Jane came around to join me in the chat. “Dragons aren’t really part of the story.”
Kristin grinned. “That’s just the thing, though, right? No one would expect it. Everyone would just be going along, living their lives, and then—boom!—the rightful king shows up on a dragon.”
I looked at my editor, who’d had my back creatively since we started working together over a decade ago. “Ingrid?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I think you should consider it.”
Consider dragons. I’d already done that. I’d considered dragons back when I started writing this series over twenty years ago and when Kevin told me a few weeks ago that I had to. I’d considered them, and I’d consciously and purposefully decided against them. When I went to cons around the country, my fans told me that they loved the series because of its grounding in reality. If I added dragons, they’d hate me more than after the infamous viral video.
“And if I don’t want to consider it?” I asked.
Dave and Kristin shared a look. “We’re going to go ahead and add dragons anyway,” Dave said. “It’s what the studio wants.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. What was I even doing here?
“We’ll obviously need these edits ASAP,” Kristin said. “Maybe we can meet before the premiere party to discuss the first act, which is most important to us now, but we can give you through the holidays to finish the rest of the manuscript.” She checked her phone. “How does Monday the fourth sound?”
Monday, January 4th. They needed me to completely overhaul my five-hundred-page book, the book I’d practically killed myself to finish, in less than two weeks. Even thinking about it made me want to curl up into a ball. Not to mention, this would completely ruin my final days with Dani.
But it was my book, my job, and I owed it to myself and the fans to give it a fair shot.
“Sure,” I said. “I will include dragons.”
“Really, Matt?” Dave asked.
Jane shook her head in disbelief. “What are you doing?” she mouthed.
My agent said, “Matty’s a quick worker, and these are only a few little changes.”
They weren’t, though, were they? They never were. Pulling one thread loosened another, which loosened another and another, until I basically had to start from scratch.
But I was M.C. Bradford, and I wouldn’t let anyone down. Not this time. “Yes,” I said, ignoring the very large pit of dread in my stomach. “I can get it done.”
Again, Dave and Kristin looked at each other. “Okay, if you think you can finish it by the fourth, great.”
“And if I don’t?” I asked. “Only hypothetically, of course.”
“If you don’t, you don’t,” Dave said, shrugging. “We’ll go ahead and film our own version of the story.”
“You can’t do that,” I said, my stomach dropping to my knees.
“They can, Matty,” Kevin said. “It’s in the contract.”
“But it’s my story,” I said.
“It’s our story,” Kristin said, her face brightening into a smile that was supposed to be cheery and comforting but came out as a threat, like a dog baring its teeth as a warning. “It belongs to all of us. You gave us a great foundation, Matt, and we’ll be good stewards of your work. You can trust us.”
I could trust them to add dragons to my carefully crafted dragon-free universe. They were going to ruin my life’s work. They were going to take it and box it up into a generic fantasy world that was a dime a dozen on TV these days.
But not without me. They would not take my creation away from me without me putting up a fight. I’d have to add dragons, yes, but they’d be there on my terms. “Okay.” I nodded. “January fourth. I’ll get it done.”
Before anyone could say another word, I hit the button to end the meeting and shut the lid on Jane’s laptop.
I stood and told her, “No distractions. I mean it.”
Chapter Fourteen
Dani
I didn’t see Matt again after he left to talk to the TV people. He went right to his office after the meeting ended and closed the door, and I got to work getting the house ready for the party and making food in the kitchen.
Late in the afternoon, armed with a fresh cup of tea, I hovered near his door, listening. I couldn’t even hear the click-clack of keys through the wall.
“He’s in there for the long haul,” Jane whispered as she came up the stairs.
Having been caught in the act of loitering, I pulled my ear away from the door and stood up straight, feigning like I’d been about to head back to the kitchen. “Oh, I was just—”
She shook her head, weary, and motioned for me to follow her to the end of the hall, away from Matt’s door. “He’s in full writing mode and has asked that no one bother him until he’s done.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“He received some tough news this afternoon, and he needs to be left alone with his manuscript,” she whispered.
“But he already turned it in,” I said.
“They have notes.” She rolled her eyes. “Now he’s in there trying to fix as much as he can before they all get here for the premiere.”
“Oh, no!” I glanced back at his door. He’d been so relieved to be done. Now he was back in his office, pounding out more words. “What can I do?”
“Just let him write,” Jane said, raising her hands to the sides of her head. “He’s got to keep his head down, blinders on.”
“I swear.” I said, “I will not bother him. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
Weary, Jane shook her head. “Just keep working on the premiere party.”
As she headed back down the hall and downstairs, I glanced again at Matt’s door, worried about him. He’d gotten bad news, which meant this wasn’t the time to hole up in a small, dark room, alone. He needed someone to talk to, to bounce ideas off, someone who’d be there for him with two welcoming ears. I understood that he needed to write, obviously he did, but he wasn’t a supercomputer. He had to take breaks and get exercise, generally care for himself. He would need to blow off some steam.
But it wasn’t my place to butt in. He’d come find me, if and when he wanted to unload.
I went back down to the kitchen and continued my work, cleaning up, getting breakfast ready for tomorrow. At six o’clock, I left a tray of food outside his door with a brief note of support hidden under his plate. Jane stood at the top of the stairs, watching me, probably making sure I didn’t try any funny business. Then, satisfied I wasn’t about to go rogue and knock on his door, she beckoned me to follow her back to the first floor. “Time to go,” she said, standing next to the front door.