Ugly(120)
“What? Why would you be worried?”
“Because I know what you earn, and it’s not enough for you to have paid off an additional three grand.”
“I’ve taken on another job, and it allows me to have extra money. I want to try and have the car paid off by the end of the year.”
“By looks of things it’ll be paid off well before then. You’ve already paid off almost one-fifth in just over two months. That’s amazing.”
“I’m fortunate. I live rent-free with my best friend and her husband. But I’m looking at moving out within the next couple of months, I just want to be able to save some more money before I go.”
“If you need more money, Lily.”
“No, Sir. I’m fine, really I am. But I’d like to have my car paid off by the end of the year.”
“Tell me about this other job of yours.” He picks his water bottle up and drinks from it.
“I’ve been doing proofreading for some authors. Actually, it’s turned into editing. I’ve always had a love for English and I wanted to become a teacher. But truthfully, I’m really enjoying the editing and proofreading I’m doing.”
“Does it pay well?”
“If I compare it to my salary from here, on par. I get four hundred a book.”
“Four hundred? Regardless of size?”
“Yes, it doesn’t matter.”
“Hmm, have you researched what other editors get?”
“Not really. I have a good client base, and it’s increasing daily. I’m booked solid until the end of February. Several of my authors have made bestselling lists.”
“Really?” he asks as he rolls his neck from side to side.
“My very first one I did for free. Her book was her debut novel, and it went to top ten in the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. It’s still up there.”
Dale’s eyes widen and he smiles. “So you must have talent.”
I shrug my shoulders and look down at my knitted hands on my lap. “I don’t know.”
“How big are the books you work on?”
“They differ. The smallest was just under sixty-five thousand words, the largest just over a hundred and fifty. “
“And you charge them all four hundred?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you’re being sought after, that means you have a talent for the work you do. Don’t undersell yourself.”
I smile at his words. “That’s what Shayne says, too.”
“You should charge per page, as opposed to a flat fee. Because if you have a standard, say even three dollars a page, and the words are a common size and font, then that’ll be fairer to the person writing less, and to the person writing more.”
“Hmm,” I mumble as I think about his words.
“And make it a minimum amount of pages. That way, it’s fair for you, too.”
I start trying to do some figures in my head, but I’m English savvy, not so much mathematics savvy. “I’ll give it some thought, thank you.” I go to stand to leave, having taken up way too much of his time already.
“Before you go,” he says, and he motions for me to sit again. “Have you had any problems with your husband?”
“Not one word. I’ve started divorce proceedings. And I’ve found a psychologist who’s helping me deal with everything that’s happened in my life.”
“You have?”
“I have, I’m just happy he isn’t contesting it. I haven’t made a fuss about the money he took, or what he did to me. I just want the whole thing put behind me.”
“And that right there,” he points to me, and the hair on my arms stand to attention. “That right there, Lily is why you’re going to be so successful in life. You may have been dealt a shit hand, but you’re ready to fight for the future you deserve, not the one that was handed to you.”
Wow, just wow. He’s so observant and also so encouraging. “Thank you.”
“Now, get out of here,” he playfully says, with the biggest, cheesiest grin. “But keep up the good work.”
I leave his office and go back to my desk. No sooner do I sit down when Peter calls me into his office. “Peter, do you need something?” I rack my brain to try and figure out what it is I’ve forgotten.
“Here.” He hands me an envelope.
I step closer to his desk, and take the envelope. Peter keeps looking down, doing his work. “What is this?”
“I got given a couple of tickets to some movie premier, but I hate movie theatres. They’re filled with young kids.”
“Okay, who would you like me to give these to?”