Writer's Block: A Bite-Size Thriller | ✔️

4

Sitting across from one another at an upscale ocean-side restaurant, Matilda fought to focus on her husband's idle chatter, but the curious events of the afternoon had her whole self on edge.

She sat rigid in her seat, forcing the occasional nod in response to the conversation. Not only were the items she'd found in the drawer reeling through her thoughts but now the peculiar accident in the master bath as well. Perhaps more bizarre still was Colin's cavalier reply. "Probably just a buildup of static electricity,"  he'd offered nonchalantly. She'd been electrocuted by water, for goodness sake! There's nothing nonchalant about that.

She expected more from him than that. After all, her husband was a former electrician by trade, having recently given up the profession after minimum coaxing from her. He should have offered her a more knowledgeable explanation. Watching him now, a wave of restlessness rolled through her. She fidgeted uncomfortably in her chair.

"Earth to Matilda," Colin teased, an amused smirk tugging the corner of his kissable lips. "Have you heard a word I've said?"

Matilda shook her head, shooing away the nagging thoughts. "I'm sorry, darling. I must have missed that last part."

Something flashed across his face, but in her preoccupied state, she couldn't make sense of it.

"I said, how's the next book coming along?"

Matilda sucked in a breath then let it out slowly. "It's not," she replied honestly. That very question had been weighing on her mind. She'd been racking her brain for months, but nothing new came to her. Not that she needed the money, but her publisher expected another bestseller. So did her fans. "Would you still love me if I was a one-hit wonder?"

"Of course, I'd love you," Colin said without a breath of hesitation. "With the smart investments we've made, what you've earned so far would easily last us two lifetimes each. Imagine what our bank accounts will look like at this time next year!"

She gave a distracted nod. There was only one bank account to speak of, recently put in both of their names. Matilda suspected her new husband had meager means before, but now that he had a fair amount of wealth to play around with, he proved to be a whiz with financial transactions and the stock market, a subject of interest he claimed to have studied for fun.

"I'm sure you're right," she relented. "Still, I hope inspiration strikes soon. I do love to write, and my fingers absolutely ache to touch the keyboard again."

"And I'm certain they will. You'll just have to be patient." Colin rolled up his sleeves as the waiter delivered their meals. Puffs of steam rose from the crab legs and lobster tails and swirled high above their plates. "But rest assured, even if we'd met before your novel came out, I'd love you all the same." Colin glanced up at the waiter. "Matilda's my beauty. How could I not adore her?"

The server gave a polite nod then scurried off. As Colin forked a tender hunk of meat into his mouth, a drop of garlic butter dribbled down his chin and onto his pressed white shirt. Matilda turned away, perturbed by the sight.

"Have you gotten a hold of Savannah yet?" she asked, pushing food around her plate with her fork. With all of the uncertainties that had recently arisen, her appetite had evaded her, and the thought of getting to know Colin's sister felt more important than ever.

"Not yet, my beauty." Annoyance tinged his tone. "We only discussed the matter yesterday. And I believe I mentioned she's a very busy woman."

Matilda took a slow sip of ice water, barely noticing the cool liquid as it slid down her throat. She focused on keeping the edge from her voice. "I'm sorry, I'd just like to have her over as soon as possible. She's family, after all. And there's nothing more important than that." Questions about what she'd found earlier in the day tempted her tongue, but she bit them back.

Colin tilted his head. "Is something bothering you?" he asked. "You're not acting yourself."

Matilda forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just anxious to get to know my sister-in-law."

"Patience is not simply the ability to wait—it's how we behave while we're waiting," Colin proudly announced through another forkful of food. "I heard that on television last week. A very wise proverb, don't you think?"

And curiosity killed the cat, she thought wryly. But didn't dare say it out loud.