Chapter 35 Adrift
Adrift
Pharrell Williams singing “Happy” blasted from her phone. Kate jumped, heart pounding. Dammit, Zach must have hit the volume button when he put his numbers in. She reached over and snagged it, the first real smile in days on her face—Callie!
“Callie! I’m glad you called. I so need to talk to you.” Kate was thrilled her personal sounding board was available.
“I’m sorry, Kate, but I’ve got terrible news for you.” Callie’s voice shook.
Kate sat up straight, her heart resumed hammering a violent rhythm against her ribs, each beat reverberating through her chest. “What’s happened? What’s wrong? Did you meet with Deanna this morning?”
“Yes. Oh god, I don’t know how to tell you this. The publisher has frozen all your book sales, and they told Deanna they’ll be sending over the paperwork to cancel your contract. They’re dumping you, Kate!”
Callie’s voice echoed through Kate’s mind, distorting and stretching as she numbly shook her head back and forth, her thoughts fracturing into white noise. The room tilted.
“Kate, are you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” The words scraped against her throat like gravel.
“Are you sure? Why? What the hell happened? A week ago, they were thrilled with the book tour.” Her voice barely rose above a whisper, strangled and thin, as she forced each syllable past the tightness crushing her windpipe.
It can’t be true! Her legs gave out beneath her, and she sagged into the chair, her spine curving forward.
“Someone filed complaints with the publisher, stating that you stole your current series from them. They freaked out, and shut everything down—frozen all sales. They say they’re investigating, but Deanna already provided your copyright paperwork, and they aren’t relenting.
Deanna knows you didn’t steal anything, of course, so she’s fighting them, but it doesn’t look good. They aren't listening at all.”
“Why the hell not? I’ve been with them for fourteen years!
How could they think this? I mean, sure they have to investigate a complaint, but.
.. um, shouldn’t they give me the benefit of the doubt after all this time?
” Kate slumped over the table, the world spinning sickeningly around her.
The rough wood bit into her forehead as she took a shaky breath, her lungs refusing to fill completely. How could this be happening?
“That’s what Deanna said. She doesn’t understand it either. She said she’s never seen an overreaction like this, and she’s pushing them for an explanation. Um, maybe she’ll figure it out.”
The doubt in Callie’s voice rang clear as a bell.
“I’m still here in Chicago with Deanna, and I’m going to stay another night.
She’s working the publisher, but she suggested I contact all our industry peeps to see if anyone has heard any rumors.
If we have no luck by morning, I’ll head back home and continue working it from there. ”
“Thanks, Callie. There's someone at the door, so I’ll let you go. Keep me updated. I’m sure Deanna will straighten it out.”
“Kate, wait...”
Kate disconnected the call, her fingers going numb, the phone slipping from her grasp into her lap.
She’d lost her career. How did this happen?
Tears welled hot and stinging, blurring her vision until the room dissolved into watercolor smears.
She pressed her fist against her mouth, her teeth grazing her knuckles.
A strange hollowness opened in her chest, vast and cavernous, as if someone had scooped out her insides and left only empty air behind.
The reality hovered beyond reach, refusing to fully land, refusing to become real.
Moments ago, she’d been finding her footing again, looking forward to talking with Nick.
Now, she drifted untethered in open water with no shore in sight.