Page 34 of Enchant Me

“I promise it would be fine,” I assure her. “But I get that you feel that way.” I take the piece of bacon Bradley offers me. “How many have you heard back from?”

“I’m sending queries out in batches of four. So far, I’ve heard back from seven. So only one is still outstanding. All the rest were no thank yous.”

“All you need is one.”

“So they say.”

“You’ll get there,” I say, feeling a bit of déjà vu from the way I kept encouraging Lara when she was learning how to do a cartwheel. “Just keep working on the next book and then one after that. That’s what I did when I was hustling phone apps,” I add. Bree knows that I now have a thriving business developing customized software for a variety of companies, from the very large to the mom-and-pop variety.

Of course, thinking about that reminds me that I owe my partner a call, plus I have an appointment at the SCF this morning, and need to get dressed.

“You’re sure you’re okay?” I ask as I push back from the table, then give my kids kisses.

“Just feeling sorry for myself. But I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll buy your book,” Anne says. “I’ve got money in my piggybank.”

“Not enough,” Lara says. “But I still have the twenty dollars from my birthday money. We can buy it together.”

“You two are the best,” Bree says, then blows them both kisses. “But how about you both just put wishes for me under your pillows?”

“Okay, Miss Bree,” they both say, and Bree shoots me a quick glance, her hand going over her heart and her face taking on a swoon expression.

I know, I mouth, then wave goodbye to my family before changing and heading out.

Once I’m on the Coast Highway in Coop, my adorable, cherry red MINI Cooper, I call my partner Abby, who answers on the first ring. “I was just about to call you,” she says.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, immediately going tense. This is the longest I’ve been away from work in ages, and while I trust Abby, I still can’t completely chill with her at the helm. “Something with the Greystone-Branch updates?”

Besides Stark International, Greystone-Branch is by far our largest client. And the first major client that I’d landed years ago.

“No, no. Everything’s fine. I just wanted to hear about the wedding. Sorry Renly and I couldn’t make it.”

“It was beautiful,” I assure her.

“That’s excellent. It means yours will be, too. I can’t wait.”

“Apparently we’re having an un-bachelorette party. Jamie will be in touch.”

“She already has been,” Abby assures me, and I realize I’m not surprised. “I’ll see you on Friday. Are you nervous?”

“About the ceremony?”

She laughs. “Hardly. About the bachelorette party.”

“With Jamie throwing it? Hell, yeah, I’m nervous.”

We both laugh, and before we end the call I remind her that even though I’m technically on vacation, she can buzz me if she needs anything at all. “You won’t be breaking some sort of partner code, and you won’t be bothering me,” I assure her.

“Shit,” she says, and my stomach immediately curdles. That’s not a work-based curse. It’s something else, and my mind leaps immediately to the note on the portrait.

“Abby? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, God, Nikki, I probably already broke a code.” She clears her throat. “You got a letter delivered this morning. An envelope. Marge opened it because, well, that’s her job, and she gave it to me. Nik, it’s creepy.”

My mouth has gone so dry it’s an effort to get out words. “Can you send me a picture?”

“No way. Not while you’re driving. Are you at the SCF yet?” she asks, referring the Stark Children’s Foundation where I volunteer in a variety of capacities, and where she knows I have a meeting this morning. “But I’m still in Malibu. Hang on, and I’ll pull over.”