Love & Lies

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Forcing herself to think about other things, Jessie took the opportunity of waiting around the next morning to adjust the settings to her liking with her new phone that she finally got around to activating last night. Although it was approaching noon, her body remained clothed in her warm light-blue pajama set adorned with scattered cartoon cupcakes, donuts, and pastries. I have never waited for a phone call this badly in my life, she thought to herself as she lounged with Jackson on her couch. Some late breakfast show was playing on her flat screen in the background on low volume, but she had not even paid attention to one thing that the people were discussing since she flicked it on with her remote.

Jessie nervously glanced at the time her phone displayed sighing. What's taking her so long to call back? she asked herself. She swore she had connections that would take hours and it is already the next day.

She knew she was becoming a paranoid, pushy mess but she honestly felt that if Crystal pulled through, this would be the key to giving her relationship with Brendan a better chance. She did despise the fact that Jordan was going to be partially to thank, but was thriving and banking on his promise that their paths would never cross again.

Jessie glanced at Jackson who goofily looked at her from his upside down position. "I would post another picture of you on Instagram, but I think the world has seen enough of your winter laziness for now," she teased as she attempted to tickle his back paw. As John had promised back in his office based on the responses she got on Twitter and Instagram last night only using two pictures of Jackson with his fluffy candy cane and one in his bed, people really were rooting for her to succeed. She certainly felt better about getting back into the swing of things after the holidays and was hoping that everything else would fall into place.

In no better timing, the familiar number of the office flashed on Jessie's phone nearly causing her to drop it as she was not quite used to the new shape and larger size. Supposedly it had an unbreakable screen, but Jessie certainly did not long to test that theory right now. "Crystal!" she exclaimed, hating how desperate she sounded.

"They loved it," Crystal replied cheerily. "They cannot believe people turned it down before. They want to know how soon they can set up a meeting with him."

Had Jackson not been leaning against her ankles, she would have gotten up to dance to some uptempo music accompanying a Christmas-themed car commercial now flashing on the television screen. "And this is an authentic company?" Jessie confirmed. "I don't know how he got a hold of one he knew in the UK being he has done no work here to my knowledge, but I need to be sure this is not just a set-up; otherwise I really will be turning my life upside down in a rather horrid manner."

Crystal patiently took in a breath. "Jessie, when you called here last night to see if anybody had connections to Simmons-Holt Press, I was not deceiving you in anyway. I really was an intern for them a few years ago when I thought I wanted to go into that field before fixating myself on music management," she reminded her. "In fact, I have done field work at a few places, but Simmons-Holt still remembers me especially since they are relatively new, but booming."

I know, Crystal, but this sounds too good to be true, Jessie responded in her head. The intern magically has connections to the place I need? And they are absolutely interested in Brendan's work so quickly? And Jordan is responsible for actually suggesting this company?

"This is going to sound ignorant on my part, but does their desire to publish someone's work come that quickly?" Jessie inquired. "It was a novella, but did they really read it that quickly?"

"Sometimes yes, most of the time no. They by all means have input on what he wrote and ideas for editing, but they found your friend's story so compelling and real," Crystal remarked. "It's completely workable."