Written by a Woman

Chapter 27

Chapter Twenty-Seven

SIGNE

“Do you have eggs?” Zaid asked a while later, both of us still lingering in my bed, tangled up in the sheets.

“Yup,” I raised my hand and pointed to the fridge because that was the perk of living in a studio apartment. Everything was within view.

“I’m going to scramble us some,” Zaid announced with a groan as he sat up on the edge of the bed, bending down to pull his boxers back on.

“I think I’m going to hold the bed down a little while longer,” I sighed, stretching to fill the space he had just vacated, “I still can’t see straight.”

He gave me a playful smirk over his shoulder as he stood, bending down to kiss me on the crown of my head once before sauntering into the kitchen in all his naked glory.

Somebody pinch me and wake me up from this dream .

Actually, on second thought, nobody fucking touch me .

I finally reached over and grabbed my phone, scrolling through the hundreds of notifications.

Hold up, hundreds ?

I sat up, keeping the covers over me because it was chilly without them, and opened up the messages from Michelle first.

Michelle: I can’t keep up with my emails today!

Michelle: We have bids! Call me!

Michelle: It’s officially a bidding war! Where are you? Call me as soon as you get this!

Michelle: Oh my god, I have NEVER seen this much interest in a story before! ANSWER YOUR PHONE WOMAN!!

I gaped in shock for a moment, before hitting the dial button near her contact.

My agent answered before the first ring could even finish sounding.

“Thank god, I thought you were dead,” Michelle spoke before I could properly greet her, “I was afraid I’d have to turn everyone away and prepare a funeral instead of a pub deal.”

“What is happening?” I asked her, putting the phone on speaker and earning a curious glance from Zaid over in the kitchen.

“You’re blowing up—again, but more so,” Michelle sounded exhausted, like she was frazzled and struggling to summarize things, “Like, way more. Not only are publishers coming back and offering to sign you and your story, but other publishers are sliding into my email with their own bids on your story too.”

“What?” I gasped, looking up at Zaid who had the biggest, proudest grin on his face as he cracked an egg in a bowl and lifted his hand to snap his fingers in applause, “How? Why?”

“I had the same question, but when you didn’t get back to me yesterday, I decided that I needed to investigate matters myself,” I heard the smile in Michelle’s voice, “And then I saw your latest post. Or should I say, your man’s latest post?”

A blush stained my cheeks, making Zaid hesitate before cracking the next egg. I just stared at him as Michelle kept speaking, “Readers were already obsessed with Zayne, but his video explaining what has been happening between the two of you? Now they’re addicted. Ravenous. Obsessed doesn’t feel like an accurate enough word. Your story is everywhere, Signe. You went viral viral.”

I felt tears starting to fill my eyes at her news, my lip trembling because, frankly, it sounded too good to be true, “Because of Zaid’s video?” I clarified.

“Not just because of his video. You already had a large following and path to success without him, but Zaid declaring his love for you and his excitement for your story really tugged at everyone’s heartstrings. He supported you in the best possible way, it seems,” Michelle hummed, “I’m still getting new emails. I’ll try to narrow offers down over the next week or so because it’ll take time to comb through all of this, but it looks like it’s happening, girly. All your hard work is going to pay off big time.”

I felt tears start to slide down my face, a wobbly, “Thank you so much,” didn’t sound sufficient enough for my agent.

“Thank you, and tell your man thanks, too,” Michelle laughed before hanging up.

I slowly lowered it and stood from the bed, tears blurring my vision as I found Zaid’s t-shirt and slipped it on, my ass still definitely hanging out of it, while I approached him whisking together the eggs.

When I stood at his side, he dropped the bowl and wrapped both of his arms around me while I dropped my head on his shoulder and started sobbing.

“Signe? Love? What’s wrong,” Zaid’s hands were rubbing gentle passes between my shoulder blades, his hug tight around me. I clutched either side of his waist with my grip, using his solid body to ground me while I unleashed a myriad of emotions coursing through my body.

The last forty-eight hours had been a fucking whirlwind, that was for sure.

“I’m okay,” I managed to wheeze out in between my sobs, sobs that were slowly starting to mellow out, “I’m so happy I might explode.”

I felt Zaid release a heavy exhale of relief, “I thought you were going to be upset that my confession is what went viral and helped get you offers.”

“I don’t care about that at all,” I mumbled against his bare shoulder, “I’m not worried about you stealing my thunder.”

“If anything,” Zaid replied, “I hope that I helped direct some readers toward your thunder.”

“Yeah,” I giggled, leaning back and looking at him, “You did.”

Zaid squeezed me again, before pulling back enough to press a firm kiss to my lips and murmuring, “I’m so proud of you, Signe.”

I sighed, relaxing all of my muscles because of the comfort that was his embrace, “I love you, Zaid.”