The Nomination (35 page)

“Tell you the truth,” said Mac, “I don't want to write it. This book doesn't want to be written. It's been fighting me every inch of the way. I wouldn't feel that bad about keeping the advance.”

“I told Beckman we wouldn't make a fuss about it,” said Austin. “We could, but we won't. He's grateful for that. He wants to hear other proposals. I've got some ideas.”

“You know what?” said Mac. “I'm tired of writing other people's stories. Maybe this would be a good time to try something different.”

“Like what?”

Mac was shaking his head. “I don't know. A novel, maybe.” He hesitated. “Something from my own heart, not somebody else's.”

“Well, Mac,” said Austin, “if you write a novel, I'll try to sell it for you. Please keep in the back of your mind, though, that what you're really good at is ghostwriting.” He paused for a moment. “We'll talk some more. Happy Columbus Day. Enjoy the holiday. Do something fun.”

“Maybe I will,” said Mac.

He hung up the phone, stood up and stretched.
A novel
, he thought.
That might be fun
.

He walked through the house and out onto the back porch. Katie and Jessie were working side by side with wicker grass rakes, dragging fallen maple leaves into big piles on the lawn. They hadn't seen Mac step out onto the porch. From where he was standing, they could have been sisters—Katie looking older than her age and Jessie looking younger than hers. Each was wearing cut-off jeans and a big floppy T-shirt and dirty sneakers, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, laughing together in the slanting afternoon sun, raking crimson and golden autumn leaves into piles in Mac Cassidy's backyard.

—
THE END
—