Page 17 of Book Boyfriend
It’s a Thursday and I’m technically not supposed to go in today, but I have this strange desire to be there. It’s an odd experience for me, actually having somewhere to go every day.
Usually, I roll out of bed whenever I feel like it, think about showering but never do it, and wander around my apartment finding mundane things to focus on rather than writing. Forcing myself to get up and get going is somewhat refreshing. I only spent two hours yesterday looking at music videos rather than the entire day I spent Monday. I’d call that progress.
It’s also kind of nice having other people around and the view is way more inspiring than my own. It doesn’t hurt that Brenna is willing to move heaven and earth if I need a tissue, much less a refill of coffee. It makes me feel special. It’s a new feeling for me and I’m afraid I could get used to it.
It’s a forty-minute drive to the publishing house, but I just pop in an audiobook and time flies. I didn’t force myself to get up early today to be there before nine. It’s 10:00 a.m. when I leave the house and the lighter traffic makes me wonder why I rush other days to be there so early. It’s not like anyone cares when I come in.
I’m about fifteen minutes away and at a juicy part in my audiobook when my phone rings. The number seems familiar, but it doesn’t show up on my caller ID. I decide to answer it anyway via Bluetooth.
“Hello?”
“Macy? I mean Greer?”
“Who is this?”
“I’m so sorry to bother you, it’s Brenna. I know you’re not supposed to be here today, but, um . . . Is there any way you could get here? Like, really, super fast?”
“I’m actually almost there. I decided to come in today. Why? What’s up?”
“Um . . . I don’t know how to explain this.”
There’s some brief shuffling on the phone and mumbling in the background.
Luna’s voice catches me off guard. “Get in here now! You’re never going to fucking believe this!”
“What’s going on?” I shout. Pressing my foot into the floorboard, the car quickly picks up speed. I’m starting to panic. “Did the movie deal fall through? Did they change their minds? I knew it was too good to be true.”
“No! That’s not it. When can you get here?”
“I’m probably like five minutes away now that I’m speeding. I was coming in anyway. Please tell me what’s going on. I’m freaking out!”
Luna laughs. “It’s not bad. It’s unreal. Hurry the fuck up. Seriously. I’m dying.”
“You’re dying? What do you mean? Are you sick?”
“Notthatkind of dying! Excited dying. Okay, I gotta go. They need me. Just hurry!”
She hangs up before I can say another word. She said “Theyneed me” as in more than one. I fly into the parking lot and my tires screech as I slam on the brakes. Who arethey? If it’s not the movie people then who is it? The editing team? Photographers? Did they send models for me to look at? Ooh! I like that idea!
Running through the lobby, I decide to take the stairs when the elevator has a line. By the time I make it to the fourth floor, I’m significantly winded. Who knew wearing tennis shoes and yoga pants today meant I’d be getting a workout.
Brenna sees me coming and jumps up from her desk and cracks open the closed door of my office.
“I’m here! Someone tell me what the hell is going on!”
Luna squeezes out the door of my office like she’s hiding something. The grin on her face reminds me of the day she screwed the quarterback in college. She was proud and bursting to give me all the details. From the look on her face today, I’d say she fucked the entire football team.
“I’m so glad you’re here. You’re never going to believe this!”
“What?” I drop my purse and my tote bag on Brenna’s desk as I rush to my door. “Is it good or bad?” I ask before I open it.
“It’s fucking amazing!” Luna begins. I hesitate. I’m not good with surprises. Luna must recognize my fear because she says, “What’s the second thing Penn does for Kasey in your book?”
My eyes narrow as I rack my brain to think. When it hits me, my eyes bulge. “No!” I shout.
Luna claps and I open my office door. Positioned in the corner is a string quartet in tuxedos: three violins and a cello. When I wrote this scene, I tried to think of something really romantic that any girl would love. So, in my story, Kasey writes about her fictitious boyfriend sending a string quartet to serenade her with her favorite classical music while she works.
“They just showed up!” Brenna shouts. Half the office has now gathered outside my door as I walk inside.
