregnancy test. And now I have to wait sixty seconds to find out if my and Drew’s lives will change forever.
My heart races in my chest as I count the seconds. Even though Drew and I aren’t married, we’ve been committed to each other ever since the day we declared our love in the elevator at Expedition TV, just over a year ago. He moved into my apartment a few weeks later. The only reason we haven’t made things legal between us is because we’ve been so busy with work this past year with the success of Discovering Utah. We haven’t even had time to take a weekend trip together. But we did agree that someday we’d like to get married and have kids . . . It’s just that things might be happening a bit sooner than expected.
Drew’s keys jingle in the door. I contemplate waiting in the bathroom and looking at the results myself and then telling him, but I decide not to. We should look at it together—because we’re in this together.
I fling open the bathroom door just as he kicks off his shoes. He smiles at me and holds up a bag of takeout. “You said you were craving soft pretzels with cheese sauce so I grabbed some on my way home from meeting with my agent. No Brie, though,” he teases.
“Thank God. Ever since I saw that guy taking bites out of that wheel of Brie cheese the day we met on the subway, I can’t stomach the stuff.”
“I had to make a convenience-store run for Snoballs too. I thought I had more left.”
“You did. But I ate them all.”
Drew frowns at me, clearly confused about why I devoured his Snoball stash when I previously couldn’t stand them.
“Um . . . hormonal changes can cause changes in your taste buds.”
“What?”
I pause, clearing my throat. “I have to tell you something.”
I try to fold my hands in front of me to appear calm. Instead I end up fidgeting like a nervous wreck.
Drew’s eyebrows furrow. “What’s wrong?”
“Um, well . . . I’ve been feeling a bit off these past few weeks, and I thought it was because of all the traveling, but then I missed my period and . . .”
Drew’s eyes go wide. My breath lodges in my throat. Instead of babbling more nonsense, I grab his hand and pull him into the bathroom. Then I point to the pregnancy test, which is facedown on the edge of the sink.
“Are you pregnant?” he asks, his voice soft.
“I don’t know. I wanted to wait to find out until you came home.”
He turns to me and smiles. “Well, let’s see, then.”
I take a breath and flip it over. When I see two solid pink lines, my mouth opens. “Holy shit.”
My heart leaps out of my chest as I look at Drew. Because in addition to grinning the biggest grin I’ve ever seen him make, he’s also tearing up.
He drops the takeout bag on the floor, then pulls me into a hug.
“Holy shit, Dunn. We’re gonna have a baby.”
The way his voice shakes as he holds me makes me tear up. We hold each other while sniffling for what seems like minutes. Then Drew’s arms loosen around me and he leans away. He grips me gently by the waist, his eyes glued to my stomach.
“This is the best news. Ever.”
“You’re not nervous? I mean, you’re an awesome uncle, but you always joke about how much of a handful your niece and nephew are and how happy you are to give them back to your sister when you’ve spent the day with them. You won’t be able to do that with our baby.”
“Of course I’m nervous. But I’m way, way more excited. It’ll be different when it’s our baby. I’ll get overwhelmed, I’m sure, but I won’t want to be away from our baby. Or you. Ever.”
I have to plant my feet firmly on the floor so that I don’t collapse while I swoon.
“How are you feeling?” he asks.
“I’m so happy, but I’m a little scared too. I’ve never been pregnant before. I don’t know what to expect.” My mind races. “And I don’t even know how I’m going to balance traveling and work when the baby comes.”
Drew blinks, like he’s thinking about what I’ve said. Then he grabs both of my hands in his and squeezes. “I get that. I mean, I don’t one hundred percent know what you’re going through . . . I’m not a woman. But you’re the most talented producer at Expedition, Alia. You made yourself a star with Discovering Utah. You’re going to do it again with Hidden Gems. Everyone loves working with you. The network will fall over themselves to accommodate you and whatever you need while you’re pregnant and after you have the baby. I’ll make sure of it.”
All the nerves and uncertainty plaguing me a minute ago are fleeting. Because I just remembered I have the most amazing partner, who will be with me every step of the way.
“A baby and two insanely busy careers are going to be one hell of an adventure.”
When he shakes his head, his smile doesn’t budge. “This is the best adventure I could ever go on, Dunn. Because it’s with you.”
His eyes well up, which make mine well up. I lean up and kiss him. Then I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him against me so tightly that I can feel his heart beating against my chest.
“So damn smooth, Irons.”
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, a gigantic thanks to Stefanie Simpson, my amazing friend, for reading this book when it was barely past a first draft. You were encouraging and enthusiastic, and it made all the difference in the world. I love you, lady.
Thank you, Bella and Tessa, for blessing me with your TV production expertise and answering all my random questions.
Thank you, Steph Mills, for putting me in touch with Tessa and for your wonderfully encouraging emails.
Lauren Maxwell, a million thanks to you for helping me navigate the New York City subway via Instagram DMs. Someday I will visit and you can show me the ropes in person.
Skye McDonald, thank you for helping me properly set the scene of a busy subway car ride.
Thank you, JL Peridot, for your pep talks and your friendship. You always cheer me on when I need it most. You’re a gem.
Thank you to the best agent, Sarah Younger, and the best editor, Sarah Blumenstock.
Thank you so, so much to Vikki Chu for designing yet another stunning book cover. You always bring my books to life in the most beautiful way.
Huge thanks to my husband, Alex, my favorite hiking buddy on the planet. Our road trips to Utah inspired this book. There’s no one in the world I’d rather get lost in the desert with.
Thanks to my family and friends for supporting me, loving me, and being proud of me.
And thank you to everyone who buys and reads my books. I know I’ve said this a million times before, but it means the absolute world. Truly.
One more thing: The National Park Service and the show Rock the Park were inspirations for this book. NPS employees and volunteers work diligently to preserve so many beautiful lands while also making them accessible to the public. If you’re able, visit a national park or monument. It’
s a great way to support the NPS while also observing the beauty and majesty of the land around you. If you can’t make it out to your nearest national park, watch Rock the Park. It’s a fun and engaging program that showcases all that the national parks have to offer.
Don’t miss
Simmer Down
available now from Berkley Jove!
Ocean air has a funny effect on me. Maybe it’s the salt.
I inhale while driving along the lone main road in southern Maui. The briny moisture hits my nostrils, coating the back of my throat and lungs. I wince at the slight burn. A handful of breaths and I wonder just how close I am to reaching my daily allotment of sodium. Leave it to a food truck owner to view everything around me—including oxygen—in terms of food.
But that’s how all-consuming food truck life is. It’s my work, my thoughts, the air I breathe. It seeps into everything. I’ve only been doing this a year, but that’s one of the first things I’ve learned.
I shove aside the thoughts of saline air. Instead I run through my mental checklist like I do every morning while navigating the slow-moving traffic to my parking spot near Makena Beach, one of the most popular tourist spots on Maui.
Chicken adobo wings are chilling in the fridge. Check.
So are the papaya salad and fruit salad. Check.
Pansit is freshly made as of this morning and ready to dish up. Check.
A fresh batch of vegetable oil sits in the fryer, ready to heat. Check.
Waiting for the oil to warm should give me just enough time to prep everything for the day. Check.
For a split second I’m smiling, satisfied at the menu I’ve put together for today with a shoestring budget and limited supplies. Everything’s ready to go. The garnishes, the utensils, the napkins, the whiteboard with today’s menu written on it. Check, check, check, and . . . damn it.
I groan while gripping the steering wheel. I forgot the menu board at the commercial kitchen where I prep the food every morning. Again. I sigh, my cheeks on fire when I think about what an amateur mistake I just made. That means I’ll have to recite the daily specials and prices in addition to the standard menu items to every customer who comes to the window to order, an annoying and unprofessional act.
On Location Page 30
