Chapter 28
Cora
Saar
When is the housewarming?
I’m still unpacking.
Celeste
Is the bistro open yet?
No (eye-roll emoji). It’s a never-ending project.
Saar
It’s going to be great.
That’s what Tessa thinks.
Celeste
We need to find a new spot to hang out. I miss you.
I miss you too. I’m sorry, it’s been a crazymonth.
Saar
Let’s have lunch together soon.
“Thank you for meeting with me,” I say, my hands clammy as I shake Andrew’s hand.
Andrew Sinclair is a literary agent who called out of the blue and wanted to meet me, raving about my stories.
Out of the blue is incorrect, because I know Xander is behind it. A part of me wanted to fight him on it, but I’m learning to accept help from others.
We order lunch at a swanky restaurant on Madison Avenue and East 61st Street, while he tells me what he loved about my stories and goes through a detailed list of notes about suggested revisions.
My initial unease and nervousness evaporate within the first five minutes. Andrew is very easy to talk to, knowledgeable, and his suggestions are great. Most of them, anyway, but he lets me express my opinions without pushing me in his direction.
Our creative brainstorming flows so naturally, I don’t even realize what I ate until the plate is empty.
“I have a confession, Cora. When Xander called, demanding I read your stories, I did so out of obligation. But I’m glad I read them, and I agree with him; they shouldn’t stay in your drawer.”
“Thank you.”
“I invited you here because I wanted to see how difficult you are to potentially work with.” He takes off his glasses. “And I’m pleased to see that you’re smart and creative, but also flexible with your artistic vision, which is a brilliant combination.”
“You have a great sense for storytelling, and certainly more experience than me. I enjoyed this creative session. It wasn’t as slaughtering as I feared.” I smile at him.
He laughs. “I’m glad to hear that. I would like to represent you. I also think Xander’s idea for the book launch is fantastic, but would better suit a smaller publisher. Are you okay with that?”
“Xander’s idea for the launch?” I’m barely accepting that I may share my stories with the world, and he’s already planning the launch?
“To launch it at the schools that partake in the healthy lunch program you run.”
I giggle nervously, trying to hide my confusion. “What are you talking about?”
