Page 70 of Cleats and Pumps

I looked up the requirements for submitting, wrote the query letter, did a quick bio and synopsis of the autobiography, and sent it to the three publishers who would probably recognize my name.

“Well, I did it,” I said when Amos flopped his sweaty body on the couch. It was around two in the morning, which meant he’d gone out with the crew after the show to drink and party before coming home.

They didn’t do that often, but sometimes they went on Saturday night after the last show of the week.

“You sent it to a publisher?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, and now we wait.”

He got up and pulled me into a hug. “Honey, I’m so proud of you. Of course, they’ll want it. Who, in their right mind, wouldn’t want to hear about the excellent Amos Clark?”

“God, your ego…” I said, causing him to tickle me.

Before I knew it, he swooped me up into his arms and rushed with me back to our bedroom. How he had this much energy after a show of dancing in high-heel boots, I’d never know, but as his tongue wrapped around my cock, I forgot that I cared.

The next day, when we finally got up to get the day going, I had three emails on my computer. All three of the publishers I’d reached out to wanted the book. All three had said yes in one day!

Of course I knew it was because of Amos— the tell-all, more than my writing. Still, I was going to become a published author. I told them I needed to know what they were offering and admitted I had reached out to others.

Luckily, one of Josiah’s coworkers did publishing law and had even been a literary agent at one time. He represented me and got me the best deal with an absolutely amazing company. I couldn’t believe my luck. Well, okay, more than luck. It still felt more than a little surreal.

52

Amos

ThreeweeksafterTommysigned a deal with a publishing company, he got a phone call from a guy he’d met through Anton Wagner. It was a Monday morning, and I had just gotten up and made us both pancakes when the phone rang—a feat I was rather proud of, considering I had only started cooking since Tommy had moved in.

Tommy answered and put it on speaker, I think so he could keep eating. “Hello?”

“Hey, Tommy, it’s Orion Mattingly. Do you have a moment to meet this morning? I wanted to talk to you about a job I have lined up.”

“Sure, Orion. Um, we’re about to dive into breakfast. Want to meet for coffee later?” he asked.

“That’s perfect. Let’s say tenish at the coffeeshop near the theater?”

“Yeah, great. Oh, do you mind if I bring Amos? He and I have to go shopping later, and it’d be easier if I brought him along.”

Orion snickered. “That’s probably a great idea. See you at ten.”

“You have a job interview?” I asked. “Why would you bring me on a job interview?”

“No, of course not. Orion is the owner ofProudest. He’s probably wanting an article or maybe, if I’m lucky, a series of articles for the magazine. It’s not a big deal. Now, tell me about your mom. She’s coming back to New York? Any idea what she wants to do?”

The rest of the morning was like that. Him and me, enjoying a day together. I knew he was restless. Tommy wasn’t the kind of guy to sit around idly. He liked to work, to write.

I’d been trying to get him to start another book, but he’d made it clear he was a journalist, not an author. I just wished he could find his way, and soon.

We ended up walking over to the coffee shop, enjoying a leisurely morning stroll. Just the two of us… and millions of New Yorkers, of course.

I’d seen Orion talking with Anton a few times at the theater, but I’d never met him in person. He greeted me and shook my hand before we went to get our coffee orders in. When we came back, Orion was smiling.

“This is fortuitous, Amos… you being able to join us,” he said as soon as we sat down.

“Oh?” I asked, my eyebrow cocking.

“Yes. Tommy, I have a fairly significant proposal to ask of you.”

Tommy nodded and took a drink of his coffee. I could tell he wasn’t really taking this seriously.

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