At least then Eve could get up the map of the world on her computer and show Flora where Africa was in comparison to Cranberry Cross.
‘Make sure he’s on track. We can’t afford to not have him deliver,’ Serena instructed. ‘I don’t want to have to remind you that the future of your career and many others relies on him fulfilling this contract.’
‘I know,’ said Eve, trying to keep frustration from her voice. Serena’s threats were becoming tiring, especially when Eve was doing all the work.
‘I don’t think you do know,’ snapped Serena. ‘Why not send me at least the first thirty pages?’
Eve made a face at the phone. ‘I did suggest that to Edward but he insisted I send you the whole manuscript, he was very insistent actually,’ Eve whispered. ‘I don’t think I should cross him, he was very rude.’
Eve knew Serena well enough to know that Serena loved to hear when authors behaved badly; it probably excused her own bad behaviour.
‘Oh dear, he can be such a prick can’t he? Do you need me to call him and put the hard work on him?’
Eve rolled her eyes at that comment but kept speaking and appealing to Serena’s ego.
‘If you want to, I mean, he might be more responsive to you but he was storming about last night and being very loud about his process.’
‘Oh not the process spiel again, he is very challenging when he’s like that,’ sighed Serena.
‘Okay, I will leave it for now, but tell him I will want to see some pages sooner rather than later.’
‘Absolutely,’ lied Eve.
‘I have another call,’ said Serena. ‘I’ll call later.’
Eve put down the phone. She had bought some time but she still hadn’t told Serena that Edward had changed genres but she knew he had written a best-seller.
But Serena wouldn’t have a choice once she delivered the manuscript. It will be too late to do anything but publish it but she needed to make sure that nothing too much was being done in marketing for his other pitched novel.
She dialled Zara’s mobile number.
‘Hey, babe, how’s it going?’
‘God, so good to hear your voice,’ said Eve.
‘How’s Priest? Is he as awful as everyone says he is?’ Zara asked.
Eve paused, thinking about the change in him from the first night to now.
The night before they had stayed up playing Scrabble, and Eve had soundly beaten Edward; but she suspected he was letting her win, even though he vehemently denied it.
Sometimes he looked at her so intensely she thought she had stopped breathing for a moment, and then he would catch himself and be brusque and dismissive.
‘He’s fine, not as bad as people say he is,’ Eve replied.
‘Has he hit on you yet? I heard he had an affair with Serena when his wife left him,’ Zara gossiped.
Eve felt her crush shatter and she sighed. ‘No he hasn’t thankfully.’
There was a frisson between them but now Zara had said that about Serena, she had an instant dislike for him again.
Serena Whitelaw and Edward Priest. Gross.
‘I was wondering if you’d started on any marketing for Edward’s next book yet?’
‘Not yet, bit early. I think Serena wanted to go out with a hard launch, surprise his readers.’
They’re going to be surprised all right, thought Eve.
