Never Say Never

Chapter 19

 The peak of summer had hit. Humid days meant lots of time at the local pool and lake. Aly and Steve were enjoying every moment of the boys' break from school with them. Picnics in the woods, cookouts with friends, mini-golf, and trips to the zoo filled up their weekends. Evening bike rides had become part of their routine, often ending with ice cream cones or slushies from Scoops Ahoy. Nights spent chasing fireflies and roasting marshmallows over a fire. Aly and Steve had taken to enjoying evenings on the deck after the boys were in bed, glasses of wine in their hands.

Mid-July found everyone once again sitting around a large table at Sage and Salt, minus Aly's parents, as they were there for an entirely different reason this time.

"To Mike!" everyone cheered loudly, glasses clinking in celebration all around the table.

Mike's cheeks blazed bright red, his lips disappearing in embarrassment at everyone making a fuss over him. He'd told them last week that he finally got an offer for his book. The book he'd been working on for years was finally going to be published, he was getting a decent advance for a new author, had signed the contract just that afternoon, and everyone had insisted on going out to celebrate.

"Thank you but this all feels a little...premature, doesn't it?" he asked. "I mean, yeah, I got an offer and signed a contract but we have no idea how the book is going to do. Getting published doesn't mean anything. Lots of people get published and their book just sits on a shelf collecting dust. It could still horribly flop."

"It will not," insisted El, looping her arm through his, a proud smile on her face. "You are going to do incredible. Michael Wheeler is going to be a household name."

"Yeah, man. You could be the next Stephen King," Lucas said.

Dustin snorted, "Nobody's the next Stephen King. Stephen King is the only Stephen King there is or ever will be. Besides, his books are in a totally different genre. You can't even compare the two."

Max rolled her eyes, "Jesus Christ, Dustin. Can you just say yeah and be happy for your friend?"

"I am happy for my friend but it would be more appropriate to compare him to Eddings or Brookes as his book would be of the fantasy genre and they are fantasy authors. Of course, those are big shoes to fill. If his books do even half as well as theirs I will be impressed."

"Okay, we get it," Steve sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, this is a huge deal and I am sure your book is going to be great. Congratulations Mike."

"Thank you."

"Yes, we're so proud of you," Karen beamed, teary, reaching over the table to pinch his cheek as he grimaced and pulled back from his mom.

"It's about time," Tedd grumbled, taking a long drink of his beer. "Only been working on the damn thing for five years, letting his wife pick up the slack." Karen elbowed him and he looked over at her, completely unaware of how rude he was being.

"Well," Joyce added, "I think it's great. I can't wait to read it. I will be first in line to buy it the day it comes out."

Mike smiled at her, "Thanks." He glanced around the table at all of his friends. "And thanks to all of you. If you wouldn't have pushed me so hard, I'd probably still be editing it over and over again, too scared to ever actually put it out into the world."

Nancy ruffled his hair, "No problem, kid. We all knew you had it in you even if you didn't."

"It's an amazing story," Will told them. "Mike really did his research. It's well planned out, the plot is gripping, the characters are amazing, and the world building is on point."