A Fresh Start

Still, she couldn’t help the hesitation she felt. The proposition in front of her seemed so sordid.

But she needed to tell Violet. Taking a deep breath, Grace launched right into it.

“Mama, you know Alan Barden?”

Violet chuckled softly.

“That author you have a crush on? I enjoy his books.”

Grace cringed just a bit. Of course Violet knew. She always knew too much.

“Well, he had a book signing event a few days ago.”

“Did you go?”

Grace sighed.

“I wasn’t supposed to. That incompetent nincompoop, Thom, was supposed to deal with it. But he flaked as usual, so I went. But Mama, they didn’t want me to attend the event. It was invite only and Alan is extremely wary of any kind of publicity. He’s a real recluse.”

Violet noticed how Grace used his first name so comfortably, but she didn’t say anything.

“I wasn’t going to do all the work and then not even be at the signing. So I managed to get my hands on Thom’s invite and I went to the event. I got my book signed by him, too. I’m glad I did,” added Grace defiantly.

“Did you have trouble at work because of that?”

Grace shrugged, nearly spilling her hot chocolate. Violet steadied it before it could splash on the duvet.

“Not much. After Rachel’s email – Rachel is his agent and publicist, she emailed Keys telling them how glad she was that I’d been assigned to the event – they couldn’t very well do much. But boy, they’re trying to destroy my happiness by giving me the sh*ttiest manuscripts you could ever imagine. No, sh*ttier than that. Your imagination could never be such pathetic dross!”

Violet was surprised at the venom in Grace’s voice. Concerned, she looked more closely at her daughter. She saw that her forehead was furrowed with a frown and her eyes held bitterness. That struck at her heart. Grace had never been bitter.

This was all very unlike her.

“Anyway, I ran into Alan as the event was ending and, well, we started talking. I thought we had a connection, Mama. It seemed like we did. So I just took a leap and asked him if he wanted to meet me for drinks one evening.”

Grace paused. Violet nudged her.

“Well?”

“He said yes, and I was so thrilled! I planned, and got a new outfit I can’t afford, and wore my heels. We met at this lovely place called Libraria and I thought it was all going so well. He didn’t really want to talk about himself, so I told him about me. I thought I was being amusing and we were really hitting it off.”

The wistfulness in her voice was another stab at Violet’s heart. Her baby girl had been hurt.

Violet’s arm tightened around her supportively.

“Well, we talked, and when we were having dessert, I was floating way up on cloud nine. Why’s it nine? It was way above nine. Well, never mind about that.”

She was stalling, Grace knew that.

Taking a deep breath, she got the rest of it out in a rush.

“Mama, he said he had a proposition for me. He wanted me to marry him.”

That was a bombshell. Violet was speechless. Was the man a psychopath?

Grace felt the shock radiating off Violet and chuckled weakly.

“Oh no, not like that. See, he needs to make public appearances and do events. He hates doing them. He’s gotten away without them for so long, but his books need more visibility. Rachel told him so, and Rachel is definitely right about that. But Rachel, knowing what a pain he would be about it, gave him an option. He could either do the events himself or find somebody who was a personal representative of Alan Barden, who could do most of the talking at the events while he stays in the background. Somebody with the Barden name. That means a wife. He thinks I’d be a good candidate.”

“Wait, so he offered you a job, and part of the conditions is that you have to marry him?”

Violet was obviously still shocked, and who could blame her? Grace was shocked, too.

“Well, I suppose that’s exactly what it is. I can’t do anything that will create negative publicity for him, so no dating anybody else. I get a stipend, and have my accommodation and expenses taken care of. I sign a prenup that makes sure I’m taken care of. And… Well, this is why I’m here without just dismissing the whole idea, Mama. He said he’d make sure my manuscript reaches editors and publishers who actually matter, too. He’d help me get published.”

Violet’s mouth fell open.

What kind of man came up with an offer like that?

And what could she possibly tell her daughter, who had just been offered one dream at the cost of another?