It had been three weeks since Derek's return to New York and he couldn't remember a time in his life where he felt more content. He was on his way to meet with Julia Houston regarding a new book she wrote. To his surprise this endeavor would be her first venture without Tom Levitt. Apparently their partnership never recovered from the toll it took with Bombshell and Hit List and when the duo's most recent project met with lukewarm reviews; the decision to take an indefinite break from each other was made. Entering the small café' Derek spotted the red head almost immediately.
"Hello gorgeous," he greeted.
Julia laughed "still a charmer I see," she replied. "How have you been? I'm so sorry about Ivy and the baby" she offered.
The conversation paused while the waitress took the director's order and when she left he responded "Thank you. I admit, it was difficult when it happened everything all at once but I'm alright now," he smiled thinking of Karen and Kyle.
"If the smile that just appeared on you face is any indication, I would think you are better than alright," she teased with raised eyebrows.
"I ran into Karen Cartwright a few weeks back."
"I knew it!" the writer exclaimed. "I knew there had to be a reason for that daydream smile. Please tell me the two of you finally came to your senses," she pleaded.
"We talked and yes, we have decided to try." Just the thought of being with her and Kyle made him smile again.
"I'm happy for you," Julia stated as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I never knew what happened between the two of you after Kyle's death but I was shocked to see her return to Jimmy. Then, when Tom told me about Ivy and the baby and then her miscarriage I wasn't sure what to think."
He gave her a thoughtful look "You know I never thought of myself capable of being a father, but when Ivy told me she was pregnant; I couldn't see myself walking away. My father walked out on my mother when my siblings and I were young; and I swore I would never be that man. What I had with Ivy was never intended to be long term. I had turned to her after Karen first rejected me and she was lonely so we agreed it would be casual. When Karen broke up with Jimmy and we decided to try, I ended things with her. We weren't together when she told me about the baby but at the time Karen had gone back to Jimmy and I decided I was going make things work for the sake of my child."
"That's why you left Hit List?"
Derek nodded "I couldn't be around Karen every day and then go home to Ivy. It wasn't working."
"Is Karen the reason you returned to New York?" she asked.
"No, I had no idea she was no longer with Jimmy and had no intention of contacting her. I was merely trying to buy some groceries and return to my hotel room when I saw her. I swear my heart must have stopped when I did," he finished, earning a laugh from his friend. "We grabbed a coffee, told each other our story and realized that despite everything that happened these past two years, we both still had feelings for the other. I begged her to give us a chance."
Julia was shocked to say the least at Derek's admission. She had always suspected Derek's feelings for Karen ran deep but for him to admit to needing someone so much, was a pleasant surprise. "I always knew you weren't as cold as you wanted people to believe," she grinned.
Derek blushed, "Being around Karen must be turning me into a sap. I've told you more in just these few minutes than I've ever told anyone aside from her. Can we please change the subject?"
"Alright, "Julia beamed as she held her hands up in surrender. "I don't want to stress you out," she conceded. "Just know ever since we worked together on Hit List, I've considered you a close friend. Someone I could confide in without judgment."
Derek gave a nod, "your friendship has always meant a great deal to me too," he affirmed. "And I will do whatever you need; how can I help you?"
"I would like you to read my book and if you like it, I'd like to know if you would help me get it ready to pitch. I'm working with several young composers for the music but before I go further I'd like your opinion."
The Brit looked at her "Why me?"
"Because you're the best director and I also think if you really wanted to, you could be one hell of a producer. I was there remember, I saw what you did with Hit List. Most importantly though, my book is based on Kyle Bishop."
Derek was stunned, for the second time since his return he was taken back in time to the young writer. "What do you mean?"
"I loved the time I spent working with Kyle and I grew to care about him as if he were a little brother. In trying to help him organize his thoughts, I gave Kyle a journal. A week before he died, he gave me the journal and asked if I could read over an idea he had for a new book. I never got to go over my thoughts with him and when I tried to give the book to his family; they said it would mean the world to Kyle if I kept it and if something he wrote inspired me all the better."
"The story was good then?" the director questioned.
"It was but I don't want to use his version I want to portray the story I discovered within it. You see when Kyle gave the journal I promised I wouldn't read anything but the story. A few weeks after his death I picked the journal up to put away and I something drew me to open it. I started to read his thoughts and I discovered that story he wrote, whether he realized it or not; was really about his feelings for Jimmy."
"What do you mean?"
"The story Kyle wrote was about a young woman who fell for a guy who wasn't interested in her. She is convinced she can change his mind so she starts to study the people around him to learn what it is that attracts him to them. It's funny, its dark and its tragic."
"He was writing about Karen?" Derek inquired.
"That's what I thought but when I read Kyle's journal entries, I realized it he was writing about himself. There is an entry right before the story begins where he describes how hurt he was by an accusation Jimmy made. Jimmy was apparently upset at you for a change you made in the play and he accuses Kyle of agreeing with you because he too is jealous of his relationship with Karen."
"I don't understand, you mean Kyle cared for Jimmy as more than a friend?"
"Yes, I'm not saying he didn't consider Jimmy his brother because he did; but Kyle also loved Jimmy as the partner he could never have. And it was this deeper love that constantly made him overlook all of Jimmy's faults. All he ever longed for was Jimmy's approval until one day he finally takes a stand. I want to tell that story but I want to tell it from a girlfriend's perspective. How she feels threatened by Kyle's relationship with of her man's best friend. "
Derek's interest was piqued. "I'll read it when I get home and I get back to you. Do you mind if Karen reads it as well."
"Of course not; I use no one's real name and only you know my inspiration. Thank you for doing this," Julia replied.
The rest of lunch is spent catching up. Julia tells Derek about her new boyfriend and she accepts an invitation to join Derek and Karen for dinner at his new home later that night. Derek said his goodbyes and headed over to pick up Kyle from the sitter. He thought it would be best to get the boy now seeing as he had to prepare for dinner later. He sent Karen a text hoping it would be alright and was pleasantly surprised when she responded almost instantly saying she couldn't wait to see Julia again. She also thanked him for thinking of Kyle and ended the text with I love you. Seeing those three little words, Derek was on cloud nine. Without hesitation he responded I love you more. When he didn't receive an immediate response to his reply; Derek worried he had miss understood the context of her words. His worry was quashed however when the beep of his phone revealed a message from Karen that contained a simple smiley face with a heart next to it.