“And I feel like my client is ever so slightly out of control,” Nora said. “Todd, you can’t go around chewing the carpets and punching people on your first book tour. When you’re established, maybe, but not before anyone knows who you are.”

“You flew all the way out here to tell me that?” said Todd.

“Don’t be rude,” said Nora, sharply. “And no, I didn’t. I came all the way out here to tell you that All My Colors is no longer number three in the New York Times bestseller list.”

“Oh well,” said Todd. “I guess it was fun while it lasted.”

“Todd,” said Nora. “All My Colors is number one.”

Todd stared at Nora.

“What?” he said. “How?”

“I told you it was a good book,” Nora said, smiling.

“But it’s only been out about a day.”

“Advance sales,” Nora said. “And it’s had rave reviews in every paper in the country. People love it, Todd. It speaks to them.”

“Wow,” said Todd. “Fucking wow. I’m sorry to swear.”

“Not at all,” Nora said. “Fucking wow is absolutely the right thing to say in the circumstances.”

Todd sat there for a bit.

“So why is tonight canceled?” he asked. “I would have thought me being number one would be a crowd-puller.”

“Oh, it would,” Nora said. “And the bookstore were furious when I canceled.”

“You canceled?” Todd said.

“I had to,” Nora said. “You’re on The Tom Hogan Show. Tonight.”

“But isn’t that taped in New York?”

“I’m not sure ‘taped’ is the right word, because it’s live. But yes, New York. And our flight leaves in an hour.”

Nora stood up.

“This really is very good coffee,” she said. “We should have got it to go.”

*  *  *

The flight to New York passed without incident, bar Todd spilling his Coke on the floor when they hit some turbulence.

“Guess I’m nervous,” he admitted to Nora.

“I’m relieved,” Nora said. “It would be peculiar if you felt complacent and relaxed at this point.”

“I’ve never been on TV before,” said Todd, sounding as much like a hick as humanly possible.

“There’s nothing to it. You just look interested when the other person is talking, and then, no matter what question they ask you, say whatever you want the audience to hear.”

“But I don’t know what I want the audience to hear.”

“Oh, Todd.” Nora put an elegant hand on his arm. “You wrote All My Colors. You’ll have lots to say.”

*  *  *

At the TV studio they were met by a young, nervous man with a clipboard and the skinniest tie Todd had ever seen. The man gave Todd and Nora large orange stickers with their names on.

“Is that what you’ll be wearing tonight?” he asked, looking at Todd’s brown sport coat.