Word Play

Chapter Five

The airport was crowded with people going back home to their previous lives.

“Let’s not drag this out. This week was paradise for me. But paradise couldn’t last forever. Maybe in another time, another place, things would have worked out, but we live on opposite sides of the country and I can’t survive a long distance relationship. So let’s be adult about this and remember this week for what it was. We lived out our fantasies with someone we truly connected to.” She leaned in and hugged him.

“But, there has to…”

She stopped him with a brush of her finger across his lips. “Don’t spoil it. You have to let me go.”

He stood there, watching, as the woman who had inspired him like no other walked away.

- - -

Jenna turned the last page of the manuscript and breathed in deep.

“Eugene, this shit is fucking great. I can’t believe you cranked this book out so quickly and ahead of schedule. The story of the writer meeting the woman on the beach, the hot, hot sex, and him finding the inspiration he was longing for…it is just brilliant. This reminds me of your older books, the heart is really in this one. I’m not sure about the ending though. You know how the publisher is about happy endings and all. They may ask you to change it.”

Eugene stood up from the brown leather chair

. “I won’t change it. I’ll take it somewhere else if they don’t like it. This is reality.” With a sigh he continued, “Not everything ends in a perfect way, Jenna. Sometimes it ends sadly, and there’s nothing you can do but remember the good stuff. I learned this.”

“Okay, Eugene. I’ll submit it to the publisher with that notation on it. I am sure they will understand. Hell, you’ve made them a lot of money, the least they can do is listen and let you be free to write whatever you want.”

Eugene had a definite case of déjà vu. Madison had told him the exact same thing. He wondered if she was okay.

“Hey, Eugene? This dedication. ‘For Madison, my muse’. That’s all you want it to say?”

“Yes. Nothing more than that.”

Jenna took a few more notes. “Who’s Madison? Have I met her?”

“No, I met her on my vacation a few months back. Just leave everything like it is. I trust your edits but let’s not mess with it too much, I’m really proud of this one. I have to go now; I have a plane to catch.”

Eugene shook her hand and walked out of the office and to the elevator. He looked down, contemplating what he was going to do next.

What would his next story be? He thought maybe a trip to the east coast would answer that question.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. The taxi pulled up and he stood by the open door, “Hello? Madison? Yes, she loved the book. My plane leaves in about two hours. I need to go grab my suitcases. I should be there about midnight. Yes, two weeks.” He paused as she talked on the other end. A smile crossed his face and he blushed.

Climbing into the cab he laughed. “Okay, babe, I’ll bring the boxers with the rubber chicken saying, ‘wanna see my pecker?”

THE END