She gives me a small smile before saying, “And that’s why I’m going to make you an offer you won’t be able to turn down. My job is to sell books, and we need something that is going to create some new energy around Evan’s next novel.”
It’s at this comment that Evan finally speaks up. “Don’t you think we should discuss this further before giving her an offer?”
“It’s not up to you,” Mrs. Stevens reminds him. “Your job is to write the books, and my job is to sell them.”
Evan slumps in his chair, proving me wrong that the man can’t slouch. Even though I must admit, his slouching looks a lot more refined than mine. As if even slouching can be perfected. And what is that? Is his bottom lip slightly protruding as if he wants to pout? I push the thought away that it’s slightly adorable since this man isn’t adorable at all. He’s awful. I hate him. Him and his mean message.
But still, he’s kind of cute.
No, he’s horrible.
“Fifty thousand dollars. Six weeks. All travel paid,” Mrs. Stevens announces rapidly.
Every syllable stuns me into a deeper silence. It’s so much money. More than my yearly salary.
“I can’t promise that you’ll get a book deal or anything like that, but I can say, people will be watching, and they’ll get to see how great of a writer you are. I can’t imagine that this won’t immediately create opportunities for you, Rachel. Opportunities that don’t come around that often,” Mrs. Stevens explains. “You’ve got a week to decide. I need an answer by next Friday.”
My body isn’t moving, but I feel like everything is moving inside of me, my nerves buzzing beneath my skin, and I can’t feel my jaw. I’m pretty sure it’s fallen so hard that it’s now crashing through the other side of the world. Would it be in China? And where would it be according to flat earthers? Nowhere? Everywhere?
“How about I just give her fifty thousand dollars right now and she disappears?” Evan questions, bringing me back to reality instead of conspiracy.
Is he trying to buy my silence?
I turn to face him. “Excuse me.”
“You heard me. I’ll cut you a check right now,” he says as he sits back up, straightening out his posture as something that mimics hope flickers across his face.
I blink at him, stunned, not by his offer, but by the audacity it must take to think I can be bought…that I can be silenced. Again.
A familiar heat rises within me, the same kind I used to swallow down with a smile. The kind I used to label as overreacting. But I’m not swallowing anything today.
I turn to face Melanie. “What are the details?”
She nods. “It’s six weeks of touring different cities in the country. There will be a forum held at each one, with both you and Evan on stage. I’ll be there. I’ll ask you both questions, and then the audience will be allowed to ask some. There is a book signing afterward. Evan will be needed for that, but you’ll be able to just mingle with fans. Really, you just need to be there for the forums. You’ll have a lot of free time to explore each city.”
It seems simple. Dress well, sit on a stage, answer questions. Collect. Fifty. Thousand. Dollars.Earnfifty thousand dollars.
“I’ll be required to be gone the full six weeks?” I ask.
Mrs. Stevens nods her head. “Yes. It’ll be you and Evan traveling between cities. I’ll be flying back and forth, conducting the forums and making sure everything is going smoothly. Of course, you’ll have separate accommodations.”
Evan groans at this. I look over at him, and he’s back to his proper form of slouching.
“Of course we’ll have different rooms,” he states. “We’re strangers. This is a business deal.”
A business deal.An opportunity. My opportunity. This ismyday. The day that is going to change everything for me.
And just like that, it all clicks, like his words unlocked a secret door where everything is suddenly quiet and I can focus on the most important thing. Iamgoing to have the time of my life!
“I’ll do it, Mrs. Stevens!” I say matter-of-factly, finally digging deep enough to find my confidence.
This could be a risk, but I’ll quit my job if I have to. After all, six weeks of this would be more than enough to cover a year’s expenses, but I have this thrilling feeling that I won’t need to worry about that. That this book tour is going to change my life in the best of ways.
I will earn that life-changing money, bring my name to the attention of the literary world, and secure the dream book deal.
Mrs. Stevens lets out what I can only describe as a controlled squeal. “Fantastic. I already have all the documents printed for you to sign. I can send you home with 20 percent for signing and then the 80 percent will pay out at the end of the six weeks.”
She slips a contract in front of me. It’s full of legal jargon that I’ve never been able to understand. I don’t know why some people are determined to make words feel impossible.
