Page 12 of The Beachside Rental

He shook his head.“I can’t.It’s not ready.”

Gwen was quiet for a moment, as though evaluating where they went from here.They’d never been in this position before.He’d always been timely.But then his pseudonym was outed to the tabloid.

He stopped his thoughts.He wasn’t going there.Not today.Not now.

“Did you hear me?”Gwen asked.

He hadn’t heard a word Gwen had said.“Um...What?”

“Send me your opening chapters?”

“What?”He didn’t have opening chapters, as in plural, as in more than one.“No.”

“Simon, come on.Work with me.”A tense silence grew between them.Gwen sighed.“Fine.Send me your first chapter.I promise not to send it to the publisher.I’ll just jot some notes as I read it, and I’ll get it back to you.Deal?”

Simon knew it was the best deal he was going to get, but he still didn’t like it.He got squirrelly about sharing his work before he deemed it complete.

But he only had himself to blame for the position he was in.“Fine.But just remember, it’s a rough draft.”

“Understood.And you’ll send it over now?”

There was another tense pause.

He sighed.“Yes.”

“I’m looking forward to it reading.Talk soon.”

“Bye.”Simon pressed the end button before his agent could think of something else to bring up.

He moved to the kitchen island where his laptop was plugged in and charging.He copied and pasted the first chapter into a new file.He wrote a brief email, attached the file and sent it.He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to get another perspective.But what would his agent think of it?

Chapter Five

Timetogohome.

Jenna had a date with a book.After her last breakup, she preferred book boyfriends to a real-life man, who could hurt her.Her ex, Frank, came to mind, and just quickly she dismissed the thought.

When Jenna stepped into the break room to gather her things, Myra was there.Her sister glanced up from a recipe book.

“What are you still doing here?”Jenna walked to her locker.

“Working on some new items for the bakery.”

Jenna took off her apron.“Yum.What have you picked out?”

“I haven’t decided on anything yet.I was thinking about mini-cheesecakes.”

Jenna salivated.“Oh.Those would be good.Remember I’m your taste-tester.”

Myra laughed as she shook her head.“I would never forget.You won’t let me.”

Her sister was the best baker around.Jenna wished she had just a smidge of her sister’s talent in the kitchen.Luckily, she could get her sister’s baked goods at the market any time she had a craving.

They talked a little more about Myra’s ideas for the little bakery in the market before her sister asked, “Are you feeling all right?”

The question caught Jenna off-guard.“Yes.Why?”

“It’s just you’ve been extra quiet today.Just not your usual happy self.”