she squeezed Harris' hand and he said, "Ouch, Mommy." Loosening her grip, she walked further into the room.
"Hello, Tooty and Harris. Were you able to rest?" asked Miles.
"Yes, thank you."
Harris said, "I like the big windows in the bedroom. The cars are really tiny."
Miles grinned. "I like the big windows myself." He looked toward the older couple. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Tooty Townsend and her son, Harris. Tooty is my personal assistant in Colorado and she'll be helping me while we're in New York. Tooty, please meet my parents, Brad and Vivienne Brightman."
Mr. Brightman stood. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Toot-Tooty."
Harris giggled when Mr. Brightman stumbled over her name. No doubt he'd tease her about it later. Tooty stepped forward, pulling Harris with her.
"I'm really happy to meet ya'll. She stuck out her hand. Say hello, Harris."
Harris grinned and stuck out his hand, imitating his mother. "Me too. I'm happy, too." The couple took turns shaking their hands and Tooty noticed Mrs. Brightman smooth hers surreptitiously over her skirt, like Harris might have dirt on his hands or something. Both of them looked like they were forcing smiles. She had an instant dislike.
Myrna saved the awkward moment when she stepped into the room to announce dinner.
"Yeah!" Harris exclaimed. "Is it bascetti?"
Tooty grinned. "He means spaghetti."
Myrna smiled. "No, not tonight; maybe tomorrow night." She winked and Tooty liked her even more.
Miles motioned for everyone to precede him to the dining room and Tooty almost groaned aloud when she saw the elegant room and beautiful place settings. She and Harris were as out of place here as a bull in a dress shop. Miles wheeled his chair to the head of the table and motioned his mother and father to either side of him. Monica sat beside his mother and Tooty sat beside his father with Harris next to her. Tooty pushed Harris' hands into his lap when he started playing with his forks. Myrna and Harvey wheeled food carts into the room and began serving everyone. Tooty looked at the tray of ugly fish eggs and declined. Harris said, "Yuck!" and Tooty kneed him under the table.
"Ouch, Mommy."
* * *
Miles lifted his napkin to hide his grin at the look on Tooty's face when Myrna had asked if she wanted caviar. He had to cough to hide his laugh when Harris gave her up for poking him under the table. He made a mental note to make sure Myrna prepared spaghetti the next night.
Monica was speaking, "Miles, please put us out of our misery and give us some tidbit about your upcoming book."
Miles wished she hadn't asked. He didn't feel like talking about himself. He simply said, "It's coming along well. I've added more of a romantic aspect, thanks to Tooty's suggestion, and it's actually going to be the final book in the series. I believe it's time to move on to something fresh."
Monica looked at Tooty, "Hmm. More romance. I think I like that. Although personally, Miles has no problem with that in real life," she said slyly.
Miles wanted to groan. Sometimes the woman was a pain in the ass. They'd had a light romantic relationship for over two years and her company was beginning to wear thin.
His father said, "How is the movie aspect coming along? Are you going to do the screenwriting?"
"Actually, no. There are many competent screenwriters. Like I said, I want to concentrate on writing in a fresh genre."
"That sounds intriguing, son. Do you want to reveal the genre?"
"I was thinking of writing a comedy, but now I'm debating about writing a romance. I like the books by Nicolas Sparks."
Mr. Brightman coughed. "Are you kidding?"
"No, sir. It would be a challenge and I could fall flat on my ass."
His mother interrupted. "Why take that chance when what you write now sells so well?"
"At this point in my life, it's all about the challenge, and writing a comedy or a romance would certainly challenge me." He watched Harris pushing his food around on his plate and giving Tooty a look
"Hello, Tooty and Harris. Were you able to rest?" asked Miles.
"Yes, thank you."
Harris said, "I like the big windows in the bedroom. The cars are really tiny."
Miles grinned. "I like the big windows myself." He looked toward the older couple. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet Tooty Townsend and her son, Harris. Tooty is my personal assistant in Colorado and she'll be helping me while we're in New York. Tooty, please meet my parents, Brad and Vivienne Brightman."
Mr. Brightman stood. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Toot-Tooty."
Harris giggled when Mr. Brightman stumbled over her name. No doubt he'd tease her about it later. Tooty stepped forward, pulling Harris with her.
"I'm really happy to meet ya'll. She stuck out her hand. Say hello, Harris."
Harris grinned and stuck out his hand, imitating his mother. "Me too. I'm happy, too." The couple took turns shaking their hands and Tooty noticed Mrs. Brightman smooth hers surreptitiously over her skirt, like Harris might have dirt on his hands or something. Both of them looked like they were forcing smiles. She had an instant dislike.
Myrna saved the awkward moment when she stepped into the room to announce dinner.
"Yeah!" Harris exclaimed. "Is it bascetti?"
Tooty grinned. "He means spaghetti."
Myrna smiled. "No, not tonight; maybe tomorrow night." She winked and Tooty liked her even more.
Miles motioned for everyone to precede him to the dining room and Tooty almost groaned aloud when she saw the elegant room and beautiful place settings. She and Harris were as out of place here as a bull in a dress shop. Miles wheeled his chair to the head of the table and motioned his mother and father to either side of him. Monica sat beside his mother and Tooty sat beside his father with Harris next to her. Tooty pushed Harris' hands into his lap when he started playing with his forks. Myrna and Harvey wheeled food carts into the room and began serving everyone. Tooty looked at the tray of ugly fish eggs and declined. Harris said, "Yuck!" and Tooty kneed him under the table.
"Ouch, Mommy."
* * *
Miles lifted his napkin to hide his grin at the look on Tooty's face when Myrna had asked if she wanted caviar. He had to cough to hide his laugh when Harris gave her up for poking him under the table. He made a mental note to make sure Myrna prepared spaghetti the next night.
Monica was speaking, "Miles, please put us out of our misery and give us some tidbit about your upcoming book."
Miles wished she hadn't asked. He didn't feel like talking about himself. He simply said, "It's coming along well. I've added more of a romantic aspect, thanks to Tooty's suggestion, and it's actually going to be the final book in the series. I believe it's time to move on to something fresh."
Monica looked at Tooty, "Hmm. More romance. I think I like that. Although personally, Miles has no problem with that in real life," she said slyly.
Miles wanted to groan. Sometimes the woman was a pain in the ass. They'd had a light romantic relationship for over two years and her company was beginning to wear thin.
His father said, "How is the movie aspect coming along? Are you going to do the screenwriting?"
"Actually, no. There are many competent screenwriters. Like I said, I want to concentrate on writing in a fresh genre."
"That sounds intriguing, son. Do you want to reveal the genre?"
"I was thinking of writing a comedy, but now I'm debating about writing a romance. I like the books by Nicolas Sparks."
Mr. Brightman coughed. "Are you kidding?"
"No, sir. It would be a challenge and I could fall flat on my ass."
His mother interrupted. "Why take that chance when what you write now sells so well?"
"At this point in my life, it's all about the challenge, and writing a comedy or a romance would certainly challenge me." He watched Harris pushing his food around on his plate and giving Tooty a look
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