Better Than the Movies

I have a nerd-level fascination with movie soundtracks.

that soap or deodorant?”

His big hand landed on the shifter, and his eyebrows crinkled when he looked over at me. “Pardon?”

“You smell really good, but it isn’t your usual scent.”

He didn’t put the car in drive but instead just looked at me. “My usual scent?”

“Don’t act like I’m weird. Your normal cologne is kind of, like, piney, but tonight you smell more… I don’t know… spicy.” The image of him shirtless and putting on deodorant popped into my head, and I cleared my throat, sending it away.

His voice was deep and kind of rumbly as he gave a throaty chuckle. “Holy shit, Liz Buxbaum knows my scent.”

He looked at me and shrugged like that explained everything.

“But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.”

“If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.”

—Love Actually

“Enemies-to-lovers—it’s our trope, Buxbaum.”

“You poor, confused little love lover

“She’s not you.”

“What?”

“She. Isn’t. You.”

Yes, I had an outrageously unrealistic optimistic nature.

I made you cry.” He looked away, but I caught a glimpse of his clenched jaw. It was almost like it mattered to him that he’d upset me.

Like, ‘Oh, these two are so different and hate each other so much, but—wait. Are they so different after all?’ ”

“Enemies-to-lovers. It’s a classic trope.”