Page 76 of A Summer of New Beginnings
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Nick Dacre, lead singer of Zara’s favourite band, was about to announce the winner of her category and she could barely breathe. He leaned in to the mic once more as if in slow motion and announced, ‘D S Binns withSomewhere Only We Know!’ The room erupted with applause and Zara was enveloped in a group hug of condolence, but in a way she was relieved. She wasn’t sure she was ready to be thrustinto the limelight in such a public domain. At least this way she could pursue her dream in her own time. And she would definitely be making time from that moment, she had decided.
‘Are you okay, love?’ her mum asked, holding her face so she would focus.
Zara nodded as best she could. ‘I’m fine, Mum. I’m absolutely great. This entire evening has been a dream come true. It doesn’t matter thatI didn’t win. Nick Dacre readmyname out.’ She grinned and her close group all laughed and hugged her harder.
‘Well, it’s good that you’re taking something positive away at least,’ Shelley said through watery eyes.
The winning author was giving an emotional speech on the stage and once again Zara was filled with relief. It would have been incredible to win, no doubt, but she wasn’t one forspeaking in front of masses of people, especially not when ugly crying and with snot all over her face. No, this was a blessing in disguise.
Loretta came over and hugged her. ‘I’m so proud to have you as a client, Zara. And I know for a fact that you have a big future ahead. Next year you’ll be sitting here in the best author category, you’ll see. Oh, and I know it’s Sunday, but we have a breakfastmeeting with Shonagh McAllen, Dominic’s wife, in the morning.’
Zara pulled away and stared at Loretta. ‘Why? Why would we have a breakfast meeting with Shonagh McAllen?’
Loretta grinned. ‘Oh, well, she’s an acquisitions editor at a major publishing house here in Scotland and let’s just say there may be averyinteresting and potentially lucrative offer on the table.’
Zara gasped. ‘Really? ButI thought—’
Loretta shrugged. ‘They want you. What can I say?’ She kissed her on both cheeks. ‘Now relax and enjoy the evening. But don’t enjoy it too much, okay? You need your wits about you tomorrow, Miss Bailey.’
Zara sat staring into space in a stunned stupor. So she didn’t win the award but she was possibly being signed anyway? This couldn’t be happening… could it?
At the end of the awardsthe bar was opened and everyone mingled, chatting and networking their way round the vast room. Loretta had gone and her mum and dad had left too, with hugs and instructions to call them as soon as her meeting was over in the morning. Nick Dacre had come over to congratulate her on the shortlisting and she had to force herself not to fangirl all over him.
He fixed her with a sincere look. ‘Honestly,Zara, my money was on your book. I absolutely loved Evangeline and so did my wife. We were rooting for her from the very beginning. I reckonNew Beginningswill be on the shelves in bookshops in no time at all.’
Shelley interjected, ‘Nick, this is really forward and possibly quite inappropriate, but can I take a photo of you with Zara, please? She’s a huge fan… well, we all are.’ Zara lookedbehind her to see Marco, Toby and Jake nodding like those little plastic dogs you saw in cars.
Nick looked a little embarrassed as he grinned and lowered his eyes for a moment and Zara made a mental note to slap Shelley for this. But he lifted his face and slipped his arm round Zara’s shoulder.
With a wide, handsome smile he said, ‘A photo with my new favourite author? This will be one for mywall.’ Zara’s legs almost gave way. How thehellwasanyof this happening?
Shelley snapped several photos with her phone and said she’d email one to Nick’s publicist. Hemadeher promise.
Eventually Zara, Josh and Zara’s friends decided it was time to leave the ceremony and make their way back to their hotel.
As they walked towards the exit Marco asked eagerly, ‘So who’s up for a nightcap?’
Zara cuddled up to Josh. ‘Not me, sorry, guys. I have a breakfast meeting with my literary agent, dontcha know.’ She grinned like the Cheshire Cat and a resounding, ‘Ooooh,’ came from her friends.
‘Well you go ahead back to the hotel then. I think I can speak for the rest of us when I say the night is young?’ Marco looked to the others for confirmation. Once he’d received it, he continued, ‘Aclub it is then! Josh, you’dbetterlet her sleep tonight,’ he warned and Zara could tell he wasn’t kidding around.
After hugs and kisses, her friends left to look for a venue in which to continue their fun. As she was about to exit with Josh she glanced round the room once more. There was no sign of Lachy so her chance to find out what he’d meant was gone.
‘Come on, we’ll grab a taxi, eh?It’s a bit chilly out there,’ Josh informed her as he removed his jacket and wrapped it round her shoulders. She silently hoped that Marco and Shelley would forgive him soon as he was trying so hard to make amends.
As they climbed into a waiting cab a message pinged to her phone and she grabbed it from her bag, hoping that it might be Lachy, but instead it was Loretta with the breakfast venueaddress.
Zara wished she had been able to speak to Lachy again. His cryptic words had thrown her and now that the event was over he was back in the forefront of her mind yet again.Hewas the one who had boosted her confidence about the whole book business.Hehad been the first to read it and to love it.Hehad been the first to believe in her. And now she was questioning everything. What thehell had he meant? The clock on her phone said it was gone midnight and she was meeting Loretta at half nine in the morning.Time to sleep… if that’s at all possible.
Back in the hotel she removed her make-up and her beautiful dress and as she put it back in the protective bag Josh slipped his arms round her waist. ‘Hmm, I knew there’d be something worth unwrapping under there.’ He began to kissher neck and she closed her eyes. But his ringtone blared loudly from his jacket pocket. He sighed. ‘Ugh, who the hell is ringing me at this time of the morning?’ He strutted off to retrieve the handset and stared at the screen. ‘Shit, it’s Katie. I better take it, it might be Caleb.’
His worried expression tugged at her and she nodded. He walked out of the room into the corridor to answer thecall.
He’d been gone a while when she opened the door to see where he was. She could hear him speaking in a low voice, but he had walked round the corner at the end near the elevator. Curiosity got the better of her and she tiptoed to where he was. Holding her breath, she listened.
‘No… no, Katie, I’ll be home tomorrow, I promise. Don’t cry.’
