Chapter 27 Greta
Greta
By early afternoon, Greta was so lost in the new manuscript she was reading that she called Emily.
Admittedly, Greta felt vaguely tempted to walk over to Toni’s office and ask for her quiz, but the snow was falling faster than before and the thought of sliding through it seemed less than appealing.
And, of course, Greta thought she’d better handle the business part first. Emily had already emailed in response to the offer Greta had sent that morning.
“I’ve read more than enough to know I’m buying Toni’s book,” Greta said in lieu of a proper greeting.
“One or two pages?” Emily teased.
Greta was relieved that they were able to talk as if the awkward conversations about her personal life had not happened. “I’ve read the first two hundred so far.”
“Well then. You really did prioritize it.”
“I took two days out of office to read.” Greta stared out the coffee shop window at the light fall of snow on the campus grounds. “What are Toni’s counterdemands?”
“I haven’t told her you offered yet. She is genuinely serious about you reading it first.” Emily sounded somehow both amused and exasperated. It was a mix of emotions Greta thought of as the “Toni reaction” at this point.
“Okay, so what are your demands?”
“Better escalation clause on paperbacks. Higher royalty overall on paperback and flat fifteen percent on hardcover.” Emily paused before adding, “Less of a tour clause.”
“Emily.”
“She’ll ask. You know she will, so I’m putting it on the table.”
Greta smiled. She’d already told the contracts team that this would be a sticking point, so she had authorization to decrease the requirements. She wasn’t going to admit that yet in case she needed it later. “I’ll see.”
“She will want either only a one-book deal or the second book to have more flexibility.” Emily sounded less sure of herself now. “She’s considering a spin-off stand-alone.”
“This book ends unfinished,” Greta objected.
“I thought you were only at two hundred?”
“I read the end already,” Greta admitted.
Emily laughed. “Three books, then.”
“Sold. Seven fifty each.” Greta had the leeway to go higher on the advance, but she’d save that if she couldn’t get all the other clauses. Having something in her pocket to bargain with was standard tactics if she needed to counter any other objections.
“Let me run the offer by her and get back to you by end of day,” Emily said.
Then she paused and awkwardly added, “She’s serious about the quiz, though.
She wrote an actual quiz. I told her she was being ridiculous, but she’s afraid you’ll just buy it without loving it because the first book sold so well. ”
Greta laughed out loud. “Send it. I’ll fill it out.”
“Done … and the Kaelee situation?”
“Ian is the editor of record now,” Greta said. “I could be objective, you know, and I adore her book, but this clears the way for … seeing her socially.”
Emily was silent for several heartbeats. “Ian’s a great editor. Nothing else changes?”
“We are consulting legal to make sure they are aware of the situation with her parents reaching out aggressively.” Greta realized she sounded stiff, but she was worried—not about losing the book, but about Kaelee’s anxiety and the possibility of threats to her.
All she added was “They’re powerful and homophobic. ”
“So I hear,” Emily murmured. “Do you have a personal attorney you can recommend? I think just having the publisher’s attorney is insufficient.”
“Agreed, but I’ll need to talk to Kaelee first. I won’t overstep. I’m not her editor now, Emily. I’m just a woman who cares about her,” Greta pointed out.
They exchanged other updates, on both Toni’s and Kaelee’s upcoming releases, and then Greta said, “Do you mind if we add another date and start the tour in Houston? There’s a mystery bookstore there that does on- and off-site events. The events coordinator is amazing.”
“Murder By The Book?” Emily clarified.
“Yes.” Greta noticed that the snow was getting heavier and heavier outside and wondered if Kaelee’s office had a window.
Does she know about the weather?
“I have no objection to launching there. Why not DC, though, since both authors live there?” Emily prompted. “Or New York?”
“I wanted a mystery store, and that one also does a great job with fantasy, so…” Greta started packing up while she watched the snowflakes outside. “Think about both topics. Get back to me. This snow is getting thick and—”
“Snow? Where are you?” Emily asked. “I don’t see a single flurry outside.”
“I’m not in the city,” Greta said with a wince. “I need to run, but I’ll expect your email.”
Emily sighed. “No one warned me that cat herding would be an easier career path than agenting. High-rise window washer? Goat shearer? So many options, Greta. So very many.”
Greta laughed in relief that Emily sounded resigned rather than angry. “You’d be bored doing anything else. Talk later.”
Once Greta ended the call, she texted Kaelee. The snow is heavy out there. How much later do you think you’ll be?
Kaelee didn’t reply, so Greta called. If she’d thought she might be in class, she wouldn’t have, but she was in an office grading. Only it wasn’t Kaelee who answered.
“Imagine my surprise,” Toni said. “I look over to see my friend’s phone and your name is there.”
“Hi.” Greta smothered a sigh. “She was to be grading, and I wanted to see if she was aware of the snow.”
“So you check the weather forecast for all your authors now? I guess you must do these calls alphabetically because I live where it’s snowing, too.
Was I going to be the next call, Greta?” Toni’s voice was muffled then, obviously talking to someone in the room with her.
“Your phone rang, and I thought I’d answer it since it’s my editor calling. ”
“Well, maybe she was calling about my book,” Kaelee said in the background.
“Seems suspicious, Kae, since our agent said she got Greta’s out-of-office mess—” Toni interrupted herself and said, “Greta, where are you right now?”
“Give me the phone,” Kaelee said in the background.
Then the phone was obviously snatched away. Kaelee’s voice was no longer in the background. “Hey.”
“I’m sorry.” Greta braced herself for reprimands. Tasha was always quick to criticize when Greta embarrassed her.
Instead, though, Kaelee said, “I think we’re going to have to tell Toni we’re dating sooner than expected.”
There was a commotion in the background, and then Kaelee said, “I’m almost done here. Are you done with … the thing you were doing?”
“I am. Do you want me to walk to you?”
“Of course not, it’s snowing out there!” Kaelee sounded outraged, but at least there was no noise in the background. “Let me grab my stuff and come get you.”
A short while later, Toni and Kaelee trudged into the coffee shop. Greta’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw Toni, but she composed herself quickly as the two approached and stomped off the snow on their legs.
“My car was plowed in,” Kaelee said grumpily. “And someone thought it was better to drive me instead of help me shovel it free.”
“We can take the subway to your apartment a few blocks from here. I pulled up an app,” Greta said, determined to stay calm. She wasn’t doing anything wrong by dating Kaelee, so Toni could take that glare of hers and turn it somewhere else.
“I’ll get you home safely.” Toni nodded. “I’ll drive you and leave you there, or you could come to my place and use the guest room. Addie’s home, and we’ll all be snowed in within the next forty-eight hours. Might as well have a house party. Board games and reading?”
Greta smiled. She knew Toni well enough to see her offer as fond overprotectiveness. She also knew this wasn’t really her decision. She might be Toni’s editor, but Kaelee was Toni’s friend.
And I’m here as Kaelee’s date.
“I’m sure Greta and I are fine on our own, but thanks.” Kaelee looked like she had been chewing glass. Her teeth were gritted, and her lips were pressed together.
“Everything’s closing. Do you have a generator?” Toni scowled. “You know that super of yours will not clear the sidewalk, and you’ll be out there shoveling and then inside in wet clothes with no heat and—”
“You’re, like, the overbearing older sibling no one really wants,” Kaelee muttered.
“You and Greta will be trapped together in a storm, no power, no water.” Toni shook her head. “That’s one way to see if you’re compatible. It’s like the road-trip test: if you survive it with feelings intact, maybe it’s real.”
Kaelee looked at Greta, a question clear in her eyes.
“As long as I’m with you I’m fine. Whatever you want works for me.” Then Greta looked at Toni. “We can be noisy, though, so is your guest room on the same floor?”
Kaelee and Toni both looked mortified.
“Kae can sleep on the sofa,” Toni countered. “Problem solved.”
“I don’t think we ought to have sex on your sofa,” Greta said lightly. “Best she stays in the guest room with me.”
“Greta … my editor doesn’t … you shouldn’t … this is not right,” Toni managed.
“I’m not Kaelee’s editor.” Greta stared at Toni. “I’m your editor. Just yours, but Toni … seriously? I’m not a monk.”
“Fine. Be human.” Toni threw her hand up. “Just leave me out of the drama if you split up.”
“Fine,” Kaelee said quickly.
Greta took Kaelee’s hand and squeezed. “No drama.”
“Kae used my guest room when you sent me to fetch her. It’s ground floor, private bathroom.
” Toni let out a slow breath. “Look. I’m not trying to be overbearing.
I would offer my guest room to Kae if you weren’t here, Greta.
They’re slow to clear the roads, and last year, Kaelee got trapped without heat for three days.
I worried. I just added a generator at my place that automatically kicks in or something.
I don’t know, but it’s supposed to mean that I have heat and lights …
and I planned to just force her to stay at my place next storm.
You can ask Addie if you doubt me. She knows. ”
Kaelee shot Toni a fond look. “That’s sweet of you.”
Toni flipped her off and added, “Staying with me might not give as much privacy for you or for me, but we’d be on separate floors. Basically, if you come now, I know I wouldn’t have to go out to drag you back if your power is out by tonight.”
Kaelee gave a nod. “Fine. I can stay in your guest room. Greta, do you want to join me or take the Acela back home? Hell, I can take the Acela and come to your place.”
“I’ve never negotiated a book deal with the author sleeping in the same building,” Greta murmured. “On the other hand, I have had sex where other people might overhear, so that—”
“Will not be an issue. I have a stereo on the main floor. It’ll be on twenty-four hours a day.” Toni looked vaguely embarrassed.
“You see? That awkward feeling? That’s how it’ll go if you try to offer an opinion on Kaelee’s sex life again,” Greta said with a pointed smile. “I’m not her editor anymore, so there is nothing at all untoward here. Take your attitude, fold it up, and tuck it somewhere dark. Clear?”
“Yes.”
“Still invited for the storm?” Greta asked in a friendly voice.
“Yes.” Toni gave her an appraising look.
“Perfect, then.” She held out a hand to Toni. “Hi, I’m Greta. I’m here visiting Kaelee for the weekend. We’re dating, long distance because I work in New York. And you are?”
“Toni. Friend to Kaelee. I guess I don’t … know you?” Toni looked like she might laugh or scowl. It could go either way. “Pleased to meet you.”
“You don’t know me this weekend. Shall we stop by your place for our things, Kaelee?” Greta asked, smiling at Kaelee now.
Kaelee pulled her in closer to her side. “You’re fucking amazing, you know.”
“Sorry about missing the ballet,” Greta murmured quietly.
Kaelee swept her up in a cradle carry to move her to the sidewalk, which was already plowed or shoveled. Quietly she asked, “Seriously, though, would you rather catch the train? Stay at my place and gamble on the heat? Get a hotel room?”
“I honestly just want to be with you. Wherever you are.” Greta caught her gaze. “Do you think your power will go out?”
“Probably within the next few hours,” Kaelee said. “It goes out constantly. I suspect that’s part of why the rent is so low.”
“Are you okay with staying at their place?”
“I am. I just feel like I’m failing you. My apartment is too small, and I can’t keep it heated well enough—”
“The heat is because of a storm. Also your apartment is not too small.”
“And the date I planned isn’t happening.” Kaelee opened the front door of the Jeep. “And another woman is driving us.”
“So you provided a chauffeur, and we’ll still be together. Please relax, it’s not a test, and if it were, you’re not failing it.” Greta closed the front door and opened the back door. “All I see is that you are able to sit next to me, and we might get snowed in together.”
“You’re both giving me a pain behind the eyes,” Toni said, staring at them in the rearview mirror with a fond expression now. “You may be perfect for each other.”
Greta squeezed Kaelee’s hand. “I guess tonight is our first double date.”
“I’m not rearranging the wedding party for you, though.” Toni scowled. “Addie has it all figured out. There will be no changes to the bridal parties. You hear me?”