Fearless Hope: A Novel Read Free

everything pretty.
    Marla had mourned with him during the darkest days of his grief. Becoming a couple and living as a couple had evolved slowly over a period of several years. It might not be a grand passion, but Marla was a comforting presence in his life and he appreciated her.
    What he did not understand was why she bothered with him at all. Living with a writer was no fun, especially during deadlines. He felt lucky that someone as attractive and intelligent as Marla cared enough about him even to stick around, let alone be willing to marry him.
    He wished they could spend more time together, but Marla was climbing the very slippery slope of becoming a well-known interior designer in New York City, and he was trying to hang on to his slot as a bestselling author.
    Hanging on that slot was assuredly not easy. There were many hungry young writers snapping at his heels. It was frightening to wonder if he would have to retire before he was forty because he was already used up. What on earth would he do with himself if he could never write well again?
    He sat, sunk in his own misery, while he watched Marla flit around his office, straightening up and moving decorative items a fraction of an inch here or there. Ever since she started taking those weight loss pills she seldom sat still. Of course, she also had a big hand in decorating his office, and she did not want the effectspoiled by his tendency to scatter notecards, pens, and piles of research books about.
    He ran a hand over his unshaven face. Being around Marla always made him feel a little grungy. An early Saturday morning and she was already in full makeup and heels. Her hair was done in an elaborately disheveled bun. Her skirt was so tight it looked uncomfortable, but he knew she didn’t think twice about comfort if it meant looking good. For lunch, she would purchase a bagel with cream cheese from a street vendor, take two bites, and drop the rest in the nearest trash can. He’d seen her do it dozens of times. It worked well for her. Marla was a head-turner. Every man he knew envied him.
    Speaking of food, he needed coffee.
    He wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a jar of instant Nescafé. The shiny, new latte machine was too complicated for him to manage this early in the morning. He tended to need a cup of coffee before he was alert enough to make coffee.
    “By the way . . .” Marla’s high heels clicked smartly on the tile floor as she walked into the kitchen, where she plucked the instant coffee out of his hand and put it back in the cupboard. “I have to go to Ohio this week.”
    “Ohio?” This got his attention. The Midwest wasn’t exactly Marla’s cup of tea . . . or his. “Why on earth would you want to go there?”
    With relief, he saw that she had switched on the coffee machine monster and was preparing to make him a cup of high-test. He sat down at the table and waited expectantly.
    “A client is insisting on Amish-made goods only. Apparently she’s addicted to those Amish romance novels everyone is reading these days. My boss decided one of us should go to the source. Apparently there are Amish furniture factories in Ohio. She thinks it might save us several thousand to deal directly with them.”
    “And you drew the short straw?”
    “Yes, I did. Do you want to come with me?”
    “To Ohio?” He grimaced. “Not particularly.”
    “By the way, I was up early this morning and I read the review.” She sprayed something on a cloth and started polishing the counter. “I know why you are in such a foul mood. It might do you good to get away for a few days.”
    He took a sip of black ambrosia. Ohio was the last place on earth he wanted to go.
    “No.”
    “But I don’t want to go alone,” Marla said. “My birthday is coming up next week. You could consider it an early present. You won’t have to get me another thing.”
    “Promise?” he asked.
    “I promise. Just come with me. That will be present enough.”
    He considered the