EPILOGUE
SARAH
Nine months later.
‘It’s live!’ Ben shouted as he raced into the library with his laptop.
‘Really?’ I jumped up from the comfy sofa where I’d been eagerly awaiting the announcement.
Ben thrust the laptop in front of me and there it was in black and white.
Debut novelist Sarah Jeffries secures six-figure publication deal.
‘Bloody hell! It’s real!’ I jumped up and down screaming.
‘But of course it is!’ Ben smiled. ‘You already signed the contract. Aftertenpublishers entered a bidding war no less! I told you, you’re going to behuge!’
It still hadn’t sunk in.
I’d finished my book. It was about a woman who enlists the help of her co-worker to be her fake date at a family wedding when she discovers her ex will be there with her sister and follows the hilarious antics they get up to whilst seeking revengeon the cheaters. And of course, how the unlikely couple end up falling in love along the way.
Thanks to my new friend D.D. Desire, I also had an agent!
When Ben came back, I thought things couldn’t get any better. I’d finally found my real-life hero. And he loved me as much as I loved him. No convincing required.
As you’d expect, once we got back toourflat (still not tired of saying that), we made up for lost time. Not just with our bodies reconnecting (although somehow when we made love it was even better than it was before, which was saying a lot), but also catching up on everything.
We stayed up until the early hours just chatting and laughing. Ben told me about his travels with his brother and then he gave me his feedback for the book, which was spot on.
I spent the next three months working almost every night on the novel and once I was sure it was ready, I gave it to Ben and Jess and asked for their honest feedback.
Thankfully they loved it and they were convinced everyone else would too. But I still needed more reassurance. So I also gave it to Jane, Jackson, Theo and Celeste. And when they also gave it the thumbs-up, I thought it was time to take D.D. Desire up on her offer.
It took a while for her to get back to me (that was the most nerve-wracking two weeks of my life), but when she did, she also said it had massive potential and asked if I’d mind if she sent it to her agent.
Mind?
I was ready to bite her freaking hand off.
And when her agent got back to me a week later, asking if I’d like her to represent me, I screamed so loud I thought I’d burst my eardrums.
Everything after that was like a whirlwind. The next thing I knew she was telling me she had one publisher who wasinterested. Then two, then when it went into double figures, I was sure I was dreaming. I kept asking Ben, ‘How is this my life?’
The publishers battled it out and eventually we decided on a deal that gave me an amazing advance and would get my book lots of exposure.
I was smart enough to know this wasn’t normal. Obviously, I believed in my novel, but I knew a lot of credit also had to go to Shonda, my agent (I had an agent!). She had great connections and when she called or emailed, people answered. There were loads of brilliant books that didn’t get the recognition they deserved. But I was one of the lucky few who’d hit the jackpot.
The book wouldn’t be out for several months because apparently the traditional publishing world moved a lot slower than self-publishing, but I was so excited. My book was going to be in stores all over the country and I’d even be doing book signings.
My phone pinged and it was a message from Adrian congratulating me on the announcement. I was surprised he even got to see it considering how little sleep he and Debbie had been getting since they became parents.
Yep. I was now an auntie! My little niece, Rochelle, was doing brilliantly and Ben and I would be going up to visit her next weekend to spend time with her.
At least I wouldn’t be bumping into Trent or Esme anytime soon. They’d broken up after Esme caught Trent shagging her best friend.Once a cheater, always a cheater.Last I heard, Esme was living with a new boyfriend in Manchester and hardly ever visited Mum, Dad or Adrian.
Even if she did, I wouldn’t care. I was too busy living my best life to worry about hers.
‘We just saw the announcement!’ Jess came racing in with Theo, Jane and Jackson.
