Chapter 5
Kate finally got her front door open. Stepping inside, she closed the door and leaned her forehead against the cool wood, replaying the entire evening in her head.
"Katie. Is that you?" Johanna's voice floated through to Kate.
"No mom. It's your other daughter." Kate called back, standing up straighter.
"How did it go?" Her mother asked.
"Amazing." Kate muttered to herself before answering. "Great."
"Come here." Jim cut in.
Kate rolled her eyes and walked into the living room.
"What's with the grin?" Jim asked.
"What?" Kate played dumb. "Dad. I'm tired. I'm going to bed. Good night." She turned.
"You kissed!" Johanna nearly screamed.
"Good night." Kate called from the stairs.
As she got ready for bed, her mind wandered to Rick, the date, and what they should do next time. Sleep finally overcame Kate's tired mind and body three hours later at 11:57.
X-X-X-X
Rick climbed into his car, as he heard Kate closing her front door. Letting his head fall back on to the headrest he exhaled slowly. He pulled away from the curb and drove home, replaying their date over and over in his head, the dinner, the movie, the teasing, the kissing. He parked the car outside the apartment building, shutting off the engine he sat in silence for a minute. Stepping out and taking the elevator to the top floor, he unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
"Richard. Is that you?" Martha Rodgers voice seemed to echo around the apartment.
Rick was unable to answer as Alexis screamed, "Daddy!" He caught a glimpse of red before his daughter barreled into his legs.
"Hey pumpkin. Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Rick asked lifting up his daughter.
"Grams let me stay up."
"Did she now?" Rick asked looking toward his mother.
"We watched Toy Story!"
"Really?" Rick asked walking Alexis to her bedroom.
"Yeah." Alexis replied happily.
"Come on. Time for bed. You can tell me all about your day tomorrow. Okay?" Rick said placing his daughter on her bed.
"Okay." Alexis stifled a yawn, as she climbed under the covers.
"Do you have Monkeybonkey?"
"Yep." This time the yawn overcame the answer.
"Good night pumpkin. I love you." Rick said bending and kissing her forehead.
"Good night daddy. Love you too." She whispered, as her eyes slid closed and she hugged her stuffed monkey.
Rick turned out the lights and closed the door to his daughter's bedroom. Walking out and into the living room of the apartment.
"Mother, you're going to lose babysitting privileges if Alexis doesn't get to bed on time." Rick called to his mother in the kitchen.
"My roof, my rules." Was her response.
Like I need reminded, that I'm 26 with a 5 year old daughter and still live with my mother. Rick thought.
"How was your date?" Martha Rodgers asked walking into the living room holding a Bloody Mary.
Amazing. He thought before answering, "Great." He answered with a grin.
"Why are smiling?"
"Smiling? I'm not smiling."
"You have that stupid grin on your face." Martha said taking a seat next to him on the couch.
"No I don't." He couldn't help but smile wider.
"You defiantly did not inherit the gene to be able to act."
"I'm sorry what gene?" Rick asked standing, but before his mother could answer, he continued. "Good night mother. I have a meeting with a possible agent tomorrow." Rick walked away and toward his room.
Rick lay in bed for hours, his mind to wired to be anywhere near sleep. As he imagined future dates with Kate he fell into a deep slumber.
X-X-X-X
The next morning after Kate's parents left for work, she grabbed her phone off the nightstand, and rummaged through her purse for the small slip of paper with Rick's number scrolled across it.
"Ah-ha!" Kate yelled triumphantly, brandishing the scrap of paper in front of her eyes. Looking between the phone and the paper she dialed the number. Two rings passed, before Kate heard the click.
"Rick Rodgers." Rick's voice drowned out the sound of traffic, yelling, and the rest of New York City.
"Hey Rick, its Kate."
"Oh hey. Sorry didn't check the caller id." His voice floated across the line.
"No it's fine. Is this a bad time?" She asked sitting down on the end of her bed.
"No, not all. Just walking."
"Okay, great. I was wondering if you were free around one?"
"I should be, yeah. Why?"
"Sorry Ricky. That's a surprise."
"Now that's just mean."
"Just meet me at the corner of 19th street and Hudson River. Okay?"
"One o'clock. Corner of 19th and Hudson River, I'll be there."
"See you then."
"Bye."
"Bye." Kate smiled as she hung up. Poor Rick not having any idea what she has up her sleeve.
X-X-X-X
Rick ended the call with Kate, and looked up at the tall skyscraper, towering over him, like he was an ant. He walked to the rotating door, pulling it open he stepped into the lobby. People were darting back and forth across the large entryway. He walked to the busy front desk, a blonde woman looked up at him.
"May I help you?" She asked a little annoyed.
"I'm looking for Paula Haas."
"Do you have an appointment?" She asked with a bored tone.
"Richard Rodgers."
"Oh yes. Ms. Haas is on the 15th floor. You'll know her office when you see it."
"Thank you." He replied walking toward an elevator. He pushed the up button. And looked around at all the people, they all looked like worker bees to him. He heard the faint ding and turned to the doors as they slid open, people flooded out, the doors started to close, throwing out his arm the door stopped and slid back. He stepped on and pushed the 15 and stepped to the back of the elevator to allow more people entrance. The lift only stopped twice before stopping on the 15th. Rick stepped off the elevator and looked down the hallway, all the doors looked the same.
How the hell will I know her office when I see it? They are all the same! Rick thought. Not even the space of a heartbeat passed before the slamming of a door caused him to jump out of his skin.
"Ugh!" The woman yelled, stalking toward him.
"Excuse me. Do you know where Paula Haas is?" He asked the woman as she walked past him.
"That bitch's office is the one I just left. Hope you have more luck handsome!" And then she stepped on to the elevator.
"Thanks." He said a little confused and turned toward the office. He didn't know why he was walking so carefully. But he took a deep breath before knocking on the office door.
"Jennifer! I told you to get me coffee! You were not gone long enough to make it to the elevator, let alone a Starbucks!" A woman yelled from inside. Deciding it was probably better to open the door and introduce himself, Rick turned the knob and cracked the door a little.
"I'm not Jennifer." He said as his eyes wandered across the office, to see a woman with raven black hair sitting behind an oak desk. "I'm Rick Rodgers."
"Who?" She asked as Rick opened the door and stepped in.
"Rick Rodgers I have an appointment, for an interview. Your company called and said you could be my agent."
"Oh yeah. Come in." Rick closed the door behind him and stepped further into the office.
"So you want to be writer?" She asked.
"Yes I do, my first story has been turned down 26 times already."
"Well that makes this a bit of a challenge."
"Yeah and I would understand if you didn't want to do it."
"I know a fantastic publisher, who enjoys challenges like this, but I'll have to pass a final draft through an editor first." Paula looked up at him.
"Are you saying yes?"
"On one condition."
Rick just waited for her to continue, deciding it was better to speak as little as possible with this woman.
"You have to change your last name. I mean Richard is the perfect name for an author, but Richard Rodgers doesn't have a good ring. Think about it this way, Nicholas, great name right? Now make it Nicholas Sparks. It has a nice ring to it and it describes the majority of his books."
"Okay. I can do that."
"I also want a final draft whenever you can get me one."
"Here it is." Rick replied opening his messenger bag, pulling out a stack of papers and placing it on Paula's desk.
"Well aren't you prepared." She stated.
"After seeing 26 possible agents you learn what to bring."
"I'll get this off to an editor as soon as I can." She said as she made a red mark through his last name. "And don't forget, last name."
"Thank you." Rick exhaled.
"Yeah, yeah." She waved her hand for him to leave.
Rick exited the office and looked down at his watch, both hands were pointing to the twelve.
I have an hour to get home, change, and meet Kate. He thought. At that moment his stomach growled. Might want to grab a small snack too.
After a cab ride that felt like an eternity the driver stopped in front of his building. Rick handed him the money it cost to ride, then clambered out of the yellow car. He ran to the building and hopped on an elevator. Finally it stopped on his floor. He ran to his apartment and opened the door. His mother and daughter were putting a puzzle together on the rug.
"Richard. How did it go?"
"Great." He said bending and kissing his daughters forehead. "She took my book and that she knew a publisher who loved a good challenge."
"That's good."
"She also told me I need to change my last name." Rick said as he started toward his bedroom.
"Why?"
"A better ring. You know like Nicholas Sparks."
"Oh yes. I see. Now why are you in a hurry?"
"In half an hour I'm supposed to meet Kate at the corner of 19th and Hudson River." He called from the bedroom.
"Oh. And what are you two lovebirds doing today?" Martha yelled after him.
"Not a clue." He said.
X-X-X-X
Kate was sitting on a bench at the corner of 19th and Hudson River. Her eyes peeled for Rick, she hadn't seen him yet. Looking down at her phone she saw that is was 1:15. He's not late, just traffic. She thought.
"If we're going to people watch, I vote that we buy ice cream." The voice was right next to her ear.
"Jesus! Rick! Don't scare me like that!" She said standing up and turning to meet his eyes.
"Sorry." He smiled. "What are we doing?" He asked as she walked around the bench. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. She angled her head up in order to see his face.
She brushed her lips, teasingly against his. "Still a surprise." She whispered, standing a little taller, her lips millimeters from his. He bent the remaining distance, but Kate grabbed his hand, and pulled away. She started up the street, leaving Rick opened mouthed and wide eyed behind her.
REVIEWS inspire me. :) Thank you for all of the REVIEWS. And please keep writing them. :)
P.S. I have no idea how agents are hired and publishers are hired, so all of that is just from my imagination. Please enjoy. :)