by Beth Rinyu
Chapter 35
Jenna
I HELD OFF SAYING ANYTHING to Ethan about what I learned from Amelia until I was one hundred percent sure. This weekend had been hard enough on him between his father’s memorial service and his son’s birthday. I didn’t want to burden him with any more. But now that I was home, I could thoroughly investigate this latest bestselling novel that Amelia informed me of that so closely mirrored Ethan’s work in progress. I downloaded the e-copy and spent the entire afternoon immersing myself into the story. I had only read the first five chapters of Ethan’s, and there was no doubt that his writing was much better than this debut author who was currently sitting at number two on the New York Times bestseller list for the fifth week in a row, but the similarities in the story were uncanny.
“What the hell?” I whispered to myself as I went back and forth comparing Ethan’s chapters to the book to find there were some parts that were word for word. None of this was making sense. A million thoughts raced through my mind as I waited not so patiently for Amelia to answer her phone.
“Hey, girl, you got about five minutes and then I have to head into a meeting,” she answered.
“Well, that’s a lovely greeting,” I teased.
“Sorry, just been a bad few days. This morning sickness is taking its toll on me.”
“Oh, no. I’m sorry.”
“Eh, I just gotta get through the next month or so.”
“I won’t take up too much of your time, I promise. I started reading The Sacrifice by Carl Hampton.”
“And...what did you think? Is it similar to Jonathan’s…I mean Ethan’s?”
“Amelia, there are parts that are word for word.”
“Yikes.”
“How could this have happened?”
“I-I don’t know, Jen. That’s a question for Ethan.”
“I don’t know how to approach him with this. There’s is no way Ethan would have stolen this idea from a debut author…none!”
“Jen, you said yourself he’s under a lot of pressure to get this done. He’s riddled with grief…that can make you do a lot of crazy things.”
“Amelia, he’s one of the most famous writers around right now. Do you really think he’d jeopardize his career by plagiarizing someone else’s work?”
“Maybe he’s doing it on purpose. Stranger things have happened in this business. That would be one surefire way to cut ties with his publishing company and stick it to them at the same time.”
I didn’t know how to reply because I knew she may have been on to something. I knew Ethan was sick of the publishing business, but would he risk his reputation by doing something as drastic as this? I shook my head in disbelief. “I just don’t think…Amelia, could you do me a really huge favor?”
“Oh, God…what?”
“I’m assuming this author goes by a pen name?”
“No doubt.”
“Well, would you be able to find out his real name and any other information about him?”
She let out a deep sigh. “Jenna, why?”
“Just please…for me.”
“I’ll see what I can do, but you better not do anything that’s going to get you in trouble. Rebound, Jen…he was just supposed to be a rebound. Stalking people wasn’t part of the plan.”
“I’m not going to stalk anyone, Amelia. I just—” Actually I wasn’t sure why I wanted that information, but if I was going to attempt to figure out what was going on without asking Ethan, it would be helpful to have. “Just, if you could get it for me, that would be awesome.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks, bestie.”
“Oh, you’re such an ass kisser. You’re lucky I love you.”
“Love you too!” I laughed as we said our goodbyes and hung up.
I closed my laptop and put down my iPad. I didn’t want to read anymore because I couldn’t think about it any longer. It was going to be so awkward keeping this from Ethan, but what if Amelia was right? What if he was doing this on purpose? As much as I hated to admit it, there was that whole other side to him that was dark and distant. Even though that part was starting to fade away, there was a hint of it lurking deep inside him. He’d opened up to me more than I’d ever imagined he would, but there were still some secrets he harbored.
I spent the rest of the day checking out the local antique shop, quite pleased with some of my finds. The beautiful Victorian-style headboard and dresser I’d purchased were a great find and were going to be the perfect fit for one of the guest rooms. I was thankful and disheartened when I hadn’t heard from Ethan all day. I knew he was busy and trying to meet his deadline...or was he? I just wished I had the answers to this total craziness. I jumped at the sound of my ringing phone. My stomach tightening when I saw it was Amelia calling, wondering if she had more damming news about Ethan’s book.
“Hey there,” I answered, hoping she was calling with the information I’d requested.
“I’m still working on getting his details, but I thought you’d like to know he’s doing a book signing within driving distance from you this weekend. Maybe you can take a road trip and stalk him,” she teased, but I still sensed worry in her tone.
“I promise I’m not going to stalk the man!”
She gave me that details of the signing and promised to let me know any other information once she got it. I hung up the phone with a million thoughts racing through my mind. Maybe I should say something to Ethan. Perhaps this could all be solved with a simple phone call instead of wasting precious time on my weekend driving a few hours away to stand in line for God knows how long to meet a man I never knew existed just a few days ago. What was I going to do once I met him face-to-face—ask him why Ethan’s work in progress was basically the same story as his? This was ridiculous, but as ludicrous as it was, I knew I would more than likely be standing in line at that signing trying to get some answers.
Chapter 36
Ethan
FOOD, SLEEP, AND CONVERSATION had been basically non-existent these past three days. I was on a mission to type “the end” and stick it to Edward and my publishing company, now more so than ever. There was nothing in my contract that dictated what type of story I had to write, so how dare they place those demands on me? My eyes were like burning embers from staring at the computer screen for so long, and my legs wet noodles after pulling an all-nighter. I stood up to get the blood circulating and squinted as I peered out my office window at the early morning sunrise. It was a beautiful sight to watch it rise from behind the trees and reflect so eloquently off the dusting of snow that must have fallen overnight. For the first time in a long time, I realized the beauty of the dawning of a new day. I rested my head on the cool glass of the window, wondering what day of the week it was. As I moved my hand down my face and felt the full beard replacing the stubble from just days ago, it was time to come out of my writing cave and step back into reality. That reality included a much overdue phone call to Jenna. I reached for my phone and realized the battery had died at some point while I was being imprisoned by my words, so I headed into the kitchen and plugged it in. I decided to take a shower while it was charging and then take care of another much-needed item—caffeine.
The shower had done wonders for my stiff muscles and low spirits, but absolutely nothing for my appearance. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes bloodshot, my skin pale, and even after a clean shave I still appeared disheveled.
“Maybe some coffee will help fix that,” I whispered to the person staring back at me in the mirror. I threw on a pair of jeans and T-shirt and started to head out of the bedroom, when something shiny caught my eye on the bottom of Darrah’s empty closet floor. My stomach churned as I moved closer and opened the door wider. I bent down and picked up the lone earring lying on the floor, holding it in the palm of my hand like a bomb getting ready to detonate. Memories of the night I’d given her these earrings flashed through my mind.
I’d just found out she was pregnant a f
ew days prior and surprised her with the diamond and aquamarine earrings she’d always admired from the window of Tiffany every time we’d go into the city.
“Hey there!” Darrah greeted as she stood in front of the stove, attempting to make something edible for dinner. “How was the city?” she asked as she looped her arms around my neck and kissed me on the lips.
“It was a crazy, long-ass day with my publisher, but other than that nothing exciting…except for this.”
Her eyes widened when I revealed the familiar blue box from behind my back.
“Ethan!” She gasped, unable to hold back her smile. “What is this?”
“Open it.”
Her smile widened and tears pooled in her eyes when she lifted the lid. “Oh my God! You got them! They’re so beautiful. But they were so expensive, Ethan.”
I waved my hand in a dismissing manner. “Nothing I give you will ever match the value of what you’re giving me.” I placed my hand on her belly that still wasn’t showing any sign of pregnancy, but inside was the most precious gift I could ever ask for.
“I love you so much!” She sobbed, kissing my face over and over.
So much had changed from that day, and this earring that had once meant so much to her, thrown upon her closet floor like a piece of cheap costume jewelry was proof of how much our marriage had disintegrated in such a short amount of time. Once Nolan was born everything started to unravel. I eyed up the once precious possession one last time before hurling it across the room. Every time I managed to chase her ghost away, she had to let me know she was still here haunting me. Maybe I needed to get away for a little bit, head to some place new to research for my next book. I wasn’t sure what the answer was, but at the moment, I knew getting out of that bedroom that reminded me so much of her was a start. I headed back downstairs, my mood tainted by the recent memory of us.
The first sip of coffee entering my body sweetened my sour thoughts from just a few moments ago. I scanned my phone, checking the messages that had come through in the last few days I’d been MIA, surprised to find not one from Jenna.
“Great.” I sighed. She was more than likely pissed at me for my silence. I scrolled through my contacts and found her name, hoping she’d understand that I wasn’t ignoring her on purpose.
“Hey, Jenna.” The sound of her voice was like music to my ears, and it was at that point I realized just how much I missed her.
“Oh, hey.” She sounded distant, and I couldn’t tell if that was because she was pissed or preoccupied with something else at that moment.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called or texted. I’ve just been really busy trying to meet this deadline.”
“It’s…not a big deal.” She was a little too quick to brush it off, which told me it was a big deal.
“So, what have you been up to?”
“Nothing much. I finished painting all the bedrooms and they laid the last tiles in the bathrooms. It looks really nice.”
“That’s cool.” I wished she were sitting right beside me. An awkward silence fell between us, not at all what I’d been expecting after not speaking to her for several days. Normally, Jenna could keep the conversation going nonstop even if we’d just talked only minutes ago, but at that moment it seemed as if she had nothing to say. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine. Just been a busy couple of days.”
“Oh...okay.” I was hoping that was all that was on her mind and without being there with her to read her, I had no other choice but to believe her. “Well, umm…maybe we can get together at some point next week.”
“I’d like that very much,” she replied, almost in a whisper.
“Okay, I’ll…call you tomorrow, or if you get bored you can always call me later.”
“K, that sounds like a plan,” she replied, sounding more like the Jenna I knew.
I hung up the phone, a little uneasy over our conversation, but there was nothing I could do about it at that moment. I’d hash things out with her when I saw her again. I grabbed my cup of coffee and headed back into my office in hopes of reaching the end of this book and releasing myself from my prison sentence. But when I got behind my computer a million thoughts raced through my mind and none of them had to do with the story I was supposed to be concentrating on. Jenna. Nolan. Darrah. My head was spinning, making it impossible to focus on anything. I opened my desk drawer, deciding on some self-torture as I pulled out the crumpled-up letter once again.
My Beautiful Angel Eyes….
I was filled once again with a sense of familiarity with that salutation. Where had I heard that before? I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair when it dawned on me. The sailboat at the marina the day I’d visited, bearing the name Angel Eyes. Now that I’d figured it out, I should have been satisfied, but it seemed to be bothering me even more. I thought back to that day and the most gorgeous boat I’d ever laid eyes on. Darrah had been my first thought the moment I saw it, knowing how much she would have loved it.
“It belongs to some bigwig celebrity type with money. As far as I know, he hasn’t even got her out on the water this season.”
It was all a coincidence. My mind was overthinking. There was no common denominator between the man who wrote this letter—the man Darrah was screwing around with—and the person who owned that boat. I needed to let it go and move on. I placed the letter back in the drawer and placed my fingers on the keyboard, but it was useless. I grabbed my car keys, determined to put an end to my ludicrous thoughts and at the same time pay the person I was missing more than anything a visit.
Chapter 37
Jenna
AFTER MY THIRD ATTEMPT, I finally managed to squeeze my car in between the pickup truck in front of me and the minivan behind me. Parking along the street seemed to be the only option in this quaint little town that reminded me a lot of the one I lived in. The streetlights were all decked out in Christmas greenery and the storefronts decorated to welcome the fast approaching holiday season. It was a cute place, but still not as charming as my little town.
I got out of my car and walked down the street, eyeing up the window displays of the overpriced clothing boutiques while taking in the delicious scents coming from the bakery. The line forming around the corner not too far ahead caught my eye. I cringed, knowing it was more than likely the bookshop, and I would be at the back of that line. I shuffled over and got at the end, eyeing up some of the people in front of me. All of them anxious to meet this author, who up until a few days ago was unknown to me. I flashed the older woman in front of me a quick smile when she turned around and remarked, “Isn’t this so exciting?”
Yeah, real exciting, lady, I thought to myself. I grabbed my gloves from my pocket and covered my hands as I stared straight ahead, trying my best to drown out the multiple conversations going on. I’d been so curt with Ethan earlier, and now it was eating away at me, but it was so awkward talking to him and keeping what I knew from him. Hopefully after this little trip, it would all be resolved and things could go back to normal. I wasn’t sure exactly how everything would be rectified by attending a simple book signing, but I was remaining optimistic.
“I once stood in line for four hours to meet Jonathan Reed,” the woman in front of me said to the redheaded woman standing beside her.
My ears perked up. “Oh, yeah. He’s amazing. I just wish he’d put another book out soon. I’ve read everything of his to date.”
“Oh, Jonathan Reed is the best there is,” I chimed in, unable to control myself. “His writing is flawless. Much better than this guy. Don’t you agree?”
“Yeah, he does have an edge over Carl Hampton, but then again, he’s been writing for quite a few more years than him,” the redheaded woman replied. “There’s definitely a lot of similarities in their stories and writing style.”
She had no idea. I shrugged my shoulders, continuing with my shameless plug of Ethan. “I suppose, but I’ll always be a bigger fan of Jonathan Reed. I’m sure his next book w
ill be fabulous and well worth the wait.”
“I hope so.” The woman turned around, seeming to be tired of my love fest for Jonathan—Ethan. As expected the line moved at a snail’s pace, and quite a few times, I thought of dodging the whole idea and coming clean to Ethan about what I knew. When I thought of the alternative—the dark side of him coming out if I were to present this information, I kept my feet planted firmly in place.
Only two people ahead of me, and I used that time to eyeball Ethan’s competitor. He looked around the same age as Ethan, dirty blond, not too thin, not too heavy, but as I listened to him speak, I could sense he was a little full of himself. His newfound fame had definitely overinflated his ego a bit. I shifted from one foot to the other, waiting not so patiently for the woman in front of me to wrap up her longwinded conversation to which he seemed to have no interest in, flashing him a smile when it was my turn.
“Hello.” He smiled back when I approached his table.
My guard instantly went up while his eyes moved up and down my body as if I were standing in front of him naked. Normally, if a guy was checking me out in this perverted manner, I’d tell them to go to hell, but this time I decided to use it to my advantage.
“Hey!” I raised my voice to my flirty, fake level. “I’ve read your book four times already.” Little did he know, I read it once and then picked it apart, comparing it to Ethan’s story.
“So, I guess it’s safe to say, I have a fan in you?” His smile broadened.
“A very loyal fan.” I raised an eyebrow, our eyes remaining locked.
He cleared his throat and grabbed a book from the pile sitting next to him, appearing a little less cool and a little more flustered from just a few seconds ago as he picked up the pen. “So, do you have a name you’d like me to put in here?”