Ellie headed to the kitchen with the bag. She put it on the counter, took a banana nut muffin and a double chocolate one out of the bag, and set each on a plate.
Her cousin went to the Keurig machine and made two cups of coffee. Ellie placed tuna in Hailee’s food dish, and the cat went at it.
In no time, Ellie and Leeann sat at the dining room table with their coffee and muffins. Ellie handed Leeann a paper napkin from the holder on the table and took one for herself.
Ellie peeled off the double chocolate muffin’s wrap. “How did you know I needed this?”
“Because you always forget to eat breakfast, and you love Rachel’s.” Leeann sipped her coffee.
Ellie bit into her muffin and moaned with pleasure as she chewed. She swallowed and smiled at her cousin. “I needed the chocolate, too.”
“I have something to show you.” Leeann got up, grabbed her purse, and sat down. She dug inside and brought out a book with her name printed beneath the book title, Sisters. “Ta-da. The advanced reader copy of my next novel.”
“I love the cover.” Ellie took the ARC from her cousin. “We’ll take a picture of you holding it for your social media.”
“I knew you’d like it.” Leeann smiled and bit into her muffin.
Ellie flipped through the pages of Leeann’s women’s fiction novel. “I have to read this.”
“I’m happy with how it turned out.” Leeann gestured to the book. “I have a few twists and turns that might surprise you. My editor seems thrilled.”
“I’m not surprised.” Ellie set the soft cover ARC on the table. “Is it going to be in hardback like your first two?”
Leeann nodded. “Both have done so well in print and eBook sales that they’ve offered me another three-book contract.”
“Even before the third of your current contract is released.” Ellie smiled at her cousin. “You don’t know how proud I am of you.”
“Thanks.” Leeann grasped her mug handle. “Your help with my social media and teaching me how to use it for my career has contributed to my success. You really should let me pay you for all you’re doing.”
“I’m happy to help.” Ellie refused to take money from a family member. “My payment is seeing you become successful as a novelist.”
“I did enjoy my career as an X-ray tech, but this beats it by a long shot.” Leeann sipped her coffee and set the mug down. “It has been my dream since I was a child.” She shifted in her chair. “Speaking of new careers, how are things in the voicework world?”
Ellie swallowed her bite of muffin. “Fantastic. It won’t be long until Myth Hunter comes out.”
Leeann brushed her hands with her napkin. “It’s a kind of Lara Croft game, right?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Ellie thought about her most recent contact with her voicework agent. “Marie told me that the owners are so happy with my work that they want to contract me for the next version.”
Leeann tipped her head to the side. “Are you going to accept?”
Ellie shrugged. “I’m waiting for the game to come out. If it’s very successful, I can negotiate bigger royalties.”
“That’s smart.” Leeann took her napkin, wrapper, and Ellie’s and tossed them. “My publisher offered an unbelievable advance, and my agent thinks it’s a generous offer, so I’m planning to sign.”
Ellie got up from the table and picked up Leeann’s ARC. “At least I don’t have to go to Japan for this project. The travel for the anime work is fun but tiring and takes a lot of time out of my schedule.”
Leeann walked with Ellie to the living room. “Going to Los Angeles isn’t too bad, is it?”
Ellie handed Leeann the ARC and picked her camera up from the coffee table. “I do have to go more than I’d like, but I don’t have a recording studio in my home, which means I fly out to L.A. every time I start a project.”
“The animated movie for your last project comes out next year?”
“August first.” Ellie gestured to a chair. “Get ready to flash your gorgeous smile.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Leeann settled in the armchair, which had a variety of potted plants behind it, making it seem like the chair was in the middle of a jungle. Ellie had arranged the chair and plants perfectly for social media photos when she had a client in her home.
Hailee jumped into Leeann’s lap, causing her to laugh. “Hailee gets to be in the photo, too.”
