Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
Melody paced her apartment, her feet nearly burning a hole in the carpet, her mind replaying her argument with Nate on an endless loop.
The nerve of that man! Trying to sell her on some soulless ghostwriting deal like she was just another cog in his corporate machine.
She grabbed her phone, desperate for a sympathetic ear.
"Hannah? You're not going to believe what just happened," she blurted out as soon as her friend answered.
"Mel? What's wrong? Did you finally realize that kale isn't actually food?"
Despite her anger, a chuckle escaped Melody. "No, worse. Remember Nate? Mr. Hot-Shot Editor with the blue eyes and the...never mind. He tried to push this ridiculous ghostwriting deal on me."
"Ghostwriting? Like Casper the Friendly Author?"
Melody rolled her eyes, flopping onto her couch. "More like Melody the Corporate Sellout. They want me to write cookie-cutter romances under a pen name. Can you believe it?"
"Wow," Hannah said, her voice turning serious. "That's... actually kind of flattering, isn't it? I mean, they must really believe in your talent."
Melody sat up, indignant. "Flattering? Hannah, they want to strip away everything that makes my writing unique! It's like asking Picasso to paint by numbers."
"Okay, okay," Hannah soothed. "I get it. It's not your style. But Mel, maybe there's a compromise here? A way to reach a wider audience without completely selling out?"
Melody opened her mouth to argue, but a knock at her door interrupted her. "Hold on, Han. Someone's at the door."
She peered through the peephole and nearly dropped her phone in shock. Standing in the hallway, looking every inch the publishing royalty she was, was Elizabeth Carlisle. Nate's mother.
"Hannah, I'm going to have to call you back," she whispered. "You're not going to believe who's at my door."
She hung up before Hannah could respond and took a deep breath, smoothing down her hair. Here goes nothing.
Melody opened the door, plastering on what she hoped was a polite smile. "Mrs. Carlisle. This is... unexpected."
Elizabeth Carlisle smiled warmly, and Melody was struck by how much Nate resembled her. "Melody, dear. I hope I'm not interrupting anything. May I come in?"
Melody stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. Her mind raced, trying to figure out why Elizabeth was there. Had Nate sent her to smooth things over? Or was this some kind of power play?
"Can I offer you some tea?" Melody asked, falling back on ingrained politeness.
"That would be lovely, thank you," Elizabeth said, settling gracefully onto the couch.
As Melody bustled around the kitchen, she could feel Elizabeth's eyes on her. When she returned with the tea—the kind her mother used to love—Elizabeth accepted her cup with a nod of thanks.
"I imagine you're wondering why I'm here," Elizabeth began.
Melody sat across from her, clutching her own cup like a shield. "The thought had crossed my mind."
Elizabeth's lips quirked in a smile that was eerily reminiscent of Nate's. "I heard about your... disagreement with my son. And about the ghostwriting proposal."
Melody stiffened, preparing for another sales pitch. "Mrs. Carlisle, I—"
Elizabeth held up a hand, cutting her off. "Please, call me Elizabeth. And I'm not here to convince you to take the deal. I'm here to offer you a different perspective."
Melody leaned back, intrigued despite herself. "I'm listening."
Elizabeth took a sip of her tea, her gaze sharp over the rim of the cup. "Melody, how much do you know about the history of Carlisle Publishing?"
“Not much, honestly. Just that it's been around for decades and it's one of the biggest names in the industry."
Elizabeth nodded. "It is now. But it didn't start that way. My father-in-law, Nate's grandfather, started this company with nothing but a love of books and a borrowed typewriter."
Melody found herself leaning forward, drawn in by the story. "Really? I had no idea."
"Oh yes," Elizabeth continued. "In those early days, Carlisle Publishing was known for taking risks on unconventional authors. Books that other publishers deemed too controversial or unmarketable."
"What changed?" Melody asked, genuinely curious.
Elizabeth's expression turned wistful. "Success, ironically enough. As the company grew, so did the pressure to maintain that growth. To focus on guaranteed bestsellers rather than potential literary gems."
Melody nodded, understanding dawning. "And that's where deals like this ghostwriting thing come in."
"Exactly. It's not ideal, I know. But it's a way to fund the riskier projects, the books that might not be commercial successes but are important nonetheless."
Melody chewed her lip, considering Elizabeth's words. "I get that, I do. But why me? Why not just hire actual ghostwriters?"
Elizabeth's eyes twinkled. "Because, my dear, you have a gift. A unique voice that shines through even in the most commercial of stories. Nate sees that. It's why he fought so hard for this deal."
"Nate fought for it? I thought... I thought he was just following orders."
Elizabeth laughed, a rich, warm sound. "Oh, Melody. If there's one thing you should know about my son, it's that he rarely does anything just because he's told to. He believes in you, in your talent. Perhaps more than you realize."
A wave of warmth spread through Melody as she recalled the intensity in Nate's eyes during their argument. "I... I didn't know."
"Of course you didn't," Elizabeth said gently. "Nate can be... Well, let's just say he didn't inherit his father's gift for smooth talking. But his heart is in the right place."
Melody sat back, her mind whirling. Could she have misjudged Nate so completely? "So what now? I still don't think I can do this ghostwriting thing. It goes against everything I believe in as a writer."
Elizabeth set down her cup, leaning forward. "Now, you have a choice. You can walk away, stick to your principles. There's honor in that. Or..."
"Or?"
"Or you can see this as an opportunity. A chance to learn, to grow, to reach readers you might never have reached otherwise. And who knows? You might find a way to bring your unique voice to even the most commercial of stories."
Melody let out a long breath, feeling the anger that had been fueling her all day start to dissipate. "I... I need to think about this."
Elizabeth stood, smoothing her impeccable suit. "Of course you do. Take your time. But Melody?"
Melody looked up at her, struck by the warmth in her expression. "Yes?"
"Don't let pride or fear keep you from exploring all your options. Including the option of giving my son another chance. He may surprise you."
With that, Elizabeth showed herself out, leaving Melody alone with her thoughts and a half-empty cup of cooling tea.
Melody sank back into the couch, her mind racing. Everything she thought she knew about Nate, about Carlisle Publishing, had been turned on its head. She thought back to their arguments, seeing them in a new light.
Was that passion in Nate's eyes not just about the deal, but about her?