“I always give roses to you.”
“True, but red ones. I get white roses only when you have to tell me something. So tell me.”
“Baby, I have to leave for a couple of days. I have to go to Chicago.”
“Okay, so I have to come?”
“No, darling, it’s just a contract to be redone and signed, and then we’ll be back.”
“When will you be back? And who’swe?”
“Claire and I. Sebastian is already there.”
“I understand, no problem. When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. Since when are you afraid to tell me something?”
“I’m not afraid, it’s just that I’m sorry to leave you at home.”
I laugh as I approach him. “I won’t be bored. Let’s go pack up.”
He takes me on his shoulders, and we walk up.
I watch him pack his suitcase and feel my phone vibrate again. As I charge it, I see three emails from Danny. I silence him and disconnect from the internet.
I’m exhausted, and, honestly, I had not noticed how much until I got into bed. Jeremy hugs me, and we fall asleep.
Hailey
After saying goodbye to Jeremy, I grab my coffee and start reading emails. I have about twenty of Danny.
I write him an email and then read all his.
“Good morning,” I say. “Don’t you sleep at night? I saw your emails, but I haven’t read them yet. I’ll go in order. Give me time to drink my coffee.”
I start reading his emails, and it makes me smile that he was afraid I would hold back on correcting some mistakes he put on for me as a joke. Obviously, he doesn’t know me at all. I get a new email.
“I’ll keep you company, then. You knocked me out with your notes. Want to talk about the emojis? I mean, I knew you were going to correct something, but heck, if that had really been the final copy, I would have had to rewrite it. However, I used two of your suggestions, which I found very interesting, and I added them to the final copy.”
“I love doing my job,” I respond. “I often use emojis rather than writing, especially if I know that the author is making fun of me. What would those two things be?”
“My bad! I really wanted to see how you deal with corrections, your creativity, and, most of all if I could trust you.”
“I deduce that you’re not angry about the corrections. And Danny, sorry, but trust me for what?”
“I loved them. You would be perfect as a writer. Hailey, unfortunately, everyone sees me as a great novelist, but they don’t even look under the armor. That’s why I never show up, and nobody knows who I am. I care about my privacy.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, and I really am. A life like this wouldn’t be the best one.
“Don’t worry. I’m used to it. But I was serious. Write your own book. You have all the qualities to become a better writer than I am.”
“Thank you. I wouldn’t have the time or imagination, I think. But I’ll think about it.”
“Really, do it. Thanks for everything, Hailey. I’ll leave you to your commitments.”
“Thanks to you, Danny, and I’m always here. Even if you just want to talk.”
