“Great. She and her family are doing well.”
“Am I correct in understanding that a second child is on the way?”
“Due in March.”
“And she’s still employed as your hamlet’s assistant mayor?”
“Deputy mayor, yes.”
He sighed. “I wasn’t happy about her decision to leave New York, but there’s no fighting the power of love.”
Penny paused, surprised to hear him say that. This Nigel fellow seemed so … business-focused.
“I speak from experience,” he continued. “Thirty-one years ago, I flew to New York for a short business trip and happened, by chance, to meet a wonderful American girl. We’ve been happily married for thirty years.”
Penny smiled. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“You know, you still haven’t told me why you want Daniel Bedford to come to Heartsprings Valley. There are a lot of places closer to New York that do great things at Christmas.”
“What your little hamlet has, in addition to an abundance of small-town charm, is a friend of the author with a spare bedroom available for an extended stay.”
“You mean Gabe North.”
“Also, his wife Holly —such a kind, helpful woman — agreed to make the introductions that matter so much in isolated outposts like yours.”
“You seem to have things well in hand.”
“We’re working to make that so, yes.”
“I suppose you’re calling me because you want the bookstore to participate in some way?”
“That’s part of what we have in mind, yes.”
Penny took a breath to prepare herself. Here it was:the offer.“Part?”
“Mr. Bedford will need someone to accompany him as he participates in various activities, Ms. Quinn. Someone who is part of the community and also understands readers and publishing. Someone who —”
“Hang on,” Penny said, trying to quell the irritation flaring through her. “Are you about to suggest that his Christmas tour guide should beme?”
“Indeed,” he said without hesitation. “I’m proposing exactly that.”
“Mr. Farraday, this is the busiest time of the year for me. I can’t —”
“Before you give me your answer,” he said, pressing on, “allow me to explain the terms.”
Penny took another breath. She’d promised Holly that she’d listen to the offer before saying no, so keeping that promise meant she’d have to, well,listen to the offer. “Go on.”
“As mentioned, the publisher is keen to resolve this crisis quickly. Daniel Bedford is one of their top sellers. Apparently there’s a movie deal in the works. A boycott of his books would be very damaging to the publisher’s bottom line.”
“Which is your way of saying…?”
“What I’m saying, Ms. Quinn, is that the publisher ismotivated.” He let that sink in before continuing. “If you agree to accompany Mr. Bedford on his Christmas activities, the publisher will increase its discount for your bookstore to sixty percent for all of its books for an entire year.”
Penny’s eyes widened. The discounts offered by publishers for their books were a major factor in her bookstore’s bottom line —the bigger the discount, the bigger her profit. The publisher was one of the largest —her bookstore sold tons of books published by them. But for the publisher to increase its discount for all of its books was, well, unprecedented. In her experience, publishers simply didn’t do that.
“A sixty percent discount?” she said. “Forallof their books? For an entire year?”
