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16. THE SIGNING
CHLOE
“My hand hurts,” I left the signing table to grab a moment's peace and drink of water.
The bookstore line hadn’t waned. My agent, Angel, warned me to expect four hundred people. She wasn’t lying. I’d done meet and greets since I was about seventeen and attended my first vlogging conference. Back then, that crowd was nothing more than a core group of twenty super-fans who came to hang out at a fro-yo shop.
As I returned to my seat, happy readers rushed through the line. There were more photos and more fangirling. I couldn't believe how demanding my tour had gotten. Last night, I’d participated in a midnight release party at the shop close to my mom’s house where I bought my first romance book. These events were aptly named The Horse Girl Tour and attendees showed up dressed to the nines in breeches from my collab with Tailored Sportsman and their favorite tall boots. Meanwhile, I felt out of place in a dress!
My publicist rushed me away as soon as our ticketed VIP attendees were finished, I was ushered into the concert hall I'd called my agent crazy for booking. There, hundreds of people packed in to hear me speak about my new baby.
“So, what inspired you to write this book?” A local bookshop owner asked.
“Well, Janelle, I have honestly been writing for years. I just did it for fun.”
“But you never thought to publish it?”
I shrugged. “It’s a lot of work. Everyone tells you ‘I could write a book’ or ‘someday, I’ll write a novel’ but it’s such a pain in the ass. You have to really believe in yourself enough to do it. And you have to be willing to put the time in. I was so afraid—embarrassed even—to share my spicy book with the world.”
“What got you over the hump?”
“My best friend read my manuscript and told me to get an agent. Then, she connected me with a friend-of-a-friend’s agent. I ended up having lunch with her and then shopping the book. And there we were.”
Lanie had the best connections.
“I should note that I am blessed to have that fall into my lap. Most authors don’t get that. I was just lucky. But if you believe in it, just run. Don’t sit on it. It doesn’t get easier.”
“And your publisher said this is a three-book-deal?”
“I have five manuscripts,” I answered. “They picked up three and then we’ll see. I cannot explain how much it tickled me to have that announcement go out. I was so proud of myself.”
The crowd cheered.
“So each book has a different hero, right? Who is your favorite?”
“Oh, Janelle, that is unfair. Don’t ask me to choose between my boys! Let me just say that I think the series only gets better and better as you get to know the girls on the team and the men are all worthy of our drooling.”
“But it’s not a cowboy romance series?”
“No. Well, I wouldn’t say it’s cowboy unless you think a hero riding western counts,” I answered. “Because you can look forward to that later.”
A loud whoop came from one side of the theatre.
“Well, we do have some western girlies up in here,” I giggled. “Okay, I can roll with that.”
“Isn’t cowboy more of a state of mind?” Janelle asked. “I always think of a cowboy as a man on a horse who would drop everything for you. A protective hero. He could be a billionaire or an average guy, as long as he's willing to put in the work, right?”
I thought a moment. Was it? By that metric, I had a cowboy in my carriage house. The same cowboy who had not so much as texted me after I flashed him.
“I suppose you're right,” I agreed. “It's more of an archetype, but he's mainly just a western rider—"
“Ladies, does it count if he's got the swagger?” Janelle asked the audience.
A cheer rang out and one woman shouted, “If you can ride him, he's a cowboy!”
“I covered my face and held the mic far from me, trying not to snort with laughter. “No comment,” I said as the crowd calmed. “Look, you can tell me when you read it. And when I announce next year, I'll share more.”
The softball talk ended and I finally took stock of the crowd leaving. They were all so eager to have signed copies of the book I poured all my energy into for months. They left with branded tote bags, swag from my publisher, and the happily ever after we all wanted. Meanwhile, I returned with the awareness my sophomore release had to hit and that my troubles with cowboys were endless. Cole hadn’t so much as winked at me after The Incident and I didn't know what to think.
