Page 60 of The In-Laws

‘It’s killing Katie too, Jamie. She knows she shouldn’t have lost her temper, but she’s human.’

‘You know Mum. She’s never going to forgive her.’

Jamie was right there. Nancy would never let Katie forget this.

‘She doesn’t have to. Nancy and Lucy’s relationship can exist on its own. Katie respects that and will always encourage Lucy to spend time with her granny.’

‘Katie was up in the middle of the night, cooking and making stuff. God only knows what Mum is going to receive.’

Melanie smiled. ‘You see, she’s already trying to make amends.’ She tapped her pen on the desk. ‘Now, what news do you have on Sloane’s foreign rights?’

Jamie clicked into work mode. ‘Very good news, actually.I’ve negotiated contracts with Slovenia, Turkey, Greece, Norway and Iceland. I’m in the final stages with Bonnier in Sweden. I’ve asked for a higher royalty rate on the audiobook, so I’m just waiting for confirmation of that.’

‘Brilliant!’ Melanie was thrilled. ‘I have a Zoom meeting with Simon and Schuster US at four to discuss a deal for book two. They’re terrified of losing her to Harper-Collins who they know are sniffing around and have already offered a huge advance to move Sloane to them.’

‘Would Sloane move?’ Jamie asked.

‘No. She loves Kendal, her US editor. You know how particular Sloane is about people, so there’s no way she’d move unless Kendal went with her, and Kendal is not leaving S and S, but it’s always good to have big offers coming in for bargaining purposes. Nothing like a little fear to get publishers to up their advances.’

Jamie raised his cup. ‘And no better agent to inform Simon and Schuster of their competitor’s interest.’

Melanie grinned. ‘I may have dropped it into conversation.’

There was a cursory knock and the door opened. Nancy hobbled in. She had ditched the crutch and was just using the boot.

Jamie jumped up to help her into a chair.

‘I’m fine, don’t fuss.’

‘I’m not fussing. I’m just helping you.’

Nancy winced as she sat down. ‘I’m not going to mention yesterday except to say I will not be going to your house again, Jamie. From now on I will see Lucy in my house or here in the office.’

‘Look, Mum, I know –’

‘Jamie!’ Nancy snapped. ‘The conversation is over.’

Melanie decided to cut through the awful tension byfilling Nancy in on HarperCollins wanting to poach Sloane and telling her the good news about Sloane’s foreign rights deals. ‘… so as you can see, Jamie has done an amazing job of getting Sloane really good deals with big advances and great royalty percentages.’

Nancy’s jaw loosened slightly from its clenched position. ‘That is good news and will bring in a nice bump for the agency in fees. What’s happening with Petrus?’

‘I’m meeting him for lunch on Wednesday.’

‘I’ll join you,’ Nancy said.

No! Melanie did not want Nancy to come. She wanted to meet Petrus alone. She was looking forward to it. He was handsome and charming and it was Melanie he wanted as his agent. Nancy would change the whole dynamic of the meeting. She was in rotten form and might scare him off. Melanie knew exactly what to say to persuade him to sign on the dotted line.

The door burst open. ‘Did I miss a memo? What’s going on?’ Ross looked put out.

He handed his mother a coffee and a croissant. ‘There you go, Mum. You need to eat something.’

She took them and placed them on Melanie’s desk.

‘So? What’s going on and why am I not privy to it? I would have thought after yesterday you’d be treading on eggshells, Jamie.’

Jamie flinched. ‘Nothing’s going on, Ross. As for yesterday, you were rude about my wife and I overreacted, for which I have apologized to you, so I will not be walking on any eggshells. It’s done. I was having a catch-up with Melanie and Mum came in. It’s not a conspiracy, Ross. Stop being so paranoid all the time.’

‘I hardly think you’re in any position to be rude to me,or is that your family’s go-to behaviour? Clearly, manners are not big in your house.’

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