series.
They might not publish it.
It was a possibility she had to consider. But the books were getting strong sell-through numbers and even now they made a decent amount of money. If her publisher declined their contractual option and turned down the book, Jennifer knew Ann would have no trouble placing the book with another publisher. Money was money.
The ironic thing was, this book was by far the best in the series.
Jerry, why did you have to die? Our ten-year plan would have actually worked. Now, I’m going to be starting all over. I miss you, Jerry.
Chapter Four
W here was page 325? It was almost seven o’clock in the evening on Friday night. Jennifer had been editing the book since seven that morning. Her eyes burned, her throat hurt, she had been reading the pages aloud, and she was hungry. She was not in the mood to be looking for a missing page. She looked through the next dozen pages in the three-ring binder. Pages 326 on, no page 325. The top of her desk wasn’t visible, but she’d been working there earlier in the morning. She lowered the leg rest of the recliner and went to search the desk. The phone rang, startling her, and she cracked her knee against the open desk drawer. Muttering under her breath, rubbing the throbbing bruise, she grabbed the phone. “Hello?” A thick binder threatened to slide off the back of the desk and she lunged for it.
“What’s wrong?”
Scott. “I just cracked my knee against the drawer, I’ve lostpage 325, and I think I’m seeing double I’ve been reading so long,” she replied, pulling the binder back toward her and forcing it closed. It went back on the shelf.
“Ouch. Put ice on the bruise, try closing your eyes for a while, and can you reprint the page?”
Jennifer laughed. “The printer is somewhere under a stack of books,” Jennifer replied wryly, “but I’m working in that direction. Where are you?”
“Still at the office. Have you eaten yet?”
“No, and I’m starved. I forgot lunch. I was on a roll until page 325 decided to disappear.”
“Could I interest you in some Chinese food? We deliver.”
“I would love some,” Jennifer replied, touched by the offer.
“Good. I’ll see you in about half an hour.”
Jennifer cleared off the printer and reprinted the missing page, hesitated, knowing she should pick up at least some of the clutter since Scott was coming over, but didn’t want to lose the time, either. She finally decided the book was more important. She was deeply involved in a chase scene when the doorbell rang. She marked in red where she was at and went to answer the door. “Where would you like this?” Scott asked with a smile. She smiled back, glad to see him.
“The round table in the office,” she replied, pointing the way.
“It’s getting cold out there,” Scott remarked as he entered the office. He set down the two sacks on the table and looked around the room with interest. It was a large room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, the desk had a recent-model computer, and there were work tables at the end of the room spread with documents, newspapers, magazines and file folders. It was a comfortable room, a plush long couch and deep recliner, an open view of the large backyard.The binders on the shelf by her desk were three inches thick, and he recognized the handwritten names of each of her books across the spines, and there were even a few titles he didn’t recognize. Future books?
Jennifer picked up her empty glass. “What can I get you to drink, Scott? I’ve got coffee made, or there is soda.”
“Anything diet is fine.”
Jennifer went through the house to the kitchen, refilled her glass from the open two liter of diet soda, found a glass for Scott.
“Where can I find forks, spoons and plates?” Scott asked, joining her.
“The top drawer by the stove is silverware. Directly above that is plates.”
Jennifer carried both drinks, leading the way back to the office. “What did you
They might not publish it.
It was a possibility she had to consider. But the books were getting strong sell-through numbers and even now they made a decent amount of money. If her publisher declined their contractual option and turned down the book, Jennifer knew Ann would have no trouble placing the book with another publisher. Money was money.
The ironic thing was, this book was by far the best in the series.
Jerry, why did you have to die? Our ten-year plan would have actually worked. Now, I’m going to be starting all over. I miss you, Jerry.
Chapter Four
W here was page 325? It was almost seven o’clock in the evening on Friday night. Jennifer had been editing the book since seven that morning. Her eyes burned, her throat hurt, she had been reading the pages aloud, and she was hungry. She was not in the mood to be looking for a missing page. She looked through the next dozen pages in the three-ring binder. Pages 326 on, no page 325. The top of her desk wasn’t visible, but she’d been working there earlier in the morning. She lowered the leg rest of the recliner and went to search the desk. The phone rang, startling her, and she cracked her knee against the open desk drawer. Muttering under her breath, rubbing the throbbing bruise, she grabbed the phone. “Hello?” A thick binder threatened to slide off the back of the desk and she lunged for it.
“What’s wrong?”
Scott. “I just cracked my knee against the drawer, I’ve lostpage 325, and I think I’m seeing double I’ve been reading so long,” she replied, pulling the binder back toward her and forcing it closed. It went back on the shelf.
“Ouch. Put ice on the bruise, try closing your eyes for a while, and can you reprint the page?”
Jennifer laughed. “The printer is somewhere under a stack of books,” Jennifer replied wryly, “but I’m working in that direction. Where are you?”
“Still at the office. Have you eaten yet?”
“No, and I’m starved. I forgot lunch. I was on a roll until page 325 decided to disappear.”
“Could I interest you in some Chinese food? We deliver.”
“I would love some,” Jennifer replied, touched by the offer.
“Good. I’ll see you in about half an hour.”
Jennifer cleared off the printer and reprinted the missing page, hesitated, knowing she should pick up at least some of the clutter since Scott was coming over, but didn’t want to lose the time, either. She finally decided the book was more important. She was deeply involved in a chase scene when the doorbell rang. She marked in red where she was at and went to answer the door. “Where would you like this?” Scott asked with a smile. She smiled back, glad to see him.
“The round table in the office,” she replied, pointing the way.
“It’s getting cold out there,” Scott remarked as he entered the office. He set down the two sacks on the table and looked around the room with interest. It was a large room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, the desk had a recent-model computer, and there were work tables at the end of the room spread with documents, newspapers, magazines and file folders. It was a comfortable room, a plush long couch and deep recliner, an open view of the large backyard.The binders on the shelf by her desk were three inches thick, and he recognized the handwritten names of each of her books across the spines, and there were even a few titles he didn’t recognize. Future books?
Jennifer picked up her empty glass. “What can I get you to drink, Scott? I’ve got coffee made, or there is soda.”
“Anything diet is fine.”
Jennifer went through the house to the kitchen, refilled her glass from the open two liter of diet soda, found a glass for Scott.
“Where can I find forks, spoons and plates?” Scott asked, joining her.
“The top drawer by the stove is silverware. Directly above that is plates.”
Jennifer carried both drinks, leading the way back to the office. “What did you
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