Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
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?
I stand, and the dog follows me over to the sink while I wash my coffee cup. Through the window, I see Nate outside in the shed, moving rocks. MOVING ROCKS! Good grief, we’re back in the Stone Age, literally. Sir, you have legions of fans desperate for you to churn out written words—a book, your grocery list, anything—and you’re making a rock stack?!
I need a distraction.
How is it only 9:15 a.m.? It’s going to be a long day.
I wish I had other work to do, something to busy myself with. This is my only assignment, my sole job, and now that I’m actually trying to do it, I understand why InkWell didn’t overload my plate with anything else. They’re in a desperate position. They need Nate to come around. They need that third book.
I wish I could write the damn book for him. I love to write, but his readers would notice the difference. Nate’s voice is so unique, colloquial and fun, even when it comes to the esoteric science aspects of his books. I’d botch it, and that would somehow be worse than this. I would go down in history as the woman who ruined the Cosmos trilogy. There’d be no coming back from that.
I just wish he would open up to me a little more, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Not if he’s going to leave the second we start discussing what really matters.
On the bright side, the sun is shining and a lot of the snow that’s been coating the ground the last two days has melted off. I think it’ll be a warm day by North England standards, so I’m going out on a walk. If I make it to town, great. If I get lost, oh well. Anything is better than staying in this cottage cooped up with Nate’s anger stifling the place.
I invite the dog and the cat to come with me. The dog plops down in front of the fire, and the cat doesn’t even look at me. I’m on my own.
I tuck my laptop and my phone in a small bag, that way if I make it to town, I can touch base with my family and check in with the rest of the world.
If Nate sees me leave, he doesn’t call out to me. I loop around the front of the cottage and head toward town with a confident raised chin and no-nonsense pace. It’s a long walk, especially without music or an audiobook to keep me company. Alone with my thoughts? No thank you!
Immediately, my mind jumps back to the haircut: Nate’s scent…his blue gaze following my every move…his clenched jaw.
Enough of that! I tell myself. I’m exploring the English countryside! I’m going on an adventure!
Never mind that it’s slightly colder than I first anticipated and this godforsaken puffer jacket is the worst article of clothing I’ve ever purchased. It’s fine though. I only have nearly fifty minutes to go. Nate said it’s an hour’s walk into town, right?
What else can I think about aside from Nate’s fantastic body?
Oh right! My future with Andrew. There’s a safe space to dwell in. I can picture exactly what he’s up to today—or will be up to once the sun rises in New York. He’ll brew his morning cup and start mainlining it before he showers. He’ll pick from an array of button-down shirts hanging in his closet and choose the least outlandish one, all white or one with subtle blue stripes. He’ll be the first one in the office and he’ll be the last one to leave. He’ll order takeout for dinner, maybe that Italian place around the corner from his apartment or, if he’s willing to go slightly out of his way, Thai Fresh.