myself.”
We declined, but that didn’t stop Felice from pouring herself a glass and drinking half of it before she took down Tyanne’s order.
After paying for her purchase, Tyanne said she’d pick up the wine on Sunday afternoon. We left before the bickering could start up again.
Outside the door we stopped, and I looked at my friend. “Now there’s a happy couple.”
“Giving them the benefit of the doubt,” Tyanne said, “maybe they’re not always this way. Sounds like Claire has done something unusual that’s rocked their world.”
“Claire’s like fifty years old, isn’t she?” I said. “Maybe she wanted to have time off from the parents. Are they the Dubois Vineyards owners?”
“I think so, though I imagine they’ve retired from running the operation themselves.” Tyanne shrugged. “Claire’s dad is really worried about her.”
“I’ll bet Mom knows something about why Claire’s not at work and doesn’t want to tell Dad.”
“That was my take,” Tyanne said. “And now I’d better get back to work myself. I only meant to leave for five minutes.”
“What about the big news?” I asked again.
“Oh, right.” Tyanne’s eyes sparkled. “You won’t believe this.”
“Does it have anything to do with Bobby Joe Flowers’s death?” I said.
“No, but I’m so sorry I forgot to mention that before now. Is everyone holding up okay?”
“Pretty well under the circumstances.” Earlier, I had wanted to know what she’d heard, but I could catch up on that later. For now I was more interested in her news.
Tyanne grinned. “Brace yourself.”
“Enough with the suspense,” I said. “Out with it.”
“Kree Vanderpool is in town this weekend.” She paused and watched me expectantly.
“Kree Vanderpool, as in the literary agent Kree Vanderpool?”
“The very same.”
“Doesn’t she live in New York City?”
“Yes, but her sister in Austin had a baby. Kree came to visit the family.”
Tyanne had met Kree at a conference a few years ago and sang her praises after listening to Kree’s keynote speech. I was in awe of several mystery authors represented by the woman, and Tyanne had told me more than once that Kree would be the perfect agent for my work. If I ever got my work ready to send to an agent, that is.
“Austin is hours away,” I said. “So what’s the big deal?”
“She told me way back she’d look me up whenever she was in the area, but I didn’t think it would ever happen.” Tyanne waved a hand dismissively. “But then Kree called late yesterday and said she’d love to come over and see my store.”
“Well you
can
be a pleasant person when you try,” I teased. “So she liked you. It’s awesome that she called.”
“What’s super awesome,” Tyanne said, “is that she’s interested in talking with
you
about
your
book.”
My lower jaw dropped. “She what?”
“I told her about your book,” she said, “then on the spur of the moment I decided to have a small dinner party Sunday afternoon after the store closes at five so the two of you can meet. Kree goes back to New York on Monday. Hope you’re free on Sunday. You are, aren’t you?”
Kree Vanderpool wanted to talk to me? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a personal audience with an agent the caliber of Kree Vanderpool. This was a writer’s dream come true, so why did it seem like my heart had quit beating?
“Well?” Tyanne said. “What do you say?”
“I don’t have plans for Sunday, but, but—”
“But what?”
“I can’t pitch my book. I’m nowhere near ready.”
“Then get ready, Sabrina, ’cause she invited you to bring your proposal along to dinner.”
I gulped. “I could get the first three chapters fixed up,” I said, “maybe. But I don’t even have a synopsis written.”
“Then write one,” she said. “That shouldn’t be a problem. You have two days.”
Tyanne was super familiar with the book world, but even she didn’t realize that to
We declined, but that didn’t stop Felice from pouring herself a glass and drinking half of it before she took down Tyanne’s order.
After paying for her purchase, Tyanne said she’d pick up the wine on Sunday afternoon. We left before the bickering could start up again.
Outside the door we stopped, and I looked at my friend. “Now there’s a happy couple.”
“Giving them the benefit of the doubt,” Tyanne said, “maybe they’re not always this way. Sounds like Claire has done something unusual that’s rocked their world.”
“Claire’s like fifty years old, isn’t she?” I said. “Maybe she wanted to have time off from the parents. Are they the Dubois Vineyards owners?”
“I think so, though I imagine they’ve retired from running the operation themselves.” Tyanne shrugged. “Claire’s dad is really worried about her.”
“I’ll bet Mom knows something about why Claire’s not at work and doesn’t want to tell Dad.”
“That was my take,” Tyanne said. “And now I’d better get back to work myself. I only meant to leave for five minutes.”
“What about the big news?” I asked again.
“Oh, right.” Tyanne’s eyes sparkled. “You won’t believe this.”
“Does it have anything to do with Bobby Joe Flowers’s death?” I said.
“No, but I’m so sorry I forgot to mention that before now. Is everyone holding up okay?”
“Pretty well under the circumstances.” Earlier, I had wanted to know what she’d heard, but I could catch up on that later. For now I was more interested in her news.
Tyanne grinned. “Brace yourself.”
“Enough with the suspense,” I said. “Out with it.”
“Kree Vanderpool is in town this weekend.” She paused and watched me expectantly.
“Kree Vanderpool, as in the literary agent Kree Vanderpool?”
“The very same.”
“Doesn’t she live in New York City?”
“Yes, but her sister in Austin had a baby. Kree came to visit the family.”
Tyanne had met Kree at a conference a few years ago and sang her praises after listening to Kree’s keynote speech. I was in awe of several mystery authors represented by the woman, and Tyanne had told me more than once that Kree would be the perfect agent for my work. If I ever got my work ready to send to an agent, that is.
“Austin is hours away,” I said. “So what’s the big deal?”
“She told me way back she’d look me up whenever she was in the area, but I didn’t think it would ever happen.” Tyanne waved a hand dismissively. “But then Kree called late yesterday and said she’d love to come over and see my store.”
“Well you
can
be a pleasant person when you try,” I teased. “So she liked you. It’s awesome that she called.”
“What’s super awesome,” Tyanne said, “is that she’s interested in talking with
you
about
your
book.”
My lower jaw dropped. “She what?”
“I told her about your book,” she said, “then on the spur of the moment I decided to have a small dinner party Sunday afternoon after the store closes at five so the two of you can meet. Kree goes back to New York on Monday. Hope you’re free on Sunday. You are, aren’t you?”
Kree Vanderpool wanted to talk to me? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a personal audience with an agent the caliber of Kree Vanderpool. This was a writer’s dream come true, so why did it seem like my heart had quit beating?
“Well?” Tyanne said. “What do you say?”
“I don’t have plans for Sunday, but, but—”
“But what?”
“I can’t pitch my book. I’m nowhere near ready.”
“Then get ready, Sabrina, ’cause she invited you to bring your proposal along to dinner.”
I gulped. “I could get the first three chapters fixed up,” I said, “maybe. But I don’t even have a synopsis written.”
“Then write one,” she said. “That shouldn’t be a problem. You have two days.”
Tyanne was super familiar with the book world, but even she didn’t realize that to
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