Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Erin let the midmorning sun warm her cheeks and thought how lucky she was that her job let her bring her dog to work. Buzzy loved the Sea Shell office. It was situated on a cobbled side street with a walk-in front office where people could place classified ads or drop off press releases for local events.
They walked in and Buzzy sat immediately, his whole hind end wagging as he waited for the treat that Bobby, the receptionist, kept for the dogs who came through the door. As soon as Erin crossed the threshold into the editorial office, a wave of happiness filled her as she took in the familiar sight of the desks cluttered with multiple computer screens and stacks and stacks of paper. To an outsider it might have looked a mess, but everyone who worked there knew exactly where everything was. It was like a family home in that way, with all its quirks that made little sense to anyone but its family members.
Pat came out of her office, already going over the week’s schedule as she walked to the conference room. She ran a hand through her short mop of salt-and-pepper hair. As always, she was chewing nicotine gum, caught as she was in a perpetual struggle to quit smoking that she never quite seemed to nuke. Pat liked to blame her wife, to whom she’d been married for ten years, and who staunchly refused to give up the habit. Next to her was tall, shy Clark, the photographer, with whom Erin had become firm friends over the years; Louis the editorial assistant; and Carrie, the junior reporter and copy editor. Erin took her place at the long table they used for editorial meetings, among other things. She sat next to Pat, who was looking more irritated than usual.
Carrie wanted to pitch a story about a school funding shortfall, but Pat was scowling. “We need something new, something exciting,” she said, interrupting Carrie. “We could have had a scoop on the huge story of an A-list actor getting married secretly right here in Carmel before flying off to Scotland. . . ” She paused and shot Erin a hard look.
Uh-oh. Erin got a sinking feeling in her stomach.
“But sadly, that opportunity passed us by.” She grabbed a pen, holding it like a cigarette, and began to twiddle it between her fingers.
Erin gulped and felt guilty. She admired Pat hugely and knew she was lucky to have such an incredible mentor, but surely she could understand that Erin couldn’t—wouldn’t—betray her family just for the sake of a scoop. Erin had been in a tough position, caught between her job and her duty to her family, but family would always win.
She stayed silent. Pat hated to hear excuses.
“Luckily,” Pat continued, “I’ve managed to get something of a scoop myself.”
At this, Erin perked up. A distraction from her misdemeanor. Perfect.
“I’ve had my ear to the ground and word is that another Hollywood hotshot has just bought one of the most expensive homes in Carmel.” Pat’s mouth twitched in its telltale way when she had a good story. Erin felt her heart sink into her sandals. She knew exactly what Pat was about to ask.
She turned to Erin. “Jay Malone is the latest in a string of Hollywood celebrities to buy a place in Carmel-by-the-Sea. There’s a good story here, Erin, and I want you to find it. What is driving this move? Who is Jay Malone? I want a full profile.”
Erin felt backed into a corner. This was her punishment for not giving the Sea Shell the story of the year by offering up Arch and Tessa’s secret wedding in Carmel before they jetted off to Scotland for the lavish public celebration. Jay wasn’t family, so in Pat’s mind he was fair game. Since he’d been Arch’s agent forever, Pat knew Erin could get access. And who better than a family friend to get to the heart of a story?
She thought that Pat understood deep down that Erin had done what was right, but she couldn’t let it go unchallenged. Interviewing Jay was her punishment. She got that, and the journalist side of her felt that Pat had handled the situation well. She only hoped she’d do as well when her time came to be editor.
But the idea of interviewing Jay made something stick in her throat. She didn’t like to use her family connections in her work, and she was certain that Jay was far too busy making multimillion-dollar deals to spend time being interviewed for the local paper.
She swallowed. “He’s probably very difficult to get hold of and won’t be in Carmel very much—”
But Pat cut her off with an upraised hand before she could come up with any more lame excuses. “It’s your job to convince Jay Malone to spare you some of his precious time.”