Saviour from the Past

Chapter twenty-six

The holiday season passed quickly in a flurry of activity, they each attended their respective work, and family Holiday parties with the other. Their families easily seemed to accept them transitioning to an actual couple from just providing a plus one. The senior family members were particularly smug about this, you could almost see them wedding planning in their head.

"Rory, How are you doing?" Mr Miller asked, as Rory walked into his office for their monthly meeting.

"Everything has been going well, how about yourself Sir?" she responded as she sat facing him, where she spotted that he already had her favorite caramel latte waiting on her, this usually was either a very good sign or a very bad one.

"How many times have I told you to call me Paul?" he said, with a slight laugh.

"Too many?"

"Yes, maybe this will be the last time."

"I doubt it, Sir, but you can keep trying." Rory said with a smile.

"So Rory, as you know Poppy Khannington is getting ready to release book five of her series," Paul started, stopping to take a drink.

"Yes, I still remember when I read her first book back when I was an intern, I knew that it had potential but I didn't expect a fantasy series to explode like it has."

"I believe they are calling it a 'romantasy' series."

"Yes," Rory replied with a smirk, hearing her boss call it that would never stop amusing her.

"Anyway the point of me bringing you in here was actually that we are sending her on a nationwide book tour."

"Nationwide this time? I know last time she just did a North Eastern tour."

"Yep, Barnes and Noble have said the demand is there, and a few of the smaller houses have approached us about hosting her as well."

"That sounds amazing for her, but I'm not sure what that has to do with me, Mr Miller? I don't normally tour with authors," Rory asked confused.

"Well, Poppy recently found out that you were actually the one to pull her first book out of the abyss known as our slush pile. She knew you had been involved with her series since you became permanent here, but hadn't realized that you had been an intern as well. So she actually asked if you could come along with them on the tour." Mr Miller, paused to gauge how Rory was accepting the prospect. "And well we know from your own family business, and attending business events for us here, that you are fully capable of running signings and making sure that nothing untoward happens while out on tour."

"What about Megan is that not normally her role?" Rory asked, trying to clarify what Mr Miller wanted.

"Well, Megan would still be organizing everything from here, but you would be the one actually on site for all of the events. Megan doesn't normally travel and we are planning for this to be a bigger book tour and to require hands-on management. It's not really about drumming up interest, it's more of a fan event."

"Do you have a timeline for the events? Or a list of all the stops?" Rory asked, starting to get intrigued.

"Here you go," Mr Miller said, sliding a portfolio across the desk.

Rory opened the portfolio, the first page had all the dates and stops listed: Seattle, Vancouver, Glendale, Houston, Austin, Chicago, Portland, Boston, Toronto, and finally finishing in New York

"Each venue that we have lined up will seat around a thousand people. Tickets must be purchased in advance and each ticket will include a signed copy of the new book, so you won't have to worry about making sure everyone is buying a copy to sign. All books will be signed in advance of the event; even the trip, she already has the boxes and is working her way through them." Mr Miller said, while Rory reviewed the highlights of the portfolio.

"Three weeks?"

"Yes, that is the current plan. The schedule is with Poppy right now to confirm, in case she wants to change the order of events, or have longer in certain cities. She is from Boston, so she may want longer there as her home stop-"

"Or less because she won't need to explore." Rory finished, nodding in agreement. "I'm flattered Mr Miller-"

"Now, I don't expect an answer today. I know that I sprung this on you today and that you had no idea I was going to ask you this. I had planned on easing you into it, but Poppy had been asking if she could start emailing you questions, I think she is hoping to make it like a long girls trip for you both. You have got on when you have met before, and she isn't that much older than you really."

"About five years I think."

"Yes, she is thirty-three and you are?"

"Twenty-seven, sir."

"See not that big a gap. You can have a few days, and I think she will be emailing you to talk you into it. You don't have to say yes, but please remember to be polite to her."

"Of course, it would never occur to me to be anything but sir. She is still a client. I will have to check in with my firm and family and see if I can make the dates and times work," Rory said, her head already spinning off in five different directions.

"If it works for them to adjust any of the days at all, we may be able to make it work. We are all willing to be flexible, within reason. I don't want you to think I am trying to dictate to you about this trip. KIt's actually meant to be a reward so I'm hoping that you will see it that way, and not as some kind of punishment."

"Thank you sir. Is it okay if I take this with me?" Rory said, lifting the portfolio as she stood to leave the office.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sir. I will have an answer for you in a few days."

"Consider it. That's all I ask." Mr Miller said with a smile, watching Rory leave his office, looking a little dazed.

Mr Miller hadn't been exaggerating, by the time Rory got back to her office and unlocked her computer she already had an email waiting on her:

Hello Rory,

I hope it's okay that I call you Rory and not Miss Gilmore? I'm hoping by now Paul has told you the plans, otherwise, Whoops! I am hoping that you will say yes, I know it isn't your normal job but they were going to stick me with Jason. He came on my last tour, it was like having a babysitter, he wouldn't let me do anything that I wanted, I suggested a late run to Disneyland while we were in LA. He freaked out; never mind the PBR rodeo I suggested in Austin. You would have thought I was asking him to go and try and ride the bull. Someone needs to tell him that authors need to experience things to write about them, and get inspiration. So please save me! I will try and make sure we have fun. Five star hotels, expenses paid room service. Every meal or activity would be a work expense, entertaining the talent.

Is this working at all?

Let me know if you have any questions.

Oh and please call me Poppy!

With a smile on her face, Rory grabbed her cell, and typed a message quickly hitting send.

Tristan, you won't believe what work is going to pay me to do!