‘Cassie. This is a fantastic deal. Six more books in your series. Huge. TV rights guaranteed. Huger. And a mega advance to match. If you need to get to know London, you’re just going to have to spend some time here. Move here for six months.’
‘Right.’ Cassie remembered too late that sarcasm was usually wasted on Jennifer.
‘Great. So you’re going to come soon? Next couple weeks?’
Seriously? Of course not. No-one decided at the drop of a hat to go and live on the other side of the world for any period of time. And Cassie didn’t wantto go and live in London. She didn’t want to go to London for even just a few days. What she wanted was to stay on the island and go for a swim this morning. The weather forecasters had stated with great confidence that today was going to be the last day of this once-in-a-decade April heatwave. Snow was a lot more usual than sunbathing weather at this time of year in Maine. It probably wouldn’t be warm enough again for weeks.
‘Maybe.’
‘Maybe definitely?’ Ouch. Near-perforated eardrum. Jennifer was getting more excited and her voice was getting shriller.
‘I’ll think about it.’
‘Think fast. We don’t want to let this opportunity go.’
‘Okay. I’ll think soon and I’ll call you back.’ Obviously sheshouldconsider it properly. From a personal perspective, it really didn’t appeal, but from a professional perspective, she couldn’t ask for better.
‘Today?’ Honestly. Always so demanding. ‘This is going to be even bigger than your Scottish books. Edinburgh and Glasgow are great, but this is London we’re talking about. Think film rights, even more merch. That’s going to be a lot of money.’ Jennifer was big on exaggeration, but itwasgood money and itwouldbe a very exciting project, if it didn’t involve an enormous and unpalatable lifestyle change for the next few months. ‘So we’ll speak later? You know what? Why don’tIcallyou? This afternoon. Four p.m.?’
Cassie closed her eyes. This was why Jennifer was a very successful agent. She was also, occasionally, a nice person. Cassie should remember both those things and not judge her. ‘Okay. Great.’ Wonderful. Well, she’d think about it. Actually, maybe they could compromise. Set the new books in a different big city, like New York.
Jennifer hadn’t finished. ‘And don’t tell me that we could set them in your backyard. It has to be London. Your Scottish ones sold a lot better than the Boston ones. They want British. That’s the deal.’ Mind reader as well as super-bossy. Irritating. ‘Later.’
Cassie pressed red on her phone and looked out of the kitchen window at the sea again. Realistically there was going to be no time for a swim now.
Right. It was too early for wine. She needed chocolate and she needed a list.
Pros:
Perfect book deal
IVF – London fertility clinics
The money
Which would cover a lot of IVF cycles – very lucky to be able to afford
Fab to meet up with family and friends in London
Interesting to live in a city again
Especially London
Sightseeing
Extensive in-person shopping opportunities
Restaurants
Theatres
Cons:
Don’t want to go back to the UK
Leaving the island:
Friends
