The Missing Gem

37 | F.R.I.E.N.D.S

Nicole

If they had been a bit more helpful, this whole process would have been done in at least two months. But since we had to renegotiate what felt like a million times before I signed my name on that contract, my book was going to take a bit more time to come out.

I wanted it to be a summer release, but I guess I'll have to settle for a fall release. That's okay though, a lot of people prefer reading in the fall and winter rather than during summer.

"Sparkles?" My best friend questioned.

"Yes! I can't believe you haven't met her in person." With all of this going on, Diane and I have been meeting up quite a lot of times, but mostly at her office or at a restaurant for lunch - just like we were now - and she hasn't had the chance to come to my house and meet my new furry baby. "Oh, I know! Come over for dinner on Saturday night, you and Trevor."

"Sounds great!" She said before taking the salmon skin roll to her mouth. 

"I'm such a bad friend, I haven't even asked you about you and Trevor. How have you two been?"

"We're good. Sex gets better every day."

"Di!" I found myself looking around us to check if anyone had overheard her words.

"What? It's a fact! I didn't even know that was possible. If he keeps this up I might die by the time I'm thirty."

"TMI!"

"I'm your best friend, you should know there's no such thing as TMI in my vocabulary." She gave me a knowing look.

"You're not wrong about that." I let out a loud sigh as preparation before I asked my best friend slash legal adviser what I should keep in mind today. "So, I have a meeting with them at four today. What should I be prepared for?"

"It's just the book cover meeting, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. They already got the message that they can't mess with us. Ultimately, your final word is all that counts."

"I wanted something simple, I let them know that. I just hope they don't come up with a cover that's too all over the place."

"You got the final word, remember that. I'm sorry I can't come with you to the meeting. But you know, I already did the important part which was the contract."

"I know, I know... And I am so grateful for you."

"There's no way I wouldn't do it. But don't forget what you promised me." She pointed up her index finger in my direction. 

The only person who has actually read my entire book from start to finish was Lucas and the editor. I'm not too fond of having my friends and family read my work. Don't ask me why, I just don't like it. I knew the day I would get published that would happen, but while my book wasn't on book stores' shelves I would try to avoid it at all costs. 

Diane, who is my best friend, said that once she was done helping me, the only thing she wanted in return was to read it before it hit the stores, and I obliged to her wishes. 

Of course, after so many meetings where she would defend me and my rights as the writer, she had a pretty good idea of what the story was about it. However, it wasn't exactly like reading the actual book.

"I'll give you the final manuscript on Saturday."

Saturday rolled around and Lucas and I were in a frenzy in the kitchen while we cooked dinner and waited for my best friend and her boyfriend to arrive to our modest little home.

"What time did she say they were coming?" Lucas asked without taking his eyes off of the food he was cooking.

We chose to go for an easy option for tonight and were slow cooking lamb with olives and roasted potatoes.