Chapter 23
I can’t believe I’m here, at Love Ink, for a meeting that they actually invited me to.
Their offices are exactly as I imagined them, on the top floor of a skyscraper, with wall-to-wall glass, and views over the city to die for.
I smooth my hands down my dress for the millionth time since we arrived. I’m nervous, not just because this meeting is important to me, but because JJ insisted we bring Jake along too. She thinks one look at my cowboy fiancé will have them swooning so hard they’ll offer me a six-figure advance.
JJ, of course, looks so comfortable and at home here. She strides ahead of us in very high heels, leading the way.
‘Come on, Whit, we’ve got this,’ she tells me. ‘I can already tell they want you from the call I had with them. This is just one of those wanky publishing formalities.’
I hear Jake laugh softly.
‘Sorry, it’s just the British English,’ he replies. ‘I’m still finding phrases that make me laugh.’
‘Wanky is funny, to be fair,’ I reply. ‘I would have laughed too, if I wasn’t so nervous.’
‘You’re gonna do just fine, darlin’,’ he reassures me.
‘Plenty of that,’ JJ says. ‘Keep up the good work.’
We’re ushered into a meeting room. There’s a long table, a screen at one end and a stack of books arranged artfully in the middle like they’re props in a lifestyle shoot.
Eventually, two editors come in – one man, one woman – both with that particular publishing energy where the excitement is uncontainable (but whether it’s genuine beyond a love for money is questionable).
‘Whitney,’ the woman says, smiling warmly. ‘So lovely to finally meet you in person. I’m Lucy.’
‘And I’m Phillip,’ the man adds, glancing briefly at Jake, then back at me, ‘and you brought the now-famous fiancé. The superhero.’
I can feel my cheeks turning red.
Jake steps in smoothly, extending a hand.
‘Jake. Pleasure to meet you sir. Ma’am.’
‘Ma’am!’ Lucy squeaks. ‘Where can I get me one of these?’
JJ beams like she’s watching her favourite TV show.
We sit, then someone comes in and takes our coffee order, and we make small talk about what it’s like to go viral. To be honest, I’ve been so busy with all this wedding stuff, I just turned my social notifications off and tried not to let it get in my head.
They start gently, asking about my writing, my background, my influences. I talk about books I love, about how I started writing as a teenager, about how romance is the one genre that makes me feel happy.
‘And now you’re living your own story,’ Lucy says.
‘The viral clip,’ Phillip adds. ‘The setting. The engagement. The timing. Everyone wants to know your love story.’
I cringe inwardly.
‘Whitney writes that perfect brand of authentic but dreamy romance,’ JJ tells them. ‘And with her own love life being exactly that, well, I get tingles when I’m reading it. I know that this is a person who knows what it’s like to find a real-life leading man. There’s something so exciting in that.’
‘And we agree,’ Lucy says. ‘That’s exactly what we want – and what we think readers will want. To read a love story written by the woman who bagged herself a heroic cowboy.’
I’m sure it’s going well but, I don’t know, I feel kind of sick, knowing it’s all fake, but Jake sits by my side, only speaking when he’s spoken to, letting me have my moment, but he does keep squeezing my hand, letting me know that it’s all okay.
‘We think there’s real potential here,’ Phillip says. ‘Not just for one book, but for a brand.’
I wonder if my heart is beating as loudly as it seems – inside my chest, it’s pounding.
‘You have a voice, Whitney,’ Lucy continues. ‘And right now, you have momentum. We’d love to explore this properly.’
Jake’s phone starts ringing.
‘Sorry, let me… Oh, I might have to take this, it’s my dad’s nursing home,’ he says as he realises who is calling.
‘Of course,’ Lucy says.
He steps out into the corridor.
I try to focus on the conversation, but I can’t take my eyes off Jake, on the other side of the glass wall, pacing as he talks on the phone. He looks tense, worried even.
When he comes back in I can tell something is wrong.
‘I’m sorry,’ he says again, voice lower. ‘I need to go. My dad – he’s not well. They said he’s distressed and asking for me.’
‘Of course,’ Lucy says immediately. ‘Family first.’
‘We can sort details with JJ, Whitney,’ Phillip adds. ‘Go with Jake.’
‘Oh. I—’
JJ is already nodding.
‘Absolutely,’ she says, ‘I’ll handle everything.’
I head out with Jake.
‘You don’t have to come,’ he tells me.
‘I know, but I’m happy to, so you don’t have to go on your own,’ I reply. ‘Plus, they would have thought I was awful if I didn’t.’
He laughs. Thankfully he knows I’m joking about that last part.
‘I really appreciate it, thank you,’ he replies.
Luckily we travelled in Jake’s rental truck so we can head straight there.
Thankfully it’s not rush hour, so we make good time.
I can tell Jake is worried as he travels.
He’s more focused, not as chatty as usual.
You can tell how much he loves his dad, and how guilty he feels for spending more time with his mum – even though that’s not his fault.
As nursing homes go, this one is so picturesque. A beautiful old building in well-manicured grounds – not unlike Rosewood in many ways.
‘He has good days and bad days,’ Jake explains as we head inside. ‘Sometimes he’s sharp as anything. Sometimes he gets confused. I haven’t told him about Rosewood. Or… any of this.’
‘I understand,’ I reply.
‘I don’t want him getting his hopes up,’ Jake continues. ‘About me moving here. About… about anything.’
‘Of course,’ I say. ‘I can wait outside if you want.’
Before we can say anything, a member of staff approaches us with a man in a wheelchair. He looks just like Jake, only older.
‘Is that you, son?’ he asks, sounding over the moon.
‘Someone has perked up,’ the woman pushing him says. ‘I was just taking him back to his room. You were upset, weren’t you, Mr Carter?’
‘Hey, Dad,’ Jake says.
‘Oh, I’m fine,’ Mr Carter replies. ‘Who is this with you?’
I open my mouth to speak but I’m not sure what to say.
‘Well, don’t just stand there,’ he says. ‘Come in!’
We both follow Jake’s dad into his room.
As we take our seats next to him, his eyes dart straight to my ring. Then he looks up at me and smiles.
‘Oh!’ he says as tears prick his eyes. ‘You finally did it!’
Jake’s mouth opens.
‘Dad—’
‘Oh, son, I’m so happy for you,’ he says. ‘You and…?’
‘I’m Whitney,’ I tell him. ‘It’s so good to finally meet you, Mr Carter.’
‘Call me Bobby,’ he insists. ‘Call me Dad – I’m just so happy for my Jakey. He deserves to be happy.’
Jake’s dad reaches out, gripping my hand with surprising strength.
‘She’s beautiful,’ he says proudly to Jake. ‘Well done, son.’
Jake smiles. It must be nice for him, to not only see his dad happy, but so over the moon to hear his engagement news too.
This must be one of Bobby’s good days because we sit and chat.
Someone brings us cups of tea and biscuits and Bobby tells me about what Jake was like when he was a little boy, and he asks questions about our wedding, and I do my very best to make things up on the spot.
I know Jake didn’t want to get his hopes up, but now that Bobby has jumped to the obvious conclusion, it would break his heart if we didn’t play along.
Jake listens patiently as his dad chats, correcting gently when needed, never once rushing him or making him feel silly.
It’s hard not to smile watching the two of them together, like two peas from the same pod.
When Bobby eventually gets tired we leave him to sleep, promising we’ll be back to visit soon. I do hope I get to see him again, before this little charade is over.
When we leave, Jake only walks a few steps towards the car when he stops in his tracks.
‘Thank you,’ he says quietly. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘I wanted to,’ I reply.
‘You made him so happy,’ he says.
‘I’m glad. You’re a good son, you know.’
Jake puffs air from his cheeks.
‘I try,’ he says.
‘You’re turning your life upside down to live closer to him,’ I remind him. ‘Moving countries, giving up your ranch – and helping me out at the same time.’
‘We’re helping each other,’ he says with a smile. ‘And I’m really grateful.’
‘So am I,’ I tell him.
All of a sudden, things feel different. Something has shifted, like, I don’t know, this is more than just a deal now.
It’s more than his business deal or my book deal.
I care about him, and about Bobby, and making sure they both get exactly what they want.
And I’m going to do everything I can to help them.