August 28, Wednesday

MY PHONE rang and Bruce's name came up on the screen. I connected the call.

"Hi, Bruce."

"You're going to love me."

"I already love you," I said patiently. "For believing that Curtis had nothing to do with my books."

"You're going to love me even more when you hear what I've done for you."

I was wary. "Okay."

"Based on the first three chapters, I got the buyer for Clifton's to agree to order three times as many books as she normally would."

I grinned. "That's amazing!"

"If you get the book to me by the end of November."

I stopped grinning. "That might be pushing it."

"With that kind of incentive, I know you'll make it happen."

I swallowed hard. "I'll try."

"Don't try, Darling. Do. Else people might start believing your boyfriend's posts that he was the one who wrote the books." He ended the call.