Eagle's Destiny (30 page)

While I waited for breakfast, I dried my hair.  I would wear it down; everyone was used to my hair down and curly.  I was almost finished with my packing and
finally
there was a knock on the door.  I expected room service but Nancy was there also.  The waiter set up our breakfast outside on the terrace
while
I finished in the bedroom. 

Nancy had already dug into the croissants and coffee
by the time I joined her.
 
“All finished?” she asked waving a croissant at me.

I nodded
sitting
down opposite her and pour
ing
my coffee.  I took long drink
s
of coffee and then water.  “Yeah, all done.”

Nancy handed me a small box wrapped in colorful paper and a big bow.  I figured it was the final copy of my book. 
Traditionally
she always presented me with a copy of the book on the release date. 

“I wonder what this is,” I said tearing off the wrapping paper.

“I guess you’ll just have to open it to see.”  She said with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Inside the box was indeed my book and a small tissue wrapped item was tucked underneath. 
Q
uickly
opening
the package
,
I
pulled out a small cell phone. 

“Oh Nancy,” I exclaimed!

“You can’t go through another two weeks without a cell phone.
 
It’s just one of those disposable ones, I think I put enough minutes on it, unless you and Michael have phone sex again.”  She said while rolling her eyes and laughing.

I
turned it on
and saw Michael’s picture on the screen.  “How did you do this?”  I asked.

“You should know that I’m quite clever with computers and people’s websites.”

“You also programmed Michael’s number in too?”  I looked at her, “I can’t believe it.”

“Lisa and your dad’s are in there too.  Maybe now you won’t need to borrow mine anymore.”  She grinned like the Cheshire cat.

I hugged her.  “Thank you for taking such good care of me.”

She kept on grinning, “Let’s eat!  Even after last night’s feast, I’m starving!”

We finished breakfast and had our luggage loaded into the limousine.  I couldn’t say that I was sorry to be leaving my white room behind.  Too much white, I was constantly afraid of getting something dirty.  A line was already forming when we arrived at the bookstore. 
Stepping out of the limo,
I waved to
the fans waiting
in line and
their
cheering greeted me.

The store was ready for us.  After the introductions, they put me behind the table and placed a large nonfat latte next to me.  Yes!  They were going to take very good care of me. 

At eleven, the doors opened and everyone came streaming in.  I never had trouble connecting with my fans.  We spoke the same language.  There were shy admirers, and bold ones who wanted kisses and hugs.  The store had an unobtrusive security guard nearby so I did not mind.  I chuckled when more than one person asked me to sign page 75.  I certainly started something on that page.  Sex was a familiar scene in my books, remember my “he knew her and she knew him” cadence.  The fans comments always interested me.

My hosts brought me a soda and sandwich at three o’clock, but I was so busy with the fans that I didn’t want to stop to eat.  I asked them to wrap up the sandwich for me, and I would have it on the way to the airport after the signing.  At four, the line showed no signs of slowing down.  I began to work faster.  Our
flight to New York was at seven.
I started to speed up the autographs, and we began to limit the pictures.  Nancy finally threw me into the limousine at five and it was a mad dash to the airport. 

“Elizabeth, I never thought you would stop yakking.  My gosh!”  She said as she gave me half
of
the sandwich she unwrapped.

I took a bite out of my half and a gulp of soda, “Sorry.  You know how I am.  People wait in the line so long.  I hate to let somebody down.”

She nodded and munched on her sandwich, “That’s why you’re so good at what you do.  By the way, what’s with page 75?  I’m going to have to reread that section.”

I laughed, “I think it’s because it takes place underwater.”

Even Nancy colored at the thought, “Well, oh my.  Yes, I do understand that now.” 

That was a surprise for me to have been able to embarrass Nancy.  Oh boy, I thought, it is going to be quite a convention next week in Las Vegas.  My colleagues are going to have a field day with me.

The three-hour flight was uneventful.  A waiting limousine took us from JFK to Manhattan.  We checked into the hotel at midnight.  The room while nice could not compare to my white suite in Miami.  This suite had two adjoining bedrooms, and
we
were sharing which actually delighted us.

As we rode up in the elevator, Nancy confirmed with the bellman that room service was still available.  “That’s why I like New York,” she said, “You know the city that never sleeps.  I’m starving!”

I nodded, “Me too.  The sandwich we had on the way to the airport just didn’t do it.”

Nancy laughed, “I couldn’t believe it, only snacks on the plane tonight, and we were in first class too.”

I could tell the bellman was biting his tongue, two silly women talking about food.  He opened the doors into the suite and Nancy spotted them first, the roses on the table.  “I bet I know who these are for,” she said, “and who they are from.”  She snapped up the card and the outside of the envelope had my name written on it.

I read the card, “
I’ve got a crush, my baby, on you.  Michael.
”  It made me smile.  Michael was being extra cute, and it finally occurred to me, he was using Frank Sinatra songs on the cards.  The roses were beautiful and this time there were nine pink roses surrounding three red ones.

Nancy rolled her eyes, “I’ll call room service while you go into your room and call Michael.”

I almost skipped into the room and had the phone out before the door shut. 

Michael answered the phone, “Hello?”  His deep masculine voice gave me a thrill.

“Hi!  It’s me.”  I said gleefully.  I sat in the chair by the window and turned the light on.

“Babe?”  He asked.

“Oh, this is a temporary cell phone number.”  I explained and then continued, “Thank you for the beautiful roses.  You are spoiling me.”

Michael chuckled, “I can’t spoil you enough.  I’m glad you like them.”

“Like them?  I love them and I love the card too.”  I said softly.  “And, I’m not doing anything for you.”

“You are by calling me.  Did you just get to New York?”

“Yeah, we landed about two hours ago.”  I opened the curtain to look out the window.  “You should see all the traffic and you can hear the noise all the way up here.  I love it.”  I said excitedly.

“How did the book signing go?”  He asked.

Our conversation continued until Nancy knocked softly on the door.  “Elizabeth, room service is here.”

“My food is here.  We’re both starving.”  I told Michael.

“That’s a new one for you.  I’ve never heard you talking about so much food,” he laughed.

“It’s what Nancy and I do when we travel.  We eat.”

“You go and eat.  Thanks for letting me know you arrived safely.”

I sighed.  “I miss you Michael.”  My heart was heavy, and I didn’t want
to end the call.

Michael voice became soft and wistful, “Babe, I miss you too.  I feel like we haven’t had any time together at all.  When I think back on our time together up with the eagles, it really wasn’t that long ago but it seems like forever,” he broke his sentence off.

“I know,” my voice matched his and I leaned against the window.  “I want you to hold me and make love with me.”

“Damn it Babe, next book tour I go with you.”  He growled over the phone.

I laughed softly, “Only if you take me on your photo shoots.”

“I’m teaching you how to a use a camera when you get home.”  He laughed with me.  “Okay, go eat.  Call me tomorrow night.” 

We ended our call and I joined Nancy in the living room.

Nancy looked at me as I sat down, “You two have it bad.”

I frowned and nodded, “I know.”  I took a forkful of salad and munched on it thoughtfully.  “I don’t know if it’s because we
were
interrupted with all our traveling as things were
beginning
, or if there really is something between us.”

Nancy gestured at the roses on the table, “Elizabeth, a man does not spend a small fortune on flowers, not to mention coming up with cryptic sayings on cards because there is nothing between you.  I think it’s obvious that he is courting you.”

I laughed and then looked at Nancy, “You’re serious, aren’t you?  Where did you come up with
courting
?”

“
By w
hat you’ve described of Michael, he sounds fairly conservative, at least when it comes to women.”  She stopped to pop a small piece of bread into her mouth, “The flowers definitely point to wooing.”

I smiled and sat back in the chair.  “I like the sound of that.  I’m being wooed.”

Nancy nodded, “Yes, I think you are.  Enjoy it.  Men like Michael don’t come around very often.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Insert whatever city you would like.  We were getting to the grind of the tour.  The signing in New York started at noon and was supposed to end at six.  It didn’t.  Nancy and I stayed until eight and we were almost late to dinner.

Sam and Martha met us at the restaurant.  I was thankful Luc was absent again.  I concluded that I most likely would never see him again.  I was more than a little embarrassed about what had happened between the two of us.  There were a few other people from the publishing east coast office that we knew who also joined us.  Overall, it was a pleasant dinner, but I was tired.  Since we did not have the opportunity to go back to the hotel to change clothes, I felt grungy and dirty from the day.  The pants suit I had worn at the book signing translated well for dinner, so at least I had chosen my wardrobe
correctly
.

That night I fell into bed exhausted.  Michael and I spoke only briefly on the phone.  They were still watching the eagles, and were under the opinion that it was in all probability local hunters, single or plural.  I asked Michael to be especially careful and he told me he was always careful.  I added him and the eagles to my list of worries.

Nancy and I took an early flight to Chicago the next morning.  I had to forego my usual bliss of room service breakfast, but we managed to grab coffee at the Starbucks next to the hotel before we left.  The airline did serve us breakfast in first class, but it was not room service breakfast.  I did not grumble too much because I knew the next few days would be very tiring to both of us.  A book signing felt like being on stage for six hours straight, smiling, laughing, being pleasant, with everyone focused on you. 

A corporate representative
from
the chain of bookstores met us at O’Hare airport with a limousine.  Sandy was a pleasant and efficient woman.  When I was tired, I appreciated efficiency.  She took us directly to
the bookstore for my television interview.  The hotel was located conveniently across the street so we could check in quickly and afterwards the book signing would begin at three and would last for six hours.

The reporter and camera crew were at the bookstore when we arrived.  Sandy had warned me in the limousine that they wanted to film me arriving at the store because the fans had already started lining up. 

In the face of cheers from the waiting fans, I waved and walked over, “Hey you guys, how long have you been here?”

“We’ve been waiting since early this morning.”  A young woman at the front of the line said.  “We heard about Miami and that you had to turn people away.”

“Thanks for coming.  We’ll let you in a soon as we can.”  I said.

A young man further back in the line, “We’ll wait.”

Another person yelled from the crowd, “We love Jessica, and we love you!”  I turned and waved again.

After we made the introductions inside, my makeup was touched up for the interview.  The camera crew and reporter waited for me in a small area of the bookstore set up with couches and chairs.  The reporter and I chatted for a few minutes before we started to film.  Since there was only one camera, we sat on the couch together.  The couch was comfortable but it was difficult with my long legs to find a position in which I did not slouch and one that would keep my legs together.

Melissa, the stereotypical blond reporter, leaned over to me and whispered, “I won’t ask you on camera about page 75, but why do you think it’s getting so much attention?”

I laughed, “Honestly, I’m not sure why it’s getting so much attention.  Other parts of the book were racier.  If I had to guess, it must be because it’s underwater.”

We started the interview and Melissa asked me all the standard Jessica questions about how long I had been writing, where I got my ideas from, and my future plans for Jessica.  When it came to my plans, I still had not told anyone about ending the Jessica saga, so I certainly did not discuss it during the interview.

“Elizabeth, there have been rumors flying around the past few days that there might be a movie deal in the works for the Jessica series.  Can you lend any credibility to this story?”  Melissa asked as she moved closer to me, I guessed because she wanted to appear conspiratorially friendly.

I flashed a look at Nancy who was standing behind Melissa just off camera.  Nancy rolled her eyes and gave a barely perceptible shrug of her shoulders.  I looked back at Melissa and shook my head.  “No, nothing like that to report, although given the right circumstances the story would make a terrific movie.”

Melissa nodded and accepted my answer at face value.  She looked
directly at the camera and signed off.  Melissa turned back to me and offered her hand as she stood.  “Elizabeth, thank you for the interview, I’m looking forward to reading the book, especially page 75.”

I laughed and stood with her.  “Hope you’re not disappointed.  There are other good parts of the book.”

We said our goodbyes and Nancy pulled me over to her.  “Good interview.  Those S.O.B.’s at Triad have leaked
it
to the press.  I’m going to kill them.”

“Do you think it was them?  Maybe Sam’s people have leaked it.  You know to generate more publicity in this book.”  I asked.

Nancy looked at me considering the possibility, “Well someone has leaked it.  I’m going to call Bill’s office and see if they have heard anything.”

“Let me know.”  I turned to go and Nancy grabbed me.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

I looked at my watch.  “I have an hour before the book signing.  I’m just going to run over to the hotel for a minute.”

Nancy smiled, “You can’t wait can you?  You’ve got to go over to see if there are flowers in the room, don’t you?”

I looked chagrined and nodded.  Nancy just rolled her eyes, “Go.  But hurry back.  We’re supposed to have Chicago deep dish pizza delivered in a few minutes for lunch.”

I nodded again and turned to the door.  Nancy yelled out after me as she took her phone out of her pocket, “Take security.”

Sandy who had heard us joined us quickly, “I’ll go with you Elizabeth.”

“That’s sweet of you,” I said, “but, you don’t have to.  The hotel is just across the street.”

“I don’t mind.  There is a big crowd gathering out there.  John will walk us across the street.”  She beckoned to the burly security guard standing by the door.  We crossed the street without incident probably because I stopped to talk to the fans again.  Sandy rode up in the elevator with me. 

“Elizabeth, if I could be so bold, why is it that you needed to come over to the hotel?”

I smiled, “It’s really silly.  My boyfriend,” I loved to linger on that word.  The word alone could send little shivers down my spine and start my stomach flipping.  “He has been sending me roses to each one of my book signing stops.”

She nodded in understanding, “So you want to see if there are flowers here in Chicago.  Will you be disappointed if they are not there?”

I thought about it for a moment before answering.  “I guess so, but no really
,
I won’t be.  He’s been very generous.  There were flowers in Miami and New York.  I’m only going to be here one night, so it would be very wasteful since I can’t take them with me.”

We walked down the hushed hallway and I slid the card key into the slot
when we reached my room.  The door snapped quietly open.  The room again was a suite and we had to step fully into the room.

Both of us gasped at the same time and then said “Aww” in unison.  The pink and red roses were on the table by the window.  I crossed the room to them and bent over to inhale their fragrance
.
I read the card silently, “
We’ll be together again soon.  Hurry home.  M.
” and tucked it into my jacket pocket.  Sandy had returned to the doorway to give me privacy.  Had I been alone
, the crying
would have started.  The roses and the sentiment on the card made my heart sing however, it laid heaviness on my heart too.  I missed Michael more than ever now.

I joined Sandy in the hallway and closed the door behind us. 

“The roses are beautiful.”  Sandy commented.  “May I ask if there is significance between the pink and red?”

I smiled.  “He seems to be adding a red rose everyday and subtracting a pink one.”

Sandy nodded appreciatively, “Wow, he’s very romantic and very visual too.”

“Yeah,” I said smiling, “That must be the photographer in him.”

Nancy and I were finished by nine thirty and we made our way over to the hotel.  I was tired and begged off dinner.  We would be leaving early the next morning for a flight to St. Louis, and by the end of the day tomorrow, we would be in New Orleans for the next stop.

When I reached my room, I was disappointed to leave a message
for Michael
after reaching his voicemail.  I thanked him for the flowers and told him he was being far too extravagant.  I hoped he didn’t listen to me.  I loved getting the flowers. 

Tammy emailed more pictures of the dogs and herself.  I laughed at the antics in the photographs since they were a little slice of home for me.  I hoped there would be one of Michael among the pictures, but there wasn’t.  Michael had definitely taken the shots and I began to recognize his style.  I replied to Tammy’s email thanking her for the pictures and told her I wanted one of her dad.  Curious as to how far that would get me, I seriously doubted that I would see anything at all.  I shut my laptop down and fell into an exhausted sleep.