Page 66 of Between the Lines

“Nor should you. If anything, she’s the one who ought to be afraid. Of you.”

“That’s right.” She reached for the tile bag and gave it a small shake, her spirits uplifted by his support. What a wonderful way to spend an evening this was. “Your turn.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Blaise set her laptop on the kitchen table and adjusted her chair until it felt right. Not too close. Not too far. She checked the angle of the screen, then the camera, making sure the light from the window wasn’t throwing shadows across her face. Morning sun filtered in, soft and forgiving. It gave her a gentle glow that not even makeup could replicate.

She glanced at the clock. Ten minutes until it was time for the call.

Blaise took a sip of coffee, then smoothed her hand over the legal pad beside her laptop. It was her handwriting, but Cece’s great questions filled most of the page. What do they want to know? What do I want? What am I not willing to give up?

There were a few reminders there as well, along with a couple of underlined phrases meant to help her focus. You’ve earned this. No one knows as much about you as you. Money matters more than publicity.

That last one had been underlined twice. Money was the whole reason she was doing this, because for her, money meant freedom and comfort.

And if she was being honest, making money again would feel slightly like vindication. That she’d made things right, regardless of what the scammer had done to her. It would also prove to Evan that she could take care of herself. She hoped.

She took another sip of coffee and decided she needed a glass of water instead. She quickly got up and fixed one in the kitchen, trying to breathe normally as the clock ticked closer to the time of the call.

There was no reason to perform. She just needed to be herself. This wasn’t a pitch so much as a conversation. A chance to see whether the people on the other end of the screen understood what she was trying to do with the book. And whether they respected it.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Cece through the Queen Bees group. You’ve got this. Be honest. Be yourself.

Then one came in from Paige. They are going to love you.

Althea wasn’t far behind. If they don’t, they’re idiots.

Agreed, Essie added. Praying for you!

Finally, Maude. Remember us when you’re famous. Again.

Blaise smiled and set the phone aside. She was so grateful for those women. And for Brick, who’d kept her occupied on her morning walk. They’d talked about yesterday’s boat trip, which had been so restful and wonderful. He’d fished, she’d sunbathed, and they’d even stopped at a small sandbar where Beau had gotten out and run through the water.

It had been the perfect distraction.

Now, of course, she had to focus.

She’d chosen her outfit deliberately, ultimately deciding on a lightweight blue summer sweater with a vintage Pucci scarf for a little more color around her face and her favorite white jeans, which they wouldn’t see, but she needed to feel complete. It was simple and comfortable. Nothing that felt like she was trying too hard.

She wanted to look like herself, not a version of what they might expect. The book was about who she was now. How she’d become this person. She had to be true to that idea.

Four minutes to go.

She opened the document with her manuscript and scrolled to the last paragraph she’d written, reading it once more. Reminding herself that she was doing this and, at least to her mind, doing it well.

She was worthy of this opportunity, regardless of what anyone else thought.

When the meeting alert chimed, Blaise closed the document and clicked Accept. She was nervous, but she was determined. And she was definitely ready to talk.

The screen flickered, then resolved into a woman sitting in what looked like a bright office, shelves behind her lined with books and a framed poster on the side wall that Blaise couldn’t make out because of the angle.

“Hi, Blaise,” the woman said, smiling warmly. “I’m Karey. It’s really nice to finally meet you.”

“Hi, Karey,” Blaise said. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

Karey adjusted her glasses and glanced down briefly, likely at notes. “I want to start by saying how much we appreciated your proposal. There’s a clarity to it that really stood out to me. That’s not something we often see from new writers. Unless I’m making an untrue assumption. Have you been writing for a while?”

Blaise felt her shoulders ease just a fraction. “No, this is my first attempt. But I am trying to be as honest as possible.”