Ugly(104)

Then I open my email and find a message from someone new, saying she’s Michaela’s friend and has a book she wants me to look over.

I email her back and tell her my introductory fee is four hundred dollars, and it’s fifty percent up front and fifty percent upon completion. She instantly emails me back and asks for bank details to secure me. She also says she’ll be ready to send me the book early next week.

“Shayne, she’s asking for my bank details.”

“Who is?”

I explain to her about the referral and how she wants to secure me, so she’s asked for my bank details. “Use PayPal,” she says.

I look at her and tilt my head, not really knowing what the hell she’s talking about. “What?”

“Here.” She walks around, types ‘PayPal’ into the search engine. “Follow the instructions, it’s really quite simple.”

I go through and set it up, and before I know it, I have a PayPal account. “That was easy. So I get paid through PayPal, and can then transfer the money into my bank account.”

“Exactly right. Now, come get your dinner.”

“Hang on, let me send her an invoice and I’ll come get it.” I create an invoice, and send it to her. Within seconds, I get notified of payment. “Whoa,” I say as I smile.

“What is it?”

“I just got paid. Two hundred dollars.”

“You go girl. Here.” She puts a bowl on the counter and takes hers and Liam’s bowls and silverware out to the family room.

I pack my laptop up, feeling on top of the world. Actually, I’m giddy. I just got paid to proofread a book. Correction, I just got half paid for a book. Actually, someone wants me, Lily Anderson AKA Lily Richards, to work on their book.

As I come back from my room, I do a little dance.





It’s four days before Christmas, and I’ve been so busy. I’ve been taking driving lessons, and I’ve been proofing the book I was paid for. It’s nearly time to go home from work, and I’ve been so busy here too. Tomorrow is Peter’s last day before he takes two weeks’ vacation. Dale is stepping up, and filling in while Peter is away. I’ve got both their Christmas presents safely hidden at work, because I want to give their gifts to them after the Christmas staff lunch tomorrow.

Peter is putting on a lunch for all the office staff, and has arranged to give all the floor staff a bonus, in lieu of the outing. He’s truly a great boss, and keeps everything running so well, he easily inspires me to be better at my job.

I start shutting everything down, and have a few moments to check my own personal emails. There’s an email from Michaela saying she absolutely needs to talk to me as it’s a matter of urgency. Panicking, I dial her number.

“Hello?”

“Michaela, are you okay? What’s happening?”

“Oh my God!” she shouts at the top of her lungs. So loud, I have to remove the phone from my ear. “Lily. Oh my God!” she screams again. She’s not hurt though, I can tell by the tone in her voice she’s excited and not in pain.

“What is it?”

She starts talking at speeds which are humanly impossible. I’m picking up some words like “bestseller” and “publisher”, but I still have no idea what on earth she’s saying.

“Michaela, stop and take a deep breath. Don’t say another word, just breathe in and out.” I can hear her breathing heavily doing as I’m asking. “Now, are you calm?”

“Yep.” Her tone is still filled with mirth.

“What is it?”

“Okay. Guess what? Love Is Perfection has hit the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. It debuted in the top ten for both. ARGHHH!” she screams.

“Oh my goodness. Congratulations! That’s just fantastic news. I’m really happy for you.”

“I had a publisher contact me, they want to negotiate a deal,” she says the sentence so fast it sounds like a jumbled mess.

I quickly manage to decipher her words and say, “Wow, that’s just phenomenal. And it’s your first book, too. What an amazing feat!”

“I really wasn’t going to write another book, it really was just a story that came to me and had to be told. Lily, thank you. I know you didn’t write my book, but because of your suggestions, it is so much better than what it originally was.”

“It’s all you, Michaela, I simply tweaked it. Nothing more. And you’re welcome.” I sit back in my chair, smiling, because I’m truly really happy for Michaela and all her success.

“Um…” she wants to say something, but seems she’s stuck for words.