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Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Chapter One
  6. Chapter Two
  7. Chapter Three
  8. Chapter Four
  9. Chapter Five
  10. Chapter Six
  11. Chapter Seven
  12. Chapter Eight
  13. Chapter Nine
  14. Chapter Ten
  15. Chapter Eleven
  16. Chapter Twelve
  17. Chapter Thirteen
  18. Chapter Fourteen
  19. Chapter Fifteen
  20. Chapter Sixteen
  21. Chapter Seventeen
  22. Chapter Eighteen
  23. Chapter Nineteen
  24. Chapter Twenty
  25. Chapter Twenty-One
  26. Chapter Twenty-Two
  27. Chapter Twenty-Three
  28. Chapter Twenty-Four
  29. Chapter Twenty-Five
  30. Chapter Twenty-Six
  31. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  32. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  33. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  34. Chapter Thirty
  35. Chapter Thirty-One
  36. Chapter Thirty-Two
  37. Chapter Thirty-Three
  38. Chapter Thirty-Four
  39. Chapter Thirty-Five
  40. Chapter Thirty-Six
  41. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  42. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  43. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  44. Chapter Forty
  45. Chapter Forty-One
  46. Chapter Forty-Two
  47. Chapter Forty-Three
  48. Chapter Forty-Four
  49. Chapter Forty-Five
  50. Chapter Forty-Six
  51. Chapter Forty-Seven
  52. Chapter Forty-Eight
  53. Chapter Forty-Nine
  54. Chapter Fifty
  55. Acknowledgments
  56. Discover More
  57. About the Author

Lowball offer. Even if I didn’t know the going rate for this type of article was anywhere between fifty cents and two dollars a word, I knew DerDick. “Is that your final bid?”

“It is.”

I would accept it if I had to, and it took a will of concrete not to shout, “I’m in!” It was a yes after so many nos. But it was worth more than a quarter per word. I was worth more. And for once, I had the power to ask for it. Derek wanted this story. Otherwise he wouldn’t have called me, and so fast.

“Let me think about it. Given the out-of-pocket expenses, twenty-five cents a word might not make it worth my while. A few other editors are on deck.” My body shook like a tree in a hurricane at my bluff. Thank God this wasn’t a video call.

“I’ll double it. Fifty cents a word. It’s a story. Not an epic novel. Remember that.”

I gasped. It had worked. “You’ve got a deal,” I said calmly, while gripping the bottom of my chair with my free hand to keep my butt planted firmly in place. I ached to do a victory dance, but I’d worked too hard at appearing poised and collected to break character now.

“You’ve got fire in your belly, Gellar. Usually, I can’t get my writers to go north of 125th Street for a story, much less upstate New York!” He cackled.

Now wasn’t the time to confess that leaving the city was part of the appeal. He might renege on the agreed-upon fee, claiming the story was just an impetus for a much-needed break from the city that never slept. I could practically hear him say, Technically, I’m doing you a favor. I took a calming breath. “When do you want it?”

“How’s three weeks?”

I blinked. Things were moving faster than I’d anticipated. Then again, I hadn’t anticipated anything beyond Derek wanting the story. This time the day before, I was cautiously optimistic about a first date. It felt less like twenty-four hours and more like twenty-four years. “That’s…um…soon.” I rolled my eyes. Bye-bye, confident lion. Hello, skittish mouse.

“It should coincide with peak holiday movie season.” He paused. “Unless you’re not up for it.”

My body went rigid. “Three weeks is fine.” How would I get there? Where would I stay? “Totally doable.”

“A staff position is opening in the New Year. Impress me, and it can be yours.”

I heard his words like an all-caps text message: A FULL-TIME STAFF POSITION. I wanted it. Oh, I wanted it bad. “Prepare to be impressed.”

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Your Uber will be here in five minutes!” Mom yelled from the kitchen a week later.