Last chapter recap
"Hi, is the Ana Steele?"
"Umm, Yes, I'm Ana Steele. Can I ask who's calling?" I haven't given my number out to many people since moving here.
" Yes, this is Nathan Trent from Sensational Publishing. How are you today?"
Oh shit.. Oh shit... Okay, Ana stay calm. Breath in than out.
Chapter 3
APOV
" I'm doing great. Just trying to get settled in Seattle again. Hope your day is going good?"
"It's going pretty good." I want to scream "You're publishing my book, right?" But I stay quiet and as calm as possible.
"Well, I'm calling because we've just finished reading over your manuscript you sent a few months ago. Can you come in today for a meeting?" OMG....
"YES.. I'm so sorry. I mean, yes I would love to come in for a meeting today at anytime that works for you."
"Alright we will see you at 1:30 Ms. Steele." We say our goodbyes and I can't keep it in any longer.
"OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH MMMMMMMYYYYYYYY GGGGGOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHHHH!!! YES. Who's awesome? Ana's awesome." I'm doing my little good luck booty shack when a cough startles me.
I turn around to see Kate trying very hard to not laugh. She's seen this dance and it's never gotten better. Thank God she's never recorded it and uploaded it on YouTube, talk about embarrassing.
"What that actual fuck, Ana? You scared the shit out of me." She tries really hard to not laugh but soon she is bent over laughing her ass off.
"Ok.. I'm okay now. What has you screaming so loud you woke the apartment building?"
" I just off the phone with Sensational Publishing!! I am meeting an real editor today that is interested in my book." I do my shuffle dance again but this time Kate screams and joins in with me dancing in my room.
"I'm so proud of you Ana Steele and I knew you could get your book published." She hugs me before leaving for work.
"Okay, Anastasia Steele, get your shit together. We can and will accomplish our life goal at this meeting. You are amazing and so is your book." I give myself one final peep talk in my rearview mirror. I'm trying to get these nerves under control so I don't screw up this meeting. I tend to babble when nervous and that could ruin my potential deal.
As I walk into Sensational Publishing I take in their interior design. It has light cream colored wall. There is couches with books everywhere in the lobby.
"Hi, I'm Ana Steele, I have a 1:30 meeting with Nathan Trent." I say with as much confidence as I can while looking at the supermodel of front desk assistant. Compared to her I must look like a slob.
"Yes, Miss Steele I'll show you to his office." As we walk I decide that I need to get to know people that work here and you can never have to many acquaintance especially where you might spend a lot of your time.
"I'm sorry, I never got your name?" She blushes and says "oh"
"I'm Victoria but everyone calls me Vicky. You're here for possible book deal right?" She ask
"Yes, I'm so nervous and hope my babbling doesn't destroy my chances. See when I'm nervous I say stupid thing and.. As you can tell." She nods and chuckles
" I like you. Most of the people that come in here have a complex that they are better than anyone else because they got called for an interview. You seem really nice and I hope you get the deal." She stops walking and knocks on a red door before opening it.
"Mr. Trent, your 1:30 is here." He nods before standing and walking around his desk.
" Miss Steele, it's a pleasure to meet the brain behind that superb manuscript. Please have a seat. Can you get the door Vicky?" She nods while I take a seat trying to calm my nerves and mumble a thank you to him for his compliment. Mr. Trent and surprisingly Vicky take a seat behind his desk. He must see the confused look on my face because he smiles and explains why she is still in the room.
" Ms. Steele or can I call you Ana?"
" I'm fine with Ana, Mr. Trent." He nods before telling me to call him Nathan.
"Vicky is not really a lobby assistant she is my assistant editor. She was also the person who brought you manuscript to my attention. She loved it and made sure that your manuscript was on the top of my pile. I would like for her to work personally with us while editing your book." OMG they want to publish my book. Thank you lord! I do a little shuffle in my mind and am so excited that I forget I need to respond to him. Nathan take my nonresponse wrong.
"I mean I realize we haven't hash out a deal or signed anything but I would really like for you to consider allowing us to publish your book." I nod so fast that I might have given myself whiplash.
"I would love to work with you two. I'm sorry about my nonresponse but I was celebrating in my head. If it's okay I'd like to talk it over with my lawyer. I don't want to offend you but my dad always say to have a second opinion before signing." Stop rambling Ana.
" Ana, your father was 100 percent correct. You never want to just sign right away. This deal is for a multi book offer. We love your writing and Vicky and I believe that your book will be on the top of the New York Times bestseller list. I am going to get your copy of the contract. Any changes just write either on the contract or bring a extra sheet of notes. I'll be right back." With that he gets up and exits his office.
" I wanted so badly to tell you we'd be working together but I was sworn to secrecy but I knew as soon as I met you we'd become fast friends." She squeals before composing herself just in time for Nathan to walk back in. He hands me the contract and his business with both his and Vicky's numbers on it.
"I look forward to hearing from you. If you decide to go elsewhere we know you will succeed and wish you nothing but the best." We shake hands and Vicky and I walk out of his office.
"Have you had lunch yet? I shake my head.
"With my nerves I didn't want to add food to my stomach." She nods
"Do you want get a late lunch and get to know each other?" I nod while she grabs her purse. I can see Vicky and I becoming great friends.
___________________________________________________________
CPOV
"Alright Mr. Grey, your engagement has been announced. We need to increase security for yours and Candace's family. The press are already going insane just to get pictures of you two." I nod but nothing my security team has told wasn't already thoughts I've had.
Since I laid eyes on Candace our relationship has been all over every magazine. She hates it as much as I do because we are both very private people. I'm the CEO of Grey Enterprise Holdings and every since I've started my company three years ago the paparazzi haven't left me alone. There was reports I was gay to me being a manwhore. I am neither of those things. I've only had three relationships in my life.
My first girlfriend was my first love and I still love her. We never had real face to face closure but we've moved on. I mean it's been nearly six years since I revieved Ana's letter telling me that she'd met someone else and didn't want us to be together. That she wasn't sure if she ever loved me and that she was the happiest she had ever been with her new boyfriend. I'm not gonna lie and tell you I wasn't heartbroken because I was crushed and didn't look at another girl for nearly 2 years. It was my brother that pulled me out of my depression the night I graduated from High School.
He told me that I needed to start living again. I was only 18 and I was acting like my life was over when I still had so much life to live. I need to start thinking about College and starting my company. He said a person in my state couldn't run a successful business and my parents wouldn't release my trust fund unless I got my shit together.
He then decided to take me to a College party where he got me drunk and I ended up sleeping with Natalie. She was a freshman at Seattle University and was new to Seattle. She and I started hanging out after that and slowly started dating. We dated for about a year before a family emergency caused her to return to Minnesota. We were never really serious about our relationship so it was an easy separation but we still talk. I think Elliot and her would make a interesting couple if he wasn't a manwhore.
Candace and I have a great relationship. I met her at my parents Coping Together Gala and later found out she was my Chief security advisor daughter. Anderson Thompson and I met through my grandfather Millard Grey. She is by far my best friend and we decided that since we are a perfect match we should get married.
She doesn't believe in love since her first boyfriend broke her heart. He slept with each of her friends then after she broke up with him he drugged and raped her during her 19 birthday party. He's in jail now but it still had a lasting impact on her.
She refuses every guys advances and since I've never loved anyone the way I loved Ana, we just thought why not commit to each other. We won't break the others heart because there's no romantic love involved and also it will give us a companion to come home to at night. My parents aren't too happy about me marrying someone I'm not in love with but they respect my decision. Candace'd dad took more convincing but he slowly came around. He just wants what's best for his daughter and he knows she won't get heartbroken but me. We aren't in love and that's something that worries both sets of parents. My mom is worried that I might meet my soul mate and loses her because of being married but as of right now I don't care.
Not Beta'd so all mistake are mine.
All FSOG character and names belong to E.L James
All original characters and the story line belong to me.
Thank you for reading.