This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)(31)

"I like the uniforms."

Lilly managed a shrug and turned the conversation in another direction. Her thoughts, however, remained stuck.

Kevin, what have you done?



Chef Rick Bayless's cutting-edge Mexican cuisine made the Frontera Grill one of Chicago's favorite spots for lunch, and before Molly had given away her money, she'd frequently eaten here. Now she ate at this North Clark Street restaurant only when someone else was picking up the check, in this case Helen Kennedy Schott, her editor at Birdcage Press.

"… we're all very committed to the Daphne books, but we do have some concerns."

Molly knew what was coming. She'd submitted Daphne Takes a Tumble in mid-January, and she should have given Helen at least an idea about her next book by now. But Daphne Finds a Baby Rabbit had gone into the trash, and Molly had a devastating case of writer's block.

In the two months since her miscarriage she hadn't been able to write a word, not even for Chik. Instead, she'd kept busy with school book talks and a local tutoring program for preschoolers, forcing herself to focus on the needs of living children instead of the baby she'd lost. Unlike the adults Molly met, the children didn't care that she was the about-to-be-ex-wife of the city's most famous quarterback.

Just last week the town's favorite gossip column had once again turned the media spotlight on her:



Heiress Molly Somerville, the estranged wife of Stars Quarterback Kevin Tucker, has been keeping a low profile in the Windy City. Has it been boredom or a broken heart over her failed marriage to Mr. Football? No one has seen her at any of the city's nightspots, where Tucker still shows up with his foreign lovelies in tow.





At least the column hadn't said Molly "dabbled at writing children's books." That had stung, although lately she hadn't even been able to dabble. Every morning she told herself this would be the day she'd come up with an idea for a new Daphne book or even an article for Chik, and every morning she'd find herself staring at a blank piece of paper. In the meantime her financial situation was deteriorating. She desperately needed the second part of the advance payment she was due to receive for Daphne Takes a Tumble, but Helen still hadn't approved it.

The restaurant's colorful décor suddenly seemed too bright, and the lively chatter jangled her nerves. She'd told no one about her block, especially not the woman sitting across from her. Now she spoke carefully. "I want this next book to be really special. I've been tossing around a number of ideas, but—"

"No, no." Helen held up her hand. "Take your time. We understand. You've been through a lot lately."

If her editor wasn't concerned about not getting a manuscript, why had she invited her to lunch? Molly rearranged one of the tiny corn masa boats on her plate. She'd always loved them, but she'd been having trouble eating since the miscarriage.

Helen touched the rim of her margarita glass. "You should know that we've had some inquiries from SKIFSA about the Daphne books."

Helen mistook Molly's stunned expression. "Straight Kids for a Straight America. They're an antigay organization."

"I know what SKIFSA is. But why are they interested in the Daphne books?"

"I don't think they would have looked at them if there hadn't been so much press about you. The news reports apparently caught their attention, and they called me several weeks ago with some concerns."

"How could they have concerns? Daphne doesn't have a sex life!"

"Yes, well, that didn't stop Jerry Falwell from outing Tinky Winky on the Teletubbies for being purple and carrying a purse."

"Daphne's allowed to carry a purse. She's a girl."

Helen's smile seemed forced. "I don't think the purse is the issue. They're… concerned about possible homosexual overtones."

It was a good thing Molly hadn't been eating, because she would have choked. "In my books?"

"I'm afraid so, although there haven't been any accusations yet. As I said, I think your marriage caught their attention, and they saw a chance for publicity. They asked for an advance look at Daphne Takes a Tumble, and since we didn't foresee any problems, we sent them a copy of the mock-up. Unfortunately, that was a mistake."

Molly's head was beginning to ache. "What possible concerns could they have?"

"Well…they mentioned that you use a lot of rainbows in all of your books. Since that's a symbol for gay pride…"

"It's become a crime to use rainbows?"

"These days it seems to be," Helen said dryly. "There are a few other things. They're all ridiculous, of course. For example, you've drawn Daphne giving Melissa a kiss in at least three different books, including Tumble."

"They're best friends!"

"Yes, well…" Like Molly, Helen had given up any pretense of eating, and she crossed her arms on the edge of the table. "Also, Daphne and Melissa are holding hands and skipping down Periwinkle Path. There's some dialogue."

"A song. They're singing a song."

"That's right. The lyrics are 'It's spring! It's spring! We're gay! We're gay!'"

Molly laughed for what seemed the first time in two months, but her editor's tight-lipped smile sobered her. "Helen, you're not seriously telling me they think Daphne and Melissa are getting it on?"