Page 97 of Happily Ever After

Blaise ignored it at first, finishing the sentence she was in the middle of. She did not like interruptions when she was in the zone. She sighed and reached for it.

It was an email notification. She clicked through. And it was from the publisher she’d just spoken to. She sat up straighter, her pulse ticking up a notch.

She stared at the subject line for a second, then opened it.

The message was longer than the last one. More formal sounding, but very enthusiastic.

Blaise read slowly, carefully, forcing herself not to skim. They thanked her again for the call. They reiterated their excitement and passion for her project. They spoke a little about positioning and support.

Then her eyes landed on the number. They were offering her a $125,000 advance.

Her mouth fell open and she blinked. That couldn’t be real, could it? She read it again. Then again, just to be sure.

Her breath stuck in her throat. She pressed the phone to her chest as she leaned back against the cushions. Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her throat.

“That can’t be right,” she whispered. “Can it?”

But it was there in black and white. They wouldn’t put something like that in an email if they didn’t mean it.

Of course, she hadn’t finished reading the email. She looked at her phone again.

The message went on to outline payment structure, delivery dates, expectations. There was talk about foreign rights, marketing support, and the plan for audio. All of it wrapped in calm, professional language that made the number feel even more unreal. There was a contract attached for her to review.

One hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.

She laughed out loud, the sound half hysterical, half joyous.

This was real. This was happening.

Her hands shook slightly as she set the phone down on the table. She swallowed and tried to gather herself together. She couldn’t stay sitting. She got to her feet, paced once, then twice, the room suddenly too small to contain the energy buzzing through her.

“This is life-changing,” she said to Beau. She picked him up and danced around the room with him. “Life-changing, Beau!”

After making them both dizzy, she set him down on the floor again and sat. She needed confirmation. She picked up her phone, scrolled to Joe’s name, and hit Call.

He answered quickly. “Hey, Blaise.”

“Joe,” she said, breathless. “Are you sitting down?”

He chuckled. “I am. Should I be worried?”

“I just got an offer,” she said. “From the publisher I spoke with.”

“That was fast,” he said. “Good fast or bad fast?”

“Very good fast,” she said, jumbling her words together. “They’re offering me a one-hundred-and-twenty-five-thousand-dollar advance.”

There was a pause.

“Joe?” she asked, when the silence stretched.

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m just…processing.”

She laughed, tears at the corners of her eyes now. “Me, too.”

“That’s a serious offer,” he said finally. “But then, you’re Blaise Monroe. Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking just a little. “I can’t believe it.”