Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
Nate sat in his office, surrounded by a labyrinth of cardboard boxes.
The place looked like a hoarder's fever dream, with stacks of books teetering precariously and random office supplies scattered like confetti after a particularly wild New Year's Eve party.
If his life were a novel, this would be the perfect visual metaphor for his current mental state: chaotic, cluttered, and one wrong move away from total collapse.
He picked up that college graduation photo, staring at it. A time that felt like a lifetime ago.
"Well, Dad," he said to the two smiling faces, "I bet you never saw this plot twist coming. Your son, the family disappointment. Should've stuck to writing trashy romance novels instead of trying to revolutionize the industry, huh?"
The photo, unsurprisingly, didn't respond.
He set it back down with a sigh, carding a hand through his hair. How did he end up here? A week ago, he was the heir apparent to Carlisle Publishing. Now, he was... what? A rebel without a cause? A publishing industry Don Quixote, tilting at corporate windmills?
His phone buzzed, interrupting his pity party. It was a text from Melody:
I'm in. Whatever crazy scheme you're cooking up, count me in.
But fair warning: if this all goes south, I'm writing a scathing tell-all about the publishing industry. Working title: 'Fifty Shades of Ink.'
He couldn't help but laugh. Leave it to Melody to find humor in this mess. Her unwavering support should make him feel better, but instead, it just added to the weight on his shoulders. He had dragged her into this chaos. What if he couldn't deliver on his promises?
As if summoned by his spiraling thoughts, there was a knock at the door. He navigated the box maze, half expecting to find Melody on the other side, ready with more witty quips and unwavering faith in their cause.
Instead, he was greeted by the sight of his mother, Elizabeth Carlisle, looking every inch the publishing matriarch in her tailored suit and perfectly coiffed hair.
"Mom?" he blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
She arched an eyebrow, taking in his disheveled appearance and the chaos behind him. "Nathaniel, darling, when your son declares war on the family business and starts packing up his life, a mother tends to notice. May I come in?"
He stepped aside, gesturing grandly to the cardboard obstacle course. "Welcome to Casa del Disgraced Heir. Watch your step, and if you find my sanity lying around, please let me know. I seem to have misplaced it."
Mom navigated the mess with practiced ease, perching on the edge of his couch—the only clear surface in the room. "Very dramatic, dear. I see you've inherited your father's flair for the theatrical."
He snorted, closing the door. "Pretty sure Dad would say I've inherited your stubborn idealism."
"Touché," she smiled, patting the spot next to her. "Come, sit. Let's talk."
He obeyed, feeling like a chastised schoolboy despite being a grown man. "If you're here to convince me to apologize to Dad and fall back in line, save your breath. I'm not—"
"Oh, hush," Mom interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm not here as your father's emissary. I'm here as your mother, who's watched her son and husband lock horns for years and is frankly tired of playing referee."
"You're... not mad at me?"
She sighed, her expression softening. "Nathaniel, I've known this day was coming for a long time. You and your father, you're too much alike. Both stubborn, both passionate about the written word, but with very different ideas about how to honor it."
"We're nothing alike," he protested weakly.
Mom fixed him with a look that could wither a redwood. "Please. You're both currently sulking in your respective corners, convinced you're right and the other is wrong. The only difference is, your father is doing it in a much nicer office."
He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Fair point. So, what now? Do I crawl back to Carlisle Publishing with my tail between my legs?"
"Is that what you want?" she asked, her gaze piercing.
He thought about it, really thought about it.
He thought about the authors they had worked with, the stories they had helped bring into the world.
He thought about Melody, her passion, her talent, the way she challenged him to be better.
And he thought about his father's words, his dismissal of everything they had been working towards.
"No," he said finally, surprised by the firmness in his voice. "No, I don't want that. I want... I want to build something new. Something that respects authors and their visions. Something that pushes the boundaries of what publishing can be."
Mom nodded, a small smile forming. "I thought you might say that. So, tell me about this new publishing company you're planning to start."
He stared at her, slack-jawed. "How did you...?"
She laughed, the sound warm and familiar. "Darling, I've been in this business longer than you've been alive. I know a paradigm shift when I see one. Plus, your friend Alex might have let something slip when I ran into him at the coffee shop."
"Traitor," he muttered, making a mental note to revoke Alex's best friend privileges. "It's just an idea at this point. A crazy, probably doomed idea."
"The best ideas usually are. Now, walk me through it. And don't skimp on the details—I didn't raise a son who half-asses his rebellions."
For the next hour, he laid out his vision. Mom listened intently, occasionally interjecting with pointed questions or suggestions. By the time he finished, he was pacing the room, gesticulating wildly as he described his plans for author profit-sharing and innovative marketing strategies.
"...and that's where Melody's book comes in," he finished, suddenly realizing he had been talking about her for the past fifteen minutes. "Her story is exactly the kind of boundary-pushing work we want to champion."
Mom's eyes narrowed slightly. "Ah yes, Ms. Archer. She seems to feature prominently in this grand vision of yours."
“Uh, yeah. One might say she's... she's an important part of the project. A talented author."
"Mhmm," Mom hummed, a knowing smile on her face. "And I'm sure your interest in her is purely professional."
“Mom. I love the very ground you walk on, I swear. But…” He dropped back onto the couch. "Can we not do this?"
She patted his knee consolingly. "Darling, I'm your mother. It's my job to meddle in your love life. Especially when said love life is so intricately tangled with your professional life."
He buried his face in his hands, mumbling. "I should have added alcohol to my coffee this morning."
“Yes, you should have,” she said plainly. "But before you go making your coffee any more Irish, let me ask you this: When you picture this new company, this future you're fighting for, is Melody in that picture?"
He looked up, meeting her gaze. And suddenly, with a clarity that took his breath away, he saw it.
He saw late nights poring over manuscripts, heated debates over comma placement, shared triumphs and setbacks.
He saw Melody, her eyes sparkling with passion as she argued for an unconventional plot twist. He saw a future where work and love weren't separate entities, but two halves of a whole.
"Yes," he whispered, the realization hitting him like a freight train. “It’s crazy. It’s screwed up. And it sure as shit doesn’t make any sense considering that she’s storming out of my office just as many times as she’s walked into it. But truth be told, I can't imagine doing this without her."
Mom's smile was warm and knowing. "Then I think you have your answer, don't you?" She stood, smoothing out her suit. "Well, this has been illuminating. I'll leave you to your packing and plotting. Just promise me one thing, Nathaniel."
"What's that?"
"Whatever you decide to do, make sure it's what you truly want. Not what you think your father wants, or what you think I want, or even what you think Melody wants. Follow your heart, but take your brain with you."
He nodded, his throat suddenly dry. "Thanks, Mom. For everything."
She pulled him into a hug, and for a moment, he was a little boy again, safe in his mother's arms. "That's what mothers are for, darling. Now go make some trouble. It's about time this industry got shaken up a bit."
After she left, he stood in the middle of his box-strewn office, his mind racing. He had been so focused on what he was leaving behind, he hadn't fully grasped what he was moving towards. A new company. A new future. A chance to reshape the industry he loved.
And Melody. Always, always Melody.
He pulled out his phone, his fingers hovering over her contact info. This was bigger than a text or a phone call. This was... well, he wasn't sure what it was yet. But he knew he wanted to find out.
He grabbed his keys, a plan forming in his mind. It was time to stop hiding behind boxes and maybe. Time to take a leap of faith.
Now, if he could just find his wallet in this cardboard jungle, he'd be all set to face whatever came next.
Wish me luck, universe. I have a feeling I'm going to goddamned need it.