Page 34 of Double Obsession

It wasn’t like she had a choice.

“Why’s your manuscript two months late?” he bellowed.

So much for small talk. To be fair, the man wasn’t known for pussyfooting.

She probably should have had water instead of coffee because it was difficult to form words without saliva. Jenna cleared her throat, intending to defend herself. Instead, she croaked out, “Could I have a glass of water, Thomas?”

He shooed Berta toward the door. The woman sighed and left the office in search of liquid refreshment.

“Well?” he said, pinning Jenna in his gaze. “Stop stalling.”

“So, as you know, I’m recently separated, and I’m trying to raise my three kids. And then my dad—he’s a cop—anyway, he got shot taking down a drug dealer. My youngest almost choked to death and—”

“Blah, blah, blah! This is the big leagues. You have a million-dollar advance, so get the damn thing written by next Friday.”

Her cheeks caught fire. At least he hadn’t dumped her or asked for the advance back. “I’m sorry, sir. I know Holmes-Colson must be on you—”

He waved a dismissive hand. “I’ve assured them it’s late because it’s your best book yet. So, it damn well better be. Fortunately, they love you. In fact, that’s why I wanted you here today.”

“Huh?” Jenna’s ankle brushed against the front pouch of her computer bag, where her check sat inside a sealed envelope. “They don’t want the money back?”

“Hell no. They’ve had an offer from a production company and want to turnDesirable Dukesinto a miniseries on a streaming service. Sid Holmes contacted me a few days ago. They’re looking at an eight million dollar per episode budget. Six seasons, six episodes per season. I didn’t want to say anything until I saw you in person. I need you and Berta to keep quiet for now. This can’t leak to the press until the contracts are signed. Understand?”

Jenna nodded then braced herself on the desk and sucked in air.

“Sid wants to meet with us—” He studied his desk calendar “—on the fifth of next month. If all goes well, we’ll meet with the production company on July 1st.”

A hand caressed her back, and a cup of ice water dangled in front of her. She grabbed it and gulped.

Berta dropped into the seat beside Jenna. “Thomas, did I hear you correctly?Desirable Dukesis to be made into a miniseries?”

McMurry leaned back in his chair and tapped his pen on the desk. “Maybe. You two have two weeks to get your shit together and you need to keep a lid on it.”

“Done,” Berta said confidently.

Jennastaredat her dusty flipflops. It was too much. She wasn’t even sure she could finish the fourth book in the time allotted.

“What else do you have done?” McMurry asked.

Jenna met his intense eyes. “Huh?”

“What else do you have done for the series?”

If her chin hadn’t been attached to her face, it would have smacked the desk.

“Berta led me to believe you have an outline for more books. The production studio wants six, and I assured them you intended to do at least that many.”

“She’s got the outline done, and it’s spectacular,” Berta lied.

“Let me see it,” McMurry demanded.

“We’re going to clean it up, do a few edits, and email it to you this afternoon,” Berta said.

McMurry slapped his desk in a terrifying show of triumph. “Fann-tastic!”

Berta lifted Jenna from the chair, grabbed her purse and computer bag, and ushered her to the door.

“One week to finish your manuscript, two weeks until we propose the rest of the series to the publisher, and if all goes well, in July, we meet with the production company. And zip the lips,” McMurry reminded them.