Chapter
Forty-Eight
LILY
I thank the server for my coffee before turning my attention back to the man across from me.
“Thanks for agreeing to meet with me, Lily,” Julian says, smiling.
I eye him suspiciously. Was he the one who lied about my article? I have no idea who I can trust any more. I mean he did ask to meet me for coffee to discuss whatever it is he has in mind rather than inviting me to his office, which I appreciate. I don’t think I could handle walking past all those people who witnessed my public humiliation. “Can I ask you about something?”
He takes a quick sip of his coffee and then nods. “Sure.”
“Did West Archer, or anyone, ask you about my puppy farm article?”
He frowns. “He did come to see me, actually.”
“And?”
“I told him to go to hell. He might own the magazine, but as long as I’m the editor, he can read the exclusive scoops along with everyone else.”
I’m filled with relief knowing that my instinct to trust him was spot-on.
“But he wasn’t the only one interested in that article,” he adds.
I lean forward. “No? Who else?”
“Andy asked about it, which isn’t that unusual given that he’s the PR manager. Or at least he was.”
“Was?”
“He left yesterday. No explanation. No notice and no job to go to as far as I’m aware. I told him he won’t be getting this month’s salary if he didn’t work his notice, but he quit anyway. I thought I’d never get Handsy Andy out of there, considering his mom is on the board.”
I stare at him, open-mouthed. “You knew we called him that?”
He grins at me. “It’s my magazine, Lily. I know everything.”
“And was there anyone else interested?”
“Yeah.” His frown deepens. “Bree Reid cornered me in the coffee shop by our building one morning. You know her, right? She owns the PR company we sometimes use.”
I swallow hard. “Yeah, I know her. Why was she interested in my article? What did she say?”
“She just said she knew you from college. She’d heard you were writing something for me and asked what it was. I told her it was an exclusive and nobody but you or I would know the content until it went to print.”
I know she doesn’t like me, but why the hell would she care what I write about?
“You know she used to date West Archer too, right?”
No, I did not freaking know that. “She’s the ex?” I mutter. The fact that she’s the person they believed over me stings even more.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.” I gesture toward the menu, desperate for a subject change. “The waffles are delicious if you want some food.”
“I already had breakfast, but …” He licks his lips. “You want to split some?”
I wrinkle my nose. “I already had breakfast too.”
“Come on,” he urges.
I roll my eyes like it’s a hardship to eat half a plate of delicious waffles. “Fine.”
Julian goes to the counter and orders, then settles back in his chair. “So, I didn’t just ask you here to talk about your jackass ex-boyfriend and eat waffles.”
“That jackass is your boss,” I remind him.
He shrugs. “He’s still a jackass for the way he treated you.”
My heart warms. There are good men in this world. A few, at least. “Thank you.”
“And I hope that him owning the magazine won’t affect your decision to take a job there. As features writer?”
Happy tears fill my eyes. This has been my dream for so long. “What?”
“I always knew you were a great writer, Lily, but your last article really proved it. You know how much feedback we’ve had about it? It’s been huge. And did you hear that all the puppy farms you featured in your piece have been closed down?”
“What? No!” This is the best news. It makes me prouder than I ever dreamed possible to know that an article I wrote had that kind of impact.
“So. You want to start Monday?”
I swallow down a knot of emotion. Damn those three assholes for ruining my life. I worked hard for this chance, and they shit all over it. “You know I can’t, Julian.”
He grimaces but doesn’t look surprised. “You’ll have nothing to do with him. He has no say in the running of Genevieve. I hate the prick for what he did to you, but he’s actually been reasonable where the magazine is concerned. He won’t interfere.”