because I felt so guilty and she’s so cute。 She’s part chow and part poodle。 She’s a choodle；” Hollis explained proudly。 “And I wanted to see you smile。”
The puppy was adorable； and Vanessa fought a smile。 She didn’t want to be won over so easily。 “Why did you even set up the meeting？”
“I got excited。 I love your story；” Hollis said earnestly。 “But what they want to do isn’t your movie。 Once I saw how off…track they were getting； I pushed them away from your idea on purpose。 I didn’t want you to wind up making a movie that would promise your vision。”
“Really？” Vanessa grinned shyly。 Now that she thought about it； Hollis hadn’t really spoken up at the meeting until after the story had gotten so off…track—and after Stacy had made it clear she wasn’t going to have it any other way。
“Of course。 So they want me to direct the film。 It’s on location—in Iceland。 And I’ll have to go to Australia too； to cast the Maoris。 The twin kids evolved into a whole family； like Cheaper by the Dozen but with Maoris； in Iceland。 But I told them I needed to think about it。 I’ll drop it in a second if you want me to。” Hollis gazed down at Vanessa。
Vanessa glanced around the apartment—the brand…new ecochic furniture； the clean； bare walls they hadn’t decorated； the expansive living room they planned to throw so many dinner parties in。 If Hollis went to Iceland； it would be a long time before they really lived in this apartment together。 But dropping a Streetscape project was equivalent to career suicide。
Just then； Norma whined plaintively。 “Well； I’m going to take Norma’s protest as a no；” Hollis shrugged； scooping up the puppy。
“No。” Vanessa shook her head definitively。 They had plenty of time to build a life together。 After all； she was only a