Chapter 6 #2
“Sadie! There you are,” Jess exclaimed, her smile brightening Sadie’s mood even further. “Well? How’d it go with our recluse?”
“I survived the first two days,” she said. “He tried to fight me this morning when I said we needed regular meetings to discuss edits. But, I got him to commit to check-ins and a couple of longer meetings each week.”
“Well, you’re already miles ahead of everyone else who’s worked with him,” Jess said, and Sadie watched a proud smile tug at her friend’s lips. “I told you that you were a miracle worker.”
Sadie couldn’t help but laugh, although she wasn’t sure she deserved the title. Corbyn had already managed to stumble upon her buried insecurities.
“I wouldn’t go that far,” she replied, studying the way her fingers twirled around a loose thread from the comforter. “He hasn’t actually taken any of my notes yet.”
“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Jess advised, her face softening in understanding. “He’ll come around once he realizes your process works.”
Sadie hesitated, doubt flickering like a shadow in the back of her mind.
“I hope so. This book truly does have the potential to be a bestseller, but what if I push too hard? He’s just… he can be tough to read, and I don’t want him to shut down because he thinks I’m nagging him.”
Jess tipped her head slightly, her voice softer when she replied, “So, you let him stew until he realizes you’re right.”
She dipped her head in a quick nod, the hard knot in her chest loosening as she exhaled. Jess always seemed to know exactly what to say when Sadie doubted her abilities.
“Thanks, Jess. I was running on empty after today.”
“Always got your back,” Jess said, her grin widening, bolstering Sadie even through the screen. “Alright, enough shop talk,” Jess said, leaning closer to the screen. “How’s my favorite world traveler holding up in the wilds of England? Found any cute pub locals to sweep you off your feet yet?”
Sadie snorted, a sound somewhere between a laugh and a groan, as she tugged the quilt higher over her knees.
“Oh, sure, between wrangling Pearce and dodging rain puddles, I’m a regular Elizabeth Bennet.”
“Well, as long as you’re not letting your thoughts be haunted by a certain asshole back here in New York, I fully support you using your free time to be just that,” Jess said with a little smirk. “You need to find your spark again, Sadie… and maybe England can do that for you.”
“God, I miss you,” Sadie admitted, voice soft. “This place is growing on me, but it’s not going to be the same without your terrible singing on karaoke night.”
“Rude!” Jess gasped, clutching her chest in mock offense. “My ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is a masterpiece, and you know it.”
“Tell me what’s been going on with you,” Sadie laughed, needing to change the subject.
“I went on a date the other night and it ended up being one of those creepers who doesn’t look one bit like his profile photo,” she replied, making a disgusted face that caused Sadie to snort. “I’m thinking of giving up and just getting a cat.”
“No, you can’t do that,” Sadie said, trying to give Jess a pep talk. “You are a brilliant, successful editor. There’s nothing you can’t do.”
Jess’s smile faltered at the mention of her job title, and she looked away for a moment.
“I know that look,” she said softly. “What’s going on, Jess?”
“It’s nothing for you to worry about,” Jess replied, and Sadie raised an eyebrow at her friend’s face on the screen.
Jess hesitated for a moment, and then said, “Marketing is getting antsy about Corbyn’s book.
They’re talking about pulling the budget if we don’t show substantial progress soon.
They’re looking for someone to blame if this fails… and that someone would be me.”
Sadie could hear the stress underlying Jess’s typically confident tone. This wasn’t just about Corbyn’s book; it was about the entire publishing ecosystem balancing on a knife’s edge.
“We need this book,” Jess continued, her voice dropping. “I’ve been assuring them that if they’re patient, he’ll deliver for so long they no longer believe me.”
“I promise you, I’m working on it,” Sadie assured her.
Jess nodded, letting out a slow breath. “Get some sleep, Sadie. You sound like you’ve been running on fumes. Tomorrow’s another day.”
“Yes, boss,” Sadie replied, the familiar banter a comfort.
“And Sadie?” Jess’s voice caught her before she could end the call. “You’ve got this. I wouldn’t have sent you if I didn’t believe that completely.”
The call ended, leaving Sadie in the stillness of her room. She couldn’t help but replay what Jess had told her about the marketing cuts. So much was tied up in making sure this book succeeded.
Glancing at the bedside table, she looked at the leather journal Jess had given her a few days after she had left Nate. It had been a silent challenge from her best friend that she needed to reclaim everything Nate had stolen from her, especially her writing.
She picked it up, trailing her fingers along the leather spine, hesitating for a moment before reaching for a pen from her bag. Taking a breath, she let herself write whatever came to mind. She didn’t worry about structure or flow. She just let the words pour out for the first time in years.
It was nearly an hour later when she finally stopped, looking down at the pages she had filled with her thoughts. It wasn’t much, and to anyone else the ramblings wouldn’t make sense, but it was a start.