Chapter Four

Arriving home almost 2 hours later, I walked in on Rebecca, Cody and Meghan who were all sitting eagerly awaiting to hear what happened with my meeting at Kinsley Publishing Co.

"So... What did we miss?" They all exclaimed excitedly.

"Well... Its a extremely long story"

"So... Cut the long story short then" Meghan enthusiastically told me as she grinned from ear to ear.

"Ok... Uhmm... Melody's son is actually 'Hero, lifesaver' "

"Shut the front door!" Rebecca responsed dumbfound by what I said.

Looking at my friends I knew that they were all waiting for the answer to the real question which is...

Did I sign a deal?

Was I a author?

Are my books coming to something?

"Cierra Alexandra James... Are you a author?"  Cody catechize me as he wrapped his arm round my shoulder for answers.

"Sort of..." I responded sighing with uncertainty of where my future lay.

"Sort of?" Meghan questioned.

"Yes, I am a author, unfortunately not with Melody's company. I am a author with Kinsley Publishing Co."

Astonished.

Shocked.

Maybe heart-wrenching.

How did that happen?" Meghan asked as she conveyed herself closer to me for more information.

"Well, cut a long story short...." I started to say. "Melody's son Nathan hated my books so her daughter Valentina took me to her boyfriends company and he basically hired my book there and then"

"So... Your working with the composition?" Rebecca querried.

Giving me his hand, Cody twisted his whole body to face me head on.

"Did you get the deal? Cierra, what exactly did Valentina's boyfriend say?"

"Without being too naive.... I think I'm getting a 3 year deal to finish writing A Lovers Struggle and after that I don't know, I have to go back and see him in a few weeks"

Spending the next two weeks on my books, I was going from my back office in the bookstore and my sofa with tv on writing what could easily be the next Jane Austen tribute novel. Now, here I was writing my novel in the hope that one day I just like her and every other successful author before and after her.

"Lex, you available?" Cody called from the other side of the door.

"What's up? I'm busy"

"Melody is here"

"Its Monday, she's never in until tomorrow"

"Beats me!" He shrugged as I opened the door to where she was.

Searching the room, I spotted Meghan fixing her hair, loosening her bun that held her strands together. While Melody was sat by the teal chaise lounge that rested next to the shelf of romance novels.

Walking towards her, I took a deep breath in and out... Three times to be exact, I was nervous about what she would say to me. Especially since I signed with an opposing company.

"Mel...ody?" I started to say before she spoke over me.

"Cierra, I am so sorry"

"Sorry for what?" I asked her trying not to let her feel bad.

"Nathan... He shouldn't of said that to you..." She started.

"It's fine Melo.."

"No it's not!" Showing so much impassion Melody started to say. "He should never of turned you away"

"He did what he thought was best... That's all"

"Wasn't good enough for him Cierra"

"Nothing is good enough for my son anymore" She added sighing heavy-hearted by Nathan turning away my book.

Extending my left hand over to touch hers, letting her know that I was fine. That it wasn't her fault, she gazed at me with a half smile, the look of feeling unsure about how her own flesh and blood could do something like that. I couldn't understand why he drive away a author for no reason.

"He is stubborn... Wants to run the company his way, not the way I ran it for the last 50 years"

"Mel...  Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Hmm... There is Cierra, however I don't want to put you out of place" She responded exhaling heavily.

"What is it?"

"Nathan... He has a problem... A big problem and doesn't want anyone to know... I'm his mother, I know everything"

"What is it? Drugs?"

My head was spinning, what was going on with the 'prodigal son' that she adores with all her heart. What exactly could I help with?

"He's not into drugs.... At least not that I know of... He goes clubbing almost every night and spends time with people he doesn't know"

"What do you think I would help him with? I'm a nobody too"

"Not to me!" She grinned with a sign of approval.

Taking a deeper breath, in and out three times over, I wasn't sure what I was heading in for.

"Melody, I know you, I don't know him or Valentina"

"You will.. Especially since your with Toby's company"

"How!"

Taken aback by how she already knew about me becoming an author with Kinsley Publishing Co. I couldn't quite understand it, yet at the same time I did because Toby was with Valentina and the only way he could've known about it all was through Melody and Valentina together.

"I want you to look after him for me"

"Look after?"

"Show him how its supposed to be and in turn he'll learn that he made a mistake letting you sign with Toby"

"So... You want me to... To show him he was wrong?"

"Exactly!, act like a couple, treat him as if you would treat your own boyfriend"

"I don't have one Melody"

"Eh... How could you not!"

"Nobody wants to date the disabled girl" I sighed.

Turning to the floor, I began to think back to my time in London. The only boy there that truly could love me was Jackson Carter. A boy who treated me like Queen Elizabeth II during the time we spent together at school, Cody and Rebecca used to laugh about it, say we were meant to be. I based Damon on him.

"Cierra, whither this is real or not... This can be your chance"

"Chance?"

"At falling in love.... A one year contract"

Thinking about it... About being engaged, married, boyfriend & girlfriend, whatever we were going to be. Just a sense of belonging to someone for a whole year whither he fell in love with me or not, whither I fell in love with him or not.

Being together.

A couple.