Read The Perfect Letter Online
Authors: Chris Harrison
The Perfect Letter (33 page)
Jake looked confused. “How?”
“I'll get a small-business loan. That's what other people do when they start a business, isn't it? Austin is the perfect location for an independent press. I have experience at one of the biggest names in publishing. I've got an excellent reputation with authors, agents, and booksellers. And I've got my first two books already lined up.”
Jake looked incredulous. “You do?”
“There's a war memoir by one of the writers I met here at the conference. It's outstanding; it should sell. And an exciting debut by my new favorite author, someone with a gorgeous new voice. Something no one's ever seen before.”
“Who's that?” he asked.
“You, Jake.”
For several long moments, Jake was stunned into silence. It was as if Leigh had said she was planning on a trip to Jupiter, and did he want to come along for the ride? She watched the play of emotions over his face, a fleeting pleasure at the compliment suddenly replaced by confusion. “Me?”
“Your letters. I can't even tell you how they touched me. I've never read anything quite like them. I don't think anyone else has either.”
Now a certain hard determination replaced the confusion in his face. He was not going to let her have the final say. He said, “You can't do that. I'm not a writer, Leigh.”
She was nearly giddy now that the beauty of the plan wasn't just a thing in her mind but something they were talking about out loud, something they would do together. “Maybe no one's ever told you that before, but you are a writer. I have an eye for this kind of thing, Jake. It's the one thing I know how to do, and do well. Your letters, what you wroteâthey're as good as anything I ever read. I want to publish your story and show the world how good you are.”
“You're nuts, Leigh. My letters are not a book. It's just my life, and a pretty messed-up one at that.”
“Your life
is
the story. All it will take is a little bravery on your part. You want to reinvent yourself, you want to start over? Here's your chance.”
This was the answer she'd come up with. This was how she'd be able to move home, give them both a fresh start. She'd start her own company, and Jake would reinvent himself as a writer. The thrill at being able to speak about itâto watch it coalesce in the distance and start to take shapeâbubbled up inside her like a spring.
“Let me help you, Jake. We can help each other. I can help you turn your letters into a book, a real book, with your name on the cover and everything.”
He sat up, staring at her like she was insane. His body language was all incredulity. “Do you really think so?” he said. “I don't have any experience as a writer. I never went to school. Isn't it maybe a little, I don't know, personal?”
She stood and helped him get his jeans back on, then his shirt. “We fictionalize it. Changes details, change facts, so it's not
exactly
like your life. No one ever wrote something I loved more than your letters. This is a way for us to help each other, Jake. I know it's a risk, but that's what writers do. They put themselves out there. They take chances. Like you and me. We bet on each other.”
“What happens,” he said quietly, “if the bet doesn't pay off? Then you're out once again, out of a job and money and your career. Because of me. No, Leigh, I don't think I could live with that. I can't take you down with me again.”
She pulled on her clothes and stood up to look him full in the face. “Seriously, you're going to have to stop taking everything that goes wrong in my life as your personal responsibility,” she said. “I'm here because I want to be, because I love you, Jacob Rhodes. If the publishing company goes wrong, I'm sure Uncle Sonny will hire both of us to help him here. God knows there's plenty of farmwork to go around.” She pulled on her boots and stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. “There. Does that make you feel any better, you stubborn Texas ass?”
She was red in the face from arguing with him, her lips pursed in a thin line. The Honorable Jacob Rhodes, taking the whole weight of the world on his shoulders. Didn't he know that Abby Merrill's only daughter could outstubborn him any day of the week?
Something about this last speech must have tickled him, though, because in a moment his face broke out into a wide smile. He drew her to him, laughing all the while. “It does, Leigh. God. You have no idea how much it does.”
She threw her arms around his neck and embraced him. “Really? Are we really going to do this?”
He threw up his hands, giving in to the power of her vision at lastâhe wouldn't fight her anymore, wouldn't struggle with his own damnable pride. “Why the hell not?” he said. “Turn me into a writer, O great and talented editor of editors. Make me over. Give me a chance to show the world what I can do. I promise to be humble. I promise to trust your judgment. I promise I'll never be a stubborn ass again.”
“I don't know that you can make that last promise, Jake,” she said. “I mean, being a stubborn ass is something you're really, really good at.”
“Then I promise to be an
apologetic
stubborn ass.” He laughed and held out his arms. “And while we're at it, say you'll marry me, Leigh. Say you'll be mine. For good, this time.”
“I'm yours,” she said, clasping her hands around his neck, leaning up to kiss him one more time. “But you really cut it close, buddy. If you didn't say yes, I was going to have to catch my plane in less than three hours.”
“Just think what a great story it will make for our kids,” he said. They stood and climbed down the ladder, out of the hayloft.
“You going to write that one, too?” she asked, taking his hand and heading back out into the Texas sunshine.
“Probably. Now that I'm going to be a famous writer and all.”
“One thing at a time, mister,” she said. “Let's go home.”
“Where will that be, do you think? Home, I mean?”
In the distance, she could just make out the figures of Uncle Sonny and Aunt Becky and Chloe on the porch of the brick house where Leigh had grown up. When they saw her and Jake emerge from the darkness of the barn hand in hand, Aunt Becky reached up and waved them over.
Come on back,
the gesture said.
Come home.
Leigh waved back. For the first time in a long time, she was sure she was doing the right thing, for herself and the people she loved. For the first time she was sure that the past couldn't hurt her, that she was free.
She looked up at Jake and said, “Anywhere we want, babe. That's the fun part.”
T
hirteen years ago I had a meeting with a man who had a simple, yet complex show idea centered on the one subject that everybody can relate to: love. Without my good friend Mike Fleiss, and my entire
Bachelor
family (both in front of the camera and behind it), this book and this life would've never been possible.
Just a few years ago, I had the opportunity to have an amazing conversation with the man I consider to be the godfather of the fictional romance genre, Nicholas Sparks. What seemed like a casual conversation gave me the inspiration to take a chance, put pen to paper and write this book. Thank you, Nicholas.
Nobody in this business makes it alone. I have an amazing team behind me every step of the way. Thank you to Becky, Brittany, and Richard, and everyone at WME, 3 Arts, and HarperCollins for believing in me.
Last, but certainly not least, I have to say thank you to Bachelor Nation. You are the most devoted, passionate, and loyal fan base of any show on television. All of you were in my heart and mind as I wrote this love story. And now I will take a moment and say my good-byes!
CHRIS HARRISON
has been the host of ABC's hit romance reality series
The Bachelor
since the series began in 2002. He's gone on to host
The Bachelorette
and
Bachelor in Paradise
, as well as the live coverage of
The Miss America Pageant
. Chris lives in Southern California with his two children and this is his first novel.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at
hc.com
.
Cover design by Amanda Kain
Front cover photograph © by Bernd Opitz/Getty Images
THE PERFECT LETTER
. Copyright © 2015 by Chris Harrison. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
FIRST EDITION
ISBN 978-0-06-230522-0
EPub Edition May 2015 ISBN 9780062305244
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