“I hope that helps”, I point to it. Dec nods, and then I notice a sleepy Trent shuffle up with a travel mug and a blueberry muffin, who manages a floppy wave and dopey smile.
We settle in for breakfast, and the guys are excited as it is nearly the weekend.
“Do any more of you boys have screeching females with delusions of claims on you that I should be prepared for?” Uncle Nic asks as he takes a seat, already rubbing his temples.
“To be honest, Uncle, I don’t think any of us knew about the ones that have already shown themselves”, Bas states, flipping through a file
“Big Job?” I ask, and he nods.
“Yeah, we have our first commission for a start-to-finish build,” I can hear his nerves, but it’s overtaken with excitement, and I give him a bright smile; the guys give me kisses before they leave, and I notice Miles gets similar treatment, we both decided we wanted chill time today so we head to the screen room, stocking up on snacks on our way, Lily gives me a watery hug and told me she sent back my book, Nate again perks up but I ignore him, I tidy up the first 3 chapters, blurb and the cover art and send it off to some publishers while Miles picks what we are watching.
CHAPTER Eight
MATEO
I love my job, I need my job, I love my job – I keep repeating this in my head as Miranda yet again berates me for something that is not my fault or my actual job. I’ve given her 6 manuscripts over the last week, and she’s binned them all, the newest she dropped straight in the shredder without glancing at more than the title, then yelled at me as the owner was coming in, I quickly ducked out before she tried sending me for her dry cleaning again, my job is to read the books that come in then pass to my superior who is then meant to read them and pass them up to the next department. I head to my cubicle and reprint the 7 books, then I head to the executive elevator and wait. I know he hasn’t arrived yet, as the females are all still primping. The whole building takes a swooning breath as he steps in, his eyes are glued to his phone as he practically catwalks to the elevator, looking every bit a model.
“Sir, can I talk to you about some prospective clients? I don’t agree with how the assistant above me has dealt with them. The top one she dismissed with only a glance at the title,” I try to keep the nerves out of my voice, he takes the pile.
“You’re Mateo? The one who emailed a problem within the department?” I nod.
“Yes, Sir, but after my supervisor shredded a book that has just arrived without reading it, I heard you were coming in today, so I thought this would be better face to face”, I say, relaxing a little; we reach the floor of his office which surprisingly isn’t the top floor, he dips into his office as I hear Miranda demand if he’s arrived yet and Nate’s receptionist informing her he’s runninglate ‘she’s good at her job.’
“All 7 of these she has dismissed quickly. The newest she dropped in the shredder with a slight glance at the title page; you know that new Author that already has TV rights for a series they estimate will be more popular than Game of Thrones? She binned that 6 months ago.” I see his eyes flare with anger as he presses a button on his phone
“Alice, can you get a senior publishing assistant to my office now, please?” he says, then turns back to me.
“What’s your dream job, Mateo?” I startle a little.
“I want to be an author assistant, dealing as the go-between for the Author, so they don’t need to worry about answering emails and such and just focus on the writing”, he nods, looking pleased, his eyes going over that newest author again. A knock at the door makes me glance away from him, and a gentleman steps into the room,
“You called Nate?” his voice is a croon.
“These 6 have been dismissed by an editor assistant, but Mateo has argued their value” Nate hands the 6 over, then holds up the seventh.
“This one is why I am here. She was a student of mine, and she’s amazing. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of her writing; give her the best contract she wants; I approve the use of her own art for her covers; I want her contract signed ASAP, please, Clark” Clark nods and leaves.
“Mateo, go clear your desk; I’m promoting you; I want you to assist Ember. We will start with just her, but I might give you a few more later”, Nate informs me with a smile.
“Where are you living at the moment?” I’m still imitating a fish until he raises an eyebrow and snaps me out of it.
“Oh, erm, I’m in a house share, but my landlord is selling, so I need to find somewhere else” he seems happy with this information and snatches up his phone
“Ember, sweetheart, is Nic or Luc around? I didn’t want to interrupt if they were in meetings”, There’s a pause, and heopens his desk drawer, frowning at the contents.
“Brilliant, can you stick me on speaker, please?” he pulls out a paperclip and shuts the drawer.
“Hey Luc, do you have a spare room that can be set up for one of my employees? He’s soon to be homeless, BUT as he will be Ember's assistant when she signs the amazing contract that one of my editors is sending over, it would help to have them together.”
He’s fiddling with the paperclip, an idle hands action I never thought I would see from someone like him; I hear a masculine gasp, but then hear a female voice
“Miles, pass me my laptop. What happens if I have a better offer than your supposed amazing one, Nathaniel?” She doesn’t sound spoiled, more annoyed.
“Ember, you are MY student I will better ANY offer you’re made; if you had been with your father since birth, I would have been your godfather, so it does not matter if you sent in a manuscript that just said ‘I am a book’ I would publish it and give you an amazing contract,” he then rattles something in a language I didn’t know, there’s a huff.
“Fine, I will sign it when it arrives, and send the full manuscript over if you give me my assistant's email address, and I will sort out a room for him and also clear some office space near my work area; when is he arriving?” I manage to find my voice.
“I have 3 weeks still paid on my tenancy, but if we say two weeks, then I have time to get it fully cleaned so I get my deposit back, BUT I would like to meet Ember face to face before then, and also whoever owns this house I’m being moved into,” I finish with a nervous laugh.
