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The door opened and closed, and I realized Erin had just gotten back. And that’s when it hit me.
She had gone to school for writing. If there was a good editor to have, it was her. I got up and headed to the door of my office, calling for her to come in.
“Yes?” she asked with a smirk.
“What are you doing with your day?” I asked.
“Nothing until I have to go pick up Libby,” she said. “Is there something you need me to do for you?”
She had a mischievous look on her face, and I couldn’t help but return her smirk.
“I don’t know what you do to me, but I can’t let you do it now,” I said with a laugh. “God, I want to have you on the desk right now, but I ran into a problem today, and I’m hoping that you’re the one who can help get me out of it.”
“Oh?” Erin asked, looking confused.
“I lost an editor on my team, and I’m wondering if you would like to step in the position. At least for a little while until we get the position filled by someone else. I know you’re down here to take care of Libby while I handle this, so if you don’t want to, just say so and I will be happy to find someone else for it entirely. Don’t feel obligated.”
“You mean I could work on it while she’s at school, right?”
“Right.”
“And I could work on it in here with you?”
“Of course,” I said. “There’s plenty of room in here, and if you want, I can move more of my shit from over there and you can make yourself comfortable.”
“So, you mean that I can spend the whole day hanging out with you in your office while working on something I’ve always wanted to do and then getting to hang out with Libby after? I don’t know why you think I would say no to an offer like that, but I’m pretty sure that is like a dream come true in my world.”
I grinned. “You mean it? I don’t want you to think you have to do this on top of what you’re already doing.”
“I don’t. I want to spend time with you, and if there is a way I can do it and still be able to add to my resume, sign me up. I can’t think of anything I want to do more than help you with something you’re doing on top of getting to spend the time with Libby.”
“I can pay you more to compensate for the time you’re putting into this, and on top of that, I can make sure you get a good letter of recommendation after you’ve finished, too,” I promised. “You can use that in person or online should you want to find some remote work to do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she said. “But right now, I better head in there to get my laptop so I can get a jump start on what you want me to do for you today. It’s only a couple hours at this point before I have to go get Libby, and I want to know what I’m doing before I get distracted further in my day.”
I explained to her what the editor had been doing and how we had lost him, and she agreed she would be able to take it on right from where the other editor left off.
“I’ll call my publisher and let him know that you’re taking the position,” I said. “All you have to do is focus on it. I can see about adding you in with the chat, too, so he can talk to you directly about how he wants the formatting and shit. I don’t deal with any of that, that’s all on him.”
“Whatever you need me to do,” Erin replied cheerfully. She was the happiest I had seen her, and I realized this really was what she wanted to do with her life. To be able to join that with myself and what I was doing here was another glimmer of hope that we would be able to make our relationship work in the long term.
I didn’t say so right now. I didn’t want her to think I was doing this out of any ulterior motive. I did need help, and she was the one for the job.
But I did hope she was able to see that this would be something that she could do if she stayed here. As in moved in with Libby and me and chose to be part of our family.
The thought alone was enough to send shivers down my spine, and I had to force myself to concentrate on the book I was writing.
But that was almost impossible with Erin so close.
She was everything I had ever wanted, and she was only a couple of feet away.
I wanted her to help me with the book, but I already knew working together was going to slow my production.
But damn, my inspiration just went through the roof.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Erin
