32. Casey
CASEY
“Thanks for meeting with us, Imani,” I say to her image on the screen.
“Again,” Trina adds from her seat next to me in my condo. It’s been two weeks of plotting and planning, spending late nights not only setting up Trina’s new business, but reaching out to contacts, wading through queries, and collecting information about all the editors she’s worked with.
She even took time out from all of that to reach out to agents she knew well who had young adult submissions out to ask if they might consider submitting them to me.
With her help, I’ve filled out most of Starlight’s spring season with fantastic titles I wouldn't have otherwise looked at. I’m excited for them all, nonetheless.
She has called her mom every night, too. And every night, her mom answers.
I’m beyond proud of her, but most importantly, I can tell she’s proud of herself. Gone are the bags under her eyes and the tension in her shoulders. She’s building the life she wants, and Imani is the last piece of the puzzle.
“I can’t wait to hear what you’ve cooked up.” Imani rubs her palms together with an eager grin on her face. Isabella is also on the call, and her smile is equally wide.
“Thanks for your patience while I figured this whole thing out.” Trina flashes a bright smile. “And remember, if you don’t like what you hear, you are still a client of Northbridge. No hard feelings. Casey will still have this series, and I’m still rooting for you.”
“Suzanna never impressed me,” Imani states. “You did.”
Trina winces, and I take her hand in mine under the table.
She clutches it the way she has been every time she encounters something difficult these past few weeks.
The way I hope she always does. I want to be this for her—someone who can support her when she needs it, and I want the privilege of watching her soar when she doesn’t.
“So, as I’m sure you’ve heard, I’m starting my own literary agency. Well, Isabella and I are doing it together. The McBryde & Reyes Literary Agency.”
“Or Reyes & McBryde,” Isabella chimes in. “We haven’t settled on the name yet.”
Trina rolls her eyes, but it’s good-natured. “Either way, we would love to represent you if you wanted to transition from Northbridge to us. The transition for you would be relatively smooth since your first book hasn’t come out yet, and since we have a good working relationship with Starlight.”
“More than a working relationship, if you know what I mean.” Isabella winks comically.
“Oh my god.” Trina lets go of my hand so she can lean forward and glare at the camera. “If you can’t show some professionalism for more than five seconds, I’m going to fire you.”
“You can’t fire your business partner,” Isabella singsongs. “Besides, you’re, like, in his condo, sitting next to him right now. If you wanted to hide it, you could have at least taken this call from separate rooms.”
“We thought about that,” I say, and Trina turns her glare to me. “We figured since everyone here knows how obsessed I am with her, it made more sense to just sit together.”
“I’m going to fire you too,” Trina mutters under her breath.
“Give her a little authority and she gets all power-hungry,” Isabella says, and I imagine she’s directing it to me.
“I’m not your employee either,” I remind her.
Through it all, Imani is hiding her mouth behind her hand, her shoulders shaking with repressed laughter. “Oh, I’m definitely going to want to work with you,” she says. “This is fun.”
“Well, I’m glad you said that.” Trina sits a bit straighter. “Our goal is to keep things fun. Though we could be a tad more professional.”
“Nah,” Isabella pulls a face. “Unnecessary.”
“Anyway, the reason we wanted to talk to you is because we’ve been over and over this, but I just don’t see a way that I can personally represent you anymore.
” She reaches over and grabs my hand again, but she looks at me this time.
I meet her gaze, and she smiles softly, resolution crossing her features with the knowledge that she’s doing the right thing for herself, for her business, and for us.
“I’m in love with your editor,” she says, still looking at me.
“It wouldn’t be right to continue to represent you and have a personal relationship with him.
So, if you’d like to work with us, I’ll still be involved in your deals, but secondarily.
Isabella will be your agent. We completely understand if that’s not what you want.
You signed with me, but…I have to do what’s best for you and for me, and this is it, unfortunately. ”
There’s silence after she’s done speaking, but I barely notice. I can’t stop looking at her—she’s so beautiful, her hazel eyes filled with determination and love, her features relaxed and happy.
“Fuck. Get a room, will you?” Isabella finally pipes up.
Imani cracks up so hard, she bends sideways and her face falls out of the frame.
“We have a room!” Trina cries out, facing the screen now. “We are in the room!”
“It’s a figure of speech,” I say.
Trina tries to shove me, but I grab her and lock her in a bear hug so she can’t move.
She writhes in my arms, but I hold her tight. “Don’t use editor speak on me.”
“Anyway,” I say between fits of laughter. “Imani, if you want to take a while to think about this—”
“Nope.” She cuts me off. “Send the contract. I’ll sign right now.”
Trina finally breaks free of me and scoots her chair as far out of my reach as she can while still being in view of the camera.
“Well, you need to give Northbridge thirty days’ notice, then you can sign with us.
But in the meantime, I’ll still be working with Casey on your debut as long as he can keep his hands off me. ”
“Not going to happen.” I shake my head.
She narrows her eyes at me. “And I’ll work on transferring everything to Isabella.”
Isabella leans forward, her smile softer but no less bright. “I like to keep things light, but I promise your books are in good hands with me. I’m very serious about literature, even if I’m not serious about much else.”
“I trust you,” Imani says. “I trust all of you. Thanks for taking a chance on me.”
“Thanks for taking a chance on all of us,” Trina returns. “We’re all in new roles now.”
“It’s exciting, isn’t it?” Isabella asks.
“Yeah,” Trina answers. The three women share a moment where it’s clear they’ve forged a bond. I have a feeling this one is going to be unbreakable.
“Okay,” she says once the moment has passed. “This is our last appointment of the day, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make out with my boyfriend now.”
Isabella’s eyes grow wide. “Who’s lacking professionalism now?”
“I’m off the clock,” Trina counters before smiling sweetly and waving at the camera. Isabella gapes, and Imani laughs as Trina clicks the button to end the call and closes the laptop.
“Not gonna lie,” I say as she straddles me right where I sit on the chair. “I was surprised you told them you were in love with me.”
She lifts a shoulder, her eyes growing hooded as she studies my lips. “It’s true. No sense in hiding it.”
“No argument here.”
I kiss her deeply, wrapping my hands around her waist and slipping them under the hem of her shirt to feel her against my palms. When she pulls away and locks eyes with me, she smiles. Her smiles come so easily now. And I still soak up every one of them.
“I’m yours forever,” I remind her. It’ll be a while before she feels secure enough to believe it. In the meantime, I tell her at least once a day.
Those red lips stretch even wider, and I can’t help but kiss them again.
“I’ll love you always,” she whispers against my lips.
That’s new, but I like it so much that I grip under her thighs and press kisses to her neck as I stand.
She immediately wraps her legs around my waist as she lets out my favorite little moan.
I capture it for myself as I lower her to the bed, and we spend the rest of the night loving each other in all the ways we know how.