She would push her worries aside for the afternoon and help a little girl with her dreams.
She'd focus on her own dreams and problems tomorrow.
Chapter 4
There was one other person in the elevator when Libby entered it. Libby smiled at her and went to push the button for the top floor but it was already lit. She stood back on the opposite side of the elevator to the woman.
The woman had her phone out and was doing something on it. Libby tapped her foot to the elevator music while surreptitiously taking note of the woman's details. She was tall, a few inches taller than Libby, and her long blonde hair showed just a hint of dark roots. The blue dress she wore hugged her figure, leaving no doubt that she was curved in all the right places. Libby wondered if the woman's breasts were as natural as her hair color and then smirked at her uncharitable thought.
They reached the top floor and the elevator dinged open. Libby walked out, checked the room numbers on the wall and headed in the direction of Kate's suite. Finding it, she knocked on the door and stood back. She glanced down the corridor as the woman from the elevator paused for a second, stared at her and then turned around and walked back the way she came.
That was odd.
The door opened a crack, the security lock in place, and Kate's head poked around. "It's Libby," she called and the door shut again.
The security lock clanked back and then the door opened wide.
"Come in." Kate beckoned her inside.
Libby entered. "How was your day?"
"It was great. I wanted to go to Luna Park, but it was shut, so we went to the markets and rode in a tram."
"Did you buy anything?"
Kate grinned. "A bit. Uncle Adrian tells me I have to carry anything I buy, so I can't go overboard."
Libby followed the girl into the suite and stared.
It was far bigger than her room, that was for sure. It was almost as big as her beach shack she lived in back at home and a hell of a lot more fancy. The room had a sitting area with big, soft couches, a large flat-screen television and a coffee table. Kate's laptop was set up on a dining table big enough for six. There was even a fancy kitchenette with a full-sized fridge. Two doors led off the main room, probably to the bedrooms.
Adrian stood up from the couch and moved to greet her. "How was your meeting?" He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets.
Surprised he'd remembered her plans, she ignored her rapidly beating heart. She hadn't reacted this way to Kent. "Good," she said, then sighed, remembering her new deadlines.
"Do they want you to write more books?" Kate asked, her hands clenched together against her chest like a prayer.
"They want me to write them faster – a book every six months rather than every nine months."
"Yay! More Jessop Chronicles." Kate pumped the air.
"Can you write a book that quickly?" Adrian asked.
"I have to now." Libby forced a smile. "My next job is only four days a week, so it should give me some more time." Or else she'd go without sleep.
Adrian's frown was so fleeting Libby wasn't sure if she'd imagined it. "Would you like a drink?" he asked.
"Oh, can we have the double choc, whipped cream, marshmallow delight?" Kate smiled with hope.
"What else?" He strode toward the kitchenette. "How about you, Libby?" He turned back for her answer.
"With a description like that, how could I say no?" She smiled at him and he blinked quickly. Libby's whole body warmed. She was so aware of him. It wasn't a good thing. Men weren't interested in her and she didn't have time for them.
"Come and see what I've written," Kate said and pulled her toward the dining table.
Libby allowed herself to be led over to one of the chairs. She retrieved the notebook and pen she'd bought out of her bag. "I saw this and thought you might like it." She handed it to Kate.
Kate took the gift. "Wow," she breathed. "A writing notebook." She flipped it open and paged through it. "It's like yours."
"The perfect size for your bag."
"And it's for me to keep?"
"Of course. Every writer needs a notebook."
Kate hugged it against her chest. "Thank you." She opened it and wrote her name on the front page. Then she jumped up and raced over to Adrian. "See what Libby bought me?"
"That's very kind of her." He smiled at Libby, the pleasure filling his whole face.
Libby's body went hot, head to toe – she felt like she was glowing like a coal.
He had some smile. It was wide-eyed and honest, friendly with a hint of something else. Nothing like the sleazy, I'm-a-rock-god-everyone-should-worship-me smile Kent had.
Kate pinched a marshmallow from the bench and raced back over, turning her laptop so Libby could see what she had written. "I've created a nemesis for Lilly Lionheart."
Grateful for the distraction, Libby bent over the laptop. "Let me see." She read through the description, impressed by the girl's imagination. "This is great."
Kate beamed for a second and then sobered. "What do I do now?"
"Do you know how the story starts?"
"I think so."
"All right. You can do a couple of things. You could dive right in and start writing the story, or you could outline what the story is about."
"What do you do?"
"I'm more of a plotter than a pantser."
"A what-er?" Kate scrunched up her face.
Libby grinned. "A plotter. I outline the whole story first and then I start writing. There are other writers who are pantsers – they write by the seat of their pants, which means they generally only have a vague idea of where the story is going and they let the story lead them."
"Which is better?"
"Neither. It's whatever suits the way you write. You'll have to decide for yourself."
Kate chewed on her bottom lip as Adrian walked over carrying two mugs that could only be described as sinful. The top of each mug was filled with whipped cream, sprinkled with chocolate pieces and small marshmallows, and finished with a swirl of chocolate sauce.
He placed the mugs on the table in front of Kate and Libby.
"Wow."
"Wait until you try it," Adrian said as he went to get his own mug.
Libby shifted the laptop to the side so she didn't spill anything on it and then lifted the mug toward her. She used the spoon Adrian had given her to stir in some of the cream, which was beginning to melt, and then took a careful sip.
It was a chocolate-marshmallow explosion. She groaned. "Oh my God." She lifted her eyes skyward.
"I know." Kate grinned. "It's awesome."
Adrian sat down opposite her and took a sip.
"Where did you learn to make this?" Libby asked.
Kate's smile disappeared. "It was my mama's recipe."
Was. Past tense. Libby checked Adrian's reaction, and there was sadness in his eyes. "Well, that makes your mama awesome too," she told Kate.
Kate took a sip of her drink. "I guess so."
Libby cast her mind about for something else to talk about. "So, do you think you'll be a plotter or a pantser?"
Kate ran her tongue over her top lip to lick up the cream smeared on it. "Maybe a plotter. I know what's going to happen and I'm scared I might forget."
"Then you'd better write it down."
Kate placed her mug to the side and pulled the laptop toward her. She started typing.
The only sound was the clack, clack from the keyboard.
Libby took another sip of the delectable drink.
"What's your day job?" Adrian asked.
Startled by the change in conversation, Libby took a second to catch up. "I do temp work, mainly in administration roles."
"Is that a bit risky?"
It was proving so at the moment, but Libby shrugged. "There's plenty of work around, and it gives me time to write when I need to." She just wished it paid better.
"I don't think I could be stuck in an office all day." Adrian shuddered.
"It's not so bad, especially when the weather's bad," she said. "What did you do before you became so successful?"
"I worked for my brother, Kate's dad, as a laborer with his construction company. We built houses."
"They were the best houses, weren't they, Uncle Ade?" Kate looked up from the laptop.
"They still are," Adrian agreed. "Daniel's best friend still runs the business."
Kate's parents must both have died. Libby's heart went out to the young girl. To be orphaned at such a young age was tragic. At least she had an uncle who cared for her.
Adrian's cell phone rang and he excused himself to go and answer it.