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The subject line read “Re: An Invitation.”

Amy was too afraid to open the message. She got up, went to her kitchen, opened the fridge and pulled out a chilled bottle of white wine that she had first opened a couple of nights ago. Pouring herself a glassful, she went back in the living room and started drinking the wine while pacing in front of the laptop, occasionally looking at the screen where the email seemed to mock her, taunting her.

Jillian Ashley had replied to her message.

The Jillian Ashley had replied to her message.

The only question now was, what was the reply? Yes or no? All Amy had to do was click open the email to find out.

Instead, she called Rachel.

“What’s up?” Rachel asked by way of greeting.

“She wrote back,” Amy replied.

“Who wrote back?”

“Jillian Ashley! That writer I told you about! The one I want on my podcast!”

“Oh, yeah.” Rachel paused. “Well, what did she say?”

“I don’t know, I’m too afraid to open the email.”

Amy heard Rachel sigh over the phone.

“Aims, just open the message!”

“What if she said no?”

“Tell you what, if she said no, I will hunt her down and kick her ass for you.”

Amy sucked her teeth.

“Stop being silly!”

“Silly? I’m not the grown woman afraid to open an email! Now, go on…open the damn thing.”

Amy knew Rachel was right. This was silly. After taking another fortifying sip of wine, she sat back down on the sofa. She put Rachel on speakerphone and then rested the device on the coffee table next to the laptop.

“Okay,” she slowly told Rachel, “I am opening the message…”

“Okay,” Rachel replied. “Be careful. Do not cut the green wire!”

Amy blinked.

“What?”

Rachel laughed.

“It just sounds like you’re trying to defuse a bomb.”

“Shut up! Okay, I’m opening it now.”

Using her forefinger on the trackpad, Amy guided the cursor to the message and clicked it open, wincing as she did so, prepared to see bad news.

Hello, Amy!

Thank you so much for reaching out to me! I am super happy that you liked my latest book! Fans like you are so important to me!