Tim enters the house, wearing jeans, a plaid shirt, and a smile that melts her heart every time.
Lisa's pacing the floor, but when he comes in, she stops. And stares.
"Hey," he says to Lisa. "What are you doing?"
"Thinking. You know, thinking about my revisions. What I have to do. How I'm going to do it."
He walks over to her. Pulls her close. "Well, you sure look cute when you're thinking."
"Tim," she says, pulling away. "This is serious. He wants more. He wants me to 'capture the emotional roller coasters tied to each major element of the plot.'"
"You want an emotional roller coaster?" he whispers, grabbing her hand, pulling her closer, nibbling on her ear. "I think I can show you an emotional roller coaster."
She smiles, slaps his shoulder, pulls away again. "Come on. I mean it. I have to get this right. He's counting on me."
His eyes narrow. They become hard. Cold. "Wait a minute. Lisa. Who is he? Who's this guy you're talking about?"
"What?" she asks, confused."Who is he? I mean, do I need to be worried? 'Cause I'll tell you what. You don't want to see me worried."
Lisa smiles. "Tim. You don't need to be worried. He's my editor. You know, he lives in New York, reads my books, tells me what to do to make them better. That's all. He's just my editor."
"Yeah?" he says.
"Yeah." she says. "Trust me. There is nothing to worry about."
"So we gonna go out or what?" he asks.
"I can't go out, silly. I have to do these revisions."
"Okay then," he says, going to the fridge. "We'll stay in." He grabs a beer. "You want one?"
Lisa shakes her head and laughs. "You're going to stay here? While I write?"
He twists the cap off and takes a long drink. "It's a proven fact that I help you write better."
"And how do you do that exactly?"
"Well," he says, putting the beer down, and walking toward her. "I do that because I inspire you. I inspire you with my toughness, you know? Coach says my best quality is my toughness. So maybe a little of that can rub off on you. You have to be tough, Lisa. Revise that book. And be tough."
"Yeah?" she asks.
"Yeah," he says, pulling her to him. "It's like when I'm out on the field. No fear. So write without fear. You know?"
Thanks, Tim. I'm gonna try.
