Starting from Scratch by Marie Ferrarella Page A

want to know.”
    â€œI’ll answer it,” she promised. “I don’t want anything happening to you.”
    â€œNothing’s going to happen to me,” he reassured her in the soft, patient voice that inspired confidence in all who heard it. “I’ve got too much to live for.”
    â€œYeah, you do,” she agreed. Pausing to kiss his cheek, she ordered, “Remember that.”
    â€œYes, ma’am,” he murmured, then laughed.
    She loved the sound of his laugh. It made her feel better.

CHAPTER 8
    â€œO kay, I quit. I quit, I quit, I QUIT!” Paula Reynolds shouted in a voice of full-blown, hair-pulling hysteria.
    She ended her ten-year career by slamming the door as she left Rockefeller Randolph’s spacious office.
    Breathing fire, the now former senior editor pushed her way past Elisha. As she hurried by, Paula’s eyes looked more than just a little possessed. “He’s a monster!”
    The pronouncement echoed in the hall, causing heads to turn and people to look out of their cubicles and small offices.
    Bemused, Elisha knocked once on Rocky’s door and then let herself in. Rocky was probably in the throes of recovering from whatever salvo Paula had fired in her wake. He did not do confrontations well and he was at his best when the good ship Randolph & Sons was sailing through tranquil waters.
    Rocky’s eyes rolled as she stepped over the threshold. The fine features of his face ceased looking so pinched.
    â€œThank God it’s you.” He breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief. “I thought she was coming back to strangle me. Never knew Paula was so emotional.”
    She was here to tell him that Sinclair had called earlier from the road to announce that the book tour was going well and that he had a spot on one of the morning shows, but she tabled that news for the time being. Rocky was obviously dealing with some crisis and that took precedence over friendly chitchat.
    Elisha took a seat in his guest chair. “I take it that reference to monster she just yelled wasn’t meant to describe you.”
    Rocky shook his head, then mentioned the name of the most famous and most difficult star in their stable. “She was talking about Ryan Sutherland.”
    A smile played across her lips. “Thought as much.” The day was windy. From her window, she watched a bird in the distance struggling to fly to his intended destination. “What does that make now, three editors he’s chewed his way through since Parks retired?”
    Taking a deep breath, Rocky let it slowly out before answering, “Four. Milo Benson lasted a week.”
    â€œRight, Milo. I forgot about him.” The young Harvard graduate had been Jason Parks’s heir apparent, trained by the older man to eventually take his place. No one, however, had thought that “eventually” would turn into “immediately,” but heart attacks don’t follow timetables. Jason’s had been entirely unexpected, considering how well the man cared for his health. In comparison to most, it had been a minor attack, but Jason felt it was a sign that he needed to retire to do something less stressful than deal with deadlines and prima donnas.
    Left in the lurch, Rocky had handed the jewel of the Randolph lineup to Milo. The thinking had been that Milo would see to the demanding author while arrangements were made to transition the blockbuster author to another senior editor. The best-laid plans of mice and men and publishers often went awry. As in this case. Milo had left after a week to take a more lucrative offer with another firm. Or so he had said. Elisha had a feeling that the young man had said what he had in order to cover his pride and allow himself to make a quick getaway.
    Because Rocky looked as if he needed to unwind and because she possessed more than a healthy share of curiosity, Elisha asked, “So what’s the complaint this