ptop screen. Juliet Hartley. The name was unfamiliar. He checked the metadata: unsolicited submi

round the edges, the plot a bit loose, but the emotional core-God, the emotional core p

y, his scotch had gone untou

hrough the Bluetooth speaker.

Just re

hing

submission batch? Someone named Juliet Hartley. Thi

softened. "You sound like you d

a brief smile. Lacey had been h

ach out to her. Invit

to draft

write it

t check it, assuming it was another job alert or rent notice. But when s

open with tre

Ms. H

Beneath the Willow. Your voice is evocative and co

e in person to discuss it further. Please

thaniel Crane

t scr

he couch and bolt

. She checked the sender address to

flew over

r Mr.

ding my work. I'm honored

Friday afternoon if that suits you. Pl

tude, Juli

creen, her cheeks flushed. Then

nothing

scrolled through his calend

irmed. Frid

Put her in my pers

head. "You're m

he talks about her w

at look. Nathaniel was intrigued. He

ed twenty minutes early, pacing outside the building. Her bo

like an imposter. The marble floors, the glass elevators, the

an with sharp eyes and

es

iel's assistant. H

Books lined the walls, real ones-not decorative. There was a French pr

thaniel

suit fit perfectly, but his sleeves were rolled up. He looked less

offering his hand. His

managed. "It

ase.

e

ross from her, no

. "You have something rare-a way of mak

inked. "T

the second act, and a few of your characters blur tog

hat's the part I

st faintly. "

arcs. Nathaniel wasn't gentle with his feedback, but he wasn't cruel.

d and extended his hand again. "I'd li

ok his han

old. She didn't know what would come next, but for the first