As much as I hated the crowd work, I fell into the rhythm of it, relaxing, slipping into the role that was Abigail Ross with ease. Not one person noticed the scars on my face, thank you Evelyn, and everyone was kind, some asking how I was doing, while others raved about the book.
The point of this, Katie had told me once, was to allow people to get their excitement out before the actual signing event. I couldn’t spend more than a minute with each person, so if they got their gushing out now, then it eliminated some time later.
“Okay, thirty seconds,” Katie warned through my earpiece.
I said my goodbye to the girl I had been talking with and made my way to the front of the room, waving at people as they parted to let me pass.
It was still shocking how many people actually read my books. How many people wanted to meet me, get my signature. All I did was sit at a computer and pour my heart out, the fact that people loved that was just…appalling. It pulled at my heartstrings in an incredible way.
I heard the mic turn on and I immediately smiled. “Good afternoon, everyone,” I said, nearly to the stage. “Guess I wasn’t fast enough, eh?”
Chuckles erupted around me.
I smiled and nodded at those around me as they made comments about it. “Yeah, I had a long night.”
Whistles and cheers sounded everywhere as some male helped me climb up onto the stage.
My cheeks burned. “Think what you will, I’m sure most of you are right,” I said, rolling my shoulders, feeling myself truly slip into the confidence of my pen name.
Abigail Ross wasn’t some silver-spooned bitch from Denver, and she certainly wasn’t some emotional, overly attached, terrified girl like Olivia.
Abigail was new and loud and different. She was funny and personable. She was good.
I waved them off, laughing softly. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Remember, I am the creator, not the character. Just because they do it, doesn’t mean I do it,” I explained, the crowd calming down. “Just because they condone it, doesn’t mean that I do, right? Don’t be searching for love in a dark alleyway, okay? And don’t be going through America’s Most Wanted for a good fuck. Serial killers are dangerous. We read because it’s safe, stay on the pages unless thoroughly vetted.
“Now, there are tables everywhere with merch depending on the books, buy want you want, signatures are free,” I beamed. “Questions?”
Hands shot up everywhere and my smile widened. “Okay,” I nodded, folding my hands together. “Then let’s get started.”
~~~
Signing books, shirts, and stickers was easy. Small talk wasdifficult, but not impossible, and everyone was calmed down now, just simple smiles and easygoing conversations lasting no more than 45 seconds usually. Easy.
Katie was standing beside me, along with her husband, gently waving on those who were trying to linger, and with all of these questions about my characters and books, I couldn’t help but allow my mind to drift towards the character come to life inmystory.
“Lie to me.”
“I hate you.”
That’s what I had told him last night. He hadn’t mentioned it yet and neither would I, but we both knew what it meant. We both understood.
“I hate you.”
After finally getting to a point where I felt better, I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to talk to him alone. But what would we talk about? Clear and concise, he had said. He didn’t play mind games, but I was still dealing with that knot in my stomach that Steven had nurtured and grew. Worry and fear of rejection, of getting yelled at or manipulated or whatever he decided to do that day.
How long would that last?
I had a scar on my right leg and a tattoo on my left, my body still sore and exhausted from everything we had done. If he asked me if he could tie me up and blindfold me, I would do it without question, knowing that he wouldn’t do anything to me that I didn’t like, that I didn’t crave.
Trust, most would call that. Devotion.
So then how long would it take me to shatter that knot in my stomach Steven had groomed and replace it with the rose garden Everett was trying to build?
“I’m trying to learn.”
I needed to do it too. I just…I wasn’t sure where to start.
“Hello.”
