Page 19 of All the Right Words
Harper happened to wake up at five-thirty in the morning. It wasn’t characteristic, but she was stressed. But it was not a bad thing because while she was flicking around on her phone, she checked her emails.
Now, Harper wasn’t into sci-fi as such. She sometimes liked it, and she read it for work, but it was not her go-to genre. But when she started reading, that didn’t matter. Gina’s book was a page-turner. Harper could scarcely believe the skill Gina displayed. It was a story set in a world where dreams could be recorded and replayed, an illegal and dangerous activity that had people addicted. It was a rich and dark world Gina had created. Harper thought it had massive potential. Absolutely the kind of book that could be optioned into a Hollywood blockbuster, which would make the book sales boom and make everyone a ton of money.
But Gina had given up. Harper respected that. Though she had half a mind to beg Gina to let her sign her. But not today. Gina was going to help get Brenda back on track. That was a relief. Harper didn’t feel they could afford to sit back and hope the situation resolved itself.
When it got to a decent hour, she called Brenda. She was suspicious from the off. ‘I don’t need an editor; they’ll just get under my feet. Probably set me back even further.’
‘It’s not an editor. It’s Gina. You know Gina, right?’
‘Gina?’
‘From Parker. You’ve met hermultiple… She’s Olivia’s assistant. We wanted to get you the best. She’s it.’
Brenda tutted. ‘And she’s just going to take notes? I don’t get the point of that. I’m blocked. There’s nothing to note.’
‘I think you just need to talk. I’ve seen this before. Just talk about what you have and see where it takes you.’
Brenda went silent. For her, that was unnerving.
‘Brenda, the world needs your books,’ Harper said. ‘It needs a world to get lost in, a world of suspense and well-plotted thrills. Give them that.’ Harper left it there. Brenda liked a compliment, but she didn’t like to spend too long getting her arse kissed. It set off even her dulled bullshit detectors.
‘Fine. Send her,’ Brenda acquiesced reluctantly.
‘Great. This afternoon?’
‘Well, I’ve got the chiropodist at twelve, but Isupposeshe could come around three. I’m just going to chat with her for ten minutes. That’s it.’
‘Right, sure. Give it ten minutes. If nothing happens, you’ve tried.’
With Brenda squared away, Harper called Olivia’s cell instead of going through the main line. She wanted to talk about Gina, and it felt weird to go through her to do it.
‘Hi!’ said an enthusiastic Olivia.
‘Hi. Is it OK if I call your mobile for business stuff?’
‘Oh. Yes, of course.’
Harper felt the disappointment in her tone. ‘I mean, that’s not the only reason I called you.’
Harper heard the smile in Olivia’s voice. ‘No?’
‘No. I was… I was thinking about what you texted me. And, err, I thought we should do it soon, a second date.’
‘Great, great, great,’ Olivia said. ‘Leave the details to me. I’ll-’
‘Actually, I thought I could arrange it,’ Harper broke in. ‘Take the pressure off you this time. I thought that might have been… Well, I thought that might be nice.’
‘That sounds great. I’ve said that word a lot, haven’t I?’ Olivia said and giggled nervously. Harper liked it. But there was a more pressing issue than flirting. ‘Right, onto the matter at hand,’ Harper said.
‘Yes,’ Olivia replied, her tone dropping into a more business-serious octave. ‘So, Gina.’
‘Gina indeed. What made her change her mind?’
‘I might have given her a little shove,’ Olivia said.
‘Well, I think she reallycouldbe a secret weapon. She seemed concerned you might not be happy to lose her, though.’
‘Don’t worry about that. I’ll be fine. I can make my own coffee,’ Olivia said with a laugh. Then she stopped quickly. ‘I mean, that’s not all she does. Please, don’t tell her I made that joke.’
