Chapter 12

A couple of minutes later, Emily showed in Deborah Day and her literary agent, Ed Thomas. Deborah was in her sixties now with a neat grey bob and she wore a stylish suit. Her agent appeared to be about twenty years younger, relaxed in jeans and a jumper, with vivid blue eyes. They both shook hands with us firmly and then we all sat down with coffees provided by Emily who shut the door and gave me a thumbs up behind the glass.

‘Well, it's a pleasure…' Noah began, but Ed held up a hand.

‘We don't want any bullshit. We've told Deborah's editor this is our last book with Turn the Pages. Sales have been declining each year and we are constantly told things will change yet nothing happens. The last meeting we had here was the final straw. It is clear the team don't care about Deborah's books any more.'

‘They suggested that I was a has-been,' Deborah added. ‘That my books were something they were forced to publish as I had such a long contract. Well, that's up after this book and I can't wait to leave. I want a team behind my books who actually enjoy them. I have the distinct feeling half the team hadn't even bothered to read Bitten, and my budget for marketing is non-existent. So I don't really know why you even called this meeting.'

‘We hear you,' Noah said. ‘I promise you we both have read Bitten and we loved it. I understand why you'd want to leave. I'd do the same if I was you.'

Ed and Deborah looked at one another in surprise.

‘But we are a new team. And we are hoping we can change things, and get this book in the hands of readers who we know would love it. Stevie is exactly the type of reader we need to be talking to about your new book, Ms Day.'

He looked at me and gave me a nod.

I was nervous. Both Deborah and her agent were fixing us with steely looks that would make the most courageous of lions want to turn and flee in the other direction, but Noah giving me a reassuring nod gave me the confidence I needed.

‘I grew up reading and loving your books; they were part of the reason I fell in love with romance books,' I said. ‘But I haven't read one in years.'

‘This is supposed to be making us want to stay?' Ed said with a sigh.

‘I haven't finished,' I told him sternly. He put both hands up and I swore that Noah chuckled under his breath. ‘But reading Bitten has made me so cross with myself for not reading your more recent books. I loved it. And I think Bitten is even better than your classics and I know so many readers who would be captivated by it. I mean, Marcus is the book boyfriend we all want.'

Deborah smiled slightly at that. ‘It's refreshing to hear that you think my book has relevance today as I don't think your colleagues have felt that way in years. I know your team call me difficult, but it's only because I have been treated like I know nothing.' She shook her head and leaned forward in her chair. ‘I have suggested so many ideas but they've all been rebuffed even though your publicity plans haven't done anything to help my books. And frankly, it's insulting – this attitude that I can't have any say as the lowly author. Who pays the wages here?' Deborah pointed towards her chest. ‘The authors. And yet you all know better than me.' She arched an eyebrow. ‘If my book isn't number one on the bestseller list, you'll never publish one of my books again.'

Number one?

I exchanged a look with Noah. That would be a tall order. I swallowed hard.

‘That's a big goal,' I said slowly.

‘We'd love to get you there,' Noah added. ‘Why don't we talk about publicity ideas…'

‘No,' Ed said, cutting him off firmly. ‘You won't be getting any help from us. As Deb said, we've been here before and we're tired of it. You come up with a campaign that gets Bitten to number one. And we will wait to see what happens.' He turned to me. ‘Maybe some new blood will help.'

‘It will,' I replied fiercely.

Ed stood up. ‘Stevie, why don't you show us out?'

‘Oh, yes, sure.' I scrambled up, as did Noah, but Ed and Deborah merely gave him a nod before sweeping out. I hurried after them and showed them out to the lifts. ‘I promise to do everything I can,' I said as I pressed the call button.

Deborah looked at me. ‘You know what? I think I believe you but I'm not sure it'll be enough.'

I hated to see such a talented author look so defeated. ‘I really believe in this book and Noah does too.'

‘I'm shocked that The Shark wants to help push a romance book,' Ed said, eyebrow raised. ‘Matthews Wood Publishing have been slowly cutting romance titles for years.'

‘They have?' I was surprised after Noah revealed how many romances he'd been reading since he'd been in New York. Unless he had kept his love for romance away from Matthews Wood Publishing. I wondered why.

‘Romance doesn't always get the same respect as other genres,' Deborah said.

I nodded. I knew that and hated it.

Ed handed me his card then. ‘My mobile is on there in case you want to chat about Bitten more. If you can somehow pull off making this book a bestseller, I will be headhunting you for a job with me.' He glanced around. ‘Even if you can help Bitten, I'm not sure you can save Turn the Pages.'

His scepticism only made me more determined. ‘I'll email over my plan ASAP!' I called out as they got into the lift. Just before the doors closed, I thought I saw them roll their eyes.

I walked back to the boardroom where Noah was sipping his coffee. ‘That could have gone better,' I said.

‘What's that?' He nodded at the card in my hands.

‘Ed's business card,' I said, putting it in my pocket. I might need to rally him and Deborah to help me with my plans and I hadn't missed Ed's suggestion about headhunting me. With everything going on here, I wasn't in the position to not keep his card. It might come in handy soon.

Noah's eyes narrowed. ‘Why did he give you that? He wasn't chatting you up, was he?'

‘Why would you care if he was?' I asked, taken aback that he might be jealous.

‘I don't,' he said quickly, shutting down my thought in two words. ‘I just heard he can be a bit sleazy, that's all.'

I hadn't got that impression. I shrugged. ‘Actually, he gave me this in case I needed to talk to him about the book. And said if I can pull off making it a bestseller, he might offer me a job,' I replied. ‘Besides, I decided a few months ago I was done with dating. I am sick of bad dates. I'm focusing on my career, starting with making this book a success.'

Noah looked flummoxed again. ‘Okay. Well, that's probably a good idea.' He stood and scooped up his paperwork hastily. ‘I have a meeting. Do you want to write up the ideas you had and email them to me and I'll get back to you?'

Without waiting for me to respond, he strode out.

I stared after him. Noah thought me giving up dating was a good idea? Great. My ex thought I was so terrible, I should avoid trying to find anyone. My heart sunk, even though I told myself not to care what he thought. Still, it smarted that he was so over me.

Emily came in then.

‘How did it go?' she asked. She saw the look on my face. ‘Okay, drinks with me and Gita after work, no arguments.'

I shook my head. ‘No arguments here.'