“The one and only,” Angela said. “He contacted me personally and asked if you were available. Said he knew how successful your biographies were.”

“Okay,” Lauren said. She knew she’d have to pull the details from Angela because this was a big deal, and Angela loved it when she had super-good news to tell her.

“There are terms, as you know, especially when it’s someone of his caliber.”

All of her biographies had terms, and she knew that Globalgoods.com’s would be as strict as they could be, given who John Gerard Giampalo was in the business world. He was probably the richest man in the United States of America, if not the richest person in the world.

“And what would those terms be?” she asked, no longer calm enough to play Angela’s guessing game.

“First, and foremost, he wants you to come to Seattle and meet. He wants an upbeat, positive story, and here is the kicker—he wants the first draft in six weeks.”

Six weeks?

“That’s not a lot of time, given the man’s life.” Lauren said. “He’s . . . a phenomenon in the business world. Is six weeks enough time to even begin researching his accomplishments?”

“He believes it is. Remember, we are dealing with a man who rarely sleeps, a man who is a genius, and a man who most likely expects the rest of the world to be on his intellectual wavelength.”

Lauren didn’t know what to say.

“So, you’ll do this, right?” Angela probed. “I’ve compiled a lengthy list of facts about him in a pdf that I’ll send you as soon as you decide.”

“As soon as I decide? Do you actually think I’d turn this down? I haven’t written in three years! I’d be a fool to walk away from this,” she announced.

“Lauren, you haven’t even asked about the financial benefit. Do you want to know?”

Her heart rate increased. “Of course, I want to know. I just . . . well, I’m still in a bit of shock that he wants me to do this. Why me? Surely, there are others he is considering.”

“No, Lauren, you are the only one he’s interested in. He said if you didn’t come on board, then he’d just forget about it entirely. And, Lauren, this is a biggie. The biggest deal of my career,” Angela said.

She was almost afraid to hear the figure. “Go on, tell me what the offer is.”

“Three-point-five million,” Angela said, enunciating each word slowly.

Lauren could not believe her ears. She was so flabbergasted that she didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing.

“Lauren?” Angela asked. “Are you still with me?”

“Wow, that is a lot of money. I don’t know if . . . I’m not sure that anything I write is worth that much money.”

“Of course, it is. He wouldn’t have made the offer if you hadn’t already proved that it is. You have quite the reputation, you know.”

No, she didn’t know. Yes, she’d written four very successful biographies and made a lot of money, but this? Three-point-five million dollars for one book?