“Is it the one I’ve read most of?” He asked. “Uncontrollable Love?”
I nodded, trying to downplay it. I wasn’t sure of the title, or at least, Gloria didn’t seem to be impressed by it. She said it was too prose. “That’s the text. We might change the title. Gloria Sussex hates it, and bashing it is pretty much the only feedback I’ve gotten from her so far. I don’t think she’s read much of it.”
“She had to have looked at it to offer to represent you. Or, she could have pawned you off on a more junior agent.” It seemed like Luke was working through his own, somewhat removed thoughts.
“She read a few chapters.” I shrugged, and could see he was wondering the true nature of my relationship with the professor, so I kept talking. “She trusts Dr. Michael’s opinion, I guess.”
It seemed to pacify Luke. “It’s incredible he’s behind you. If you weren’t such a great writer, I’d be pissed. I really need your help, Addy. I can take you over there, we can drop off whatever you need to and then find somewhere to work. Deal?”
He looked so boyish and eager; I couldn’t say no, but I’d keep my remarks to leading him in the right direction. “Okay, sure.”
His eyes lit up with a smile. “Great! Let’s go!”
It wasn’t five minutes later, and we both had our stuff shoved back into our book bags, our coats on, and coffee in hand then rushing out of the coffee shop, into his beat-up old Mustang and headed across town to Gloria’s office in heavy traffic. Luke wanted to know how the contract came about and how I’d met Gloria and I gave him a watered-down version of it.
“Dr. Michael’s liked my first assignment, asked to see me and said I had potential. Then he arranged a meeting with Gloria. I had to keep it quiet because, obviously, he can’t do that for everyone.”
“Obviously,” he answered wryly. “Most don’t have your talent!”
“I was flattered, for sure. Hopeful and unbelieving.” I was still embarrassed that Jax had singled me out. He had convinced me that I had potential, however, part of me still wasn’t sure that Jax would have done so much for me if we weren’t involved.
“No shit! I would have been speechless!” He laughed happily. “Maybe when you’re big and famous, you can get her to read one of my manuscripts; provided it doesn’t suck ass.”
“You’re too hard on yourself,” I admonished.
Luke was driving around the block, dealing with the one-way streets and looking for a place to park. “Jesus, this is going to be impossible, Addy.”
“Yeah, I should have walked; that was my original plan.”
He looked defeated. “I could drop you off, but I had hoped to go in with you. I wanted to see the inside of the office.”
“I’m not going to meet with Gloria or anything, Luke. I’m just running this in and dropping it with the receptionist.” I held up the yellow envelope I’d just removed from my backpack.
In that second, Luke came upon someone leaving their metered parking space along the sidewalk. “Look!” he said. “It’s fate!”
My lips pressed together in a half-assed smile. I mean, what could I say without letting him see how reluctant I was to have him go with me. “Yay!” I said, without feeling it.
“This is exciting!” he said.
“There are still a few minutes on the meter. That should be enough,” I said, leaving my book bag on the floorboard and opening the passenger side door.
Luke got out and came around, digging in his pocket for his wallet and opening it. “I can swipe my card. Maybe we’ll get lucky?” He smiled wide.
Ugh. I did not need this complication, and I could already hear Jax’s annoyed tone in my head. “Gloria is super busy. Honestly, it’s not necessary, Luke.”
He shrugged sadly, shoving the wallet into in his back pocket. “Okay. I guess just being in the same space as some of the greats will have to do.”
He followed me the few doors down and into the lobby of the building.
“This is fantastic,” he muttered, looking around.
I reached out to push the elevator button. The silver doors slid open and a man and woman got out. The man held the door for us, and we thanked him.
I held my breath, praying Gloria wouldn’t be in reception or come out of her office.
I moved fast when we’d reached the agency office. Stella was sitting at her desk and looked up when I opened the glass doors leading inside. “Hi, Stella.”
“Here is the contract!” I smiled and the corners of her lips lifted in response.
“Thank you! Gloria will be happy! She’s been waiting for it.” Her eyes flew to Luke. “Who’s this?” she asked.
“Yes, who’s this handsome young man?” Gloria’s voice called from around the corner, waltzing down the hallway toward us. Decked out in another all-black suit but this time paired with a magenta blouse. Luke’s eyes widened when he took in her elegant form.
I inwardly groaned as Luke ate up the attention. This would mean Jax would be told that I’d brought Luke into the agency office.
“Stella, Gloria, this is my friend, Luke.”
“Hi, Luke,” Stella beamed.
“Luke…” Gloria slowly extended her hand in his direction. “Jax’s T.A. from Columbia?”
His expression lit up, clearly pleased she’d heard of him. “Yes, ma’am. I’m so pleased to meet you. You’re a legend.”
“Let’s not go overboard, honey” Gloria mocked wryly, though clearly, she was eating up the attention. “Are you a writer, too?”
“Yes. I’m working on something actually,” Luke answered. Exuberance emanated from every exited pore.
“Well, working under Jax is a start,” she said, looking pointedly at me. What a bitch, I thought, my breath leaving my chest.
“We don’t mean to interrupt your day, Gloria. I dropped the contract with Stella. We’ll be going now.” I grabbed Luke’s arm, my fingers curling around the fabric of his coat and giving a light tug. “See ya!”
“Wait! What’s your hurry, Addy?” Gloria halted me before I could turn away.
“Luke has plans, and he drove me. It was cold out.” I was rambling, my mind racing to figure out how to get the hell out of there and then call Jax to tell him before Gloria did. Surely, she’d be on the phone before the elevator hit the first floor, and so fast it would make my head spin.
“I see,” Gloria stated, her eyebrow shooting up as she made eye contact with me.
Shit. I was doomed.
“Luke, will you be contacting Jax? Can you come in a minute?”
“Gloria,” I began, protesting.
“What?” she asked innocently. “His publisher at S & S sent something over for him and it would be a big help if you’d get it to him. If you can hold on just a few minutes?”
Jax is in the Smokey Mountains, so is Luke supposed to catch a cab to Tennessee, now? I wondered, annoyed.
“It’s okay, Addy,” Luke smiled at the other two women. “I mean, I’d love to check out the books in the library, at least. Just for a minute.”
“Oh, sure, look around. I just thought that if Luke is sending mail to Jax, I might as well just toss this in?”