My cell phone blares out on top of my nightstand. Forcing my eyelids partially open, I roll over to my right and reach for it. I don’t know the time yet, but I know it’s early—evident by the darkness in my room.

Squinting, I see Billy’s name pop up on the screen.

I take a deep breath, pull the phone to my ear and answer.

“Mel!” he shouts.

I wince, pulling the phone away. His voice is as loud as a bullhorn.

Slowly, I bring the phone back to my ear.

“Mel, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Billy. . . Christ, what time is it?”

“Six.”

“What? Why on earth on you ringing me so early? If you’re going to boast about sleeping with that guy from the bar the other night, I’m gonna kill you.”

He tuts. “Have you seen the Portland Herald?”

“No, Billy,” I sigh. “I’m in bed.”

“Do you have it delivered?”

“I don’t read newspapers.”

He huffs. “Jesus, well does your old man have the paper delivered then?”

“God, I don’t know . . . yeah, I guess. Why?”

“What planet did you just get back from?”

“Huh?”

“Let me know if they have one way tickets so I can stay there. Jesus, Mel, the paper, the review.”

Suddenly, I snap upright in bed—my eyes popping open. “The review!”

“Yeahhh . . . the review. Welcome back to earth.”

Every single gamut of emotion floods through me; from excitement, to fear, to elation, to dread.

“What did it say? Did you read it? Billy, was it good? Was it bad? Was it awful?”

“Go and see for yourself.”

“Billy, wait—”

The line goes silent.

“Billy?”

I look at my phone and see that he’s hung up.

Bastard.

I hate it when he does that.

Immediately I jump out of bed, fling on my robe, fly out of my bedroom, and speed down the stairs.

Racing outside the front door, I see the newspaper on my doorstep. It looks up at me like a gold nugget to a prospector.

Bending down, I pick it up. My hands shake.

Inside the paper, somewhere in the middle, is Stanworth’s review.

Suddenly I feel sick.

The whole neighborhood is sleeping. Only the soft sound of a bird’s song breaks the otherwise peaceful serenity of the street. Here I am, in my robe, paper in clutched tight in hand, about to take a peek into my future.

Do I have what it takes?

Or am I as bad as I think I am?

I close my eyes and take a deep breath . . .

“Melanie.”

My eyes snap open and I look to my left. Vincent is standing on his porch waving me over.

I almost run back inside my house, just so I can cry over this review in private, but Vincent, in just his boxers, looks too good to ignore.

Running over to him, I stop just a few inches from his feet. “Did you read it?”

He nods.

“Well?”

He shrugs.

My brow lowers.

A slight smile pushes at the corners of his lips and he jerks his chin to the paper in my hand.

“What did it say?” I plead with him.

“Read it, angel.”

“I’m scared.”

He snatches the paper from my hands and quickly thumbs through to the middle pages. I can barely look as he turns the paper around to face me.

“Here,’ he says. “Read it for yourself.”

The first thing I see are four stars printed above a small wall of text. I reach out for the paper and gently take it from his hands.

Vincent clears his throat. “Right. I’m making some coffee. Want some?”

With my eyes fixed on the review, I slowly nod.

Four stars. Four out of five. Collin Stanworth liked it. He thought the dessert was the highlight, he . . .

“Vincent,” I shout at the top of my lungs. “Vincent, he liked it! He really liked it!”

Rushing inside Vincent’s house, I find him in the kitchen pouring coffee. I run over to him and jump into his arms.

“He really liked it, Vincent. Oh my god.”

Vincent squeezes me, nuzzling his head into the crook of my neck. “I know, baby. I know he did. I knew you could do it.”

I pull back and cry, looking deep into his eyes. “I’m so happy.”

“Get ready.”

I wipe away tears of joy with the sleeve of my robe. “For what?”

“Just go home and get dressed.”

I slap him with the paper. “Is that it?”

He chuckles. “Hey? What’s up with you?”

“You shit. This is my moment and all you want me to do is get dressed. Can’t I bask in this?”

He smiles. “Sure. But first get ready. There’s something you should see.”

“I was thinking of giving you a celebratory blowjob.”

His brows rise. “You were?”

I nod, still dabbing at the tears of my happiness.

“Think you could bank that for later?”

I scowl at him. “This thing you want me to see better be worth it.”

“Oh it is. Trust me.”