“Mom, I told you that I’m seeing Tide, but besides him, I would also like to bring a couple of friends with us.”
“Do you think that’s smart with Josh coming?” she asks, and I grit my teeth.
“If you’re worried about Josh’s feelings, Mom, I won’t come.”
“Don’t be dramatic, Aria.” Right, because I’m the dramatic one. “Bring your friends. Just make sure they know they have to dress appropriately.”
Damn, I forgot all about the fact that the party is an event where people dress up and show off. I don’t know if Tide has ever worn anything other than jeans a day in his life, which means he might be pissed about the news he has to wear a suit. “I’ll make sure they know.”
“Then we will see you there. Have a good evening.” She hangs up, and when the line goes dead, I wonder if I’ve ever heard my mom tell me that she loves me. I don’t think I have, and the only time my father has said it is when he’s been drinking, and he’d say it to just about anyone when he’s drunk. With an empty feeling in the pit of my stomach, I push away from my desk and take my cell with me to the kitchen. I grab a cup of coffee before I head out to the front porch, needing some fresh air to help clear my mind. Reading a historical romance on the Kindle app on my phone, I smile when my agent’s name suddenly pops up on the screen with a text asking if I can talk. I reply back that I can, and a moment later, my phone rings.
“Do you have good news for me?” I ask as soon as I answer.
“No, I have good news and really, really good news.” Her excitement is audible, and since Rachel is always pretty mellow, even when calling to tell me that she’s gotten me a six-figure deal, I know whatever news she has must be big. “Do you have your e-mail available?”
“I do.”
“Look at what I just sent you.” I put the call on speaker then go to my e-mail, and when I see the outline of the offer she sent over, my heart flutters. The advance is way more than they offered me last time I signed with them, which means they believe in my new series. “What do you think of their offer?”
“I think I accept.” I smile.
“Now for the better news, my beautiful girl.” I hear her moving around then a door closes. “Are you sitting down?”
“Yes.”
“Paramount made an offer this morning. They want to bring The Winds to the big screen as a three-part series, and if you agree, they plan to start filming late next year.”
“What?” My heart starts to pound as adrenalin rushes through my system, making my hands shake. “You’re joking.”
“I never joke, Aria, and I definitely would never joke about something like this.”
“I don’t know what to say.” I think every single author dreams of having one of their stories brought to life, and knowing the talent in the industry, I never believed it would happen to me.
“There is nothing for you to say. All you need to do is sign the contracts when I send them over, and we’ll go from there.”
“Thank you, Rachel. You’re a miracle worker.”
“Aria, this wasn’t me making calls and pushing your book. This was all you. They read your story, loved it, and wanted to work with you. Like I said when I came to you years ago, I know you’re talented and that there are going to be a lot of great things in your future as an author. I’m just lucky you’ve brought me along on your journey.”
Tears fill my eyes, and I fight them back, at a loss for words. Rachel has been in my corner since before I ever released my first book, and even if she thinks she has nothing to do with my success, I know differently. She’s well known in the industry, and people respect her and value her opinion. So even if she didn’t push my book to Paramount, I know they saw her name and took that into consideration. “I love you.”
“Ditto, beautiful girl, and I can’t wait to go on set with you to drool over whoever they cast as Hyde,” she says, and I picture her with her overly large glasses, with her long grey hair in a bun that is a drastic difference from the very bohemian outfits she tends to wear, standing on set and flirting with some teenage movie star.
“I’ll make sure to take photos for you so you can share them with Charles,” I say, and she snorts. Charles, her son, is turning seventeen this year. She had him when she turned forty, and he hates when she embarrasses him, especially when she flirts, which she does a lot. Thankfully, her husband, Charles Sr., just thinks it’s funny.
“For the chance to be on the set of a movie, he might forgive me,” she says with a smile in her voice, then continues. “We’ll talk tomorrow afternoon when I get the finalized contracts. I’m sure we we’ll have more to discuss, but until then, enjoy your night, and make sure you celebrate.”
“That I will do,” I tell her, watching Tide’s truck pull in the driveway.
“I get the feeling I need to ask you what that happiness in your voice is about, but we will have to talk about that later. I have work to do.”
Laughing, I shake my head. “Goodnight, Rachel.
“Night, we’ll talk soon.” She hangs up, and I tuck my phone into my cardigan pocket when I stand.
“Is everything all right?” Tide asks, getting out of the truck, and I don’t even think. I skip down the steps and run across the dirt driveway, and as soon as I’m close to him, I jump into his arms that thankfully open to catch me. “Jesus,” he grunts as I wrap my legs around his hips, and I drop my mouth to his, kissing him quickly before pulling back to grab his face in both my hands.
“I have the best news.”
“Yeah?” He smiles at my excitement, and I nod. “Did you finally get the offer you’ve been waiting for?”
“I did.” He places me on my feet, and I tip my head back to look at him. “But Paramount called, and they want to turn my first series into a three-part movie.”
“You’re shitting me.” He looks stunned, and I laugh, resting my hands against his chest.
“Are you okay?”
“I should say I’m shocked, but I’ve finished the first two books and just started the third, so I’m honestly not even a little surprised.”
“You’ve been reading my books?” I breathe, my chest feeling funny as I rest my weight against him. My ex never read any of my books, and my parents sure as heck have never picked one of them up, so it means more than he even knows that he has taken the time to read them. And he isn’t doing it because he thinks it will impress me; he’s doing it just because he wants to.
“You’re talented, baby. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get into them because Dean Koontz is normally my jam when I have time to read, but I’ve found myself wanting to find out what’s going to happen next and enjoying the series.”
I lean up on my tiptoes to press my mouth to his, and his arms circle my waist as he deepens the kiss. Panting when he pulls back, I let my forehead drop to his chin and link my fingers together behind his neck. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asks quietly, dipping his chin so his lips rest against the top of my head.
“For just being you,” I tell him, wishing I could make him understand how easy happy is when I’m with him.