A Reclusive Heart
Page 4

“J.L. could very well be the next Dana Pierce.” That made her puff up a bit.
She knew J.L. was decent, popular even, but as good as Dana Pierce? That was unexpected.
“If we leave J.L. with a trainee she’ll never go anywhere and we’ll have missed a golden opportunity. Come on, Rick. Don’t do this. It’s not fair to any of the authors or the company.”
“What makes you think she can’t do this?” Rick asked and she had to admit that she wondered the same thing.
“Besides a lack of experience in promoting and handling a book tour, not to mention conventions? Well, I would have to say she’s too shy, quiet, can’t make eye contact, she dresses like a bag lady with jury duty. She needs a haircut and some make-up wouldn’t exactly hurt. Her glasses belong on Erkel. She doesn’t have the killer instinct to get the job done. For Christ sakes’, Rick, she just sitting there meekly while I’m tearing her apart and you think she can handle someone like J.L.
Lewis? She’ll wreck her career in record time.”
Miss. Harris gave him a shocked and hurt look. Damn if he didn’t feel like he just kicked a puppy, but she needed to hear the truth.
“That was uncalled for, Nick,” Rick said, trying to hand Miss. Harris a box of tissues. She shook her head, averting her gaze.
“It was dead on and you know it, Rick. If you want to train her go for it, but don’t leave J.L. in her incapable hands.”
Rick sighed. “I wasn’t going to, but you didn’t exactly give me a chance to discuss it with you.”
“You weren’t?” he asked, sounding surprised.
“No. Some things are going to be changing around here. For you at least.”
Jamie bit her lip to stop herself from protesting. This guy was a…he was….a jerk! Did she really trust him to handle J.L.’s career? No, but she didn’t have a choice anymore.
“What do you mean?” Mr. Quinn demanded.
“What I mean is you will be training Miss. Harris. You will help her get the look she needs as well as the skills.”
“Rick, that’s not-“
“In return you will also get to sign J.L. Lewis as your client. As well as oversee the rest of her clients.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“That’s great! I already made some contacts. I think if we get her face out there and get her to do a few interviews before we start the book tour for her new book that we’ll be able to count on huge sales for the printed book as well as the ebook.”
Jamie cringed further into herself. Interviews? Book sales? Could J.L. do this?
“Before you get too carried away, Nick, you should probably know something,” Rick said.
Jamie couldn’t help but glance at the man from the corner of her eye to see his reaction. She didn’t want to, but she found herself helpless to do anything else.
“If you have a problem with Miss. Harris then you’re not going to be too happy with J.L.,” Rick said carefully.
“And why is that?”
“Because I’m J.L. Lewis,” Jamie answered softly.
Chapter 3
This was definitely one of those “oh, shit” moments. He just insulted the woman he was dying to sign. Granted he thought he was insulting the hermit standing between him the author he wanted to sign.
Ah hell, there was nowhere to go but forward with this one.
“You’re J.L. Lewis?” he asked in what he knew was his most charming tone.
Apparently the little hermit didn’t know that because she only nodded.
A thought occurred to him. “Rick, how exactly is she supposed to represent other clients if she is busy writing and promoting her own work?”
“She won’t be. Her job here is strictly editing. She’s easily one of the best editors I’ve ever come across. Her clients trust her and we can work with that. They know their books will be handled by others and they’re fine with that as long as Jamie gives their books a final look over before it goes to print.”
“So, her job here is just to give the final editorial approval before a book goes to print?” Nick asked.
Rick nodded. “That and to write and promote her books. You’re right about her potential. I really think she’ll reach Dana’s level with the right help.”
He’d heard of pampering authors before, but this was ridiculous. They created a job for her to keep her happy? It was ridiculous to pay her as an editor when what she really was a proof reader.
“These authors need someone to work with. A proofreader isn’t what they need. Who’s going to promote their work or organize book signings?” he asked.
She frowned. “I’m not a proof reader.”
“No, you’re not,” Rick agreed, to keep her happy? Nick wasn’t sure.
Rick turned his attention on him. “I’ve decided to let you have first pick. The rest of the clients I want you to assign away. What I suggest is that Miss. Harris get the manuscripts right before they’re ready to go to print.”
Nick frowned. “So, you’re making us proofreaders?”
“Only on these clients. It’s what they want. She’s known for having a sharp eye and good taste. She never takes out too much and she has a hell of a knack for detail. Other than that I want you to handle her. I need you to get her ready and start promoting her books. I want her to go on tour with a few lectures, book signings and interviews. I want it at the same level we give Dana, but unlike Dana we don’t have to hold back because of the kids. I trust you know what to do.”
He caught the panicked expression on Miss. Harris’ face, but ignored it. He had more important things to focus on right now like not doing a touchdown dance then and there. It would probably come off as unprofessional. He’d save it for his office.
Shit.
There was so much to do. He needed to call the printers, get a decent picture on her book, set up interviews, book signings, book tours and a convention or two wouldn’t hurt. His eyes drifted towards the little recluse. First they had to give her a makeover, nothing major. Just her hair, her eyes, makeup and good god those clothes had to go. If they could make her look more nerdish or even plainish that would be preferable over hermit.
He couldn’t help his shit eating grin that seemed to make the little hermit more nervous. He knew just the women to handle this little overhaul.
******
This was depressing, Jamie thought as they drove through a plush neighborhood. Seems things hadn’t changed. She was still the world’s biggest pushover or doormat. Really, labels didn’t matter at the moment because her life just plain sucked.
How pathetic does someone have to be to just sit there and take it politely while someone trashed everything about her? Pretty darn pathetic. Instead of putting her foot down and demanding a different agent to handle her career she was in a car with a big jerk who wouldn’t stop smiling smugly even though he was having a conversation with someone on his cell phone. He’d been on that thing since they left Rick’s office, setting up this or that.
She really wished she knew where they were going. Call her crazy, but it would have been nice to have been told, correction, asked to go wherever it was they were going. She was pretty sure he hadn’t said one single word to her since they left Rick’s office. As soon as the door closed behind them he attached a hands free piece to his ear and began his marathon of calls. It wasn’t until she sat down at her new desk and logged onto her computer to start editing Margo O’Malley’s latest book that she realized he’d followed her. Without a word he picked up her bag and handed it to her, gesturing for her to follow him.
Well, it was just one more person to add to her list that knew she didn’t have a backbone. This was just super, she thought dryly as they pulled into a long driveway of a huge white one story house.
Finally Mr. Quinn ended his call and got out. Obviously he expected her to follow after him like a puppy. Deciding against sitting in the car, mostly because it would look like she was pouting, she followed him to the front door.
“Um, where exactly are we?” she asked.
He looked over his shoulder at her and ran his gaze over her, making her feel like a bug under a microscope. Finally he looked at her face and sighed as if it pained him to speak with her. “We’re here because you need a complete overhaul and I don’t have the time to do it. So, I’m going to ask a friend of mine to do it for me.”