Page 28 of Fighting Words

Black House is InkWell’s biggest competitor. I still can’t believe Elaine jumped ship and joined the enemy.

I clear my throat and look at a spot just over Summer’s shoulder. “Yes, right. Without getting into the gritty details of all that, Elaine was by my side through the first two books. She had a huge hand in my success.”

Summer nods eagerly as if I’m going to continue on. I’m not. Surely the ten minutes is up.

I scoot back my chair.

“So what? She’s gone and you need a new editor. InkWell has sent quite a few your way, right? Noel and Kent, and who was the other one?” She’s rushing now, trying to keep me hooked on her line.

“Suzanne,” I supply.

“Suzanne. And now me.”

“And now you. Time’s up.”

I take a last big gulp of coffee as I stand and take it to the sink.

“What do you mean time’s up?Nate!We have to work.”

“No, actually we don’t. Not today.”

I head toward the back door. I don’t have a specific task on my agenda, but around here, there’s always something that needs doing, even in the dead of winter. Upkeep on a place like this is a full-time job. At least, I make it one. That way I can avoid the big looming problem hanging over my head. The problem Summer seems so intent on fixing.

“I have a supervisor, you know. People who want to know how I’m spending my time! I can’t just hang out in this cottage all day, wiling away my life like—”

I turn around and aim daggers at her. “Like me?”

She gulps and looks down. I know she regrets her words, but they’re already out there, a bullet flying through the air.

“Seriously, just…sit down.” Her tone is gentle now; she’s trying to salvage this. “Let’s figure this out.”

“What do you not understand?!”

“Nothing apparently!” She explodes, matching my energy. “You make no sense! You blew up at me the other day about the fan mail. Is it the pressure from the readers? Because if it is, we can—”

I don’t let her finish the sentence. I whip open the door and leave without even grabbing my coat. I don’t care to go back and get it. I don’t even feel the chill anyway. I’d rather sit out in my shed all day than confront the conversation Summer’s trying to have with me. I won’t do it. I’ll call Patrick. God, the temptation is there. It’d be so easy to walk away. I could tear up the contract and pay back the advance. I haven’t touched the money. In fact, I’ve kept it in a high-yield savings account that’s been earning me interest. What do I need with more millions?

I’m not here now, suffering in this position, because of the money. It’s the rest of it, the deep-down desire to finish something I’ve started. I don’t want to walk away. I don’t want to leave this trilogy hanging over my head for the rest of my life, and while I know I don’t owe my readers anything, I still feel beholden to them. They trusted me when I was a nobody, they took a chance on my first book, and I want to give them the conclusion they deserve. But not today.

CHAPTER 10

SUMMER

“Can you believe that?”

I puff out an indignant sigh like,How dare he?!

Then, once my temper cools a little, I add another question. “Was I too hard on him?”

I’m talking to the sheepdog and fully expecting that he’ll reply. He came over after Nate fled outside and dropped his head on my lap. He’s looking up at me with his big chocolate brown eyes, and I think he’s trying to apologize on behalf of his friend.

“I’m not evil, you know. I’m not intentionally trying to rile him up. I just have to do this. I have to work. I have a lot riding on this.”

It’s actually nice to air some of my grievances out loud. I should call Cat down here too, get a real audience going, maybe take a vote on what I should do.

“I’ve never met a man like him,” I tell the dog. “So hot and cold. I mean, he was so gentle and sweet when I was cutting his hair. But then the second I bring up the book, WHAM!” The dog startles at my loud voice, and I console him with a few pats on his head. “Game over.”

Now what?

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