Chapter One
Heading home from her office for the weekend, Joanna Nelson got her colleague’s attention and tossed him a memory disk with the author interview he needed.
He caught it and promptly pantomimed worshipping her.I’m not worthy, I’m not worthy.
A stranger observing the exchange would assume Joanna was the boss and Liam was the understudy. Or at the very least, that they were equals at Herod Publishing in NYC.
But both of these assumptions would be wrong.
Liam was a senior editor of New York City’s most prestigious publishing house and had been for the past twelve years, but his days were quickly getting numbered.
Not because of ineptitude but because he was losing touch.
When collaborating on a piece, he insisted on using Microsoft Word instead of Google Docs, Dropbox all but bamboozled him, and he couldn’t be baby-stepped into loading attachments sent to him via email.
“Where does it go when I download it?” he’d complain to Joanna. “What’s the point of all this magic if you can’t find it?” Her boss was a walking and talking anachronism. A caveman pretending to be a hipster.
They were both up for review the coming week, and it was widely assumed Joanna was going to get his job.
She wasn’t worried about Liam though. He was likely just going to be moved into a horizontal position with less responsibilities, staying nearby to give advice whenever it was needed. By the time people stopped asking him questions he’d probably retire.
Joanna smiled and waved goodbye.
“Yeah, Donna, I know Harry’s interested,” she said to her close friend on the phone as she walked out. “He’s practically stalking me on Facebook. But I’ve been with Peter for over a year now, you know that.”
“You’re like some elusive Mediterranean goddess,” her friend replied. “None of the boys care about who you say you’re with. Not when they get a glimpse of those legs and the bounce of your ebony locks.”
“Well,Icare. I’m with Peter.”
Joanna maneuvered through the revolving door out onto Park Avenue, and was immediately bombarded with sirens, honking horns, and the rattle of construction work.
It was early spring and New York was restless as always.
“Have I been egging him on? I didn’t mean to. I just thought he was interesting. That’s why I talked to him at that party.”
“No, that’s just who he is. And you have that effect on every guy you meet Jo. Anyway,” Donna said segueing into a different subject, “any plans for the weekend? Want to go skinny dipping or rock climbing for old time’s sake?”
Joanna laughed. “Nah, I don’t do that stuff anymore, but there’s something I am about to do that’s out of my comfort zone. I’m pretty nervous about it, actually.” She took a deep breath, guessing what her friend would say. “Peter’s been asking me to move in with him since our six month anniversary. And well...this Wednesday marks one year since our first date.”
Joanna’s dark curly hair whipped to the side as a Porsche drove by.
“No, don’t tell me you’re—”
“I’m going to tell him I want to give it a shot. I think I’m ready.”
She hailed a cab as she waited for her friend to respond. A bright yellow taxi amongst a sea of shiny metallic movement pulled over and she got in. Inside the air was warm but smelled of menthol.
“West Twenty-third and Tenth, please,” Joanna said to the driver. He nodded and turned back to the wheel, his eyes glancing down quickly to check her out.
“What brought this on?” Donna asked.
“I don’t know. A lot of things. It’s just— I think it’s time to be a grownup. I think it’s time to start doing all of the things I always said I would do. Marry a guy with a decent job. Settle down. Have a kid or two - ”
“Wha—have a kid? Have you talked about getting married to Peter? You two have actuallyhadthis conversation?”
They stopped at a light and a homeless man stared at her and started shouting something inaudible over the taxi-driver’s radio.
“Joanna?” Donna prompted.
