Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 83602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83602 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“I was just very emotional at that moment, especially after reading your book all day. Every feeling including my biggest fear came pouring out.”
Elec took the ice cream from my hands and put it aside. He placed his hands on my cheeks. “There was never any contest. I loved Chelsea, but it was by default. I love you so much more. Every second I was with you again, I had to constantly reassure myself that I loved Chelsea, which is not something that you should have to do. My feelings for you were so powerful that they scared the shit out of me. The second I got on that plane, I knew I was really going back to California to end things with Chelsea. That was the right thing.”
“You hurt her pretty badly, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. She didn’t deserve it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It would have been worse if we were engaged or married because I’m not sure the outcome could have been any different. It wouldn’t have been fair to stay with her and love you like I do in secret.”
“I feel like I know exactly how she must be feeling right now.”
“Yeah, you probably do. A part of me will always feel horrible about hurting her, but there was no way to avoid that. It took me several days after I got back to figure out how best to explain everything to her because I wanted to be honest about you. I didn’t do it immediately, but I never slept with her again; you need to know that. I made up excuses. The bottom line is, I didn’t want to come back here to you until I no longer had any baggage and until you knew everything about my past. So after I moved out of Chelsea’s, I spent a lot of time working on the book until I got it to a point where I was comfortable with you reading it.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me.”
He kissed me. “I love you so much, Greta.”
“I love you, too.”
“I’m not going back to California.”
“What? Not even to get your stuff?”
“No. I put it all in storage. Mami is doing okay for now. We need to go out there soon to visit, though.”
“We?”
I wanted to meet Pilar about as much as Dorothy wanted to meet the Wicked Witch of the West.
“Yes. I already told her about you. She didn’t take it well at first, but I explained to her how much I love you and that she needs to accept it. She will, Greta. And if she doesn’t, it wouldn’t matter anymore.”
“I hope so. ”
“I needed to find another job because I quit the youth center after I ended things with Chelsea. So, actually, one of the things I did over the past few days was interview at a school here in the city last Friday. They offered me a guidance counselor position.”
“Are you kidding?”
“No.”
“Elec, that’s the best news!”
He picked up the ice cream and started eating it again. “I’ll need a place to stay, though. Do you know a girl who needs a roommate?”
“Actually, Sully’s been looking.”
He fed me a spoonful. “I’m talking about another girl. I was kind of thinking of moving in with this beautiful little nymph I know who likes her pussy licked.”
“Oh…she might be interested.”
“Good, because I wasn’t planning on taking no for an answer.” He kissed me with his mouth full of Cherry Garcia ice cream. “Hey…you never explained to me what it is you actually do for a living. You say it’s an administrative position, but what does the company do exactly? Or are you really an FBI agent or something?”
Oh boy. I was surprised it took this long before I had to fess up. There was a reason I never went into it.
“It’s not quite administrative, and you have the agent part right. There’s a reason I’ve been kind of hesitant to tell you. I felt really guilty when we were apart because I wished I could have helped you, actually.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I’m a literary agent, Elec.”
He put the carton down on the end table. “Say what?”
“I represent authors, and I think I could actually help get some of your work published, particularly Lucky and the Lad. I work closely with a major publishing house’s young adult imprint, and I think we should submit it to them.”
“Are you fucking shitting me?”
“I’m dead serious.”
“How did you get into that?”
“Actually, I fell into it. I was looking for a job out of college, started as an intern and worked my way up to an agent position. I’m newer, so my clientele is still growing.”
“Please tell me I’m gonna have to sleep with you to get ahead in my writing career.”
“That’s definitely part of the deal.”
“Wow, in all seriousness, I’m so proud of you.”
“You have no idea how guilty I’ve felt this past year when I’d see writers not nearly as talented as you getting deals and having success. I didn’t know how to contact you or if you’d even want to pursue anything because I knew how private you were about your writing.”