Chapter 25 Greta
Greta
Greta spent the next weekend being ignored by Kaelee, and her valiant choice to decide she was going to wait until Kaelee was ready was already going horribly.
By Monday, she was in her office holding a beautiful copy of Kaelee’s book.
The book wouldn’t be on shelves for almost a month yet, and publicity would be doing a limited mailing of the final copies to key influencers and accounts.
Greta put the book on her desk, cleared everything from around it, and took a picture. She emailed it to both Kaelee and Emily with a “Look what arrived!” note.
While she waited for a reply, Greta opened her email, checking for emergencies. There was one from Toni that said, “Want to buy a new book?” She’d attached a document and cc’d Emily.
Greta laughed and replied to both: “Offer letter in my draft folder already.”
“No! Read the damn book first, or I won’t sell it. There will be a quiz,” Toni replied, cc’ing Emily again.
Again, Greta barked a laugh. “Of course there will.”
Ian popped his head into the doorway. “What are you chortling over?”
“Toni sent her book.”
Ian frowned at her. “Did we buy it already? I didn’t see a deal m—”
“No. She sent the manuscript, cc’d Emily, and said I have to read it before offering.
” Greta shook her head. Toni Darbyshire was grouchy at the best of times.
She’d earned enough on her first two novels and the show that she could actually continue to not sell the book.
She certainly didn’t need to sell one with having both a job and royalties.
Greta shook her head, but she was still smiling as she said, “She says she’ll quiz me before selling. ”
“You know she’ll sell it to you eventually,” Ian pointed out. “No one else would be as devoted to her or her series.”
Greta nodded. “I don’t mind reading first, but yes, I know she’ll sell it to me. I worried in the spring, but … I’ve realized that Toni sees the selling as a formality at this point. She already submitted the book.”
Then Greta’s phone chimed. She and Ian both saw Kaelee’s name on the screen. “I need to get this.”
“So you’re officially seeing her?” Ian wasn’t judgmental; he sounded curious.
“I am.” Greta couldn’t say what “seeing” Kaelee meant, but whatever it was or would evolve into was better than not seeing her. That much was clear. As Ian left, Greta looked at the message.
Kaelee: Come here this weekend.
Greta: Where? To DC?
Kaelee: yes
Greta: Let me see what I can do.
Kaelee: I needed to think. Sorry I was silent.
Greta: And? Any conclusion?
Kaelee: My apartment is not much more than a closet. I want you here though.
Greta: I can book a hotel.
Kaelee: No. Come HERE.
Greta: To stay this weekend?
Kaelee: Or sooner.
Greta: Sounds like a date.
And in her typical, thinking-too-hard, panic response, Kaelee went silent for several minutes. Greta felt like she had a vise squeezing her chest every time Kaelee went silent. The trio of dots that indicated she was typing appeared and vanished several times. Then a message appeared.
Kaelee: Check your email.
Greta refreshed and saw a link to a cloud file called “Alden Notes,” and then it was followed by another text message.
Kaelee: Read this before any decision about dating.
Greta: Your family?
Kaelee: Yes. There’s a lot more where that came from. Read it, and then you can let me know if you’re still visiting.
Greta: You aren’t responsible for their actions.
Kaelee: They can hurt you. Embarrass you. Out you.
Greta: Nothing here is embarrassing. Being involved with a smart, talented, beautiful woman? How awful.
Kaelee: Read it. Decide. Let me know.
Greta sighed and opened the file. There were articles on a conservative political group, a Southern religious group, articles in which Tripp Alden voiced his various hatreds in coded words.
Book banning, anti-choice legislation, bathroom bills, a lot of conservative causes, and Kaelee’s father was repeatedly on the extreme side of it.
At this point, it wasn’t surprising. People who tossed around the word “freedom” a lot rarely meant freedom for everyone.
They meant freedom for them with a side order of the right to control and limit other people’s freedoms. Sober people never walked up and announced that they were sober; only drunks said that.
Likewise only those who were trying to limit other freedoms said they were pro-freedom. It was mind-boggling.
And that hateful family had raised the kindhearted woman Greta was falling for.
The truth was that liberals didn’t “convert” people as effectively and consistently as restrictive families did.
Developing empathy for fellow humans was often all it took to turn away from a lot of those narrow ideas—which ultimately were rooted in fears that had festered into hate.
An hour or so later, Greta picked her phone back up.
Greta: Reading these things affirms that you are amazing. You were surrounded by hate but developed a beautiful heart.
Kaelee: He’ll find a way to hurt your career.
Greta: Thank you for the warning. How’s Wednesday or Thursday?
Kaelee: Really?
Greta: No doubts on my side. At all.
Then Greta walked out to find Ian. He needed to call Kaelee and start the introduction phase of being her editor—and they needed to get in front of the potential issues with Tripp Alden.
She found Ian in Charlie’s office.
“If you want to take me as your concert date, I’m in, but if you wanted to check your date pool first—”
“I’m exhausted.” Ian shook his head, grinning wildly. “You’re the only one who will go with me and not expect orgasms afterwards.”
Charlie laughed either at the words or the expression on his face.
“I don’t expect orgasms from you either, Ian. Coffee? Patience with my schedule? Sure. That’s all, though,” Greta said as she approached them.
As he looked back at her, Ian blushed. “Well, I just meant—”
“Fun people?”
“I’m sure you’re fun, boss. We just don’t like the same things.” Ian shook his head. “I’m sure museums are exciting for you, but I like … more music and chaos.”
Greta gave Charlie an appraising look, taking in her sensible trousers, blouse, and blazer. “And you go with him?”
“Sometimes.”
“Huh.” Greta realized she knew little about their social lives, and impulsively, she added, “Tell me next time. Maybe my date and I can join you.”
“Your date?”
Greta shot a look at Ian before pulling her shoulders back. “I’m seeing an author. Romantically. I met her before she was my author … under an assumed name … and now we are dating.”
“Good for you, boss.” Ian nodded. “So I assume I have my first official author?”
“Second. I think you ought to offer on the gay mystery you had me read,” Greta said. “You’re right. It’s a solid book. I will, of course, be here to advise you on both as needed.”
Ian’s small smile blossomed into a wide beaming one. “I’m going to go make some calls. I have a couple agents and an auth—”
“In a minute.”
Once they were in the room with the door closed, she said, “Kaelee started life under another name.” Greta took a breath.
She had Kaelee’s permission, but that didn’t make this easy.
“Her father has reached out in a threatening way. He’d like the book canceled.
He’s extremely right-wing, and having his daughter in the media as a lesbian has upset him even though they have not had contact in a decade. ”
“So damage control,” Charlie surmised.
“One of us ought to be present at each tour stop,” Greta suggested.
“I’ll talk to the stores, too, as we schedule to check safety and security.” Charlie was already in problem-solving mode.
“I’ll get the notes on the next novel prioritized to distract her,” Ian added.
Greta nodded at both of them. “I told her she has the best team, but … I’m anxious for her, too. I think we want to have legal brought up to speed.”
“As her editor, I’ll handle that,” Ian offered. “Charlie? Want to come with?” Then he looked at Greta. “We’ll keep you in the loop, boss, but don’t you worry. We’ll keep our author safe as houses.”
“I know.” Greta impulsively hugged Ian. “Thank you. In related notes … I’ll be headed to DC and working remotely the rest of the week.” Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, even though she was not sure why. Maybe it was simply admitting she had a life outside the office.
Charlie caught her gaze. “She seems lovely. I hope this works out for both of you. You deserve it after the way things went with Tasha.”
“Sometimes, things just aren’t the right time or place,” Greta said quietly. “Tasha isn’t a bad person. She just wasn’t my person. Maybe Kaelee won’t be either, but I want to find out.”
Afterward, as she was walking back to her office, Greta realized that she might have more friends than she realized.
She’d closed herself off so much that she failed to notice the great people right in front of her.
Opening her heart to Kaelee was having the side effect of opening her heart in general.
By Wednesday evening, Greta sat on the train thinking about the last time she took the Acela from Manhattan down to Union Station.
That was only a couple of months ago, but that trip had changed everything.
Meeting Kaelee was the single best thing that had happened to her in an already victory-filled year.
But now Greta had to decide if she was going to see her one remaining author from DC—as opposed to the last trip, when Toni met her at the station and Kaelee refused to meet her.
Kaelee’s not my author anymore, not really. Ian is her editor. I am … I don’t even know what the right label is now.