Page 81 of Fraud
“Just be you.”
“So, friendly with a sizable helping of crazy?”
She snorted. “That sounds about right.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“I read through the chapter samples you sent over for book three. The last chapter, Kate, it’s stunning. I mean, it might be some of the best stuff you’ve done.”
“Really?” I replied, feeling slightly giddy.
“The depth, the vibrancy, and the heat. I’m surprised my computer didn’t spontaneously combust.”
I instantly blushed.
“I want—no, I need more of this. I want this trilogy to finish off strong. So often, series have a tendency to go downhill. It’s like the sequel curse. The second movie is never as good as the original. Well, we see that all the time with book series. Now, obviously, since this is an ongoing storyline, you’re going to get automatic buyers regardless of how the series ends, but if we can really bring it home, it will do wonders for you.”
“I can try,” I replied timidly.
I always found I became apprehensive when it came to talking over my work with Jane. It was the bluntness of her words because, sometimes, she didn’t hold back. Honestly, I thought it was the whole concept of it all.
I still didn’t think I belonged here.
In this strange new world.
Walking out into my dining room, at those boxes filled with my words, it didn’t seem real.
Knowing millions of people had read them?
Impossible.
Maybe this was the ultimate reason I wanted to hide.
Because I thought, if it somehow did get out there that I was the mastermind behind this decade’s biggest hit, people would look at me and laugh.
They’d walk away, unconvinced.
“I need you to more than try, Kate. Whatever sparked this, you need to find it again.”
I grew quiet.
“I spent the night with Killian,” I admitted.
It had been days since Jane and I last spoke. I had a lot to fill her in on.
I could almost feel her smile through the phone.
“You didn’t?”
“I did, but it’s not what you think. I mean, it’s not totally what you think.”
Silence.
“Why don’t you just try to explain?”
And so I did. I told her about following her advice and how he’d willingly taken me up on my offer.
“I bet he did,” she said.
