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?“It is a serious commitment,” I pointed out, and I reached across the counter to take her hand. She interwove her fingers in mine and gave a squeeze.
?“Are we really ready for it?” she worried as doubt crept into her eyes.
?“It’s not too late to change our minds.”
?There was a buzz at the door, and we both glanced at the intercom, and then each other. Finally, Sheryl walked to the box and hit the button to open the outside door.
?“I mean, it’s not like we know everything about each other,” she stressed, as she walked over to the door and undid the locks.
?“I agree. And some people might say it’s far too early in our relationship,” I reasoned, as I grabbed my coffee cup and walked over to her.
?“I know. But I think—it feels right.”
?There was a knock and Sheryl opened the door. Jeff Moss strode into the room like a freight train.
?“Hey, sweetie,” he said, and gave Sheryl a peck on the cheek.
?“Hi, Jeff.”
?He paced over to me and gave me a quick hug. “Hey, babe. How’s the arm?”
?“Fine, fine,” I said as he walked over to the table. Sheryl and I followed as he put his briefcase in the middle of the island. “Can we offer you anything?”
?“Toast, coffee,” Sheryl said. “I think we have a bagel.”
?Jeff looked at Sheryl, hopeful. “Can I smoke?”
?Sheryl grimaced. “Ooh! I rather you didn’t.”
?Jeff lifted his hands in a pose of surrender. “Gettin’ harder and harder to find folks who let me smoke. Next writer I sign up better have a two-pack-a-day habit.”
?He turned and opened his briefcase in one fluid motion.
?“So,” I asked, “what’s the word?”
?“I’ve got the contracts,” Jeff approved. “The publisher is really excited about this.”
?“We were just discussing it,” Sheryl admitted.
?“All you have to do is sign the papers, and we are good to go,” Jeff said.
?“So,” I brooded, “the publisher was willing to commit just from the outline?”
?Jeff opened his arms. “C’mon, babe. You are both proven commodities. Plus, you happen to have an agent who is a genius. To have both your names on a new Sherlock Holmes novel? It was like shooting fish in a barrel.”
?“Hmm,” Sheryl wondered with suspicion. “Are we the fish or the barrel?”
?“Who cares? The point is, there is already buzz online about this book.”
?“Great,” I protested. “All we have to do now is write it.”
?“The easy part, I’m sure.” Jeff pulled out several stacks of papers from his briefcase. “So, here, sign away.”
?“Oh, Mark, you sign first. I’m going to open some champagne.” Sheryl walked to the cupboard to get glasses and a bottle out of the fridge.
?Jeff handed me a pen, and I went to the final page on the multiple copies and signed my name on the correct line of each.
?“You two will get an even split,” Jeff insisted. “Let me tell you, the publisher is paying you a very nice advance. To be honest, one of the biggest I’ve seen in years.”
