2. Cord

CHAPTER 2

Cord

Y ou've been matched.

I honestly never thought I was going to see those words. I signed up for the program forever ago and then every time I checked…nothing.

But now that I've given up hope? I've got a match. And she wants to meet me. She's on her way here.

Well, not my place. But a small cabin near here that I rented and sent her the directions to get to. Because I don't care whether I've been matched with her, she's been vetted by the company or not. If she recognizes me right off the bat, I don't want her knowing where I live.

My phone rings and I sigh, picking it up after two rings, right before my voicemail picks up.

"Yes, Audrey. I'm almost done. I've done my first round of read-throughs and I'll be sending it to you tonight."

She takes a deep breath and mutters, "Well, thank God, you've finally gotten around to actually getting it done. I was starting to think you were gonna miss your first deadline, Cord."

"I wasn't cutting it that close," I mutter under my breath. "There's still a few days until I have to have it turned in."

"But you're usually done at least a month ahead of the deadline. This is the first one I've seen you get this close."

"I'm tired, Audrey. I haven't taken a break for even a vacation in almost seventeen years." I've been writing since I graduated from college. I'm almost forty years old and I have never spent more than one night with a woman. I mean, I went to college. I'm not a virgin. But all I did was get my rocks off in college. There wasn't a woman who made me take things to the next level. Who I really wanted to spend more time with than one night of pleasure.

"I know, Cord. But this is your job. You can't let yourself lose focus like this. You've still got one more book on this contract and the last one didn't do as well as the first two in the series."

"Maybe horror isn't doing as well as it used to."

"Well, I can tell you that romance is on the uptick just like it always is. But horror is holding its own. There is no reason that your book, Demon Nights, should have fallen so hard in the ratings."

"I wrote my book just like I always do. I didn't do anything different."

Maybe that's the problem. Same formula, same kind of story. I didn't have any more surprises in me. It all felt so structured. Nothing was new.

But now I had something new to look forward to.

"When are you starting this last book?"

I snort. "Give me a break, Audrey. I just finished this one. I think I deserve a bit of a vacation. I'm leaving for a week. I'll be back in a week and then I'll start the new book."

"What? You never go anywhere. You'll be answering your phone right? If I need something."

"You're not going to need anything that damn much, Audrey. It can wait until I come back home. I mean it. I'm not answering my phone, Audrey. This is my time. My chance to recharge."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not telling you that. I'm not telling you a damn thing. This is me time. This is personal and I don't need you climbing all up in my business and trying to push all your opinions on me. I'll talk to you when I get home."

"I don't like this, Cord. I don't like it at all."

"Too bad. I need to recharge. On my own."

"Fine," she huffs. "But if there's an emergency…"

"You'll handle it. That's what I pay you the big bucks for."'

"Alright. I'll talk to you when you get back. But make sure that you send me that manuscript tonight."

"I'll send it. See you, Audrey."

"See you soon."

"Bye."

I hang up on her and breathe a deep sigh of relief. Every time we talk anymore she manages to make it seem like a life or death situation to finish my books.

I don't think one book in my whole career coming out late is that big a deal.

I finish another quick round of my read-through edits and send it along to her, attaching all the things she'll need.

Then I take a deep breath and open the email again, reading it through. My heart pounds out of control in my chest and it's been a helluva long time since I've been this excited about anything.

I stand up and walk to the window, staring outside at my mountain home, my sanctuary from the craziness that is my life.

I've had people manage to find out where I live and show up on this mountain looking for me. Desperate, hungry women who think that if they show up at my home, I'll give in to them and realize that they're exactly what I've been waiting for. Exactly what I need to make my life complete.

I've been edgy and hungry for something. But those women didn't have it. Whatever it is.

I want more. I want a life, a home, a family. I want what everybody else gets.

I want love. I don't know if that's what I'll get from this or if it will just be another memory to stick in my spank bank and pull out when I need it. Hell, it might just be the worst thing I've ever done.

But if there's even a chance….