The Billionaire and the Bestseller

Chapter One: Incognito

Life is not like the movies. That’s one of those oft repeated turns of phrase that can people take for granted as being true. But, if there’s anything Nicolette had learned in her relatively short life so far, it’s that this phrase comes with a corollary: life, like the truth, is stranger than fiction - and movies are, for the most part, fictional.

Granted, the best fiction is nothing but a series of falsehoods that reveals to us a deeper truth. So, make of that what you will. 

Nicolette could remember the first time she saw a movie in theaters - the spectacle of it. The smell of the buttery popcorn, the way the seats lounged back, how crowded it was. For most people, it seemed that the act of watching a movie was an almost holy experience. Certainly her parents, who owned a movie store when she was growing up, felt that way. They desperately tried to instill in their children a love for cinema; for the feel of good words, pacing, direction, and acting.

Unfortunately, Nicolette was not most people. By the time she was old enough to write, movies no longer held their appeal. The crowded theaters made her nervous, the intensity of the jump cut action sequences gave her headaches, and the falseness of Hollywood hot shots all left a bitter taste in her mouth - though not as bitter a taste as the one her ex left when he took off with her brother for the bright lights of Hollywood. She much preferred what most often turned out to be the source of big screen hits - books.

It was no surprise to anyone that she became a librarian. When she finished writing her first novel, once again no one would have been surprised. Well, they wouldn’t have been if she’d bothered telling anyone besides her guildies, anyway. However, when her book got picked up by a major publisher who started shopping it around to movie studios - well, that was a surprise to everyone, no one more so than Nicolette herself.

She’d barely even skimmed the section of her contract that discussed other media, because the possibility of her debut novel going any further than it had - being made into a paperback - was ludicrous. Even the idea of it garnering a hardback edition was pushing the edges of Nicolette’s imagination, which was really quite active. It had to be in order to write a g********l, after all.

She did not expect to make the best seller’s list and be picked up by book clubs the world over. Now she had to live up to all the promises she’d made in her contract, including the promises revolving around book tours and signings. The very thought made her skin prickle with hives.

Which is why she’d chosen to come to this meeting incognito; she was hoping that they could use this first meeting to discuss the potential for keeping her identity under wraps. As far as disguises went, a blonde wig to cover up her distinctive red hair, outrageously huge glasses, and a boxy business suit that did nothing for her hourglass figure, was pretty tame. She’d threatened her agent to show up in full wizard garb complete with a staff that glowed - but decided against making things any harder on Riley than they were already going to be with herself as a client.

“This is a terrible idea.” Nicolette grumbled to her agent as they made their way through the crowded streets of Manhattan.

She’d only ever been to the big city once before, and was sticking so close to her agent that she was afraid they’d meld together into one being. Nicolette clutched at Riley’s arm with such fervor that the taller woman winced.

“Oh, hush. This is an amazing opportunity. Haven’t you ever wanted to see your work on the big screen, Lettie? Your name in lights?” Riley said, rosy cheeked and with a starry-eyed expression that made Nicolette gag slightly.

“No, never. The only reason I’m even here is because I am contractually obligated to be here.” Nicolette hissed her displeasure. “If I had it my way, there would never be a movie made of my books. The purest and best form of my book is what people have been holding in their hands for the past year. Paper and ink. There’s no reason it needs to be a movie. In fact, I’m not convinced that What Becomes of Snow would even make a good movie, since half the book takes place in Kaitlyn’’s head. It’s like Ender’s-”

“Ugh, please. Do not start on about Ender’s Game again. Yes, I know - the book will never translate into a movie for all the reasons you love to carry on about. But, ok...just listen to me for a second...your book isn’t like Ender’s Game.” Riley said, taking on a feisty tone.

“You’re right, it has even less action sequences to bolster its Hollywood appeal.” Nicolette muttered.

“You’re impossible.” Riley sighed, pulling her rebellious author toward the rotating door of a skyscraper. 

“Everything that’s happened since I signed with you has certainly felt that way.” Lettie snorted, never able to let her agent have the last word. 

Riley rolled her eyes. Their relationship was one of playful ribbing, but Riley knew damn well that she’d proven herself time and again to her client - and friend. At least, in Lettie’s mind they were friends. Riley certainly knew more about her life than just about anyone else did these days.

Oh, Nicolette was friendly enough. She wasn’t the most social person, but she could be when needed. Truth be told, she was far more friendly online than she was in person. The internet was a place where she could be herself without having to worry about her family finding out about her interests. They knew she was a nerd, but were completely unaware that she moonlit as a writer of nerdy erotica - and she preferred it that way. If her family ever found out about her night time activities, which didn’t entirely revolve around gaming or even writing, they would only become more judgemental.

That’s also why she used a pen name - Everly Martindale. If heroes wore masks to protect their families, she wore one - figuratively and occasionally literally - to shield herself from her family’s judgement. After all, her brother had a reputation to maintain and her peculiar proclivities would not play into that reputation very well. She could only imagine how her parents would berate her if she tarnished their golden boy...or golden goose, she supposed.

Nicolette’s brother, Chris, was another reason she strongly disliked the movies, though perhaps he wasn’t the main reason. Chris was in so many films these days that she could hardly keep up, even if she wanted to. Him and his best friend - who used to be her best friend and boyfriend before he up and ditched her. 

While Nicolette had found comfort between the pages of books, her brother took to their parents' love of movies with enough fervor for the both of them, so much so that he decided to pursue acting as a career. At first, he got only bit parts, specializing as a goofy sort of character actor. He’d take any job that kept him from getting tossed from his s**t hole apartment. But, as the story goes, the famed director Chirade took a liking to him after a chance meeting. After smashing a long shot artsy type independent movie out of the park in his first role as leading man, her brother’s star took right off. Now he was a bonafide member of the Chrises, contributing to the Chris-ification of Hollywood.

Nicolette loved her brother, she really did, and she in no way begrudged him his success. On the contrary, she was happy for him - proud even. But, it was uncomfortable sometimes seeing his face plastered everywhere. Not as uncomfortable as seeing Colton stare back at her from a billboard, though.

Colt had been like her all the way up through high school - an uber nerd. Then his genetics, puberty, and swim team combined their powers to bless him with a tight, toned ass, wide shoulders, washboard abs, and a height that sent him head and shoulders above the majority of other guys in their class. Her best friend’s new look paired with his keen interest in tabletop roleplay games and cosplay was a potent combination, enough to send the teenage Nicolette into a tailspin of young love. Who could help falling in love with a guy who tries, with every new character he plays, to romance you? Even when she suggested crossplaying, Colton had been all gung ho for it. It was refreshing how secure he was, especially when compared to so many of the comic shop nerds they hung out with, and that confidence only made him all the more attractive.

Of course, as happens when something tail spins, their love crashed and burned. Like one of those action movie plot holes that gets covered up with explosions when the writers run out of steam.

It was only after they ended up being regulars at an immersive vampire themed LARPing cafe that Colt became interested in acting. After that, he joined the drama club, and started getting to know Chris. Lettie had loved this at first; her brother’s approval of her boyfriend meant a lot to her - which only made it hurt that much more when Chris ran off to Los Angeles with Colton and both of them stopped speaking to her. 

Chris eventually got in touch after a few months, once their parents were so desperate to hear from him that their anger had been consumed by their grief. Funny, because the anger that they felt about Chris chasing after his dreams, against their wishes, disappeared completely after he paid off their house and bought them each new cars - plus the high end RV of their retirement dreams. Now they acted as if him running off to LA to become an actor was entirely their idea.

But Colt? He never answered any of her calls. Not one of her texts. She tried for a solid three months before she finally realized that he was never going to respond. Occasionally, she’d considered asking Chris how Colt was doing...but she never worked up the courage. Hearing about how amazingly charmed his new life was would only push the knife in deeper.

Now Colt was a Hollywood hot shot, playing games with the hearts of countless vapid, beautiful starlets, none of whom had probably ever held a controller in their life. That betrayal, more than anything, rankled her. People talked about girls being faux nerds; but what about guys who turn their back on their own when they hit the big time? Guys who tell interviewers that they have better things to do with their lives than sit in front of a computer getting fat while clicking 1 over and over to kill an imaginary enemy? Yeah. He said that. And then he laughed.

Nicolette felt there must be a special place in hell for guys like that.

All through college, whenever people found out - and everyone eventually did - they were immediately starstruck by the very idea of her being Chris Cavanaugh’s sister. Over time it became harder to tell who liked Nicolette for Nicolette and who was just looking to score tickets to the next premiere. And if they found out she once dated Colton Reid? Forget it. That friendship was shot.

“Ooooh, I really hope they have some news about casting. What are the odds that - with Chirade directing, you’ll end up having your own brother star in the movie version of your book?!” Riley was almost gleeful as she elbowed Nicolette in her side. “Or maybe they’ll bring on your old flame, Colton Reid...”

Riley was only teasing, of course. They both knew there was no way Colton would sign on for a romance movie. The very thought of Colton trying, and ultimately failing, to embody her tenderly written hero made her want to puke.

“Please, stop.” Lettie deadpanned as she rubbed at her sore ribs. “Or I’ll throw up all over your louboutins.”

Riley gasped, and Lettie felt her lips quirk up into a smirk, but when she looked at Riley’s face the woman was not gasping in mock outrage - but at something in front of them. Before she had time to turn, Nicolette stumbled right into whatever had stopped her agent dead in her tracks. She toppled back, but was caught by a pair of large, sturdy hands that wrapped easily around her shoulders.

“Whoa there, little lady.” came a familiar drawling voice that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. “I can’t be having you fall for me like that. One of us might get hurt.”