Freelance Love: Freelance Love, #1

By Barbara Alvarez

Meet Morgan Adams, a freelance writer who begins struggling with the stalker behavior of her former boss. John Mack, who owns a faltering western clothing store in downtown Las Cruces, tells himself that he wants Morgan working for him again because she would help him increase sales.

John learns that he can achieve his goal by calling Morgan's clients and telling them that she has been "outsourcing" her work, against their contract terms. Morgan fights back and, when John harasses her during a work meeting with her editor, Ian Brady, she finds an attorney.

As Morgan is working at the university, she is also fighting her attraction to Ian. Ian is embarrassed to admit to himself that he is attracted to Morgan—he is the ultimate professional and refuses to ruin his reputation or hers.

As Ian learns of Morgan's lawsuit against John, he tells her that he'll help her in any way she needs. Morgan gratefully accepts his offer; she's spending long hours, working with her remaining clients, grading English assignments for her friend and tutoring students. 

Morgan experiences a few struggles as she pursues her lawsuit against John. About her struggle against her attraction to Ian? She'll give in—happily.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Barbara Alvarez
• Release date: Nov 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519954206

Barbara Alvarez

Barbara Alvarez is a lifelong resident of New Mexico. She has lived for over 40 years in Las Cruces, although her life has taken her to other areas of New Mexico. Barbara has also lived in Columbus, Georgia, when her then-husband was stationed at Fort Benning for the Infantry Officers Basic School. Upon leaving Georgia, Barbara, her husband and first child moved to West Germany, where they lived for three years. Barbara worked as a child protective services social worker for over seven years – this is how she came to know so much about social work. She honors and respects social workers everywhere, knowing they do some of the most thankless, hardest work in existence. After leaving social work, Barbara returned to school and earned her B.A. in journalism. After graduation, she began writing “Into the Lives of Others” and has many other books in the works.

Book preview

Freelance Love

Chapter 1

Morgan Adams sighed at the phone call, looking at the Caller I.D. readout. Seeing that it was her former boss, John Mack, she opted to let the call go to voice mail. I have too much happening right now to deal with his nonsense. These articles are due to Las Cruces Lifestyles by next Monday, and all he wants to do is beg me to come back to work at the store. As soon as John had left his message, Morgan set the phone’s ringer to silent.

Now that she was able to work in relative silence, she made more progress through the editing notes that her editor, Ian Brady, had scribbled on the manuscripts. She paused as she got to one passage that Ian had red-lined. Nope, Ian, not gonna happen. You want me to change this, but it’ll weaken that part of the article if I do. I thought about it, toyed with different words and descriptions and they didn’t work. I’m leaving that one in as-is. Scooting back from her computer, she leaned back in her chair. She let her head drop back, running her fingers through her pepper-and-salt hair. Feeling the tension in her body ease, she groaned.

Two hours later, she stepped away from her computer and stepped onto her treadmill so she could get in some walking time. After a thirty-minute walk, she stepped off, panting slightly. Checking her phone, she noticed that Ian had called. She called him back.

Hey, Ian! How are you? I’m good - making some progress on the manuscripts. I think I’ll finish some time tomorrow.

Okay, then, let’s meet at the coffee shop by the university tomorrow. That article is due tomorrow, right?

Yeah. I’ll try to have the one on the Las Cruces day care for homeless children and the one on the mariachi conference ready to discuss. What time do you want to meet?

The earlier, the better. I have some other work I need to do, but I want to meet with you first off.

Okay, then, 9:30?

Yeah, that works. See you then.

Morgan hung up and went out to her tiny back yard. Sitting on the glider, she looked around at the bright, hot day. The sun was heating everything up, making the leaves on the trees and the grass underfoot wilt. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t have to drive to work and battle traffic. I can take breaks when my mind is about to explode. Why would I return to the store?

Across Las Cruces, John Mack’s clothing store was virtually empty. Aside from the two employees, one customer browsed through the racks. John gazed through his quiet, desolate store, thinking that, if Morgan brought her marketing and sales skills back, he would have more customers buying and fewer just browsing. As the lone customer walked out without buying anything, John swore colorfully under his breath. He thought back to his attempt to call her that morning. She had not picked up, and his later attempts went to voice mail as well. Why the fuckin’ hell doesn’t she pick up her phone if she works at home? She’s probably out gallivantin’ around, going to the mall or sumpin’. I’ve gotta find a way of forcin’ her to come back to the store, or I’m gonna have to close down and admit failure.

Looking at his two employees, he saw them rearranging tables of merchandise and straightening the clothing on the racks. Did you get that paperwork done? If it isn’t . . .

Both young women gave John frightened looks. Yessir, we did. It’s sitting in your inbox. We finished it before lunch, said the more outspoken of his employees.

Those girls are fuckin’ wusses. Morgan would answer me right back, straight up with a little sass.

***

The next morning, Morgan got a phone call from Grace Scott, one of her closes friends. Grace was an instructor in the English Department at New Mexico State University. Hey, Grace, how’s it going? Me, I’m loving writing at home. I can set my own schedule and I am bringing a decent income in. I’m looking for ways of refining my schedule so I can add another client to my schedule.

How’s it going with Ian? Is he a great editor or what? He’s not half-bad looking, either, said Grace, sotto voce.

Morgan smiled. Good-looking, he is. He’s a wonderful editor. He explains why he wants changes and I understand why. I just hope he understands when I choose to keep something as I originally wrote it.

You haven’t hit that one yet?  Let me warn you – he will be passionate about his decisions . . .

Morgan stopped listening when she heard passionate. She thought about her editor’s looks – he wasn’t very tall, but he was muscular and slender. His blue eyes could warm up or, she suspected, freeze glacially. Like Morgan, he had dark hair liberally sprinkled with gray. She was lost in a private reverie about Ian – kissing, caressing . . .

Hey, hello? Morgan, you there? Grace asked.

. . . Oh! I’m sorry. I was thinking . . . about my articles, Morgan said, fumbling.

Ah-hah. Right. You were thinking of the delectable Editor Ian. I know you. You need to go out and have some fun – you’re closed up with your cat and that’s not good for you.

Morgan blushed. Well, he is gorgeous! I’m not blind – or dead!

Grace laughed heartily. Okay, I’ll give you that. Here’s what we’re going to do. You and I are going out, say tomorrow evening. Girls night out, just you and me.

What about Kevin?

He’s been out of town all week long and won’t be back until next Tuesday. He’s attending a long business training.

Wow, that’s a long one!

It’s for new graduates who have been hired to start working for several corporations and the government. 

Okay, then, I’m good for tomorrow night. Where are we going?

Just dress up. We’ll decide then.

Morgan, hearing this directive, remembered when she had been in the Journalism and English programs at the university – going out on Friday or Saturday nights, taking over several tables at a local watering hole and closing it down. Yee-hah! I can’t wait!

Okay, ‘yee-hah lady,’ I have office hours, so I’d better go. See you tomorrow – look for an email from me. Bye!

Having plans energized Morgan – she made the changes to both articles and printed out hard copies of both. Dressing carefully for her meeting with Ian, she selected a casual skirt and pull-over that she knew complemented her. She combed her hair, arranging it carefully, then brushed on light makeup, remembering the heat. Packing her laptop, she added the new versions of her articles. Not wanting her computer to die while she and Ian argued over the changes, she threw her plug-in charger in and left.

***

At the coffee shop on the corner of University Avenue and Espina, she grabbed a parking spot before it was taken. Waiting inside, she set up her laptop and went over her manuscripts one more time.

Ian walked up and tapped Morgan on the shoulder. What would you like to drink? My treat.

Sweet iced tea and I’ll have a scone, thanks. No breakfast. I was busy talking to Grace.

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