Page 75 of The Write Midlife

Then reality came crashing back in the form of his father's voice.

"Nathaniel!" his father bellowed, pushing through the crowd. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The room fell silent, the air literally humming with nerves. Leveling his gaze at his father, Nate stood his ground.

"I'm doing what's right for Carlisle Publishing," Nate said, keeping his voice level. "What's right for the industry."

His father's face was thunderous. "You have no authority to make these decisions. This... this stunt ends now."

Nate felt a presence beside him and turned to see his mother, her expression serene but determined.

"Actually, Liam," she said coolly, "as a major shareholder in Carlisle Publishing, I fully support Nathaniel's initiative. The board will be quite interested to hear about this innovative new direction."

His father sputtered, clearly caught off guard. "Elizabeth, you can't be serious. This will ruin us!"

"On the contrary," his mother replied. "I believe it will save us. The publishing world is changing, Liam. It's time we changed with it."

The tension in the room was palpable. Nate caught Melody's eye, seeing a swirl of concern and... something else. Something that made his heart race.

"Now," his mother continued, her tone brooking no argument, "I suggest we table this discussion for a more appropriate time and place. This is Ms. Archer's night, after all."

“It is.” Nate nodded at his father. “And in case you need any more clarification, that was Elizabeth Carlisle speak for ‘fuck off.’” He blinked. “As for ‘Nathaniel Carlisle speak’, this one will be easier to interpret. Dad, I still love you. But you can definitely fuck off.”

With a final glare at Nate, his father stalked off. The crowd, sensing the drama was over, began to disperse, buzzing with excited chatter about the new imprint.

Nate turned to Melody, suddenly aware of how public this whole scene had been. "Melody, I?—"

"Not here," she said quietly. "Meet me in the back room in five minutes."

As she walked away, Nate was left wondering if he had just made the biggest mistake or the best decision of his life.

Five minutes later, Nate slipped into the back room, his nerves on edge. Melody was there, pacing back and forth.

"Nate," she said as soon as he entered, "what the hell was that?"

He took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"That was me taking a stand. For your book, for our vision, for... for us."

Melody's eyes widened. "Us?"

Nate stepped closer, his heart pounding. "Melody, I... I'm in love with you. I think I have been since the moment you first argued with me about semicolon usage. You challenge me, inspire me, drive me absolutely crazy in the best possible way. And I want to build this future with you – both professionally and personally."

Melody stared at him, stunned into silence. Nate had never seen her at a loss for words before.

"I know it's complicated," he continued, the words tumbling out. "I know we're risking a lot. But I believe in us, in what wecan create together. So what do you say, Archer? Ready to write the next chapter with me?"

He held his breath, waiting for her response. The air between them was charged with possibility, with the potential for something amazing or catastrophic.

Melody opened her mouth to speak, and Nate braced himself for whatever came next.

But then he heard the emcee call her back to the stage. She looked over her shoulder.

“Mel—” he started.

“I have to go,” she cut him off, hazel eyes lowering. “I’m…sorry. But I have to. This is my job. I’ll talk to you soon…okay?”

His chest tightened, his gaze falling before returning to her face. “Sure. Whatever you have to do.”