16. Chapter 16 #2
I leaned forward to turn the volume down on the annoying pop song that Rainn had been blasting in the car.
“Thanks for driving me to the bookstore, Rainn, and agreeing to pick me up. If you could come meet me inside, that would be even better. That way, I won’t have any awkward walks to the door with Kylan this time.
” I sighed. “If he even shows up. Hopefully he won’t! ”
“No problem,” Rainn said with a grin. We didn’t usually drive to the office together every day, despite working similar schedules so far, simply because I wanted to make sure I was available to stay late if the agents needed me to.
It was far too soon for that kind of longer hours yet, but I wanted to be prepared and show I was committed. But today we’d carpooled.
“You know, maybe Sofia was just having a bad day when she said that about you, Rainn, because she is amazing. Seriously, I couldn’t be happier working with her.”
Rainn said nothing, but he gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter.
Continuing, I added, “She said she might even come tonight. She’s already read the book we selected, of course, since it’s basically her job to read what’s current and know what’s selling.”
“How nice for her,” he said flatly.
“Are you going to hold that one comment against her forever?” I demanded. “You know, women face far worse and far more frequent comments from men all the time , and we’re expected to just get over it . Move on. No big deal.”
“And that makes it OK?” He glanced at me briefly with a challenge in his eyes.
“No.” I sighed. “I bet if I talked to her about it, she’d apologize. I bet she’d be really embarrassed and want to make it right. She’s really sweet—”
“ No . Absolutely not.”
“But, Rainn—”
“Don’t say anything to her.”
“Rainn, I—”
“No.”
I stayed silent for a moment. This had struck a bigger nerve with him than I’d realized. I said quietly, “Fine. Sorry.”
“Not your fault. ”
We rode the rest of the way in silence, other than the quiet hum of the radio in the background.
When we arrived, I asked him if he wanted to stop in.
“Oh, I’m not … the book club type.”
“You don’t have to stay. I just … I could use help setting up the chairs and stuff. I don’t know if my teenage coworker will show up, and she’s so moody.”
Rainn looked at me, not yet responding.
“OK, fine … the truth is, I’m terrified of facing Kylan alone, in case he shows up early. Are you happy?” I buried my face in my palms.
“Yep,” he said, turning off the engine and getting out of the car.
“Finally, I get a smile from you,” I muttered, “but only at my own expense.”
He put a broad arm around my shoulder as we started walking toward the door, and he didn’t hide a wry smile. “We’ve both had a bit of that tonight, haven’t we?”
I needn’t have feared, as Kylan didn’t make his grand appearance until five minutes after we’d started.
I was actually quite annoyed, as we’d already started discussing the book.
I’d started relaxing enough to enjoy myself, thinking he’d abandoned the idea of attending altogether.
But so much for that hope. Sofia showed up too, but on time, so she sat next to me.
Yet again, I had to resist the urge to bring up Rainn and ask what the deal was.
At the halfway point, I announced a five-minute break and turned to Sofia. “You’ve been quiet. Are you all right?” Usually Sofia was just like me, the furthest thing from shy.
My new friend and colleague smiled. “Oh, I’m fine, girl.
I’m just feeling out the room. As an agent, I’m trying to figure out what kind of role I should play in a conversation like this, you know?
I talked to Jardin earlier, and they didn’t see my attending as a conflict of interest per se, but they wanted me to be thoughtful in my approach.
So I’m just trying to, you know, be thoughtful. ”
“I’m glad you talked to Jardin about it.” I winced. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”
“Laina suggested it.”
I was about to say more, but a deep voice intervened.
“Another agent in the room, eh?” Kylan stood in front of us, sticking out his large hand in front of Sofia as I watched him warily.
“I’m Kylan Quinn, from Elliott Literary in New York.
I was kind of thinking along the same lines.
Getting a feel for how the discussion goes.
Sorry, I didn’t catch your name last time? ”
“Sofia. Jackson. I wasn’t here last time, so that’s why you didn’t catch it,” she said, smiling at him and smoothing her black hair while looking him up and down.
Is she flirting with him?
And why on earth would I care?
I wouldn’t.
I don’t.
In what was becoming a pattern now, Carlina came over to save me, yet again. “Annie!” she said loudly. “Introduce me to your new friend here. I don’t think we’ve met yet, but I overheard you saying she’s an agent.”
Sofia’s eyes lingered on Kylan just a bit longer before swinging over to Carlina, whom she flashed a friendly smile. “Hi, I’m Sofia Jackson. Annie just started working at our agency and brought me along tonight.”
“I have a memoir I want to publish, so maybe you’re the one to talk to?” Carlina said, pulling Sofia aside. “I’m only joking. I’d never subject anyone to reading that, much less publishing it for all to see. But I’d love to hear more about your work.”
Unfortunately, this left Kylan just standing there near me, and when I dared to look up, he was staring at me, his expression impossible to read. Half a minute passed. He might have been about to speak, but I couldn’t bear to listen.
“Everyone, let’s get back to our discussion,” I called out loudly, waving my hands in the air to usher people back to their seats. A muscle ticked in his jaw just before he returned to his seat on the other side of the circle.
Whew, dodged another bullet .
But I couldn’t do this forever, could I? Eventually we’d have to talk.
Nope, nope, nope.