Izzy gasped and reached for the book. Josephine and Scott both laughed.
“Looks like she’s definitely interested,” Josephine said. She took a step backward. “Well, I’ll let you get to your expenses, but I’m glad you two got to renew your acquaintance.”
Izzy dropped the book in her tote bag. “Thanks so much,” she said to Scott. “It was great to meet you again.”
Scott smiled at her and went back to his desk. “Great to meet you, too, Isabelle. Hope to see you again soon. Talk to you later, Josephine.”
Josephine walked her to the elevator.
“Thanks again for being able to come in on such short notice, Isabelle,” Josephine said. “Like I told you, I’ll be on vacation next week, but I’ll keep you posted about our timeline.”
They shook hands, and Izzy smiled at her.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ve had a wonderful time talking to you.”
Josephine smiled. “Likewise.”
Izzy walked out of the Maurice building and turned her phone back on. She had a bunch of texts from Priya—thank goodness she’d remembered to turn her phone off before she’d walked inside. But nothing from Beau.
He’d known when her interview was. He’d definitely known.
He hadn’t texted her to see how her flight was or to say good luck on the interview or to ask her how the interview went. Nothing.
The texts from Priya were great. But she knew she wanted to share this with Beau; to celebrate with him; to hear his familiar, deep, warm voice rumble in her ear.
She made herself click over to Priya’s texts.
I bet you’re doing great in there!
Text me as soon as you’re out
How was it???
Izzy had better answer her immediately or else Priya would melt down.
I’m out! It was great. I thought I wanted it before I walked in the door, but now I want it soooo bad. Josephine’s really great, everyone there is great, the books are great…Ahhhhh
Priya responded right away.
And YOU are great!
Izzy grinned at her phone. She could always count on Priya.
Okay, but also—wanted to make sure you saw this article, if you haven’t already. Have you heard any of this from Marta? Is it true?
Izzy frowned down at her phone as she clicked the link Priya had texted. What could this be about? Was what true?
She scanned the article, something about a new Hollywood memoir recently acquired by TAOAT. Acquired by Gavin, ugh. But why had Priya texted her this? What would she have heard about from Marta?
And then she found it.
This acquisition was all the more important for TAOAT since Beau Towers’s memoir—acquired by Marta Wallace over two years ago—won’t be published next year. A source within TAOAT says Towers’s manuscript is far overdue and that the likelihood of Towers actually turning something in is “slim to none.” “Towers is a liability,” our source said. “He’s uncooperative, has significant anger management issues, and frankly, isn’t all that bright.” It’s clear that TAOAT has given up on that book.
Won’t be published next year? Given up on it? Isn’t all that bright? What the hell?
Izzy felt enraged, betrayed. How could they do this to Beau? How could they do this to her? He’d worked so hard. Marta knew how hard he was working, he’d told her! To hit him out of nowhere, insult him like this, with just an anonymous quote in some gossipy publishing piece, felt cruel.
And she’d worked so hard with him. Did none of that matter? Had they just let her keep working with him after they’d given up on Beau, after they’d realized they didn’t want his memoir anyway, just for busy work, because they’d given up on her, too?
Did he know about this? No he couldn’t know, he would have asked her about it. Maybe he thought she knew and didn’t tell him, and that’s why he hadn’t texted her?
If that was why, then she was furious at Beau, too. How could he think that she wouldn’t tell him about this? How could he think she wouldn’t be on his side?
She should text Priya back.
No—I didn’t know any of this
Ok, let’s talk asap tomorrow. Can’t wait for you to be back in the office!
I can’t wait, too!
That was a lie, but what else was she supposed to say to Priya? She didn’t want to go back to the office at all—even though she was angry at Beau for not texting her, for not trusting her, she was just as angry at Marta for doing this to Beau.
She had to talk to Marta about this. Even though she didn’t think she’d ever see Beau again, even though their relationship might be over, she still believed in his book. While she’d been in California, she’d learned how to fight for herself and her dreams. She was going to keep fighting. For her dreams, and for Beau’s.