Finding Mr. Write (Business of Love #5) - Ali Parker Page 0,58

say the writing is going well and you can manage yourself, I believe you.”

“You’re scaring me.”

We stepped onto the elevator and Harriet laughed. “Is it really that jarring?”

“That you’re being so nice and reasonable? Yes. What happened? Did you win the lottery or something?”

She jabbed the button for the lobby and scowled playfully at me. “No, smartass. It has nothing to do with money.”

“What then?”

“Honestly?”

I nodded. “Honestly. How long have we known each other for, Harriet? Sure, you’re a royal pain in my ass, but you’re also a huge part of my success.”

“Is that a thank you?” she asked daringly.

“Don’t push it.”

Harriet gave me a wry smile and averted her gaze as her cheeks turned pink. Was she blushing? Up until this very moment, I didn’t even know my agent had blood in her cheeks with which to blush. She’d always been such a calm, cool, and collected force to be reckoned with.

Who was this bashful woman beside me?

“My husband and I went through a very rocky patch recently,” she said. This surprised me. Harriet and I didn’t talk about vulnerable things with each other. We didn’t have that kind of relationship. But here she was, blushing, talking about her husband. “I hadn’t realized I’d done it, but I’d become his manager. I spent so much time telling him and the kids what to do that it became my permanent state. I wouldn’t let anyone do anything to help me because I’m so obsessed with things being just right. You know?”

“I know terribly well, yes.”

“Shut up.” She smirked. “Anyway, Chris and I decided to do marriage counseling. I was so afraid that I’d created too much space between us to come back from. But we’ve been working our way through it and yesterday… well, yesterday was a breakthrough for us and I guess my perspective shifted a little bit.”

“How so?” I asked. I was genuinely curious. I’d always wondered what Harriet’s marriage was like and how any man could have married her. It never occurred to me that she might have been someone entirely different before she became my agent.

“I realized I’d become my work,” she said simply. “My identity became being an agent. I was in business mode twenty-four seven. I lost all sense of intimacy and softness and became the person I thought I needed to be to be successful. The lines between home and work were blurry. I was pushing Chris away without even realizing it and even though he was trying to work his way back to me we couldn’t connect properly or like how we used to. But…” She trailed off and shook her head. “The rest is for me, Wes. I guess what I’m saying is if you’re good with me getting off your back a bit, I’m good with it too. I could use the time to spend with my family.”

I put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m happy for you, Harriet. You know that, don’t you?”

“I do now.”

“And you know you deserve this, right?”

She nodded. “I’m coming to terms with that, yes. And you deserve more free rein. Just please, for the love of God, don’t drop the ball and make me regret this.”

I threw my head back and laughed.

“I mean it, Wes.”

I flashed her a devilish smile and a wink. “No promises, boss.”

After the elevator spat us out, we crossed the lobby and went opposite directions outside on the sidewalk to our cars parked at the curb. There was one person I wanted to celebrate the news of my book being published with, and that was Briar. I gave her a call but she didn’t answer. I knew she was at work, possibly drowning in frothed milk and espresso, so I decided to drive to her side of the city and say hello. Maybe I could hang around until she closed the shop and we could grab a bite to eat after.

And after that?

Well, my bed sheets were ready for her to come spend the night again.

Chapter 25

Briar

Kelly Green handed me a ten-dollar bill after I rang up her skinny latte. Over the course of the entire transaction, she watched me with a steady smile that never touched her eyes. She was here because she wanted something and she had the look of a woman who wouldn’t stop until she got it.

The milk steamer hissed as Callie started steaming milk for Kelly’s latte.

“Do you have a minute to sit and chat with me?” Kelly asked. Her voice was pleasant, almost melodic,