Page 68 of Paper Hearts & Plot Twists

The three of them got some food and drinks and settled at one of the tables, where they’d be most comfortable eating. The game hadn’t started yet, so they weren’t missing anything, and the TVs would show them anything on the field for the pregame.

“So Miles, now that we’re settled, are you going to tell us what’s wrong?” Patty asked.

“Why do you think something’s wrong?” he asked, immediately on the defensive.

“Because I know my son.”

Miles blew out a deep breath in consternation. “Yes, something’s wrong, but I was hoping to get my mind off it.”

“Obviously that isn’t working,” Mason mocked. “So you might as well talk about it with us.”

Miles sighed. He didn’t want to talk about it, but they weren’t wrong. He explained his situation with Emily, how they’d had their instant connection, and how their fake dating romance had turned into a real-life connection. He told about their long-distance dating, about how disastrously that was going lately. At the end of it he stared into his beer before he said, “So what do I do?”

“Well you certainly can’t let that connection slip away,” his mom said with a resolved nod.

“She really is one of a kind,” Mason agreed. “You’d be an idiot to let her slip away.”

“We can’t be having that,” Miles said, rolling his eyes.

“I’m being serious,” Mason said, punching Miles’s shoulder. “She’s good for you. You need to figure it out.”

“I know,” Miles murmured. “But how?”

“You’re smart, you’ll figure out what you need to do,” Patty responded. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Now let’s cheer for your brother’s friend. He’s such a darling boy.” Miles rolled his eyes but nodded, feeling lighter than he’d felt in weeks.

Chapter 47

The bus, moving at a snail’s pace, was crowded beyond measure. Emily hunched down into her corner, trying to avoid contact with the seemingly hundreds of other riders. She swiped to her phone messaging, where a new notification had just popped up.

Where are you? Dinner’s Ready!

Emily rolled her eyes. Uncle Joel was such a worrywart. She quickly replied, letting him know work had gone a bit late and she was still fifteen minutes out.

She turned to her personal email account, and started going through the day’s emails. Lots of things to delete, notifications from Victoria Secret, Amazon, and Fabletics among others. She blinked when she saw an email from someone she didn’t recognize, with a header marked Poetry Inquiry.

Emily opened the email, shock flooding her.

Dear Emily Parker,

Subject: Acceptance of Manuscript - Whispers of the Heart

I’m delighted to inform you that after careful consideration, Orison Books has decided to accept your manuscript, “Whispers of the Heart,” for publication. We believe your work exemplifies the kind of unique and engaging poetic form that our readers appreciate.

Your narrative demonstrates a remarkable blend of innovation that captivated our editorial team. We’re confident your poetry will resonate with our audience and make a meaningful contribution to our literary collection.

The publication process will now commence, and our editorial team will work closely with you to ensure that your book reaches its full potential. Our production schedule will be shared with you shortly, outlining the key milestones and deadlines.

Please find attached a detailed contract outlining the terms of our agreement. Kindly review the document thoroughly and feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

We’re enthusiastic about collaborating with you and look forward to bringing your literary vision to life. Thank you for entrusting Orison Books with your work, and we anticipate a successful and rewarding partnership.

Congratulations once again on this significant achievement. We’re eager to embark on this exciting journey with you.

Sincerely,

Clarissa Mallard

Acquisition Manager

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