Page 31 of Bookworm and the Beast
I bit back a grin. “No, that was strictly for your benefit. I do call her ‘ma’am,’ though. Old habits die hard. By the way, what did you discuss for so long with my housekeeper?”
“Our families,” she said.
I didn’t necessarily like the sound of that—Mrs. Potts considered me family as much as I did her.
I was prevented from getting into it further when the lady in question entered the room. Mrs. Potts winked at me, signed on her designated line, compressed the corner of the contract in her notary seal, then scurried away, leaving me alone with Bonnie, who was pulling something out of her purse.
“What’s that?” I asked, eyeing the device with suspicion.
“Just a recorder. This will make sure I quote you exactly without leaving anything out or adding any words to yours. Much more effective than taking notes,” she explained. “I want to be as accurate as possible.”
That was a good thing, I supposed. I took one of the leather club chairs opposite the one where she sat. We were in front of the library’s fireplace, which at the moment, was dark. Maybe I should have Phoebe come and light it, warm Bonnie up, so to speak. Maybe a little ambience would make her go easy on me.
“Okay, ready?” she asked and fired the first question. “Tell me about the Book Seven outline leak. What was that like for you?”
Oof. Right for the jugular. No, this lady was not going to take it easy on me—not after the first impression I’d made.
I cleared my throat then huffed a laugh. “That happens to be my least favorite subject of all time. Would it be possible to maybe… ease into this thing? I’ve never been particularly good at interviews, and I haven’t done any at all for the past few years, so I’m sort of out of practice.”
Her expression lightened instantly. “Of course.”
Relaxing back into her chair, she looked up and to the side, seeming to search for an idea. Then her gaze drifted down to the old books that held such obvious fascination for her.
“Is this where you write?” she asked. “At that desk?”
“In here? No. Not in here. Not once. In fact, this room intimidates the hell out of me.”
She looked bemused. “Really?”
I nodded, completely serious. “It’s filled with the classics. So many great, important words. Mine feel trite by comparison. I don’t spend much time in here at all, actually.”
Her perceptive eyes lasered to mine. “I have an idea. Why don’t we go for a walk?”
“A walk?”
“Yes, around your property. Mrs. Potts gave me a tour of the house earlier, but only the inside.”
I rose from my chair. “Sure. Yeah, we could do that.”
A walk outside sounded like a brilliant idea. Maybe the fresh air and sunshine would help clear the mass of anxiety sitting on my chest.
Getting Bonnie to agree to stay for the interview had been a minor battle. I’d prevailed, but the war was far from over, and the tide had turned.
Now she was the one with all the weapons.
Chapter Ten
Secret Garden
Bonnie
It was a perfect Autumn afternoon, warm with a nice ocean breeze and blue sunlit skies stretching overhead.
But the walk idea was about more than enjoying the weather. Jack had been so uptight back in the library I’d felt like an executioner rather than an interviewer.
He really was fearful about doing the interview for some reason. I’d begun to despair I’d never get any good quotes out of him.
Hopefully being outdoors in the beautiful natural surroundings and cheerful sunshine would relax him. It certainly was working for me.
