“Yes, another romance. Isn’t that wonderful? This time a beach romance that will be launching this summer by Vivian Laundale. Did I pull through for you or what? Tristen, darling, did you hear me? Or are you still in shock?”
Another romance? Disappointment settles in like a weight around my shoulders. I know I should be appreciative since it was what helped me make a name for myself. But that doesn’t mean I want to proclaim my love to a new character every month.
But money is money. I’ll need every nickel for the moving expenses.
“Uh, I don’t know who that is,” I admit.
“Are you kidding me? What am I going to do with you? It’s like you grew up under a rock. Bestselling romance author Vivian Laundale, who wroteStarlight Kissesthat was in theaters last summer? Trust me, she’s a big deal.”
“I believe you.”
“Well, she selected you to read an excerpt of the book. I’ve already emailed you the information, including the nondisclosure agreement. How soon do you think you can have this recorded?”
“Depending on how long the section is, probably Monday.”
She sucks in a breath. “That long?”
“I did mention I was on vacation, Nicole.”
“You did... I just thought this opportunity would have lit a fire under you. Having this in your portfolio would probably impress the network studio’s casting director.”
The beginnings of a headache tingle across my brow. This hobby keeps demanding more than I’m able to give.
“I’m not promising anything, but I can read over the offer after dinner.”
“That’s my boy,” she says, as if she wasn’t only five years older than me.
“Any word on the anime callback?”
Her long sigh doesn’t bring me any comfort.
“Nothing yet, but no news is good news. It means you’re still in the running. As soon as I hear something, I’ll give you a ring. Don’t worry, even if you don’t get it, I have plenty of authors beating down your door, my darling. Are you sure you don’t want to take a week to come out to LA? There’s a romance book convention I could?—”
“No,” I say, cutting her off before she gets her hopes up. My eyes drift up to rest on the vintage motorhome. “I’m happy where I am right now.”
“You gotta schmooze at some point.”
Frowning, I rub my pounding pulse between my eyes. “When the time comes, I will.”
“Oh, I have another call coming, my darling. Hurry andcheck your email. Talk soon.” The call ends before I can respond.
Tapping my phone on my palm, I debate taking another job on my already loaded schedule. But Nicole hasn’t steered me wrong. She has an instinct when it comes to these things, sensing life-changing job opportunities with startling accuracy. Including when she flew all the way out to Rocosa to convince me to hire her as my agent.
Everything happened so fast after that. It’s like I’m caught up in a whirlwind, and I’m still hanging on to the safety of my old life. I can’t keep trying to live two lives. It isn’t fair to me or Nicole.
But the question is, what do I really want?
Or maybe the question should be, where does God want me to be?
I send Uncle Ted a quick text to make sure he survived the Friday night chaos when the pizza delivery car pulls into our campsite. I’ve never been so excited to see a stack of pizza boxes in my life. Delicious, greasy goodness that I’m already salivating at the thought of devouring a slice.
“This is the biggest cup we have,” the teenager says with a bored cadence. He hands me a medium-sized Styrofoam cup, steam swirling from the hole in the lid.
“Perfect.” I hand him a cash tip.
It’s with pure restraint that I don’t immediately inhale half a box before the teen drives off. Cracking open a box, I grab a slice, the stringy fingers of cheese clinging to the rest of the pizza. Right before I stuff half the thing in my mouth, I hesitate and glance at the door behind me.
Taking the slice with me, I head inside and into the bedroom where Reese is sprawled out in a deep sleep. If she doesn’t get up now, she’ll be up all night... which means I’ll be up all night listening to her.
