Page 70 of A Summer of New Beginnings
‘I wouldloveto come back to Inverness. I just need to book a hotel and travel and check with my boss. Can I come back to you? How soon were you thinking?’
‘Hmm, in all honesty, with what I have planned for you I’d very much like to do thisas soon as possible. Monday?’
Yikes!‘M-Monday? Oh, right. Okay, can you leave it with me and I’ll see what arrangements I can make.’
‘Excellent. Obviously this won’t be necessary all the time, but I do feel that an initial face-to-face meeting is a good idea. After that we can do most things by email and telephone. Come back to me as soon as you have details. Bye just now.’ The line went deadand Zara stared at the phone.Did that really just happen?
She jumped up from her desk and yelled, ‘Yes!’ With a wide grin and equally wide eyes she glanced at the computer and at the door and at her phone. ‘Shit, what do I do first?’ Her mind was racing and her heart was doing a great impression of an erratic, haywire drum machine. She held up a decisive finger. ‘I need to speak to Noah.’
*
Thankfully Noah now understood how important writing was to Zaraoutsidework and his answer was a simple, ‘Remember me when you’re a bestseller.’ He offered to pay for a flight so she could get there quicker.Why the hell did I have to take the bloody train last time? Ugh, never mind that now.She tried to refuse but he insisted. Next she called her parents, Josh, Marco and Shelley in turn. Allhad similar comments that someone from the Original Fiction Association really wanted her to be published.
Within an hour her flight was booked, along with a hotel room for an overnight stay in Inverness, so she contacted Loretta to confirm.
‘That’s wonderful news, Zara. I look forward to seeing you on Monday. I’ll take you for afternoon tea at the Kingsman. That way you can check out the venuebefore the awards.’
Zara’s stomach dropped a little. ‘Oh, I’m afraid I was disqualified from the awards. If that was part of why you wanted to sign me, I’m afraid it’s too late. It’s a rather strange story but—’
‘Okay, now I don’t want to influence your decision about signing with my agency… Oh, who am I kidding? I totally do… But let’s just say if you sign on the dotted line on Monday, I canget you reinstated as a shortlist candidate.’
The world must have tilted on its axis; did she just say what I think she said?‘But… but…’
‘I know, it’s wonderful, isn’t it? Because the book has already been read by the panel and it was a mere technicality that disqualified it, we can put it through again. Dom was keen for that to happen.’
‘Oh, my word. Was it Dom… ermMrMcAllen who contactedyou on my behalf, then?’
‘No, no, it was another fan. A very enthusiastic one, I might add.’
Sandy? It must have been Sandy. I must hug her when I meet her.‘Well, that’s incredible. Thank you.’
‘Zara, go and enjoy your weekend. I’ll see you Monday. I know there are big things in your writing future.’
‘See you Monday and thank you again, Loretta. So,somuch.’
Later that evening her friendsand family gathered at Zara’s apartment. Marco opened the fizz and Zara’s mum brought out the huge congratulations cake.
Applause rang around her and she felt her cheeks flaming. ‘Nothing’s definite yet, guys, but I do appreciate this after the crap week I’ve had.’
‘Ugh, bull poop, this award has your name already engraved, I can feel it,’ her mum said as she placed the cake down on the diningtable. ‘Now get it cut. I think I may just have excelled myself with this one.’
She was right. The chocolate frosting smelled wonderful and the wordcongratulationswas spelled out with white chocolate buttons and edible glitter. If this was what they did when she waspotentiallyshortlisted and agented, what the heck would happen if she did win?
Josh was especially perky and making an extra-specialeffort with Zara’s dad. Sadly he was receiving quite a frosty reception, but he was trying. She made a mental note to speak to her family and ask them to go easy on him. After all, she wanted him in her life, so they would have to get used to him being around.
The cake was divine and Zara felt loved. All was right with the world for however long it lasted, and she was going to grab the happinessshe felt with two hands and hold on for as long as possible. Now all that was left to do was to see what Monday brought, but she dared to let a little spark of hope ignite again and it felt so good.
