A laugh bubbles in my throat. “Oh my god, it’s a plot pact.”
“Literally,” Nicole laughs, her head tipping back as the three of us cackle. She straightens and gives me a pointed look.
I look back and forth at both my best friends. “I’m going to miss you guys.”
Nicole looks sad and Ellie’s face contorts. “I’m not going anywhere,” she says. “We’ll still see each other when I’m home.”
I’m immediately embarrassed by the amount of sensitivity I’m showing. Ellie’s new degree earned her a promotion... one that requires a great deal of traveling.
“You’re right,” I admit, nodding my head. “Sorry, my mind is just all over the place.”
Nicole smiles. “I’m just a few hours away.” Her eyes squint with a hint of mischief. “Just so you know, we’re going to need all the details with your new little friend.”
Details? Matteo and I are not dating. We have a mutual agreement—an understanding. We’re both using each other and no one is going to be benefitting in a way that will be anything worth sharing.
“I told you, it’s not like that.”
“For now,” Ellie says with a wink. “Nicole’s married and all the men I’ve met suck. I’d rather just hear your stories instead.”
“I have nothing to tell other than fictional ones.”
Ellie sighs. “Why are all the good men fictional?”
“Because they’re written by women,” Nicole chuckles. “Well, except for my husband. It’s like he crawled right off the pages of a romance novel.”
I lift a brow. “You practically trained him.”
Nicole smiles, lifting her finger as she presses it to her lips. “Shh. That secret is only for the girls.” She glances around like she’s checking to make sure no one is listening. “We can’t let the men know.”
“My lips are sealed.”
Ellie nods in agreement. “I’ll never tell.”
The conversation shifts away from men and we finish up our meal before the three of us go our separate ways. My footsteps are light as I head down the street, making my way back to my apartment. I’ve spent so much time writing myself in circles or just avoiding the creative process in general. I’ve been afraid of the future, because I wasn’t certain I’d have one in this career.
And for the first time in a long time, I’m ready for whatever comes next.
I stare down at my notes. Ripped pages from my notebook are askew across the floor. Some with the words scratched out and others are rolled up into tight balls of frustration. Not a single idea feels likethe one. I need a story unlike anything I’ve ever written before.
I need a story that everyone is going to stop their lives for and rush to the nearest bookstore to purchase.
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Maybe I’m not good enough anymore. Maybe I need to just call it quits and find another job. I feel the inspiration, but I’m too indecisive. Too afraid. What if the idea I go with isn’t enough to salvage my career?
My phone vibrates, and I sigh, picking it up. My heart skips a beat when I see his name.
Matteo
You alive?
It’s been two days since we shook hands and made a deal. I gave him my number after he walked me home in the wee hours of the morning. It was a stipulation to our agreement. How else would we use each other if we didn’t have a way of getting a hold of one another?
Jade
Barely. This book is going to be the end of me.
Matteo
What’s going on? Maybe I can help.
