“I have to go to lunch,” Lily said, standing abruptly.
Edith blubbered an incomprehensible reply, and Lily returned to her desk. She was trying her best not to outright panic.
Once Bernice started in September, Lily would have double the work. It wasn’t unheard of for an editorial assistant to assist two editors, but most editors didn’t need as much hand-holding and managing as Edith. Lily was already up to her ears in stress. How could she assist someone else on top of her overflowing workload? And what would her family think once they found out that she was taking on more work without a promotion?
She opened her personal email account, hoping that she might have received a response to a job application during the last fifteen minutes, but no such luck. She even checked her spam folder and found only fake offers for credit cards. She drummed her fingers against her desk. She had to do something.
She couldn’t sit here and let other people’s decisions affect her career this way, her life. Her situation with Nick hadn’t panned out the way she’d hoped—she still didn’t have a wedding date, and any chance at a relationship with him had crashed and burned, but she’d been bold in the way that she’d taken her life into her own hands and asked for his help. That boldness was what she needed in this moment right now.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she followed up on the email she’d sent Francesca Ng a couple weeks ago.
Hi, Francesca!
I hope all is well! I’m just checking again to see if you’re available for an informational interview? Coffee on me! Please let me know!
She hit send and grimaced at the amount of exclamation points she’d used, but she was desperate and didn’t care if she came across as overeager.
Her phone vibrated then, startling her. It was a text from Dani, saying that she and Oliver were waiting downstairs in the lobby. Lily hurried to gather her wallet and M&M ID, but she paused when she heard the telltale ding of an email hitting her inbox. She blinked at her computer screen. She’d received a reply from Francesca Ng.
Hi, Lily!
I’m so sorry for the late response! You know how nuts summer can be. I’d be happy to set up an informational interview with you, but I’m hoping you might be interested in something a little better. We’re expanding the editorial team here at Happy Go Lucky and hiring an assistant editor, who would work directly with me. I remember you mentioned that you wanted to switch over to children’s publishing. If that’s still the case and you’re interested in the position, please send me your résumé and we can set up an interview. Let me know if you have any questions!
Xx,
Francesca
Lily’s mouth fell open.
After the moment of shock faded, she jumped into action and responded to Francesca, saying that she would love to interview for the position and that her résumé was attached.
She felt like a million bucks. She’d put herself out there and this time it had actually worked!
Nick was the first person she wanted to share this news with. She thought about how he’d comforted her at the animal hospital. You’re the most capable person I know. She wanted to text him, but she wasn’t sure about the boundaries of their new friendship. Maybe random messages of good news didn’t need to be exchanged.
She was still pondering this as she met Dani and Oliver in the lobby. They were standing very close together, and Dani was pivoted toward Oliver, saying something with a mischievous smile on her face that caused him to laugh.
When Oliver looked up and noticed Lily approaching, he waved. Lily had felt so bad about missing the comedy show, but Oliver had been understanding about her emergency with Tomcat. She needed to figure out a way to mention a rain check date, but she wouldn’t do that while Dani was standing right here . . . with her arm looped through Oliver’s.
“There you are, finally,” Dani said, leading them outside. “I heard about Edith’s imprint, by the way. Is she pissed?”
Lily didn’t even bother to ask how Dani already knew. “She is. But I have good news.”
She pulled out her phone and showed Francesca Ng’s email to Dani and Oliver.
“Lily, that’s amazing!” Dani shouted, hugging her. “You might finally escape Edith!”
They squealed and jumped up and down together in the middle of the busy Midtown sidewalk. Oliver looked on, laughing, while men in business suits grumbled and stepped around them.
“I feel like celebrating,” Lily said. “I feel like dancing.”