‘You won’t need that yet.’
Eve wanted to roll her eyes but had learned to keep a straight face after working with Serena.
‘Great,’ she said. ‘I have my trusty blue pen at the ready.’ She lifted up her pencil case, which was covered in pink sequins and embroidered with WORD NERD on the front.
She saw Edward raise an eyebrow and she made a face behind his back.
There was nothing worse than a snob, she thought as she waited for him to settle at the huge desk but instead put the pen he was holding down onto the desk where it rolled off and landed at Eve’s feet.
She bent over and picked it up.
Edward G Priestwas inscribed into the side of the stunning fountain pen in gold and natural lacquer.
‘This is a lovely pen,’ she said turning it over. ‘Dupont?’
He looked up at her. ‘You know pens?’
‘I used to work in a pen shop when I was at university. A dangerous place for a person who loves stationery and pens. But a pen like this was too expensive for a lowly student like me.’
She walked to his desk and placed it carefully on the leather surface and went back to her place and sat down, waiting for instruction.
Edward sat at his desk now and tapped on the keyboard and stared at the screen. Eve looked out the window, trying to remain as still as possible.
What felt like hours was only minutes when Eve glanced at her phone. Two emails from Serena were waiting for her and some texts from Zara and Anita, checking to see how she was and if she had arrived.
She desperately wanted to answer them but she imagined Edward Priest would have a fit if she started texting as he was summoning the muse for his book.
As though hearing her thoughts, he stood up and went to the window.
‘It’s not happening. We will try again tomorrow,’ he stated, his hands in his pockets.
Eve cleared her throat. ‘I think Serena will ask where we’re up to,’ she ventured. ‘Perhaps I can read what’s been written so far?’
Edward turned, his expression thunderous.
‘I don’t have anything; do you not understand that? Nothing.’
Eve stared him down. This was ridiculous. She had given up her life to help this man finish his job and he was acting as though he had to summon up a magic spell and his powers had deserted him.
‘Will you be long? Or should I get the train back to London? Maybe you can let me know when it will be ready?’ She tried to keep the sarcasm down but she was tired, hungry and reminded herself that she had given up her Christmas for this man who had writer’s block.
Edward scowled at her. ‘It’s your job to encourage me, isn’t it?’
She tried not to laugh. ‘I’m not a cheerleader. I’m a publishing assistant. I’m here to try and coax the invisible words into shape.’
‘Then you should go back to London. Because this book is simply not coming to me.’
She imagined heading back to London and Serena finding out she didn’t even try to encourage him. She would be out the door with her desk packed and she’d be kicked up the bottom for her trouble.
Eve looked around the room and then stood up. ‘What about if we move your desk around?’
‘What?’ Edward looked at her as though she had just suggested he cut his own nose off.
‘Sometimes changing the room can change the energy.’
‘Good God, you’re into the woo-woo business – fang what’s it called?’
‘Feng shui, and my beliefs have nothing to do with anything other than, I know that when I get stuck, I like a change of scenery. Being in a new spot can bring new perspective.’
